What to Do When You Chip a Tooth
Whether tooth decay, disease, medication side effect, or age has weakened a tooth or a tooth is strong and healthy, chips and breaks can and do happen. A tooth can chip when it accidentally hits the side of a drinking glass, when you bite into tough food, while chewing on hard objects, or as a result of an impact injury to the face.
While it’s never fun to chip a tooth and you might not like the way it looks, don’t worry! There are lots of ways to repair chipped teeth. Just be sure to consider the following steps if you do happen to break a tooth.
What to Do When You Chip a Tooth (5 Steps)
1. Contact the Dentist Right Away
Chipping a tooth is not technically a dental emergency. However, if you chip a tooth, you should still schedule an appointment for dental treatment as soon as possible.
2. Keep the Area Clean
Continue brushing and flossing gently around the area of the chipped tooth to prevent tooth decay and infection.
3. Rinse With Warm Salt Water
Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water will also help to soothe the area (if there’s any pain or swelling) while reducing the risk of infection.
4. Treat Pain With Over-the-Counter Medication
If you do experience any pain, sensitivity, or swelling around the area of the damaged tooth, this can be addressed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
5. Protect Soft Tissues
Chipped or broken teeth often have sharp edges that can irritate or cut nearby soft tissues such as the cheeks, lips, or tongue. Pick up a bit of dental wax or temporary dental bonding from your pharmacy to cover the sharp edges of your tooth.
Chipped Tooth Repair in La Mesa
At Cardinal Dental in La Mesa, we offer a variety of restorative dental treatments that can address a chipped tooth. Treatments for a chipped tooth vary depending on which tooth has been chipped or broken and the severity of the damage. Treatments for repairing chipped or broken teeth include dental bonding, veneers, fillings, inlays, onlays, and dental crowns.
If you chip a tooth, we welcome you to schedule an appointment with our dentist in La Mesa. We’ll examine your teeth, evaluate the damage, and provide you with a personalized treatment plan designed to restore the look and function of your smile while preserving your natural tooth.
