What Should I Do If I Chip My Tooth

A chipped tooth can be painful and unsightly. If you have a chipped tooth, you might be tempted to avoid smiling or laughing. Ultimately, the best way to prevent a chip in the first place is to take good care of your smile by brushing and flossing regularly and visiting the dentist every six months for your checkup and cleaning. However, there are some things you can do to help your chipped tooth:

Handle the Tooth with Care

If you chip your tooth, you should rinse your mouth with water and apply a cold compress to the face to minimize pain and inflammation. Then you should call us to schedule an appointment right away. We can examine the tooth to determine the extent of the damage. If the chip is small, we may be able to repair it with a filling or bonding material. But if the damage is severe, we may recommend restoring the tooth with a crown or a veneer. The sooner we can treat the tooth, the better the outcome is likely to be. Leaving the chip untreated may lead to further damage to the tooth structure or even to an infection. That could affect your overall health as well. Therefore, regardless of the size of the chip, it’s wise to get treatment right away.

Rinse Your Mouth with Water to Clean the Tooth

If you’ve chipped a tooth, rinse your mouth out with warm water to remove any debris from your tooth or surrounding areas. This will help prevent an infection if the chip is near your gumline. Once you’ve got the water in your mouth, try cleaning the tooth with your finger or a toothbrush to help remove any food or debris from the damaged area.

If the pain is severe, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen to help minimize any discomfort you might be feeling. It’s important that you take these medications as directed on the bottle to help prevent any further damage to your teeth. Be careful not to swallow them without water! 

Depending on the severity of the damage, you may want to visit your dentist for a repair. However, if you’re unsure about whether you should seek treatment or not, it’s usually safe to wait and see if the chip causes any problems before you make an appointment at the dental office.

Apply a Cold Compress to the Outside of the Mouth

Immediately after a tooth breaks, you should place an ice pack on the outside of your cheek to minimize swelling. You should then call your dentist’s office to make an appointment for an emergency repair. You should also make an appointment as soon as possible so that the dentist can examine your tooth and determine whether it is stable enough for a filling or whether the tooth needs to be extracted.

Once the tooth is repaired, you should avoid chewing on that side of your mouth until it has been restored with a crown or temporary restoration. In the meantime, stick to soft foods, and avoid chewing on hard items such as ice or pens. If you are unable to see a dentist right away, you can temporarily alleviate the pain with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen.

Call Your Dentist Immediately

If you chip a tooth, the first thing to do is call your dentist right away. It’s important to contact the dentist as soon as possible because you may not know you have a cracked tooth until you start to feel pain. The dentist will be able to assess the damage and recommend treatment. They may be able to repair the tooth with a filling or crown. If the damage is extensive, they may recommend you have it extracted. 

For more information about a chipped tooth, visit Englewood Dentistry at 334 Grand Ave, Englewood 07631, or call (201) 541-8111.