Is a Chipped Tooth Serious?
A chipped tooth is the result of a small part of a tooth being fractured off the tooth. It can range anywhere from a severe crack running along the surface or a smaller and lesser chip on just the edge. Either type will threaten the integrity of the structure of the tooth because they both weaken the tooth and might expose a nerve.
Regrettably, there are no solutions to fix or repair a chipped tooth at home. You should consider your teeth to be like your bones. If you broke or fractured a bone, you would not try to fix it at home. You need professional assistance from a medical expert who has been trained to resolve the unique circumstances of your personal situation by providing the appropriate solution. Your teeth are no different. If your tooth becomes cracked or chipped, you should see your dentist so that the proper treatment can be provided.
Several Consequences of Ignoring a Chipped Tooth
- Temperature sensitivity- Temperature is not physical pressure on the tooth, yet it can still be quite painful. Since the outer protective enamel layer is no longer functioning properly, the nerves of the tooth are now exposed. The tooth will become extremely sensitive to temperature, so just drinking cold water can cause pain. This is the same for anything hot, food, or beverages. Hot tea or coffee might cause shooting pain through the tooth. This now makes it difficult and uncomfortable to eat or drink.
- Pressure sensitivity- A chip in your tooth is threatening to your oral health because it can very easily expose the nerve of the tooth. Cracks can also be related to cavities, so the tooth is already weakened, agitated, and compromised. The decay weakens the density of the tooth, which is often the cause of the chipping or cracking. The tooth is vulnerable from more damage after it chips the first time. Putting even light pressure on a cracked or chipped tooth could cause immense pain.
- You can cause an infection- A chipped tooth often leaves the inner part of the tooth exposed, so it is more susceptible to both cavities and infections. You can damage the nerve of the tooth, or an abscess can form, which can now become harmful to your overall health. Even though a chipped tooth may not seem important at first, it is best not to ignore it, instead, you should see your dentist.
- The tooth could break altogether- Since a chip now exposes the inner part of a tooth, the fracture can also leave the root of your tooth exposed. This structurally weakens the entire tooth, and for that reason, it makes the tooth liable to break off completely. If you just bite down or chew something hard, you could immediately convert the chipped tooth into a broken tooth. A broken tooth is much worse and requires more extensive treatment to repair.
- You could cut your tongue- This is yet another consequence of ignoring a chipped tooth. Since the chip is most often jagged and sharp, you might end up accidentally cutting your tongue on it, causing even more unnecessary pain.
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