A chipped tooth occurs when a section of a tooth has fractured away from the body. It can range from a severe crack along the surface or a lesser chip on the edge of the body. Both are equally dangerous to the structure of your tooth because they practically do the same thing; weaken it and expose the nerve.

Unfortunately, there is no way to repair a chipped tooth at home. Think of your teeth like bones. If you fractured a bone, you would not try to fix it yourself. You would need professional help from a medical expert who understands how to react to the unique circumstances of your situation.

The same goes for your teeth. If your tooth becomes cracked or chipped, you need to see a dentist so that the appropriate treatment can be administered.

Here are 5 dangers of ignoring a chipped tooth:

1. You could cut your tongue

This is the least severe consequence of choosing to ignore a chipped tooth. Because the break is usually not clean when a chip comes away from the body of the tooth, it can leave the area jagged and sharp. You could end up accidentally cutting your tongue on it, causing yourself unnecessary pain.

2. Pressure sensitivity

Having a chip in your tooth is dangerous to your health because it can expose the nerve of your tooth. Cracks are often due to a cavity, so the tooth is already weakened, agitated and compromised, to begin with.

The decay has weakened the density, which is why it usually cracks in the first place. The tooth is no safer from further damage after it chips the first time. Putting pressure on a cracked or chipped tooth, even a little bit could cause immense pain.

3. Temperature sensitivity

While temperature is not direct pressure on the tooth, it can still cause immense pain. Because the outer structure is no longer functional, the root of the tooth is exposed. It is extremely sensitive to temperature, so drinking cold water could cause pain.

This also applies to hot food and beverages. Hot tea could cause shooting pain to the root of the tooth. This makes it hard to eat or drink.

4. You could cause the tooth to break altogether

Because a chip exposes the inner section of a tooth, the fracture leaves the root of your tooth exposed. This structurally weakens the tooth and, because of that, it makes the tooth liable to completely break.

If you chew something hard, you could escalate the chipped tooth into a broken tooth. A broken tooth is much worse and requires more treatment to fix.

5. You could cause an infection

Since a seriously chipped tooth often leaves the inner structure of the tooth exposed, it is more vulnerable to cavities and infections. You could damage the nerve of the tooth or an abscess can even form, which is extremely dangerous to your health.

While a chipped tooth may not seem severe at first, it is very unwise to leave it alone instead of seeking professional help. Contact York Hill Endodontics to find out more about the best ways to deal with a chipped tooth. You can contact us by clicking here or calling 416-781-5251.

 

Article originally appeared at: https://www.desmoinesdentalcenter.com/

Author: Des Moines Dental Centre