At some point in our lives we may go through an experience where a tooth or teeth gets cracked, chipped, cracked or broken. This could be the result of an accident, like falling, or forcefully biting down on something hard.

Strong and hard as our teeth are, being the most mineralized tissue in the body, it does have its limit especially if it has already developed some decay. So if you break or chip a tooth, see your dentist the immediately to get proper treatment and prevent further damage or infection. The sooner you see your dentist, the better the chances of repairing or saving the tooth.

First Aid Tips When Chipping A Tooth 

If you chip or break a tooth, follow these home remedies to reduce any discomfort and prevent further damage. First, make sure you check your mouth to see if there are any tooth fragments left, because you definitely want to avoid swallowing them.

Once you have checked your mouth, wash and rinse with salt water solution (1 tbsp of salt in a cup of warm water) to disinfect the tooth and the surrounding area. You may experience some pain, especially if the break exposes tooth nerves. When this happens, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to relieve the discomfort.

Some broken teeth can have jagged or sharp edge results from the break, which may aggravate your condition by wounding your tongue or inner cheek. Prevent this by using a sugarless gum to cover the sharp surface. Eat soft food in the meantime and chew only on the side where there is no damage.

Visiting Your Dentist

When you visit your dentist, he will recommend the appropriate treatment depending on the severity of the damage. Here are some treatment options that your dentist might present:

Bonding or Dental Filling – If it is not serious, such as a small chip on the tooth enamel, he may opt to do bonding or dental filling. In this procedure, he or she will use a composite resin with the same color as your tooth. After cleaning the affected area, your dentist will etch the surface of your tooth to roughen and coarsen it a bit so that the bonding material will adhere to the surface. He will then shade the material he applied to follow the natural contour of your tooth and use UV light to set and harden it. This is a simple procedure and will not require numbing your tooth or an anesthetic, and can be done within an hour.

Crowns and Caps – It the damage is serious, such as when a large part of the tooth has been chipped or broken off, your dentist might go for a dental cap or crown. This procedure requires grinding and filing a portion of the remaining tooth and then covering it with a cap or a crown to protect the remaining part of the tooth and improve its appearance. Crowns can be ceramic, metal, porcelain or resin, which all come with its own advantages and characteristics. For example, metal crowns would be the sturdiest option but will definitely appear different from the surrounding natural teeth, while resin and porcelain crowns can be molded to look identical to the original tooth.

Porcelain Veneer – If you are a young patient in your teens or in the early 20s, your dentist might recommend a porcelain veneer which is a bit more expensive but more permanent than bonding. This would be a better option instead of resorting to a dental cap. This procedure allows the proper maturing of the surrounding teeth and gums before resorting to a more permanent restoration such as an all-ceramic crown.

So, in the unfortunate event that you chip or break a tooth – see your dentist right away, but be sure that you know what to do to take care of it at home first.