Why Your Tooth Might be Chipping

It’s all fun and games until someone chips a tooth.

Chipped teeth can be very uncomfortable and unsightly to live with, especially if you value the beauty of your pearly whites. And while you do think you take proper care by using the right brush and toothpaste, there are some habits that can cause you to chip your tooth without you realizing it.

Reasons behind Chipped Teeth

· Teeth Grinding

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is the act of clenching or grinding your teeth together so strongly that the pressure erodes your teeth. This erosion causes the enamel to weaken which, in turn, gives way to tooth chipping. The best solution for this is to wear a mouth guard when you sleep since that is usually when we grind our teeth.

· High-Impact Sports

Another cause of chipped teeth is that of oral trauma, caused by any athletic activity that would impact your face. Sports such as hockey, football, basketball and baseball do give a lot of opportunities for such incidents, which is why it’s important that you wear the right protective gear to cover your teeth during sports and practice.

· Poor Nutrition

Any food that requires undue pressure can increase the risk of tooth chipping. Chewing on ice, lollipops or any hard food item can make your teeth weaker, causing them to chip. In addition, any starchy, acidic or sugary food can also erode your enamel and make your teeth more prone to decay.  Soft drinks and fruit juices are the main culprits for enamel wear, since the corrosive acids tend to wash away the enamel.

· Decay

Aside from causing your teeth to discolor, bacteria producing acids can also eat away at the enamel on your teeth, making them vulnerable. Also, caries-causing bacteria can cause more damage, especially if the chipped part of your tooth opens up the internal portion to infection. It’s important that you apply proper care to your chipped tooth, since further infection of the tooth pulp can lead to a root canal and crown replacement, which can be quite expensive.

How to Solve the Chipping Problem

If you have a chipped tooth, the best solution is to go to a dentist so you can figure out the main cause.

At Advanced Dental Center, we also offer a complete range of dentistry services to patients that are anxious about dental health. Call (301) 353-8890 to obtain our dental services in Gaithersburg, Frederick, Germantown, and Rockville, MD.