Wondering what are the causes of chipped teeth? First of all, a chipped tooth is exactly what it sounds like: a tooth with a part chipped off (or missing). While the outer covering of a tooth, the enamel, is meant to protect the tooth while you eat, it is not indestructible. Usually, when something hard hits your mouth or tooth directly, it creates a chip on the tooth. When a tooth is chipped, you must visit a dental professional for treatment so it does not become worse.
Dr. Shin from Smile Well Dental recommends you visit a dentist within 1 week of experiencing a chipped tooth. He adds “minor chips don’t always need treatment, but it’s better to be safe than sorry”.
About Chipped Teeth
Knowing how teeth are chipped allows you to take precautions to prevent the situation from happening to yourself. Some of the common reasons for chipped tooth include being involved in a car accident, falling down and hitting one’s mouth on the sidewalk, being hit in the mouth when playing sports, teeth grinding, teeth clenching and eating hard foods like almonds.
Surprising Causes of Chipped Teeth
The following is a list of some of the more surprising causes of chipped tooth. We’re sure you’ll be surprised with at least one of these reasons!
1. Biting one’s nails
According to the American Dental Association, nail biting can create a chip on your teeth. When someone constantly bites their nails, they tend to bite using the same tooth or teeth over and over again. In fact, nail biting is one of the top 5 bad habits that most people struggle to deal with. The constant force being placed on the teeth will eventually begin to create wear and tear, making the tooth weaker and susceptible to chipping.
2. Tongue piercings
A tongue piercing is a piece of hard jewelry in one’s mouth at all times. This jewelry often comes into contact with the teeth when sleeping, eating and talking. Over time, this constant contact causes the teeth to weaken, increasing the chances of experiencing one or more chipped teeth.
3. Living with a “bad bite”
A “bad bite” is referred to a misalignment of the teeth. When the upper teeth and lower teeth do not properly fit together, it negatively affects certain parts of the teeth. Over time, these effects become more noticeable, weakening your teeth in the process and making them more susceptible to being chipped.
4. Chewing on ice
Chewing on ice is a habit that is typically caused by a lack of nutrients in the body. A lack of proper nutrients in the body will lead to symptoms that cause your body to crave for ice. Common symptoms include having a dry mouth, experiencing a tingling in the mouth or the tongue and experiencing a different taste when eating certain foods. Since ice is hard, constantly chewing on ice will weaken the teeth, leading to chips.
Are You Living with Chips in your Teeth?
If you currently have one or more chipped teeth, you need to look into possible treatment options as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for the chip to turn into something worse, like a crack or infection. This will require even more intensive dental treatment. The two most common types of dental treatment provided to patients who have minor chips in their teeth are dental fillings and dental bonding. Both treatment options take less than one hour to perform, making it extremely easy and convenient to fix chipped teeth.
Request an appointment here: https://nvwelldental.com or call Smile Well Dental Office at (778) 340-2897 for an appointment in our North Vancouver office.
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