Tooth enamel is one of the strongest substances of the body. However, it can still be vulnerable of injury, including breaking or chipping.
Sometimes this happens as a result of an injury and other times it happens from an oral issue like teeth grinding or poor oral care.
Either way, there are several things you should do if you find yourself with a chipped or cracked tooth. Read on to learn more.
Take action on a chipped tooth
Whether you have fallen down and hit your face, thus chipping a tooth, or if you were using your teeth to open some sort of packaging or even if you were simply biting into a carrot or other hard food, if you tooth has chipped, you need to know what to do.
First, you should call Dr. Milan’s office right away to make an emergency dental appointment.
You also should rinse your mouth immediately, to remove any debris that could infect the wound. If needed, you can use dental wax to help any jagged edges from hurting the mouth further.
Apply pressure to stop any bleeding that may be occurring.
Additionally, you can floss to ensure food particles are removed from the wound area. A cold compress and over-the-counter pain reliever can be used to reduce pain and swelling.
And if the tooth has come out completely, you can preserve it by placing in a dish of milk or saline solution until you can get to your dental appointment.
There are various treatments for broken teeth, including bonding, crowns, dental implants or veneers. Dr. Milan will let you know your options after your evaluation.
Dr. Milan is here for you
If you are having a dental emergency such as a chipped tooth or something else, Dr. Milan and Birmingham Center for Cosmetic Dentistry are here for you.
With two decades of experience in preventative, restorative, cosmetic and emergency dental procedures, the team is ready and able to handle any dental concern that comes your way.
The team invites you to call to schedule your appointment