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Brittle Teeth: Causes, Prevention & Treatment Options

You are here looking for the no BS answer to the question: Why Are My Teeth Chipping Easily?

Did you know that enamel is the toughest substance in your body? Yes, the outer covering of your teeth, i.e., enamel, is a protective layer over your teeth, but it has its limits despite being strong.

If not taken care it may cause teeth chipping. Let us discuss this further and find out why does it happen and how to prevent it. 

Why Are My Teeth Chipping Easily?

Enamel that protects our teeth from hot, cold, acid, and chipping can get worn out due to poor oral hygiene, practices, or a forceful blow.

Once this enamel is damaged, your teeth become craggy; they get sharp, rough, and prone to chipping. It might also lead to sensitivity and expose your teeth to various other gum problems and cavities.

The chipping of teeth itself is not very dangerous unless it’s too deep, which might make way for sensitivity and cavity to the harbor over a prolonged period.

Then you might have to face some bad consequences. The best thing is not to let such a situation arrive. 

Read carefully to spot and avoid the mistakes you might be making unintentionally that may lead to teeth chipping. 

Causes Of Chipped Teeth

Poor oral hygiene, avoiding dental checkups and wrong food habits, etc., might lead to chipped teeth or cracked teeth.

Teeth that are already sensitive and damaged are more prone to chipping. Here are a few causes:

  • Bruxism: Some people grind their teeth while sleeping or out of habit, called bruxism. It can lead to teeth chipping. 
  • Bad Bite: Biting down hard food such as candies, ice, walnut, or a bone.
  • Poor Oral Hygiene: Not brushing correctly, sleeping without cleaning your teeth, or midnight snacking.
  • Cavities: Your teeth get weakened by cavities making it easier to chip 
  • Hard Hit: Accidents where your face or mouth get hit forcefully. 

Symptoms Of A Chipped Tooth

If the chipping is minor and doesn’t cause you any discomfort, it might go unnoticed; however, here are a few symptoms by which you can identify a chipped tooth:

  • Feeling uneven surface when you slide your tongue over the teeth. 
  • Gum irritation around the chipped tooth.
  • Pain while biting food due to pressure. 
  • Sensitivity on the chipped tooth while consuming cold or hot substances. 

Chipped Tooth Treatments

1. Small Chip– if the chipping is minor, your dentist will polish the chipped tooth and make it smoother. Consume more calcium, and no further treatment is required. 

2. Medium Chip– if the chipping involves minor damage to the enamel and your food gets stuck inside the chipped area, go for a dental filling. The dentist will fill the area with porcelain or resin material. Followed by making the surface smooth, and that’s it. 

3. Large Chip– if the chipping is large and your roots are being exposed, leading to infection and throbbing pain. Go for a root canal treatment, in which your dentist will treat your infected roots and cover your damaged tooth with a dental crown. 

This treatment is expensive and lengthy, but it will last you for 10-15 years, depending on you. 

Conclusion

Tooth chipping is a very common problem and might go unnoticed if not severe.

However, if you encounter such a problem, do not delay; make a dental appointment and get your tooth treated before it’s too late.

Because if you leave your tooth untreated and the infection gets severe, you might have to lose your tooth forever and replace it with a fake one. This is a painful and expensive procedure.

Also read: Can Teeth Fall Out After Deep Cleaning?

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Stop My Teeth From Chipping?

If you want to stop your teeth from chipping, make sure to reduce sugar and acid intake and do not chew hard candies or ice. In addition, you should avoid teeth grinding.

Which Vitamin Deficiency Causes are Teeth Chipping?

Yes, lack of vitamin D can make your teeth weak, brittle, and easy to chip.

How Do You Rebuild Enamel?

Brush your teeth twice a day using toothpaste with fluoride, floss once per day, and increase calcium and vitamin D intake.

Can You Fix Chipped Teeth?

Yes. A dentist can treat chipped teeth depending on the severity of the damage.

In most cases, and especially if it’s a small portion of the enamel, your dentist might recommend bonding.

Other effective treatments to repair chipped teeth include veneers, dental implants, and dental crowns or caps.

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Kate Colley
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