Your tooth enamel has been designed by the forces of nature to be strong enough to allow you to bite, chew, and grind most common foods. Yet there are still some things that can chip or fracture a tooth.
When this happens the trauma to the tooth and damage to the tooth enamel can vary. This could include persistent pain, heightened sensitivity, and a tooth at increased risk of suffering from a severe cavity.
There are certain bad habits you should consider addressing to reduce your chances of suffering a chipped tooth.
This includes curtailed habits like biting your nails, nervously nibbling on pens, and pencils, or using your teeth as improvised tools. Other habits like crunching on ice can also exceed tooth enamel’s inherent strength.
If you frequently grind your teeth while sleeping you could also be at increased risk of suffering a chipped tooth. This is even more likely to occur on the biting surfaces of the molars and premolars in the back of your mouth. Fortunately, these dental fractures can be prevented by wearing a dental guard in your mouth while sleeping.
Contact sport athletes and people with rigorous outdoor hobbies should also use a quality mouth guard during the necessary times. If you don’t like the units sold in stores, Dr. Ronald A. Williams and his associates can help provide you with a custom mouth guard.
If you are an athlete in the Davison, Michigan, area and you have a chipped or fractured tooth, you should call 810.653.3503 to set up a consultation appointment with the oral care specialists at The Art of Dentistry.