What to Do If You Chip a Tooth

A chipped tooth damages tooth enamel and increases the risk of infection and decay. While it might not be a dental emergency, it does require restorative treatment. Here is what to do if you chip a tooth.

• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to relieve discomfort.
• Save the broken pieces of tooth and bring them with you, just in case we can use them to mend the tooth.
• If there is any bleeding, use a clean piece of gauze and apply gentle pressure on the wound until bleeding ceases. The bleeding should stop within twenty minutes, but otherwise, seek emergency dental care if it continues.
• If you have any swelling, an ice pack will help to reduce it.
• Temporary dental cement can be used to temporarily restore the tooth, just until you can get to iSmile.
• Dental wax or sugarless gum can be placed over any sharp areas to protect your tongue, cheeks and lips.

If the chip is relatively small, we might be able to treat it by smoothing and polishing the tooth surface. Chipped molars are repairable with dental fillings, while damage to front teeth is mended by bonding the tooth. This is a process which uses tooth-coloured composite resin to mend the tooth invisibly. More extensive damage might need a dental crown which covers up the tooth entirely.