5 Unexpected Ways Your Teeth Can Get Chipped

Our teeth are meant to last a lifetime but sometimes, life gets in the way. Unexpected circumstances can damage our teeth in surprising ways. The underlying reasons teeth chip or break are due to forceful trauma to the face or because teeth are weak and brittle. Chances are your dentist has heard all kinds of reasons how a tooth became chipped. While your dentist can repair teeth with restorations, he or she may need to refer you to a specialist like an endodontist or oral surgeon for more focused treatment. Following are five unexpected ways your teeth can chip or break.

Bruxism

Bruxism, also known as grinding or clenching one’s teeth habitually, is a common response to stress and tension. Over time, this habit will wear cracks in tooth enamel. As tooth enamel weakens, teeth are very susceptible to chipping. Many times, a dentist will ask patients if they grind their teeth when they come in to have a chip repaired.

Biting Inedible Objects

Biting on pen caps and other inedible objects can easily chip or break a tooth – especially if a person does this habitually. We should only bite down on edible foods, not inanimate objects because it weakens our tooth enamel.

Chewing Ice Cubes

Chewing an ice cube could send you in for an emergency dental appointment easily. Like pen caps, chewing on ice cubes will weaken tooth enamel over time. If a person has a habit of chewing on ice cubes, we recommend drinking beverages without ice or with a straw so that it is easier to avoid temptation.

Shivering when Cold or Sick

Believe it or not, patients have received treatment for chipped teeth caused by shivering. Chattering one’s teeth together can cause damage like cracks and chips. More than likely, teeth were already brittle or weak before one shivered.

Bearing Down from Pain

We tend to bear down and clench/grit our teeth as a response to pain. People have broken their teeth when bearing down during episodes of severe pain.

Call our team at Charlottesville Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center today to ask questions or reserve an appointment.