Do Teeth Chip with Age?
Controlling your daily activities with chipped teeth can sometimes be uncomfortable or even unnerving, but it is something that might happen to anyone. The odds of chipping a tooth increase as you grow older because your teeth will become more susceptible, especially if you do not take loving care of them. You may very well find yourself chipping your teeth more often as you age.
Three Common Causes of Chipping a Tooth
- Chewing on Hard Objects- Nothing will damage your teeth as quickly as chewing on something hard. Your teeth are just not designed to chew on ice, your fingernails, or a jawbreaker. If you have a habit of doing something like this, make a deliberate effort to stop. Do not use your teeth to open things up.
- Grinding and Clenching- Grinding your teeth is detrimental to your overall oral health. The medical term is bruxism, and it will easily lead to chipped and fractured teeth. Persistently grinding or clenching your teeth will erode the protective enamel and chewing surfaces, making them more likely to chip with pressure.
Chipped teeth are a leading symptom of bruxism. You might not even realize you have this habit. It often occurs while you are sleeping, so you are not aware of it unless someone observes it.
A remarkably straightforward way to alleviate the negative consequences of tooth grinding is by having a mouth guard designed for you. The guard dramatically reduces the pressure on your teeth while you grind. The mouth guard also functions as a retainer, maintaining your teeth in their correct position.
- Not Getting Enough Essential Nutrients for Your Teeth- You will not enjoy having healthy teeth if you do not receive adequate amounts of essential nutrients, like calcium and fluoride. These minerals both strengthen and protect your teeth from tooth decay caused by the bacteria that are constantly present in your mouth.
Even with marvelous oral hygiene, you still end up dealing with common issues like decay if you are not getting the fluoride and calcium you need. Decaying teeth are more susceptible to chipping simply because they are weaker. It just takes quite a small amount of pressure to chip a decaying tooth.
To make every effort to keep your teeth healthy, enjoy plenty of milk and other dairy products since these are good for your teeth, and brush twice daily with a toothpaste that contains fluoride. You might also get the necessary fluoride for your teeth by drinking fluoridated water. If your teeth already have cavities, your dentist can quickly remove them and use dental fillings to help restore their strength.
Solutions for a Chipped Tooth
Before addressing the possible underlying causes, your dentist could recommend treating the existing damage by restoring a tooth and preventing additional complications. They examine your teeth and gums and take X-rays to determine the damage and recommend appropriate treatments.
The treatment recommended for the chipped tooth might depend on which tooth it is, the severity of the damage, and your personal circumstances. The most common options are:
- A protective dental crown.
- An onlay.
- Dental tooth bonding.
- A dental veneer.
Related Article: Are Chipped Teeth Common?