A chipped tooth in Seattle can happen for all sorts of reasons. It could have been an accident while playing, or maybe you ate something hard that cracked the tooth. One of the things you need to do, regardless of how the tooth chipped, is see a dentist.
The chip may just be small and may not seem to affect anything, especially at the back of the mouth, but your dentist should look at it to ensure there will be no damage in the future. This isn’t necessarily an emergency depending on where the chip is, but you should make it a priority to avoid these future problems.
Your Teeth Could Be More Sensitive
Depending on where the chip has formed, you could end up with more sensitivity issues due to the chipped tooth in Seattle. The inside of your tooth includes nerve endings, and if they are exposed, then food and drink can cause problems. You can end up feeling pain when you eat something cold, or you may feel a throbbing sensation when drinking something hot.
As the nerve endings continue to be exposed, this can lead to more damage. Eventually, you may need to have the nerves removed, but the best thing is to just get the chip repaired!
There’s a Higher Risk of Decay and Infection
When your tooth chips, you end up exposing the inside elements of the tooth. This is where the pulp is, which contains the blood, the nerves, and more. Bacteria will get into the mouth, and it will easy enter the inside of the chipped tooth in Seattle.
You’re exposing your mouth to a higher risk of tooth decay and infection. That infection can get into the gums and the jaw, leading to sepsis and serious health conditions.
Another issue is an abscess, which forms due to bacteria. This causes swelling and pain around the gums, and your dentist will need to help tackle the issue.
You Could End Up Losing the Tooth
Depending on the way the chipped tooth in Seattle sits, you can end up with losing it. This is the case when infections get too severe to treat or when fixing the tooth is no longer the issue.
You’ve already weakened the tooth with the chip. If you leave it for too long, you weaken the rest of the tooth, and sometimes, there isn’t the option to add crowns to protect it. The removal of the tooth ends up leading to a more costly treatment because then you need to get a fake tooth to replace it so you don’t damage and weaken the rest of your mouth! It would have been much better to get it fixed earlier on when it was a smaller treatment plan.
While a chipped tooth in Seattle isn’t always an emergency situation, it should be prioritized. You’re potentially exposing the tooth to more bacteria and damage, which can lead to more costly and life-threatening situations. Book an appointment with the dentist and let them confirm if it’s just something to live with or not.