The Potential Infection of Chipped Teeth
Posted on 6/8/2020 by Metropolitan Dental Specialty Group |
 Your teeth are an important feature of your mouth. They help you to bite and chew, as well as to speak properly. They also provide you with a beautiful, confident smile. While your teeth may be the hardest substance in your mouth, they can still become damaged. Chips in teeth, particularly minor ones, might not seem like a big deal. However, chipped teeth can do more than affect the quality of your smile. They can also potentially lead to an infection. Metropolitan Dental Specialty Group can help.
What Causes Chips in Teeth?
There are several different issues that can cause chips in your teeth. Causes include:
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Facial trauma. While the teeth are incredibly strong, a hard hit to the mouth, such as a car accident, a fall, or a sports injury, can cause significant damage, including chips.
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Cavities. Cavities weaken the structural integrity of your teeth, leaving them vulnerable to chipping.
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You have a bad bite. When your bite is bad, pressures are unevenly distributed. Some teeth receive more pressure than others, which can lead to a chip.
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Bruxism. A condition in which you grind and clench your teeth, bruxism leads to excessive pressures placed on your teeth.
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Poor oral hygiene practices. Poor oral hygiene can leave your teeth vulnerable, particularly if they are already weak or damaged. |
How Can a Chipped Tooth Become Infected?
Minor chips in teeth might not seem like such a big deal, particularly because they only affect the enamel layer of your teeth. However, even minor chips can lead to more significant damage if they are not treated.
Chips that affect the inner layers of your teeth, or small chips that have caused further damage, open up a direct path for bacteria to enter the interior of the affected tooth. Once inside, the bacteria do not leave. Instead, they begin to multiply and fill up the inside of the tooth. They also irritate the pulp, soft tissue inside the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves. The infection inside your tooth can lead to severe pain. Without treatment, bacteria can begin spilling out through the root of the tooth. When this happens, a sac forms around the bacteria, called a dental abscess. Over time, the abscess can continue to grow in size and may even rupture. A ruptured abscess can allow bacteria to enter into your bloodstream, where it can travel throughout your body contributing to serious issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
If you have a chipped tooth, it is important that you receive treatment immediately to prevent further harm to the tooth, including painful, dangerous infections. Call Metropolitan Dental Specialty Group today at (301) 585-0400 to schedule your appointment.
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