How to Deal With Chipped Tooth Sensitivity Until You Get Your Chipped Tooth Repaired
by Lillian Dixon
Are you suffering from sensitivity pain due to a chipped tooth? Are you unable to repair your chipped tooth for several days or weeks? Then until you get the dental work you need, you'll have to avoid anything that causes sensitivity, something that is difficult — but not impossible — to do.
Healthy teeth have two layers of protection: the enamel layer, which is stronger than bone, and the dentin layer, which is porous and spongy. Even healthy teeth transmit sensations of pressure and temperature to the nerve in the centre of a tooth. However, when you chip a tooth, those sensations heighten and can cause sharp, shooting pains.
If your financial or time constraints don't allow for immediate dental treatment, then the following tips should help you to keep sensitivity at bay until you can get treatment.
Cover the Chip With Dental Wax
Although not ideal, because you will need to keep reapplying it, you can cover the chip with dental wax. Orthodontic patients use this wax to protect their lips and cheeks from new braces. However, you can also use it as a temporary layer of protection to keep sensitivity pains at bay. For instance, if cold air causes you pain when you go outside, apply some dental wax to the tooth to protect it.
You should be able to find dental wax in your local pharmacy.
Eat Neutral Foods
If you've ever gotten lemon juice in a fresh cut, you know just how painful acidity can be when it gets into a wound. Your teeth are no different. Anything that is high in acidity, such as vinegar, citrus, soda-based drinks, tomato sauce and even red pasta sauce, will penetrate your chipped tooth and cause you pain. Instead, eat neutral foods like hummus, yoghurt, beans, tofu and vegetables.
Sleep With Your Head Elevated
Sometimes, especially if your tooth is already irritated, the pain of a chipped tooth can be worse when you lie down. This is because when you lie down flat, the flow of blood to the affected nerve increases. In turn, this increased blood pressure also increases the pain you might feel. As a result, you may struggle to get a comfortable night's sleep.
To lessen this pain, elevate your head with an extra pillow. This will reduce the blood flow to your chipped tooth and keep pain and sensitivity at bay so that you can sleep normally.
Ideally, you should repair your chipped tooth as soon as possible. However, these three tips should help to reduce any sensitivity you might experience until you can get the treatment your tooth needs. To learn more, contact your local dentist.
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About Me
As a mum, I know how essential sport can be to children's development. Through team sports like soccer, kids learn persistence, sportsmanship and the value of supporting their team members. However, all that learning carries some risk as well, and a stray elbow or a ball to the face can result in oral injuries. I have been the mum rushing to the emergency room with a precious permanent tooth sitting in a cup of milk. Admittedly, at the time, I wasn't even sure if the cup of milk was the right solution. As a parent, you will face those situations, and I'm here to make sure you know what to do when they pop up. With this blog, let's explore children's dentistry and sports injuries together... I want you to have the info you need to stay cool, calm and collected, regardless of how many teeth are on the pitch.