If you’ve just chipped a tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water, cover any sharp edges, and call your dentist to schedule an appointment. Most chips are painless and purely cosmetic, but even a small one deserves professional attention because bacteria can work their way into exposed layers of the tooth and eventually cause an infection. Here’s exactly what to do in the hours and days after it happens.
First Steps Right After a Chip
Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to clean the area and remove any loose fragments. If you can find the broken piece, place it in a small container of milk. Milk’s pH and chemical balance help preserve tooth material, and your dentist may be able to bond the original fragment back onto the tooth, especially for larger chips.
If the broken edge feels sharp against your tongue or cheek, cover it with dental wax or orthodontic wax, both available at most drugstores. Take a pea-sized piece, roll it into a ball with clean hands, flatten it slightly, and press it over the sharp area until it sticks. Replace it as needed. This prevents cuts to the soft tissue inside your mouth while you wait for your appointment.
For pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever at the normal recommended dose. Do not place aspirin directly against the gum near the tooth, as it can burn the tissue. Numbing gels containing benzocaine can help temporarily, but use them sparingly and follow the label instructions. Avoid benzocaine entirely for children under two.
How to Tell If the Chip Is Serious
A tooth has three layers: the hard outer enamel, a softer layer underneath called dentin, and the innermost pulp, which contains the nerve and blood supply. A tiny chip that only affects enamel usually causes no pain at all. You might not even notice it until you feel the rough edge with your tongue.
A deeper chip that reaches the dentin typically triggers sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks. If the chip is large enough to expose the pulp, you’ll likely feel sharper, more persistent pain, especially when chewing. A visible pink or red dot in the center of the broken surface is a sign of pulp exposure and means you should get to a dentist quickly, ideally the same day. Exposed pulp is vulnerable to infection, and the sooner it’s sealed, the better your chances of saving the tooth without more invasive treatment.
What Your Dentist Will Recommend
Treatment depends entirely on how much tooth structure is missing and whether the nerve is involved. For most everyday chips, the options fall into three categories.
Dental Bonding
For small, cosmetic chips, bonding is the most common fix. Your dentist applies a tooth-colored resin directly to the chipped area, shapes it to match the original contour, and hardens it with a UV light. The whole process usually takes one visit and costs roughly $250 to $600 per tooth, with a national average around $430. Bonding typically lasts 5 to 10 years before it needs replacing, and it’s considered reversible since little to no natural tooth structure is removed.
Veneers
If the chip is more noticeable or you have other cosmetic concerns on the same tooth (staining, minor crookedness, wear), a veneer may be a better long-term option. Veneers are thin porcelain shells bonded to the front of the tooth. They require removing a thin layer of enamel, so the process isn’t reversible, but porcelain veneers last 10 to 15 years or more with proper care. Composite veneers are less expensive but closer to bonding in durability, lasting about 5 to 7 years.
Crowns
A crown is the go-to when a large portion of the tooth is broken, the structure is weakened, or the tooth has needed a root canal. A crown caps the entire visible part of the tooth, restoring its shape and strength. It’s the most involved option and typically requires two visits (one for shaping and impressions, one for placement), though same-day crowns are increasingly available.
What Happens If a Child Chips a Tooth
The approach is different for baby teeth and permanent teeth. Baby teeth that are chipped are generally managed with observation or, if the damage is significant, extraction. Dentists won’t reposition, splint, or replant a primary tooth because doing so risks damaging the developing permanent tooth underneath.
If your child chips a permanent tooth, treat it the same way you would for an adult: rinse, save the fragment in milk, and get to a dentist promptly. For larger fractures that expose the pulp, the fragment can sometimes be rebonded. The key difference is urgency. Young permanent teeth have larger pulp chambers and more blood supply, which can work in your favor for healing but also means infections can develop faster.
Signs of Infection to Watch For
Even a small chip creates an opening where bacteria can reach the inner layers of the tooth and eventually cause an abscess. This doesn’t happen overnight. It can take days, weeks, or even months for an infection to develop, which is one reason people sometimes skip the dentist after a minor chip and then face a much bigger problem later.
Watch for these warning signs in the days and weeks following a chip:
- Pain that worsens over time, especially throbbing pain that radiates to your ear, jaw, or neck
- Swelling in the gum near the tooth, in your jaw, or in the lymph nodes under your chin
- A bad taste in your mouth or persistent bad breath
- A small pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth, which may drain pus
- Fever
- The tooth feeling loose
An abscess won’t resolve on its own. If you notice any combination of these symptoms, contact your dentist right away rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Protecting the Tooth Until Your Appointment
If you can’t see a dentist immediately, a few precautions will help prevent further damage. Chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Avoid very hot or cold foods and drinks if the tooth is sensitive. Stick with softer foods to reduce the chance of breaking off more of the tooth.
Temporary filling material, sold at most pharmacies under names like Dentemp, can cover a larger chip and protect the exposed surface for a few days. It’s not a substitute for professional repair, but it creates a barrier against bacteria and reduces sensitivity. Reapply dental wax as needed if sharp edges are irritating your cheek or tongue. Keep brushing and flossing normally, being gentle around the damaged tooth, since keeping the area clean is one of the best things you can do to prevent infection while you wait.