Have you ever bitten down on a piece of hard candy and then discovered something in your mouth that will not dissolve or melt? If this has happened to you then you will understand the sickening feeling that you get when you realize that you have broken off a piece of your tooth.

You realize that covering on your teeth, which is called enamel, is a mineralized tissue that is the hardest in your body? People often take their teeth for granted. They think that their teeth are indestructible and can bite on just about anything without causing damage. However, this is not true. Your teeth and its enamel do have a limit.

Many athletes soon realize this fact when they play a contact sport such as hockey, football, or rugby. Have you ever noticed that many hockey players are missing their front teeth? The reason why this is true is because a galvanized hard rubber puck will usually have an encounter with their teeth. The puck will always be the victor and the teeth will be the losers.

The teeth will obviously have more susceptibility to breakage if they’re not taken care of properly. Tooth decay can cause a tooth to easily chip or break when contacted by something hard. The question remains though, what should a person do if they suddenly discover that a tooth is chipped or broken?

The first thing that you should do is to make a dental appointment with your family dentist as soon as possible. If you decide to not take this advice, the damage to could possibly become infected which could lead to you losing that tooth. You never want to lose a tooth if there are options to save it.

While you wait for your dental appointment you may be experiencing pain. If that is true in your case you can take some type of painkiller to deaden the pain until you visit your dentist. Also, take some salt and dissolve it in a glass of water and rinse your mouth with the solution. If there is a jagged edge on your tooth that is cutting into your lip you can cover your broken tooth with a piece of chewing gum.

The bottom line is to visit a dentist as soon as possible. He or she will be able to provide you with a dental crown or a filling that will allow you to once again enjoy your set of teeth.