Maureen Iriza’s four-year-old daughter fell down two years ago while running around the house, unfortunately, she hit her teeth on the tiles, and one of the front ones broke halfway.

Considering she still had her baby teeth, Iriza didn’t bother taking her to the hospital as she believed she would at a certain point lose them. She notes that her child was uncomfortable because the sharp chipped edge irritated her tongue.

Doctors say that anyone can break or chip their teeth as a result of anything, even chewing hard foods, such as popcorn, especially hard grains, dried fruits, bones in meat or chicken, or even ice cubes.

Experts say that teeth can also break due to grinding and tightening habits that may cause enamel to wear off or crack. If large cavities are not treated, the decay in the teeth can sooner or later cause breaks, especially in the back teeth. But also, large fillings that do not suitably support the remaining tooth structure can also fracture.

Dr Gilbert Nuwagaba, an adult and paediatric dentistry specialist, notes that sports, like soccer, can also cause damage to the teeth, if you happen to fall or get hit. Sports injuries are usually associated with teeth getting knocked out, but some injuries can drive teeth back into the jawbone. And so, he says, it’s advisable to protect your teeth while playing such sports.

"Some people don’t know the value of teeth, and use them as tools, for instance, to open a bottle, or as pliers, and this may damage both your teeth and jaw,” Dr Nuwagaba says.

The dental expert notes that if you have an imbalanced bite, some of your teeth are exposed to much more force than your other teeth. He urges seeing a dentist before it’s too late, once you realise that.

He adds that there is a possibility of a large cavity to weaken your teeth, if it’s not fixed, it risks cracking your teeth. But also, car accidents or being involved in a fight, can endanger the teeth.

Dr Nuwagaba explains that if your tooth breaks, chips or fractures, and you don’t seek medical assistance in time, it may be damaged further or get infected, which may in the end, lead to loss of the tooth. 

He says, there is always a solution to a broken tooth, for example, if the big piece of the tooth breaks off or the tooth has much decay, the dentist may arrange the part of the remaining tooth and cover it with a crown, or tooth-shaped cap, made to protect the tooth and boost its appearance.

Dr Nuwagaba says that if you have just a small broken piece of tooth enamel, the dentist may repair the damage with a filling.

He also says that if a front tooth is broken or chipped, it may be made healthy again by using dental veneers. These are thin, tooth-coloured shells that are connected to the front surface of teeth to improve their appearance.

According to Medical News Today, anyone who suspects that they have a cracked tooth should make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible. It is especially important to do so when there is pain or discomfort.

Home remedies can relieve uncomfortable symptoms such as rinsing the mouth with warm water, to keep it clean, taking over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen, and using a cold compress against the cheek to help reduce swelling, the site states. 

"If the chip is minor and not at the front of your mouth, you may not know you have it at all. When you do have symptoms, however, they may include; feeling a pointed surface when you run your tongue over your teeth, irritation of the gum around the chipped tooth, irritation of your tongue from "catching” it on the tooth’s uneven and rough edge and pain from pressure on the tooth when biting, which can be extreme if the chip is near to or exposes the nerves of the tooth,” states Healthline.