Chipping a tooth can be a very scary and painful experience. However, a chipped tooth is a common accident that can usually be easily repaired by a dentist.

The following are five things you should do after an accident that causes a chipped tooth to speed up healing time and minimize the severity of the resulting injury:

Use a salt water rinse to kill germs and soothe the wound.

Rinsing your mouth with salt water after the injury could sting a little, but it will also soothe your chipped tooth and kill germs that could cause infection. If an infection takes root in a chipped tooth, you could need a root canal down the road. 

Clearly, preventing infection is a priority. Use warm water when you rinse so that the salt dissolves more easily.

Put pressure on the bleeding area with a sterile gauze cloth.

A chipped tooth could continue bleeding for a long time if it reaches well below the level of the enamel. By applying pressure on the wound, you can stop the bleeding sooner and minimize blood loss.

Use a sterile gauze cloth so that you avoid exposing the wound to germs that could cause an infection.

Place dental wax over the chipped tooth after it has stopped bleeding if it is cutting into the tongue, cheek, or gums.

A chipped tooth could create further aggravation in the mouth by cutting in to your gums and tongue. You can cover the jagged edge of a chipped tooth and prevent the creation of sores in your mouth by putting dental wax over the chipped tooth.

Avoid eating solid foods until you have the chipped tooth looked at.

Eating hard, crunchy foods could further damage a chipped tooth and cause the wound to reopen and begin bleeding once again. Hard foot particles can also become lodged into a chipped tooth and cause extreme pain. 

Until your chipped tooth has completely healed, you should stick with soft foods and liquids. 

Visit a dentist or dental clinic for treatment.

If your chipped tooth extends deeper than the enamel, you may need to have it repaired by a dentist. A chipped tooth can create both aesthetic and oral health problems if it is not treated.

A dentist can polish down the jagged edge of a chipped tooth and place a crown or cap on the tooth if necessary to restore a normal appearance.