A chipped or broken tooth may not hurt but it can potentially be a big problem. Teeth have liitle tubules which run from the pulp (nerve and blood supply) through the middle layer called dentin. Should these tubules become exposed due to cracks, fractures, trauma , decay, etc, bacteria can invade these tubules and travel to the pulp. If that happens, an infection can occur leading to a serious abscess. This does not necessarily have to "hurt". It can happen without any discomfort. Should an infection occur, bacteria are now free to enter the bloodstream and travel anywhere around the body. The immune system is one such area that can be affected.

It certainly can affect the immune system in so many ways. One of which is overload of our digestive organ ,impaired digestion of the food and lack of proper nutrition. This will affect The ability of body's soldiers to fight infections. What it also does many times is to cause a low grade infection. Bacteria get in to small microscopic dentinal tubules, creating toxins and by products that irritate the nerve . What happens next is that the nerve sends the signal to the brain reporting invasion of the body's tissues by foreign bodies leading to activation of a cascade of inflammatory reactions during which the soldiers, THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM become busy and overloaded on a daily basis specially if we have several health issues of different fronts.

The most important issue related to chipped or broken teeth is how much of the tooth is chipped or broken. For an example, if you chipped a small amount of enamel and feel no pain especially the front teeth, this would not affect your health. However, if you chipped or broke the cusp(edge of the chewing surface) or a large amount of tooth structure, including the lower dentin layer, the tooth should be sensitive and it is recommended you see a dentist as soon as you can. If the pain gets worse you may need root canal treatment. So the treatment is depends on how much tooth structure is missing, if it is sensitive or it has decay. However, as long as there is no decay and just chipped small area of the enamel, which does not have a nerve, it should not affect the immune system.

Another potential issues arise when the cusp is broken it may affect the opposing tooth causing that tooth to over erupt to compensate when chewing. However, in my opinion, it is better to fix the chipped or broken tooth as soon as you can. The teeth never get better by without dental treatment.

Sun Costigan, DDS, MAGD

A chipped or broken tooth should not affect your immune system unless infection and/or inflammation result. The majority of tooth injuries are not that severe, and even severe tooth fractures, if treated promptly, can be treated such that infection does not occur. Bacterial infections can result in the need for root canal therapy (if the pulp of the tooth is involved) or gum tissue treatments, and it has been shown that the oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause potentially severe problems in other organ systems, including the heart. The best advice is to have the condition evaluated by a dentist as soon as you can to avoid such risks.

Yes, if the chip or break is exposing the pulp the bacteria can enter your bloodstream. Also, chance of infection is high.

The question if chipped tooth will affect your immune system, the answer is NO.

It depends on the size and reason for the chip. If decay is present, bacteria in your mouth goes into your blood stream. The chip could be due to decay or a fracture. We recommend you see your local dentist for an evaluation.

Initial Dental Exam

During your initial visit to Adult Dentistry of Rochester, Dr. Dulski wants you to understand what's included in a thorough dental examination because we believe that it is vital to be an active participant in your dental care. When we examine your mouth, we look for signs of periodontal disease, tooth decay, and bite problems.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the gum and bone supporting the teeth causing loss of support and cavities or pockets between the gum, bone and tooth. Since you may have no symptoms with periodontal disease, we use visual examination, a periodontal probe and X-rays to look for it. During your exam, we look for red and swollen gums as in this example of early periodontal disease.

We also use a periodontal probe to measure the depth of the pocket from where the gums are attached to the tooth to the top of the gums. A probe reading of more that 3 mm is a sign of periodontal disease. And, the deeper the pocket, the greater the spread of the disease. Sometimes gums bleed when we probe. Bleeding is a sign of infection. Healthy gums don't bleed.

X-rays also show us allot about periodontal disease. In a healthy mouth, the bone completely covers the roots of the teeth and is even throughout the mouth. In advanced periodontal disease, the bone level is much lower and uneven.

During an exam, we also look for tooth decay. Tooth decay is produced by acids which is caused by certain types of bacteria in the mouth. The acids dissolve tooth structure and cause cavities in the tooth. Some cavities are easy to see, but for hard to see cavities, we may use a dental explorer and X-rays. A dental explorer sticks slightly when it contacts decayed surfaces on the top and sides of teeth. We also use X-rays to look for cavities. Cavities between the teeth show up as dark spots.

During your check-up, we also inspect your bite. When you chew, a healthy mouth allows all of your teeth to hit simultaneously, chewing muscles to contract evenly, and your jaw joint to be seated in it's proper position. However, misaligned teeth can trap bacteria leading to periodontal disease and tooth decay. Bite problems can also contribute to difficulties with your jaw joint, the TMJ. It can also cause tooth grinding and clenching, resulting in the loss of enamel near the gum line.

At Adult Dentistry of Rochester, we believe that it is important to monitor the health of your mouth regularly because dental problems can grow quickly and lead to worsening infections, tooth loss, and an unattractive appearance. For a free smile saving exam with Dr. Dulski, visit http://www.dulski.com/.

The simple answer is "maybe". Many patients with longstanding extensive decay and abscessed teeth assume that the tooth is just "chipped" when in fact far more tooth structure and even jawbone is involved. This is when the tooth can and does cause infection, which is an absolute stress on the immune system. A simple chip or crack on the other hand has no impact on the immune system.