People often view chipped front teeth as an injury that is consistent with being in a fight or sustaining a sports injury without wearing a mouthguard. While it's certainly true that impacts from these two activities can often lead to a chipped front tooth, you might be surprised to realize that something that you do several times a day can also heighten your risk of this damage. Drinking is a seemingly innocent activity, but one that can easily lead to damage to one of your front teeth. Here are some changes that you can make to how you drink as a way to reduce this common dental emergency.

Avoid The Water Fountain

If you sometimes drink out of a water fountain — perhaps you're a teacher and often use the school fountain, or maybe you're a frequent traveler and find yourself using airport fountains to avoid buying bottled water — you might not be thinking about the risk of this activity. When you use a water fountain, your teeth are a short distance from the hard metal of the fountain, and you could easily chip a tooth if someone were to walk past you and bump into you, pushing your tooth into the metal. It's a better idea to fill up an empty bottle or thermos from the fountain.

Change How You Drink In The Dark

Many people drink in the dark or in low-light conditions. For example, if you're watching a movie at home, you might have a glass or a bottle of beer next to you that you sip in the dark. Drinking in the dark can be a risky activity because you can fail to accurately assess the distance between your mouth and your glass or bottle. If you'll be drinking in the dark, plan to use a plastic drinking vessel, which will make less of an impact if you make hard contact with your front teeth.

Don't Drink When Your Car Is Moving

Many people take a travel mug with them for their daily commute, and may sip coffee, tea, or even a smoothie on the way to work. All it takes for a chipped tooth is for you to have your mug in your mouth when you hit a pothole or have to brake suddenly. If you enjoy drinking something in the car, you should strive to only do so when you're at a red light or stopped in traffic. If you chip a front tooth while drinking or for any other reason, contact dental services promptly.