If you're like me, you probably hate it when your dishes—especially glasses—crack. But did you know that even if a dish has a small chip in the glass, it can be dangerous? You see, when the glass is broken or chipped, it creates sharp edges that could cut or scratch your hands or fingers as you use the dish. These sharp edges are especially dangerous if they're on a plate or bowl made of tempered glass because these dishes are more likely to break into many small pieces when dropped than non-tempered glasses would be. So how do we know which types of dishes are safe for everyday use and which ones aren't? Read on!
Maybe.
If you have a small chip in your glass, it's probably not a problem. But if there’s a large chip in your glass, the risk of breaking increases.
Chipped or cracked glass can be dangerous because it's less durable than undamaged glasses. The risk of injury is higher if tempered glass is broken because tempered glass may shatter into tiny pieces when it breaks instead of cracking into larger pieces like non-tempered glasses do.
It depends on the glass or dish and the size of the chip.
A large chip could cause your glass to shatter during use, or even break during storage (when you put it away in a cabinet).
When a small piece breaks off, it can be pretty dangerous because it could get lodged in your throat and choke you.
Small chips that just break off the lip of a cup aren't dangerous.
They're not sharp and they're unlikely to cut you. Plus, they're also less likely to spread into other parts of the dish and cause it to break during use.
However, if there are larger chips or cracks in your glassware, then you might want to be extra careful when using them in case they shatter completely while you're drinking from them—and we don't blame you!
Large chips or cracks anywhere can be dangerous.
Smaller ones can be more forgiving, but you're still at risk for chipping your tooth if you bite down on one with any force. If you suspect there is even the potential for a chip, don't risk it.
If there’s a large crack in your glass and it's not too old (or if the dish has been used without incident), use the glass with caution and keep an eye on how much pressure you’re putting on it at all times so that it doesn't break while you're using it!
Cracks in the glass can create sharp edges that could cut you.
You could cut yourself if you drink from a chipped glass. A chip can turn into a crack, which can turn into a hole. And holes are dangerous for several reasons:
First, they may let bacteria and viruses in your drink get into your mouth. Second, if you cut yourself on the sharp edge of the broken glass, you could get an infection that's bad enough to make you sick or even kill you.
This is where we start getting serious—if you have an open wound and then get exposed to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis C (hepatitis C virus), or some other bloodborne disease by touching someone else's blood and then touching your eyes/nose/mouth afterward (like when wiping away tears), there's a high chance of contracting said virus/disease with little hope of treatment since most medications are designed only for adults rather than children who suffer from these illnesses at higher rates than adults do.
Cracks also can spread into other parts of the dish and cause it to break during use, which also could be dangerous.
If you're going to drink from a chipped glass, make sure you understand that it can break during use. If the dish is cracked, it could split into pieces that cut you or someone else. The dish could break into shards that hurt anyone who comes in contact with them.
Most glass is tempered, making it more resistant to breaking from temperature changes and impact compared with non-tempered glass. But if a tempered glass is chipped, it's more likely to shatter in the future than non-tempered glass is.
Be careful when using chipped dishes.
When you're using a dish that has chips in it, be careful. The chip may contain bacteria and other germs.
When you use dishes with chips, make sure that the food is well cooked, cold, or frozen. If the food is acidic (like tomato juice), wait until the acidity has been neutralized by cooking before serving it from the chipped glass. Also, don't eat hot food from chipped glasses—it may cause thermal shock to occur and break your glass!
We know it can be difficult to remember all the things you need to do to keep your dishes safe. But if it helps, just remember this: use common sense. If your dish is chipped, don't use it. And no matter what kind of dish you have or how big or small the chip is, always supervise children while they're using glassware in case they break it by accident!