Did you know that your teeth are harder than your bones? Unfortunately, there are still plenty of ways to break them. In fact, recent studies indicate that broken teeth are a more serious and common problem today than they were in 1964, with 66% of study participants exhibiting cracked molars and 80% of participants over the age of 40 with one or more cracked teeth. In what’s being called the “cracked-tooth epidemic,” how can you keep your smile safe? Here are four things your dentist recommends never putting in your mouth to keep your teeth strong and avoid a dental emergency.
Ice
Many people chew on ice or ice chips to cool down or thoroughly enjoy their drinks. While ice cubes may feel easy to crunch through, they actually exert a tremendous amount of excess wear on your enamel. In fact, countless teeth are cracked every year because of chewing on ice! Dentists recommend sipping your chilled beverage through a straw so you’re not tempted to crunch through your ice.
Your Nails
Do you bite your fingernails when you’re nervous or bored? Have you ever used your teeth to trim your fingernails when you couldn’t find a nail trimmer? Unfortunately, this common bad habit has several bad consequences. Dentists report that chewing on fingernails can flatten the edges of your front teeth and cause small cracks, which can lead to sensitivity. Plus, biting your fingernails puts your jaw in an unnatural position, which can eventually cause sore joints, teeth grinding, and other jaw issues. And if that weren’t enough, this bad habit invites a host of bacteria from your hands and nails into your mouth! Break this bad habit by keeping nail trimmers somewhere easy to get to.
Keys
If you’ve ever found yourself carrying too much at once, you’re not alone. Whether you’re walking from the store to your car or from the car to your house, you may have been tempted to keep your keys in your mouth. While this may seem convenient at first, these hard metal objects can chip or break your teeth in the blink of an eye. What’s more, they’re often filled with bacteria and their sharp edges can cut your mouth, which is a recipe for an oral infection. It’s always a better idea to take your time, take several trips if needed, and put down what you’re holding to use your keys.
Jewelry
Piercings are a trendy way to express yourself, but consider a different option if you want to get a mouth, cheek, lip, or tongue piercing. While they may look cool, they dramatically increase your risk of oral infections, irritation, and will often cause swelling and bleeding. Alongside a host of issues mouth piercings can cause, they’re also notorious for chipping and cracking teeth. There are plenty of other ways to express yourself that are safer for your smile.
While avoiding these objects should help keep your smile safe, cracked teeth can’t always be avoided. If you damage your pearly whites, don’t hesitate to contact your West Brookfield emergency dentist right away!
About the Practice
The talented team of West Brookfield offers high-quality, personalized preventive dental care to help you avoid dental emergencies like cracked teeth. Nevertheless, they’re also ready and waiting to jump into action if you find yourself in pain or with damaged teeth. They can often treat emergency patients the same day they call and are happy to offer early morning appointments Monday through Thursday and evening hours on Wednesdays. If you have more questions about cracked teeth, don’t hesitate to get in touch with them online or at (508) 867-2777.
