Like everyone else, dentists have to put things in their mouths in order to eat and drink. The thing that makes dentists special here is that they know a lot more about what they should and shouldn’t have in there. Many people have a habit of chewing or sucking on certain objects, but having the wrong things in the mouth can lead to painful dental emergencies. Read on to learn why dentists avoid having these objects in their mouths and why you should too.
Keep Your Teeth Off Ice
Since ice is just frozen water, people often think it’s pretty benign. What they don’t realize is that water counts as a mineral when frozen, and it becomes pretty durable. Just as you wouldn’t chew on quartz, granite, or any other kind of rock, you shouldn’t be chewing on ice. The freezing temperature of ice can make the enamel more brittle and easier to break. This can lead to chips and fractures in the teeth that can be quite painful and require a crown to restore function and stability. There’s nothing wrong with using ice to chill your beverage, but keep the frozen water rocks away from your teeth.
Your Teeth Are Not Bottle Openers
Using your teeth to open the metal cap on a glass bottle or twist off a plastic bottlecap can have disastrous results for your dental health. The pressure can break the tooth right down the middle which can make extractions and dental implants necessary. Since procedures can be very expensive and time-consuming, you should instead buy a metal bottle opener keychain for much less at a gas station or general store. They look cool, can last for a decade, and can ensure your popularity when you open your friends’ drinks. It’ll be the best two bucks you’ll ever spend.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum Instead of Office Supplies
Many a bored student has chewed on a pen cap, paper clip, or metal eraser support during a lecture. Many of these same students have had to go to the dentist for broken teeth afterward. These objects are hard and harsh on the enamel, leading to chips, cracks, and fractures. Sugar-free gum is a great alternative that will keep your mouth busy while delivering a flavorful minty payload.
Oral Piercings Are a Dental Health Liability
Maybe it’s an edgy look, but that ring or stud in your lip, tongue, or cheek is a threat to your dental health. These intrusive decorations can cause infections by providing breeding space for bacteria and irritating tissues within the mouth. The constant friction of their presence can cause chronic injury to the teeth and surrounding organs, leading to tooth fractures and gum recession that can result in tooth loss. Besides, you’ll look better with teeth and no piercings than you would with piercings and missing teeth anyway.
Your dentist might love their work, but that doesn’t mean you should make extra work for them. After all, your beautiful smile is great advertising for the dentist’s office, so they’ll stand to get more of the work they love from new patients than by having to repeatedly repair your teeth. By keeping these things out of your mouth, you can help keep your smile healthy and strong for a lifetime.
About the Practice
Bright Smiles Dentistry sets the standard of great oral care for the community of Brookfield, WI. Led by Drs. Praveena Muddana and Sumit Chanana, the skilled staff helps patients of all ages achieve and maintain healthy, beautiful smiles. Services include general, pediatric, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. If you’re interested in learning more about chewing habits you should avoid, contact the office online or dial (262) 563-9100.