Your teeth are always there when you need them. They make you look great in photos, you love to show them off when you smile at new acquaintances, and they help you enjoy all your favorite foods. You don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize their well-being, right? Unfortunately, many people engage in activities on a daily basis that put their pearly whites in danger. Your dentist in Harrisonburg lists a few of these activities along with tips on how to protect your oral health.
Biting Your Nails
Fingernails are extremely hard—harder than any foods you might enjoy. By using your teeth to give yourself an amateur manicure, you’re putting your oral health in danger. You could accidentally chip a tooth when you’re biting your nails. If your habit of nail-biting persists for a long time, the constant pressure that puts on your teeth could even wear down the enamel.
If you’re a nervous nail-biter, you might try some relaxation techniques to help you kick the habit. Or, you might consider getting gel or acrylic nails so you’re less tempted to indulge in your teeth-harming custom.
Chewing on Ice
Just like fingernails, ice is too hard for human teeth to handle comfortably. Some people enjoy the crunch of chewing on ice, while others do it to cool down on a hot summer day. If you’re in the former group, try snacking on a crunchy apple instead. If the latter is the case with you, seek out other ways to beat the heat. For example, you might put the ice on your wrist or neck; applying it to a pulse point can have a whole-body cooling effect.
Playing Sports
We’re not saying you should stay off the field; sports are a great way to get exercise and work out some of your competitive energy. The only downside to such activities is the risk of injury, and your mouth is no exception to that danger.
Always wear a mouth guard when you’re competing, and don’t try to save money by wearing the cheapest guard you find at your local sporting goods store. A custom mouth guard from your dentist provides the highest level of protection and is much more comfortable than its OTC counterparts.
Opening Packages With Your Teeth
Can’t open that bag of mixed nuts with your hands? Please don’t resort to using your teeth. Using your pearly whites to tear open any sort of package is bad because, again, teeth weren’t meant to chew on food, not plastic or cardboard. You could end up with chips or cracks in your smile. Carrying a small pocket knife or a foldable pair of scissors with you could save your oral health!
Eating Too Much Sugar
You might do your best to avoid straight-up junk food, like candy and cookies, but many foods that you might think are healthy contain tons of sugar. Flavored yogurt, dried fruit, sports drinks, ketchup, and more contain surprisingly large amounts of the sweet stuff. Be sure to look at the label of any food you’re buying so you know exactly what you’ll be consuming.
Want to protect your teeth? Use the tips above to mitigate the damage from smile-harming habits.
About Us
The three talented dentists on our team want to assist you in your efforts to maintain a healthy smile! If you have any questions on how to care for your teeth, please contact us at 540-432-6616.