Chewing on Ice
It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is
harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your
teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a
tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may
trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time
you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.
Playing Sports With No Mouth Guard
Whether you play football, hockey, or any other contact
sport, don't get in the game without a mouth guard. This is a piece of
molded plastic that protects the upper row of teeth. Without it, your
teeth could get chipped or even knocked out when the action gets rough.
Self-fitting mouth guards may be purchased at a store, or you can have
one custom made by your dentist.
Bedtime Bottles
It’s never too early to protect teeth. Giving a baby a
bedtime bottle of juice, milk, or formula, can put new teeth on a path
to decay. The baby may become used to falling asleep with the bottle in
his or her mouth, bathing the teeth in sugars overnight. It's best to
keep bottles out of the crib.
Tongue Piercings
Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal
stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when
metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to
tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise
the risk of infections and sores. Bottom line, discuss the health risks
with your dentist first.
Grinding Teeth
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can wear teeth down over time.
It is most often caused by stress and sleeping habits. This makes it
hard to control. Avoiding hard foods during the day can reduce pain and
damage from this habit. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent
grinding while sleeping.
Cough Drops
Just because cough drops are sold in the medicine aisle
doesn't mean they’re healthy. Most are loaded with sugar. So after
soothing your throat with a lozenge, be sure to brush well. Whether the
sugar comes from a cough drop or a hard candy, it reacts with the sticky
plaque that coats your teeth. Then bacteria in the plaque convert the
sugar into an acid that eats away at tooth enamel. Hello, cavities.
Gummy Candy
All sugary treats promote tooth decay, but some candies are
harder to bear. Gummies stick in the teeth, keeping the sugar and
resulting acids in contact with your enamel for hours. If your day just
isn't the same without a gummy critter, pop a couple during a meal
instead of as a separate snack. More saliva is produced during meals,
which helps rinse away candy bits and acids.
Soda
Candy isn't the only culprit when it comes to added sugar.
Sodas can have up to 11 teaspoons of sugar per serving. To add insult to
injury, sodas also contain phosphoric and citric acids, which eat away
at tooth enamel. Diet soft drinks let you skip the sugar, but they may
have even more acid in the form of the artificial sweeteners.
Opening Stuff With Your Teeth
Opening bottle caps or plastic packaging with your teeth may
be convenient, but this is one habit that makes dentists cringe. Using
your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip. Instead, keep
scissors and bottle openers handy. Bottom line, your teeth should only
be used for eating.
Sports Drinks
There's no doubt a cold sports drink is refreshing after a
good workout. But these drinks are usually high in sugar. Like soda or
candy, sugary sports drinks create an acid attack on the enamel of your
teeth. Drinking them frequently can lead to decay. A better way to stay
hydrated at the gym is to chug sugar-free, calorie-free water.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, but
unfortunately most juices are also loaded with sugar. Some juices can
have as much sugar per serving as soda. For example, there are only 10
more grams of sugar in orange soda than in orange juice. Fruits are
naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar. You can also
reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water.
Potato Chips
The bacteria in plaque will also break down starchy foods
into acid. This acid can attack the teeth for the next 20 minutes --
even longer if the food is stuck between the teeth or you snack often.
You might want to floss after eating potato chips or other starchy foods
that tend to get stuck in the teeth.
Constant Snacking
Snacking produces less saliva than a meal, leaving food bits
in your teeth for hours longer. Avoid snacking too frequently, and
stick to snacks that are low in sugar and starch -- for example, carrot
sticks.
Chewing on Pencils
Do you ever chew on your pencil when concentrating on work
or studies? Like crunching on ice, this habit can cause teeth to chip or
crack. Sugarless gum is a better option when you feel the need to chew.
It will trigger the flow of saliva, which can make teeth stronger and
protect against enamel-eating acids.
Drinking Coffee
Coffee's dark color and acidity can cause yellowing of the
teeth over time. Fortunately, it's one of the easiest stains to treat
with various whitening methods. Talk to your dentist if you're concerned
about discoloration of your teeth.
Smoking
Cigarettes, as well as other tobacco products, can stain
teeth and cause them to fall out as a result of gum disease. Tobacco can
also cause cancer of the mouth, lips, and tongue. If you were looking
for one more reason to quit, think of your smile.
Drinking Red Wine
The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough
spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining. Red wine also
contains a deep pigment called chromogen and tannins, which help the
color stick to the teeth. This combination makes it easy for the wine's
red color to stay with you long after your glass is empty.
Drinking White Wine
You might think sticking to white wine would spare your
teeth. But the acids still weaken the enamel, leaving the teeth porous
and vulnerable to staining from other beverages, such as coffee.
Swishing with water after drinking or using toothpaste with a mild
whitening agent can fight the staining effects of red and white wines.
Binge Eating
Binge eating often involves excessive amounts of sweets,
which can lead to tooth decay. Binging and purging (bulimia nervosa) can
do even more damage to your dental health. The strong acids found in
vomit can erode teeth, making them brittle and weak. These acids also
cause bad breath. Bulimia can lead to a variety of serious health
problems, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you have been purging.
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