at Moreno Valley Dental Group urge you to take a look at behaviors that could be putting your teeth at risk.
If You Can’t Eat It, Don’t Chew It
Some people deal with nerves or boredom by chewing on fingernails, pencils, pens, or any number of non-food items. You may think these little behaviors are slightly annoying but otherwise harmless. Unfortunately, it just takes one bite to end up regretting ever nibbling on that pen, pencil, or ice cube. Foreign objects can wear down the chewing surfaces of your teeth, causing changes in shape, misalignment, loss of tooth enamel, and weakening of structure. Even if your teeth can withstand the abuse, your jaw might start to complain about all of the undue stress on your teeth and your temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Unless it’s sugar-free gum that you’re chewing on, stick to foods that aren’t too hard in texture and find another way to vent your anxieties if you want your smile to remain in one piece.
Watch Your Diet
Just because something is food doesn’t mean your teeth might not suffer when you eat it. Ice is just a little harmless frozen water, right? Unfortunately, chewing on ice cubes can have the same effect on your teeth as a foreign object. The same can be said for hard candies, nuts, popcorn kernels, corn nuts, hard pretzels – anything dense and difficult to break through with your teeth. Once you crack your dentin, you will be inviting bacteria to invade the interior of your teeth and cause cavities.
Visit your Moreno Valley Dentists
To learn more about habits that can destroy your oral health, schedule an appointment at our Moreno Valley dentist office by calling (951) 697-6800.
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