3 Habits That Can Damage Teeth
3 Habits Ruining Your Teeth
Everyone knows the importance of cleaning your teeth and keeping your regular hygiene appointments, but there are several lifestyle habits that could be leading to tooth damage.
Chewing on Ice
You've just finished that big glass of iced tea and it's so easy to just start chewing on the ice that's left. Dr. Thompson even admits he catches himself doing it, but it is not a good habit because it damages your teeth. Many patients have come into our office with cracked or broken teeth, or broken fillings or crowns because of chewing on ice! The same goes with any kind of hard food like trying to rip beef jerky or crunching on corn nuts. It's tempting to want to chew on the ice, but try to keep the habit to a minimum to protect your teeth!
Teeth Grinding and Clenching
So many patients come in that have worn their teeth down so much that the normal anatomy in the teeth is no longer present. When that anatomy is not present, the teeth can't function like they are supposed to and that really speeds up the wear process on your teeth and can be very damaging over time. The patients that come in with this problem sometimes have completely worn-off, flat teeth as a result of years of clenching and grinding on their teeth.
Acidic Foods/Drinks
Acidic foods like lemon and tomato sauces and acidic drinks like soft drinks can be very harmful to your teeth. The acid in those foods and drinks cause the enamel to wear away on your teeth, causing them to become sensitive and worn down. If you choose to eat acidic foods, try to balance them out with foods with higher PH levels. These foods can help protect your tooth enamel and neutralize the acid.
