One of the easiest ways to need dental treatment, other than never brushing or flossing, is breaking teeth. There’s not much you can do to clean your teeth or remove plaque if there aren’t any teeth to clean breaking teeth anymore!
Luckily, there are some common things you can avoid to help prevent the loss of teeth by injury or force.
If you’re sucking on a sugary hard candy and don’t want to wait until it’s dissolved to finish, you may be tempted to bite down and swallow. Unfortunately, this is a common way to chip teeth as these candies are stronger than you may think. If you’re impatient, it would be better to spit out the hard candy than to bite down.
Nuts, while delicious with a lot of nutritional benefits, are a common culprit for chipped teeth. If you’re a nut fan, note that some nuts, such as peanuts and macadamia nuts, are softer and typically won’t chip teeth. Hard nuts, such as almonds and pine nuts, are a little more chip-prone.
Another type of candy can result in chipped in lost tooth is a chewy candy, such as thick, sugary gum or caramel. If you have a tooth that is already damaged or loose, a chewy candy could be all the tooth needs to fall out. Or, if you have crowns, caps or fillings for cavities, chewing gum or hard chocolates are easy ways to undo the dental care you’ve received.
Sure, mouth guards may seem dorky – especially if you’re a preteen – but avoiding the hit your wallet would take with chipping or breaking teeth playing sports is well worth it. If your child is having a difficult time wearing sports gear to help protect their teeth, talk to the coach or your child’s teammates to help reduce peer pressure to never use them.
Come to our convenient beautiful South Elgin location to set up an appointment, or set one up ahead of time online.
