Your mouth is designed to allow you to take in vital nutrients. There are all sorts of delicious and nourishing things that you can put in it! However, there are some items that simply do not belong there. Placing the wrong foods or objects in your mouth could lead to a dental emergency. This blog post lists some items that your dentist would never put in their mouth — and you should not put in yours, either!
Lemons
It is fine to squeeze a lemon on your salad or drink some refreshing lemon water. However, this tart citrus fruit is not meant to be a casual snack. Some people suck on lemon slices, which exposes their teeth to the fruit’s harsh acids. Doing this too often or for too long could soften your tooth enamel and make it more vulnerable to erosion and decay.
Ice
When you feel hot, you might be tempted to pop an ice cube in your mouth. Some people snack on ice chips because they love the crunch! However, ice is not meant to be eaten. It is quite hard, and it could easily cause you to break or chip a tooth. Of course, ice can vary in its hardness. Soft nugget ice is safer for your teeth than ice cubes that have been sitting in your freezer for several days.
Bottle Caps
If you want to open a bottle of beer or old-fashioned soda, you might be tempted to use your teeth — but that is a bad idea. You could cause severe damage to one or more teeth. Some people have even lost a tooth after using it to open a bottle. If you do not have a bottle opener handy, you can try using the side of a table or a key to pry the top off of your beverage.
Your Fingernails
Fingernails are quite hard. If you chew on them out of nervousness or use your teeth to trim them when you do not have a clipper nearby, you may damage your enamel or even chip a tooth. You might find that keeping your nails trimmed very short can reduce the temptation to bite them.
Hard Candies
Hard candies, such as jawbreakers, can expose your teeth to sugar for a prolonged period of time as you slowly suck on them. Or, if you bite on them, you might end up damaging your enamel. If you choose to eat hard candies, you should never chew them, and you should also choose a sugar-free variety.
Your smile should be protected! If you are in the habit of putting any of the above objects in your mouth, now is the time to stop!
Meet the Practice
Anderson Family Dental by Espire is proud to provide a broad range of services to our community. In many cases, we are able to welcome emergency patients on a same-day basis. If you ever believe you have damaged a tooth after biting on a hard object, we are ready to serve you! Contact our Colorado Springs team at 719-593-0988.