Your teeth are remarkable tools. They’re used for eating, talking, smiling, and many of the other most important things in life. They’re also made of some of the hardest material in your body, even harder than bone.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can use them for everything. There are some things that it’s never a good idea to put in your mouth. Here are a few examples.
Packages and Bottles
For one, it’s important to remember that your enamel isn’t hard enough to be used for everything. Some people have made a habit of opening all kinds of packages with their teeth. There are two major problems with this.
The first is that some kinds of hard plastic are tougher than your enamel can handle, meaning that there’s a chance that opening these kinds of packages can cause you to break your teeth.
The second problem is that some people try and “snip” things open with their front teeth, causing them to clash together with a fair amount of force. This can also damage them if you aren’t careful. For these reasons, you should never use your teeth as tools.
Tobacco
As you’re probably well aware, smoking can cause all kinds of serious problems for your oral health. Tobacco use dramatically increases your chances of contracting oral cancer, damages the roots of the teeth, and disrupts the production of saliva. Not to mention, cigarettes can discolor your teeth and make your breath smell horrible.
This probably isn’t news to you, but if you’re a smoker, cutting back or quitting is the best thing you can do for your oral health.
Hard Candy
Sweets in general aren’t the best for your oral health—the sugars in candy feed acid-secreting bacteria in the mouth, contributing to decay. However, hard candy is even worse. The sugars in hard candy sit in the mouth for even longer, feeding even more of that bacteria over time.
It’s also common for people to bite into hard candy and damage their teeth, making it uniquely dangerous. If you absolutely have to indulge your sweet tooth, you should find a better way to do it than hard candy.
About Our Practice
At Salmon Brook Dental, we know that you have a smile unlike any other. That’s why we will take great pains not to treat you like just any other patient. Everyone on our team will make the time not only to get to know you as an individual, but also to provide you with the highest level of oral healthcare modern dentistry can offer. That way, you can always be sure that your oral healthcare is second-to-none.
If you want to know more about how best to protect your smile, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (860) 653-4551.