While it's important for you to make sure you do everything you can to treat your teeth well, such as eating foods that are good for them, brushing them, flossing and using mouthwash, you also want to learn what NOT to do. This will help you to prevent cavities, injuries and other problems with your teeth. This article will give you the information you need on the things you don't want to subject your teeth to.
Don't make a habit of chewing ice
A lot of people like to finish off their cold drink by munching on the ice. They don't realize just how bad this can be for their teeth. Ice can be deceiving since it is made from water. You may think that there is nothing wrong with chewing on it, but it can be surprisingly hard on your teeth and chewing on pieces of ice can chip, break or even fracture one or more of your teeth.
Don't use wooden toothpicks to remove food stuck between your teeth
You should avoid using wooden toothpicks to remove food from your teeth after you eat. Some small wood splinters can break off from the toothpick and become lodged between your tooth and your gum, leading to problems. Also, the toothpick can cause abrasions along your gum line which can lead to other issues like infection and even the development of gum disease. You should instead use floss to remove food from your teeth. If you have a problem getting at the food particles with floss then you can use a waterpik to blast the particles free from those hard to reach areas.
Don't suck on hard candies or suckers
You want your teeth to be exposed to sugar and artificial coloring as little as possible. For this reason, you should avoid sucking on hard candies and suckers, unless they are sugar free and don't have a bright coloring to them. Also, be careful with biting down on these types of hard candies because they can chip or break your teeth. Along these same lines, you should also avoid other candies that remain in your mouth longer, such as taffy candies and gum that has sugar in it.
Don't play contact sports without a mouth guard
If you are going to be participating in contact sports then you want to make sure you wear a protective mouth guard, even if you are only going to be playing once. Even one blow to your mouth is enough to possibly break, knockout or loosen your teeth.
For more insight on how to better protect your teeth, contact resources like C. James Goodwin, DDS, PLLC.
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