Unfriendly Foods: 4 Snacks Known to Injure Teeth

No one wants to find themselves in the middle of a dental emergency, but unfortunately, it can happen to anyone at any time. One common issue that lands patients in the dentist’s chair is having chipped, cracked, or otherwise broken teeth. While you can’t anticipate when you might damage a tooth by biting into something too hard, you can prevent it from happening in the first place. By avoiding these 4 foods that are known to injure your grin, you can avoid potential problems to keep your smile happy and healthy! Keep reading to learn more.

Food #1: Popcorn

Although it’s a fan favorite at the movie theater, this salty snack is infamous for causing dental issues. There are almost always hard seeds that don’t pop hidden among the ones that do and biting down into one can chip a tooth. Not only that but the thin kernels notoriously wedge themselves between your teeth or underneath your gums which can be both painful and frustrating. Steering clear of popcorn can help you avoid more than one type of unpleasant surprise.

Food #2: Nuts and Seeds

Many people include different nuts and seeds in their salads, soups, and smoothies or simply nibble them alone as a snack. Unfortunately, they often come in hard shells that are difficult to crack. It’s tempting to use your pearly whites to split them open, but you can break them if you do. Use a nutcracker or appropriate tool to remove the shells and consider grinding them up before including them in other meals to keep your mouth whole.

Food #3: Hard Candy

You probably already know that sugar isn’t great for your grin. It attracts harmful bacteria that wear through your enamel and cause tooth decay. If you opt for hard candies like lollipops or Jolly Rancher, for example, you could do double damage because biting down into one can break your pearly whites. You might think that it’s safer to let them slowly dissolve in your mouth, but this just exposes you to the harmful ingredient for a longer period. If you want a healthy smile, it’s best not to indulge in these sweet treats.

Food #4: Ice or Other Objects

Plenty of people chew on ice or other inanimate objects like pen caps and fingernails to alleviate anxiety. While these technically aren’t foods, biting into them can harm your teeth just the same. You can develop microscopic hairline fractures that expand or worsen over time. If you’ve noticed increased sensitivity to extreme temperatures lately, this could be the cause.

You’re much less likely to have a dental emergency when you remove these items from your menu!

About the Practice

At East Brunswick Family & Implant Dentistry, patients benefit from a team of experts who provide a full range of services all under one roof. They believe that every person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, so they take the time to get to know you and listen to your concerns before offering possible treatment options. They know that things can happen at inopportune times, so they offer same-day emergency appointments and are open for evening hours so that you don’t have to wait for relief. If you’ve bitten into something and have broken a tooth, you’re welcome to contact them on the website or by calling (732) 238-6660.