Serving patients of Erwin, Jonesborough, and Greeneville, TN
Ever wonder what is one of the hardest substances in your entire body? Just open your mouth. The enamel on your teeth is very durable, but your tooth enamel also can sustain damage or even break. Certain everyday behaviors can ruin your enamel. Your local Greeneville dentist at Tusculum Dental Care is here to help make you aware of these dangers.
Here is a list of bad habits that can destroy your teeth:
- Biting your fingernails: Usually a nervous habit, nail biting can create chips or minor fractures in teeth, while also damaging tooth enamel. Front teeth are the most susceptible to damage from the wear and tear inflicted when you bite your fingernails.
- Using teeth as tools: Your teeth are made for eating and chewing, but should not take the place of pliers or scissors. If you are trying to perform a household task and do not have a tool handy, then your teeth may seem like a good solution. However, using your teeth as a tool can cause breaks, fractures, or even total tooth loss.
- Chewing pens and pencils: Walk into any school, library, or even a workplace, and you may see people chewing on the end of a pen or pencil. Usually an unconscious behavior, this chewing places an inordinate amount of pressure on your teeth. Chewing pens and pencils can cause chipped or broken teeth, or even lead to the failure of dental restorations like fillings and crowns.
- Leave the ice: Finished your drink? To safeguard your oral health, just let the ice melt. Chewing ice causes all sorts of potential hazards to your oral health. For one thing, the ice is hard, making it a threat to chip or break teeth. Furthermore, the cold of ice can weaken your teeth, making them more vulnerable in general to damage. Still not convinced? Leave the ice crushing to your blender, and save your teeth!
If you are engaging in any of the above bad habits, do your best to stop. Your teeth will thank you, and you may save a lot of money by avoiding expensive dental repairs! Past habitual behavior already may have compromised the integrity of your tooth enamel, which can jeopardize your oral health. Any sort of tooth damage that affects your enamel makes you more vulnerable to tooth decay.
Family Dentist in Greeneville
If you have been chewing pens, pencils, ice, your fingernails, or other inanimate objects, it is in your best interest to have your teeth evaluated by an experienced and trained oral health professional like the Jonesborough dentists at Tusculum Dental Care. We can identify any damage to your teeth, and give you tips to help break those bad habits. Our courteous and compassionate staff also can apply a preventive care treatment as an additional line of defense against tooth decay or other oral health problems. Ready to find out more? Contact our office today by calling (423) 639-7575 to schedule a consultation.
Tusculum Dental Care is proud to serve patients in the areas of Greeneville, Jonesborough, and Erwin, Tennessee.