Did you know that tooth enamel is the hardest material in the human body, even harder than bones? They certainly need to be tough enough to withstand all the chewing we do on a daily basis. That’s part of the reason most people don’t think too much about what they’re gnawing on until there’s a loud CRACK and they find themselves with a chipped tooth! If you want to avoid an unnecessary trip to your emergency dentist with a chipped smile, it’s important to know what foods to avoid. Read on as we cover five seemingly harmless snacks that are dangerous for your pearly whites and why chipped teeth are so important to treat.
5 Snacks That Pose a Threat to Your Teeth
When it comes to your oral health, not all snacks are created equal. These five snacks are notorious for unexpectedly causing chipped teeth:
- Popcorn: Popcorn itself is soft and fluffy, but biting down hard on an unpopped kernel can seriously damage a tooth.
- Nutrition bars: This popular on-the-go snack can contain tough nuts, hard granola, and sticky dried fruits, and biting down on a particularly hard portion can chip a tooth quite easily.
- Nuts with shells: If you get nuts still in their shells, such as peanuts, sunflower seeds, or pistachios, make sure to use the proper tools, not your teeth, to unshell them if you want to protect your pearly whites.
- Bone-in meats: Chicken wings, bone-in pork steaks, ribs, and even bits of leftover bone in ground beef all spell danger for your teeth if you bite down too hard.
- Ice cubes: Chunks of ice and ice cubes are surprisingly hard and can easily cause hairline fractures in your teeth, causing both sensitivity and eventually chipping.
Why Chipped Teeth Are a Dental Emergency
Chipping a tooth is typically sudden and alarming, but it isn’t always painful. In fact, you may not even realize that you’ve chipped a tooth right away. However, just because a chipped tooth isn’t bothering you doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be handled with urgency. Remember, enamel cannot heal itself, so leaving it untreated will only allow the damage to get worse. The inner portions of your tooth may become susceptible to infection as well. Over time, the damage may worsen significantly to the point where you need a dental crown, root canal, or even a tooth extraction.
Thankfully, chipped teeth are typically fast, easy, and affordable to treat. Your emergency dentist will likely use dental bonding to repair the damage. A tooth-colored resin that matches the color of your teeth will fill in the damaged area and be polished until it looks like a natural part of the tooth. Some patients may be interested in getting a veneer or two if they’ve chipped a highly visible front tooth. Either way, repairing the chipped tooth right away will save you a lot of time and money in the long run!
About the Practice
At Webster Lake Dental, our experienced team is here to help should you encounter a dental emergency such as a chipped tooth. With Saturday appointments available, a wide variety of services offered in-house, and same-day appointments for emergencies, you can count on us when you need it most. We also focus on preventive care during every checkup and cleaning to help minimize your risk of oral health issues like chipped or cracked teeth. To learn more, we can be contacted online or at (508) 943-8111.