Habits that Wreck your Teeth – Part one of two

 Your teeth should be used solely for eating and smiling. Here are some habits that could potentially wreck your teeth.
1. Chewing ice. Munching on hard, frozen ice cubes are potentially harmful. They can chip and crack your teeth leading to more serious and costly dental procedures. If you feel the urge to chew ice, suck on them instead or chew sugarless gum
2. Contact sports without wearing a mouthguard. A mouthguard is a piece of plastic that protects the upper row of teeth. The rough action involved in playing contact sports such as football and hockey can cause your teeth to chip, crack or get knocked out completely. The best fitting one is a custom made one at your Dentist office.
3. Baby Bottles. Ever hear of baby bottle tooth decay? It’s never too early to keep the sugar away from newly formed teeth so avoid bottles of juice, milk or formula at bedtime. If the baby constantly falls asleep with a bottle at night, the sugar in these drinks will bathe the teeth causing cavities. Better to keep bottles for feeding during the day.
4. Oral piercings. Although they are trendy, biting down and playing with these piercings will crack and chip teeth. They can also cause damage to your gums when they rub on them, get infected, and risk piercing a blood vessel causing severe bleeding. Best to avoid them altogether.
5. Grinding or clenching. Teeth should only touch eight to nine minutes a day. Constant grinding or clenching will wear and break teeth. Being aware of and preventing the habit as well as wearing a night guard can help curb this habit.
6. Hard and gummy candies. Hard and sugary treats are a recipe for tooth disaster. The sugar will create cavities and the hard candies will break the teeth. It’s best to eat these after a meal instead of snacking on them all day long. Keep these at a minimum and don’t forget to brush and floss.
7. Fruit juice. Fruit juices contain additional sugar. Although they are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, look for juice with no added sugar. It’s also healthier to juice yourself, eat the actual fruit itself or dilute with some water.
We only have one set of adult teeth our entire lives so let’s make sure we keep them wreck-free. Check back next month in the November issue for part two.
For more info come visit us at 25385 Wayne Mills Place in Valencia.  For more information, please call 661-505-2926 and visit www.maycontedds.com. New patients always welcome.