Don’t Break a Tooth! Avoid These 5 Foods

A common dental emergency arises when patients bite into something hard and break a tooth.

Adults and kids alike should always consider the health of their teeth before biting into certain foods. Most of us, however, don’t think twice and often end up paying the price. Several foods are hard enough to break a tooth. There are even a few we may not even think of.

The top five foods that can break a tooth are:

• Ice Cubes – Chewing ice is like chewing rocks. Those little pieces of frozen water are stronger than your tooth enamel. Give up this habit if you want to save your teeth.
• Hard bread – Hard breads like baguettes, biscotti, and large baked pretzels can be extremely hard. Before you eat them, cut them into smaller pieces or dip them into a sauce to soften them up.
• Hard candies – Hard candies are probably the most dangerous of all. Not only can they crack your teeth, they stick to them as well, making them extra difficult to clean.
• Olive pits – Although olive parts are normally not a problem, one missed pit in a jar of olives can shatter a tooth. Check them first before you eat them.
• Popcorn – Unpopped kernels are always lurking in with fully popped pieces of popcorn. Watch what you’re eating and you will be able to avoid the unpopped kernels and save your teeth from impending disaster.

Stop and think before you eat. If a food is too hard for you to bite securely the first time, don’t risk your teeth. Find a way to break it up or avoid it altogether. If you break a tooth, you’ll want to repair it right away. Be cautious while you’re eating and you will save yourself a lot of pain and aggravation.

At Ultimate Smile Design we hope you never break a tooth. If a dental emergency does arise, however, we’re here to help you ease the pain and restore your teeth. Give us a call in our Palm Bay, FL office for an appointment and we’ll help you smile again.