Did you know that chewing on ice damages your teeth? Here at Williams Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina will explain how this happens, and what you can do about it. Chewing on ice or any other kind of object can damage your teeth. It can cause worn dentition, it can damage the protective enamel that’s on your teeth and it can also lead to chips, cracks, and tooth decay. Chewing on ice and other things is caused by a habit, we suggest that you try and work on changing that bad habit. Instead of chewing on hard objects try chewing on sugar free gum, or carrots, something that’s good for your teeth.
How Chewing on Ice Damages Your Teeth
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When you chew on ice, it takes a lot of force to break the ice apart. And that force will lead to wearing cracks into the enamel on your teeth. When you continue chowing down on ice, your tooth’s enamel will become more damaged thus leaving dentin exposed. Dentin is the soft part that is under your tooth’s enamel. Without your enamel that protects your teeth from cavities and bacteria you are more at risk at developing cavities and tooth decay. Your teeth will begin to crack, chip and get brittle edges. It will take crowns and oral surgery to repair your teeth, and if your teeth are extremely damaged you may have to get it extracted.
If you have had previous dental work done like crowns, partials, or veneers, chewing on ice will damage those too. Also, it can hurt your temporomandibular joint and the muscles and ligaments that are near the joint. There is two temporomandibular joints and they are located in each side of your jaw; the joins allow your jaw to go up and down, and when we chew on hard things it will put stress and strain on your joints and that can be very painful. So, it’s always best to avoid chewing on things that we don’t need to be chewing on.
If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please don’t hesitate to call us and schedule an important. Here at Williams Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina, take pride in our work and we will always be here to help you with anything you need. We strive to give our patient’s the best care possible, so call us today!
