Be careful of foods that can damage your teeth
Whilst we are unable to see our patients face to face during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to try to prevent dental emergencies. Broken teeth, crowns and lost fillings usually account for many of our emergency appointments and can often be caused by biting down on certain foods. Here are some of the worst offenders:
Popcorn
Whilst plain popcorn is a great healthy snack, biting down on any unpopped kernels can cause damage to teeth. Try and check what you are putting in your mouth. Only eat the fluffy parts and leave the unpopped kernels at the bottom of the container.
Ice Cubes
When you have finished your drink and all that’s left in your glass is ice cubes, do not be tempted to chew them. Ice cubes are hard on teeth and can cause microscopic cracks particularly in teeth already containing fillings.
Nuts
Nuts are a very nutritious snack. However, some of them are quite hard to bite down on, particularly if they are a bit stale. Choose and eat your nuts carefully. Almonds shape and texture puts stress on teeth when biting down whereas walnuts are a much softer nut. Also never use your teeth to crack open the shell.
Crusty Bread and Biscuits
Hard crusty loaves such as baguettes have the potential to break a tooth, particularly an already heavy filled tooth. Avoid the ends of a baguette, and try dipping in oil to soften the crusts. Be careful when eating granary or seeded loaves as some of the seeds can be very hard and have been known to cause broken teeth.
Biscotti biscuits are also extremely hard and should be eaten with caution.
Olive Stones/Pits
Accidentally biting down on a pit can crack or break a tooth. Even though you may buy a jar of pitted olives they do usually have a warning on the label such as “Due to mechanical pitting methods, 100% removal of olive stones cannot be guaranteed”. Eat whole olives carefully and the same goes for other foods with pits/stones such as cherries and plums.
Non Food Items
We also see patients who have broken their teeth by putting non-food items in their mouths. Examples include tearing tape or packaging with teeth rather than using scissors and chewing on a pen lid. Remember teeth are not tools. They should only be used for chewing food.
If you do happen to chip a tooth, break a crown or lose a filling whilst we are only able to offer a telephone service, please do give us a call and one of the experienced team will be able to provide you with advice.
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