Throughout history, our teeth have been good tools to have. Today, though, this habit would earn a solid scolding from your dentist. We have other tools we can use instead and can protect our teeth from potential damage in the process. As a matter of fact, utilizing your teeth for the activities listed below could actually land you in the dentist’s chair for an unexpected and last minute emergency visit.
Bottle Opener
We all love beer and BBQs in the summer time. And while you and your friends might think popping open a refreshing bottle of chilled IPA with your teeth is pretty convenient, we have to advise against it. Using your teeth to bite down on a hard, foreign item might actually cause a crack or a fracture on one or a few of your teeth or you might end up with a cut on your gums. Aside from being quite painful, this could cost a huge chunk of money to get fixed.
Ice Crunching Machine
Nothing goes better with our BBQ burgers that an ice-cold refreshing drink to distract us from the harsh summer heat. But once your drink is finished, try your best to avoid the desire to use your teeth to chew on whatever ice that’s left. That repetitive chomping motion could potentially create microscopic cracks and fractures on your teeth and wear down your enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to irreversible decay.
Scissors
We totally understand that you totally don’t want to wait to tear into that bag of delicious potato chips, but this is a task best suited for scissors or ever your finger, but definitely not your teeth. Over time, the habit of utilizing your teeth to tear and rip plastic will eventually damage your enamel and cause premature tooth decay.
Keep in mind that your teeth are best used for chewing, talking and smiling. Those are the only tasks your teeth should be used for at all. Teeth aren’t ever going to be effective stand-ins for actual tools. This is especially true because once your tooth is damaged, it will not ever be as strong as it was before.
If you’re struggling to overcome any of these habits, keep trying to be sure that the teeth you are working so hard to protect stay healthy! Your dental care team at Eagle Rock Dental Care in Idaho Falls are on your side and happy to help – just give us a call or request an appointment today!
