Ways to Avoid Cracked Teeth

The last thing you want is a cracked tooth. Besides significantly impacting aesthetics, it can also lead to a host of oral health issues that may call for a root canal or even tooth extraction. A trusted family dentist in Whittier, NC, shares a list of simple yet effective measures you can take to avoid this dental concern.  

What You Can Do to Avoid Cracked Teeth

Eat Calcium-Rich Foods

Besides keeping your bones healthy and strong, eating calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese, and other dairy products allows you to counter decay-causing acids in your mouth. However, it’s best to stick to fat-free or low-fat options if you want to keep the calories down.  

Don’t Brush Too Hard

Brushing too hard and fast wears down your enamel and increases your risk of cracked teeth. For this reason, you’ll want to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and hold it at a 45-degree angle to your gums before brushing each tooth in gentle circular strokes.  

Steer Clear of Hard Foods

Although you may pride yourself on having strong teeth, don’t assume they’re indestructible. Biting down on hard candy, bones, beef jerky, hard nuts, and popcorn kernels might cause you to fracture a tooth.

Avoid Using Your Teeth as Tools

If you treat your teeth like a standard household tool, don’t be surprised to end up with a fractured tooth. Don’t even think about using your pearly whites to open a soda or beer bottle cap, open a stubborn package, or rip duct tape. Do yourself a favor by grabbing a bottle opener or a pair of scissors. You’ll also want to avoid using your teeth to hold objects while your hands are full.

Don’t Clench or Grind Your Teeth

Bruxism is a condition in which you clench or grind your teeth. Although bruxism usually occurs during sleep, it can also happen during waking hours as an involuntary reaction to stress, fear, or anger. Unfortunately, the constant pressure wears down the enamel over time, making your teeth vulnerable to cracking. If you’re dealing with bruxism, you’ll want to try using stress management techniques or a night guard to bring you one step closer to keeping your teeth crack-free.

Take the Necessary Precautions When Engaging in Contact Sports

Contact sports such as hockey, football, baseball, lacrosse, softball, basketball, soccer, and rugby can put your teeth at risk for fractures. Since face-first collisions, falls, and a high-speed ball flying in the direction of teeth are common in these high-impact activities, it’s best to take the necessary precautions to ensure safety.  

Start by noting of how you play the sport and wearing appropriate protective gear such as a protective mask and/or a mouth guard. Studies show that athletes who don’t use safety gear to prevent oral cavity impact are 60 times more likely to experience dental damage.  

Schedule Regular Appointments with Your Dentist

Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS) may already be present in your mouth even if a tooth hasn’t been broken yet. CTS is also referred to as split tooth syndrome, cracked cusp syndrome, or incomplete fracture of posterior teeth. Since its symptoms vary from patient to patient, self-diagnosis is virtually impossible.

For this reason, dental health experts recommend scheduling dental visits every six months to ensure optimum oral health. These appointments allow the dentist to identify underlying concerns that eventually lead to cracked or broken teeth.

Looking for a Family Dentist in Whittier, NC?

Cataloochee Dental Group is a multi-location dental group that provides high-quality restorative, preventative, and general routine dental care in a safe and comfortable environment. Contact us today to make an appointment.