- Chewing ice- Some patients have a habit of chewing on ice or ice cubes. The problem with this is that it can weaken the teeth and cause them to crack or fracture. Often times a patient will only partially crack their tooth while biting ice. Later when they eat something soft like a sandwich or chewy like a bagel or bacon, a piece of their tooth will break off. If the patient is lucky, the tooth can be repaired with a restoration like a filling or a crown. However in some cases the tooth is not salvagable and may have to be extracted. People who feel compelled to regularly chew ice may be suffering from Pica which is a form of iron deficiency. I advise my patients who compulsively chew ice to have their iron levels checked and fight that craving unless they want to have a dental emergency.
- Using teeth as tools- Sometimes patients who call to report they "chipped a tooth" will remorsefully admit that they had been using their teeth as a tool when it broke. I have heard of patients who open bottles, crack crab legs or nuts, pull tags off clothes and perform various other tasks with their teeth. These habits may not cause problems initally, but one day a weakened tooth may receive too much pressure and crumble. My advice is, don't be lazy. Go and get the appropriate tool for the job because it is cheaper and less painful to replace the tool than it is your teeth!
- Tongue rings-Some years ago, tongue piercing became popular among women and men. For the sake of brevity, I will not go over the background and history of this practice. However, the only reason I mention it is because I have observed that many of my patients who had a tongue ring eventually managed to chip or crack their teeth with it. Most where not aware that this was a potential hazard of having this type of piercing. Fortunately there are other options available such as soft plastic attachments that can help avoid tooth fracture. However, the best way to avoid such problems is to remove the tongue ring altogether.
- Eating lemons (acidic foods)- There are people who actually enjoy eating lemons (go figure!). The only problem with this is the prolonged exposure of the teeth to acid. This can cause erosion of the tooth structure /wear away the enamel. Teeth can then become sensitive and more susceptible to decay. Also once the damage has been done, patients are often displeased with the appearance of their teeth and may require veneers or crowns to restore them. Erosion can also occur with consuming oranges, grapefruits, their fruit juices as well as other acidic foods. Therefore try to limit eating highly acidic foods and drinks to prevent damage.
- Aspirin burns- Since we are talking about acid in the mouth I thought I should also cover aspirin burns. Occasionally patients with a severe toothache will decide to place a tablet of aspiring on the gum near the aching tooth to try and numb the pain. Unfortunately,this often results in an extremely painful ulcer as the acidic aspirin burns a hole in their cheek or gum, worsening their pain. I always ask these patients if they rub aspirin on their forehead when they get a headache. They get the picture and hopefully you will too. Never place any medication designed to be swallowed directly on the delicate cheek or gum tissue! Take all medicine as directed on the packaging or as prescribed by your doctor.
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Note the whitish appearance of the aspirin burned cheek
The habits listed above are the things I've most commonly observed to cause dental emergencies. My advice to stay healthy and problem free? Break these habits or avoid them! Happy smiling!
