You probably know some meals aren’t good for your enamel. Sugary stuff, in particular, can lead to cavities and tooth decay. However, did you know that there are foods that can chip teeth too? If you aren’t careful, biting one of these items could lead to a ruined smile. As such, it’s essential to know about them to avoid a painful dental emergency. Luckily, your Dublin dentist is here to help. Here are four foods you should eat cautiously to ensure they don’t bust your teeth.
Nuts
Nuts are delicious and nutritious, but their sheer hardness threatens teeth.
For instance, consider those still in their shell — peanuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, etc. You could seriously chip a tooth if you try using your pearly whites to crack open the shell. Plus, doing so would wear down your other teeth too.
Surprisingly, even packaged unshelled nuts are risky. You see, the packaging could contain shell fragments you bite by mistake.
Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is a tasty dish, especially during the summer. However, it carries a decent risk of chipping your smile.
You see, front teeth don’t have the right shape for biting and grinding into corn cobs. The bottom edges of the top ones (and the top edges of the bottom ones) have less enamel. Plus, all of them have a shape that’s thin and tapers. As a result, biting into a corn cob can easily chip or fracture one of your very front teeth–leaving you with a jagged tooth and smile.
Jerky
Whether it’s made of beef, chicken, or even turkey, jerky is dried muscle. In other words, this meat forces your jaw and related muscles to work overtime just to make it small enough to swallow. Not only does such repetitive chewing lead to soreness and tooth sensitivity, but it could also trigger a chipped or broken tooth.
Bone-In Meats
Items like chicken wings, chicken legs, ribs, and other bone-in meats are a great addition to any barbecue. Still, you don’t want to take a careless bite into a bone. If you do, said bone’s hardness could cause a tooth to chip. Also, bones can splinter and break free into soups when heated, thus becoming a tooth hazard.
In the end, it isn’t just carb-heavy products you should eat carefully. Chew the foods above with care, so they don’t break pieces of your smile!
About Your Dentist in Dublin
Dr. Eric Buck is a dentist based in Dublin, OH, having earned his DDS from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry. He’s also a member of the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association, and the Columbus Dental Society. You can thus count on him for comprehensive dental services, from dental checkups to dental emergencies! Dr. Buck currently practices at Distinctive Smiles and is reachable at his website or by phone at (614)-792-1800.