Teeth are important parts of our bodies. They are vital for self confidence and for eating nutritious foods that keep us alive. More than 95% of adults believe that appealing to the opposite sex requires a nice smile and almost all adults (99.7%) believe that having a healthy nice smile is important for social life. Visiting dentists dentists regularly can help you keep a nice smile, but there are other things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and strong. Read the common causes of cracked and chipped teeth below so you know what to avoid to keep your smile as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Cavities

One obvious reason for a chipped or broken tooth is a cavity in the tooth. Cavities eat away at the enamel which is the hard layer that protects teeth. When this gets worn down your teeth are no longer protected. Chipping and breaking can result and if not properly treated by a dentist, complete loss of the tooth could eventually occur.

Unsafe Activities

Many people opt to use their teeth for certain objects rather than reaching for the proper tool. A bottle that can’t be opened should be opened with a bottle opener, not your teeth. A package that can’t be torn open should be opened with scissors not your teeth. Trying to close the clasp on your necklace that broke should be done with pliers not your teeth. You get the idea. Use the proper tool for the job, not the closest tool. Replacing scissors and pliers is much cheaper than vising cosmetic dentists to repair your teeth.

Sports

Physical activity is important for your health but your family dentist will agree that a mouth guard while doing some of those activities is important for your teeth. Dentists see many patients with chipped or cracked teeth because of failure to use a mouth guard while playing sports. Protecting your teeth is just as important as protecting your head during football. Always make sure you have protective mouth equipment when engaging in physical sports that could potentially result in chipped or cracked teeth. Trust us, your dentists will be happy you did.

Grinding

Majority of teeth grinding happens at night time while you are asleep. This means that many people aren’t even aware of the fact that they grind their teeth. Dentists can usually tell and this is usually the first time patients hear that they have a problem. Teeth grinding over time erode your teeth making them weaker. When the enamel becomes weaker teeth are more prone to chipping during normal activities such as eating. Mouth guards can be purchased from most stores, or a special mouth guard can be made at most dentists offices to help reduce damage to your teeth caused by grinding them.

What you Eat

Consistently eating hard foods such as frozen snacks and hard candy such as jawbreakers. These items put pressure on your teeth while eating them and over time make them weaker. Chipping and fractured teeth result when the practice of eating these food items continues. Even worse, chipping can result when eating softer foods such as nuts and pizza crust, simply because of the weakened state of the teeth. Take precautions when eating frozen snacks and try to avoid hard candies, the pressure nor the sugar are good for your teeth.

Piercings
Metal objects don’t belong in the mouth and this goes for piercings as well. Tongue and lip piercings cause a metal ball to continuously move around in your mouth. It only makes sense that this object can become stuck between teeth and accidentally bitten down on. Even if a crack or chip doesn’t happen immediately, damage to the enamel happens over time which can lead to problems later down the road.

Following these tips to avoid chipping and cracking your teeth will not only keep your smile healthy, but it helps keep dentists happy to. Dentists like to know that people are caring for their teeth and taking proactive steps to protect them. Follow these tips and keep your smile beautiful for years to come.