Thursday, January 27, 2022

The Dangers of Chewing Ice

Chewing ice is an incredibly common habit. Some people chew on ice after finishing a drink, while others do it to cool off in the summer heat. Chewing ice may also help relieve stress or aid in relaxation. No matter what the reason people chew ice, just like many other hard foods, chewing ice can cause a myriad of oral health issues, and even cost you an expensive trip to your dentist or orthodontist.

If you already have fillings, crowns, or veneers, or if you wear braces, use a retainer, or have expanders, chewing ice makes you particularly vulnerable to tooth damage.

How Chewing Ice Can Damage Your Teeth

Broken or Fractured Teeth - Teeth may seem tough and sturdy, but they aren’t designed to crunch extremely hard objects like ice. Chewing ice can easily lead to a cracked or chipped tooth, which will require an emergency dental visit to repair the broken tooth.

Cracked Tooth Enamel - Breaking or chipping a tooth is not the only outcome of chewing ice. Often times, people will crack their tooth enamel without knowing it. Tooth enamel is the first line of defense against cavities. If tooth enamel is damaged by chewing ice, it can leave a tooth more vulnerable to acid attacks and tooth decay. That’s because acids produced by bacteria can penetrate the softer layer of the tooth, the dentin, much more easily and cause tooth decay. Cracked tooth enamel can also lead to hot and cold sensitivities and tooth pain.

Damage Dental Fillings - Chewing ice can damage existing dental work like fillings, crowns, and veneers. Damaging your dental work will require an immediate trip to your dentist for a repair. Something as simple as filling a cavity may be the solution, but other times root canals and crown replacements are necessary to repair the damage done from chewing ice.

Destroyed Oral Appliances - Oral appliances like braces and retainers play a vital role in developing healthy smiles. Despite their sturdy construction, chewing ice can cause severe damage to brackets, wires, and aligner trays resulting in extra visits to our office.

Although there are much worse habits to have, as your local orthodontist we recommend breaking this habit as soon as you can.

If you love chewing on ice and need some ideas to shake the habit, try these tricks:

Let Ice Cubes Melt in your Mouth - Instead of chewing on the ice cubes, try holding them in your mouth and letting them melt. The satisfying cool sensation will last longer, and you won’t damage your teeth or gums.

Say No to Ice - Skip ice altogether. If it’s not in your glass, the temptation to chew it is gone.

Choose a Crunchy Alternative - When you feel like you need a satisfying crunch, reach for carrot sticks, cucumber, or apple slices instead of ice…you will get the same crunch without any tooth damage. Also, chewing on healthy fibrous foods will stimulate saliva production, which acts as a natural mouthwash.

As with any habit, the first thing you should do is make yourself aware. If you are concerned about your oral health or if you chew on ice frequently, make sure you schedule an appointment with your general dentist to have your teeth and gums evaluated. If your teeth are already damaged, your dentist will know exactly what to do to help.

Did you know? The intense craving to chew on ice is sometimes categorized as pagophagia. Pagophagia, or compulsive ice chewing, is a particular form of pica that is characterized by ingestion of ice, freezer frost, or iced drinks. It is usually associated with iron deficiency anemia. Not everyone who loves chewing ice has pagophagia, but studies show that some people who have the desire to chew ice also have an underlying health issue that has not yet been resolved.

 

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

5 Reasons To Love Your Braces

Quest Johnson Orthodontics

Your braces are an investment in your smile, your health, and your overall well-being. Braces can transform your teeth, give you a more comfortable bite, and give you a beautiful smile that will boost your confidence.

Braces can solve almost any orthodontic issue.

Whether you have an underbite, overbite, or crossbite, braces treatment can help. Braces are individualized to suit your needs and can help to improve a wide range of orthodontic issues. Therefore, if you’d really like to straighten your teeth, braces are most likely your best option.

1. Braces enhance your natural teeth. Rather than covering your smile with veneers, braces can fix your natural teeth. Not to mention, braces are cheaper than most of these transformative cosmetic dentistry procedures.

2. Straight teeth are healthy teeth. Braces don’t just enhance your smile, they can improve your oral health too. Straight teeth are easier to clean. When your teeth are easier to brush and floss you’re less likely to develop cavities or infections. Oral health problems like worn enamel, gum recession, and side effects of grinding and clenching your teeth are also eliminated when teeth are shifted into proper alignment with braces.

3. Braces can be discrete. If you’d like to avoid the metal brackets on your teeth, you have options. For example, ceramic braces work like metal braces…only better. Ceramic braces blend in with your teeth for a great look. You’ll be able to straighten your teeth without anyone noticing.

4. The results are incredible! With braces, you can get a beautiful straight smile you’ve always wanted. Not to mention, having straighter teeth can improve your facial profile, align your jaw, and fix your bite…drastically improving your appearance.

 
 
Remember, braces are temporary. If you want to learn more about how braces can improve your smile, call Quest Johnson Orthodontics to schedule an appointment. From conventional metal braces to Invisalign Dr. Quest and Dr. Johnson have you covered!