Tooth Enamel

Will Chewing Ice Ruin My Child’s Teeth?

March 14th, 2019

Chewing ice is a common habit that can cause a surprising amount of damage. Here’s how chewing ice can ruin teeth, which may end up in a costly trip to the dentist or orthodontist. 

Fractured Teeth

Teeth may seem tough and sturdy, but they aren’t designed to crunch very hard objects like ice. Chewing ice can easily lead to a cracked or chipped tooth, which requires an emergency dental visit to repair the broken tooth. If your child has a cracked tooth, then try to save the remnants of the tooth in a small bag of milk, and immediately schedule an appointment with our office. If you act in time, a dentist will be able to repair a fractured tooth.

Broken Oral Appliances

Despite their sturdy construction, chewing ice can damage oral appliances. Oral appliances like braces and retainers play a vital role in developing healthy smiles that have proper tooth and bite alignment. Those with braces risk dislodging wires or even damaging brackets, which can result in an expensive trip to the orthodontist. If your child has an oral appliance, it is important that you communicate to them the dangers of chewing ice.

Damaged Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are one of the most common oral appliances used today, and are adhered to teeth by a bonding agent. Many fillings are made of porcelain, which can be cracked by chewing ice. Additionally, the glue adhering fillings can crack, which causes the filling to become dislodged. Losing a filling hurts, and requires an immediate trip to the dentist for a repair. Dental fillings play an important role in keeping teeth healthy, and when they’re cracked the tooth is more vulnerable to cavities and sensitivity.

Cracked Tooth Enamel

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, yet chewing ice can still damage it. Tooth enamel is the first line of defense against cavities, and helps protect teeth from sugar and acid attacks. If tooth enamel is damaged, it can leave a tooth more vulnerable to acid attacks and tooth decay. Tooth enamel takes enough abuse from food as it is, so tell your kids to avoid chewing ice, it’ll save them from a trip to our office.

Bad Dental Habits Damage Teeth

 

Chewing ice is a common habit, and can become a reflex that children don’t even notice. If you see your child chewing ice, talk to them about it, and communicate how it can negatively impact their smile.

5 Simple Ways to Protect Your Child’s Tooth Enamel

November 30th, 2017

Despite its strength, tooth enamel can be eroded, and leave young teeth susceptible to oral disease. This can lead to tooth decay and cavities, and even affect how your child’s smile and bite develops. But, you can take some simple steps to keep their tooth enamel healthy, and help protect their teeth for years to come. 

What is Tooth Enamel?

Tooth enamel is the first line of defense your teeth have against plaque and cavities. It is the white, visible part of the tooth and it is also the hardest part of the human body. When enamel is damaged, it can appear discolored and leave the affected teeth very sensitive.

What Harms Tooth Enamel?

Unfortunately, tooth enamel takes a lot of abuse to keep teeth healthy. There are many factors that cause enamel erosion, but most of the damage is done by the foods and drinks that you consume. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), soft drinks are the most frequent source of erosive acids, due to their high acidity and frequency of consumption. Other drinks like fruit juice, sports drinks and energy drinks can also damage your teeth through acidic erosion.

Tooth enamel can also be harmed by certain medications and medical conditions.

5 Ways to Protect Your Child’s Enamel 

1 - Brush and Floss Regularly 

Food debris left on your child’s teeth encourages bacteria growth that eats away at enamel and causes cavities. This is why it’s important to brush twice per day, for two minutes at a time, and floss once per day to clean debris from the hard-to-reach areas of their teeth.

2 - Drink More Water

Water is a fantastic tool in the fight against acid erosion. Water is not acidic, and does not harm tooth enamel. It also improves saliva production, which naturally cleans teeth of debris and restores the mouth back to a healthy ph balance. Try giving your child more water instead of sugary drinks to help keep their tooth enamel strong and healthy.

3 - Rinse after Meals 

A great way to remove food debris from teeth is by rinsing immediately after meals. Have your child swish clean water in their mouth for 30 seconds, and then spit it out in a sink. This will help prevent acid attacks and enamel erosion.

4 - Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks 

Sugar feeds the bacteria on your teeth, causing plaque and ultimately cavities, which is why you should limit the number of sugary foods and drinks that you consume. Before buying snacks, check the back of the package for the amount of sugar contained in the package. Try to avoid sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice and sports drinks, all of which are notoriously high in sugar.

5 - Limit Citrus

Food and drinks high in citric acid erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. In bad cases of demineralization, acid will work its way to the soft layer beneath the enamel called the dentin. These advanced cases lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. If you consume anything with high citric acid, rinse with water for 30 seconds afterwards to clean away some of the lingering acid.

Is Your Child’s Enamel Healthy?

Visit our office so that we can evaluate your child’s overall oral health. We check and document the state of your child’s tooth enamel as a part of our regular checkups, and we will help give you and your child the knowledge necessary to keep a healthy, lifelong smile. Call us today to schedule your child’s first appointment, which will be relaxing and informal.