3 Things That Are Hurting Your Teeth

There are many things that can hurt your teeth. Not brushing and flossing on a regular basis is one, avoiding visits to my dental office in Charlottesville is another. But some things are not as obvious and just and harmful.

As we discuss some of the ways you could be hurting your teeth, you’ll notice one of them is actually good for you. So don’t stop doing it! Instead, continue to live a healthy lifestyle and add additional steps to counteract any damage these activities could have on your grin.

1. Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardio exercise is a crucial practice for any healthy body. But it can also be dangerous for your smile. A recent study by a team of scientists in Germany found that those who participated in endurance training, specifically prolonged periods of cardio, had more tooth erosion than those who did not exercise. Additionally, the more time spent doing cardio a week, the more risk for cavities and decay. If cardio is so good for the rest of your body, why is it so bad for your smile? Cardio naturally reduces the amount of saliva produced. Saliva is crucial to fighting acid, and without it, the chance for cavities greatly increases. To counteract this, try chewing sugarless gum during workouts.

2. Chewing Ice

Crunching ice can be refreshing, especially in the summer heat. But chewing ice cubes is seriously bad for your teeth. Ice is hard, cold, and not made for crunching. Your teeth can withstand a lot, they’re made for chewing after all, but ice isn’t something you should snack on. The texture is too hard for teeth and the extreme temperature changes leave your teeth at prime risk for developing cracks where bacteria can hide and decay can develop. What’s more, if cracks are left alone and ice crunching continues, you may crack off a piece of tooth. Leave the ice in the cup and sip the water once they’re melted.

3. Lemonade

Another summer favorite is sipping a cold lemonade after a hot day of working outside. While certainly refreshing, lemonade is the ideal mixture to encourage decay. Begin with acid, which lemons are full of, and sugar, also often found in lemonade, mix them together and sip slowly, you’re fueling the bacteria in the mouth. Bacteria feed on sugar, acid erodes enamel, and decay is almost guaranteed. Choose water with lemon slices instead.

Everyone at my Charlottesville dental office wants to provide you with all the knowledge you need to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. If you partake in these potentially dangerous activities, ask us about some ways you can counteract the smile-damaging threats.

Accepting patients from Charlottesville, Earlysville, Ruckersville, and surrounding neighborhoods.