Your teeth are truly amazing! So are your jaws. Your teeth are coated in enamel, which is extremely resilient and is actually harder than any other substance in your body (yep, that includes your bones). Your jaws are extraordinarily strong, as well, which means the force you create when you bite down is extreme. While this is quite impressive, it’s also something to keep in mind when you’re making choices for your oral health. For instance, just because you have eaten very hard food successfully in the past doesn’t mean you should keep doing it. Don’t really understand our reasoning? We’re happy to share.
You Could Break Your Tooth (Or Teeth)
It seems obvious but avoiding hard foods because they could break a tooth is not always something our patients do. We know that if you eat something you love that’s extremely hard once and nothing bad happens, it’s easy to try to get away with it just one more time (and then again) until it becomes habit. What you may not recognize is that even if you have not yet broken a tooth, your oral health may suffer in other ways. You may be slowly fracturing your teeth and you might be eroding their surfaces, which will lead to damage down the line.
You May End Up Injuring Your Jaw Joints
Now, for the stuff you really can’t see: Your jaw joints! When you’re forcing your jaws and teeth to work extremely hard to break down food that is a huge challenge, you’re not only putting your teeth in harm’s way but also your TMJs (jaw joints). The problem here is that chronic stress can irritate and eventually damage your TMJs, which can result in serious problems like TMJ disorder. Ease up with your choices, so you give your teeth and jaws the easy life they need for continued oral health!
Get Your Tips And Suggestions For Oral Health During Scheduled Visits
We encourage you to set up preventive visits not only because we love seeing you but because these trips to our practice are actually extremely helpful for protecting your smile! Visit us for a dental checkup in Ankeny, IA by contacting Dental Impressions to schedule a visit at (515) 965-0230.
