Your teeth bite and chew constantly throughout the day without issue, usually. But under high amounts of pressure, a durable tooth could chip, crack, or fracture. This dental injury will need urgent treatment from a dentist to repair and restore your oral health.
While an accidental blow to the face could break a tooth this way, certain foods might lead to this dental damage too. Knowing which foods could hurt your smile can help you better protect your dental structure.
Ideally, you should preserve your natural dental structure for as long as you can, even though your dentist can help you treat a dental injury. Read on to discover four foods that present a high risk of cracking or chipping a tooth if you are not careful.
Popcorn
One of the most common foods that can cause tooth breakage is popcorn. This snack begins as hard, unpopped kernels which require hot oil to make the light, fluffy treat you know and love emerge. But even after cooking, some unpopped kernels might remain in your bowl.
If you bite down on one of these kernels, you could easily chip or crack a tooth. If this occurs, you will need prompt evaluation and treatment from a dentist. Otherwise, the injury will deepen and worsen, leaving you vulnerable to further dental problems. So do not ignore this issue.
Bagels
Another potential threat to your dental structure comes in the form of bagels. This type of bread makes for an ideal sandwich for any time of day. But it has a deceptively dense and hard texture that puts you in danger of breaking a tooth if you bite into it without caution.
So pay attention to your eating habits to avoid a dental injury. If you do hurt your tooth, do not delay seeking dental attention to repair this damage. Your dentist will likely treat tooth breakage with a dental crown to shield the tooth from further harm and restore oral capabilities.
Hard Candy
Hard candy refers to a sweet treat made from boiled sugar that solidifies into beloved candy as it cools. It is designed to suck on until the candy dissolves in the mouth. But many people feel tempted to bite on this candy before this point.
If you do this, you could risk cracking or chipping a tooth, so do not bite down on hard candy. If you do not think you can resist biting this treat, you might want to avoid hard candy. This sugary treat can present other oral health dangers as well, so you should limit it in your diet anyway.
Corn on the Cob
Consuming corn on the cob could put you in danger of cracking a tooth. Though it can be fun to eat corn straight from this cob, your teeth are not made to bite into a hard cob. Grating the teeth against this hard item poses a major risk of dental injury.
So when possible, eat corn off of its cob. But if you do want to try corn on the cob, exercise caution while eating. And do not wait to tell your dentist if you sustain an injury to one or more of your teeth.