America is known for offering a wide variety of foods at grocery stores and restaurants. While it’s certainly delightful to have so many options for meals and snacks, there are some foods out there that can be dangerous to your smile if you are not careful. Nobody wants to be enjoying themselves while carelessly munching away on something only to hurt their teeth in the process. Here’s a brief list of foods that can damage your teeth and a few tips for enjoying them while keeping your smile healthy.
Beware of Unpopped Popcorn Kernels
People have enjoyed popcorn for centuries, and it is the traditional snack of movie viewers everywhere. It’s also a common ingredient in both sweet and savory snack mixes. It is such a smashing success because of its crunchy yet fluffy texture and how it can be dressed up with so many different spices and flavors. Unfortunately, the popping process inevitably leaves a few unpopped kernels hanging around, and these hard, stubborn seeds can chip or crack your teeth if you bite down too hard on them at exactly the wrong angle.
This doesn’t mean dentists are opposed to people eating popcorn. You can shift these unpopped kernels to the bottom of the pile by giving the bowl a few good shakes before you dig in. It’s also a great idea to only grab a few pieces of popcorn at a time to avoid catching a kernel in a whole handful before you shovel it into your mouth.
Enjoy the Barbeque, but Mind the Bones
Cooking outdoors is a time-honored tradition for cultures across the world. When you hang out at a cookout in the warmer seasons, you will undoubtedly encounter many people enjoying ribs, wings, and many other grilled meats. While grilling is certainly a delicious way to prepare these foods, biting into bones or even scraping your teeth against them can cause chips or cracks in a tooth. While cutting the meat away from the bone and eating it with a fork can help the problem, a small piece of bone stuck in the meat can still cause injury. Always be careful when chewing bone-in meat.
Don’t Chew on Ice
Your teeth are not designed to chew rocks. What many people don’t realize is that water counts as a mineral when it is frozen. Ice is strong enough to carve valleys and break boulders, so your teeth do not stand a chance against it. Even half-melted or shaved ice can scratch and erode away your enamel layer. Never chew on ice if you wish to keep your teeth looking great while avoiding dental emergencies.
Your teeth do a lot to keep you healthy and looking sharp, so it’s important to use them carefully and take good care of them. By being mindful of what your teeth can and can’t do while you’re eating, you can keep your teeth in great shape for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. Alberto J. Lamberti completed a Fellowship in Implant Dentistry in 2011 before earning his DMD at the Tufts University of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA in 2015. He is a member of the American Dental Association and the Florida Dental Association. His office in Boca Raton, FL offers general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry. For more information on keeping your teeth healthy, contact his office online or dial (561) 338-7535.