A Few Things To Remember About Your Smile … And Ice!

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It’s perfectly natural to find yourself thinking ice is a smart choice when you’re looking for a healthy snack. After all, it doesn’t contain any calories, it’s refreshing, you know that water is good for your smile, and it takes a while to eat: What could be wrong with this option, you wonder? Well, actually, a lot is wrong when it comes to ice and your smile health. While the result of consuming ice may be good for your overall health, it can wreak havoc on your teeth and more! Take a cue from our Cleveland, TX team as we explain a few ways chewing through a serving of ice is more detrimental than it is “smart snack.”

#1: Cubes Can Cause Immediate Cracks

Take a look at an ice cube. Try to smash it in your hand. You know just by thinking about one that they are extraordinarily hard. Of course, this is why we suggest you do not eat them. In their full form, they present a choking hazard. If you try to bite them, well, you are certainly gambling with your smile health. Unless you get lucky at the ice cube breaks under the pressure provided by your teeth and jaws, there’s a good chance it will be your tooth that cracks and then requires a crown or even an extraction!

#2: All Forms Can Cause Damage Over Time

Even crushed ice can present a hazard for your smile health, so we remind you not to try to find loopholes when we suggest against this snack. When you chew on ice of any kind, even crushed, you’re doing quite a number on your enamel. What’s that, you ask? It’s the hard outer coating that acts as a protector of your teeth. When you require it to break down hard food on a consistent basis, you wear it down. Skip ice, save your enamel.

#3: Ice Is Never Good For Your Jaw Joints

All of that chewing and pressure that you’re placing on your teeth requires motion and force. Your teeth don’t create this. They channel it! It all comes from your jaw joints, which are known as your TMJs. Unfortunately, the more you require them to eat ice, the greater the chance of smile health damage, jaw joint exhaustion, and TMJ disorder.

Protect Your Smile With Tips That We Are Happy To Share

When you have questions about your habits and how they may affect your oral health, feel free to bring them to our attention, so we may offer advice. Call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We proudly serve patients and their families from Cleveland, Kingwood, New Caney, Conroe, Livingston, Huffman, and all surrounding communities.