Using your teeth as tools may be convenient, but it’s a habit that makes most dentists cringe. In fact, using your teeth for the following purposes could actually land you in the dentist’s chair:
Bottle Opener
Nothing makes the perfect summer couple quite like beer and BBQs. But while your friends may think it’s a cool when you pop open a bottle of IPA with your teeth, your dentist thinks otherwise. Biting down on a hard, foreign object can actually crack or fracture your tooth or cut your gums. Besides being painful, this can result in costly restoration.
Ice Machine
Nothing is more refreshing than an ice-cold drink to counter the summer heat. But after your drink is finished, avoid the temptation to chomp on the remaining ice. That repetitive crunching motion can create microscopic fractures on your teeth and grind down your enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to decay.
Scissors
We get that you can’t wait to open that bag of jalapeño chips, but this is a job for fingers or scissors, not your teeth. Over time, the habit of using your teeth to tear and rip plastic can damage your enamel and cause premature tooth wear.
Remember, your teeth are good for chewing, speaking and smiling, and that’s all they should be used for. Teeth are never good substitutes for tools, and once a tooth is damaged, it will never be as strong as it once was. If you’re guilty of any of these habits, try to stop ASAP to ensure the teeth you’ve worked so hard to protect stay healthy!
