Quit Wrecking Your Teeth

The month of February holds a number of dental observances, including “Toothache Day” on February 9 and “Give Kids a Smile Day” on February 5. As a result, with this blog, we want to take a look at what you can do to protect your teeth.

Keep Your Teeth Healthy

By now, you probably have the dental basics down—brush, floss, see the dentist every six months. However, while these steps are important for maintaining a healthy smile, there are some choices you should make on a daily basis to keep your teeth strong.

Start by giving up on ice chewing. As addictive as that habit can be, chewing ice can cause your teeth to crack and, eventually, fracture. If this habit is just too strong for you to stop, start ordering drinks without ice.

Teeth grinding is another bad dental habit many people have. In fact, more than 30 million people living in the United States grind their teeth on a nightly basis. Teeth grinding can cause a wide variety of dental issues, such as chipped tooth enamel, cracked and loose teeth, and joint problems. Since stress and anxiety are a major reason behind teeth grinding, do what you can throughout the day to help lower your stress levels before going to bed each night.

Also, spring is almost here. Do you know what that means? Spring sports are about to begin, with tryouts just around the corner. Do your kids have their mouth guards ready? Mouth guards prevent approximately 200,000 sports-related mouth injuries every year, according the American Dental Association, so it’s important for every player to wear one.

Did you know that a toothache could actually be a sign of a sinus infection? Stop by our urgent care center for a health evaluation to see if your toothache is just a toothache—or something more!