{"id":260,"date":"2024-09-03T16:30:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T16:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cocodentalcenter.com\/blog\/?p=260"},"modified":"2025-03-20T17:12:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:12:16","slug":"tooth-breakers-5-items-that-could-hurt-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cocodentalcenter.com\/blog\/2024\/09\/03\/tooth-breakers-5-items-that-could-hurt-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Tooth-Breakers: 5 Items That Could Hurt Your Pearly Whites"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Picture this: it\u2019s the weekend, and you\u2019re looking forward to enjoying a nice, cold bottle of soda. But you\u2019re having trouble popping off the cap. What do you do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you answered, \u201ctry to pry it open or loosen it with my teeth,\u201d you\u2019re not alone. Plenty of people sink their teeth into things they really shouldn\u2019t! These 5 tooth-breakers are just a sampling of hazardous substances. Keep reading to learn why you should avoid chewing on them and other such items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

#1. Any Type of Bottlecap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s continue with the soda bottlecap analogy. These metallic caps are rock-solid, right? That\u2019s part of what makes them so difficult to open. While your teeth are pretty strong, they\u2019re not tougher than a piece of metal! Even your back molars will wear down prematurely or crack under the pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plastic bottlecaps might seem softer, but they aren\u2019t much better. Leave the bottle-opening to either your hands or your kitchen tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2. Plastic Packaging or Cardboard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These \u201csoft-shelled\u201d containers should also be off the menu. True, plastic wrapping and cardboard might not be as likely to break your teeth as a solid bottlecap, but the tugging and prying motions could wiggle your pearly whites loose. At the end of the day, your teeth simply shouldn\u2019t be your go-to tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3. Your Own Nails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that fingernails are a 2.5 on the Mohs Scale? This scale measures the relative hardness of objects and is most used to talk about the durability of various gemstones. A rating of 2.5 puts your nails on-par with hard plastics \u2013 like plastic bottlecaps! Kicking your nail-biting habit is as beneficial for your dental health as not using your teeth to open plastic bottlecaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4. Anyone Else\u2019s Toothbrush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Technically, this one isn\u2019t a tooth-breaker. But it\u2019s still an oral-health \u2013 and general health \u2013 hazard. You might think you\u2019re doing your pearly whites a favor by borrowing your friend\u2019s toothbrush for a night. However, what you\u2019re really doing is introducing your friend\u2019s bacteria and saliva to your biological biome. This is precisely how illnesses spread, so it\u2019s better to just make the midnight trip to a convenience store when you forget your toothbrush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#5. Toothpicks Aren\u2019t Flossers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Think about it this way: you\u2019re poking around your gums with what are essentially needle-like wooden stakes. Make one wrong move and you\u2019re in for sore gums or a cut that\u2019s perfect for sheltering harmful bacteria. Don\u2019t think simply chewing a toothpick is much safer! If you wear it down and it splinters, those shards are likely to get lodged in your soft oral tissues. Stick to dental floss or a water flosser for cleaning between your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, hard or pointy substances are likely to damage your teeth or gums. If you\u2019d rather your smile last for a long time, you should save your chewing power for eating delicious food. That\u2019ll be one less dental emergency<\/a> trip you\u2019re likely to take!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Dentist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sujal Patel<\/a> earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from New York University. He has a kind and friendly nature and takes the time to get to know his patients. If you have a hazardous habit that\u2019s dangerous for your teeth, Dr. Patel will hear you out without judgment and focus on helping you to preserve your oral health with quality care. To contact<\/a> his office, call 972-818-5649.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Picture this: it\u2019s the weekend, and you\u2019re looking forward to enjoying a nice, cold bottle of soda. But you\u2019re having trouble popping off the cap. What do you do? If you answered, \u201ctry to pry it open or loosen it with my teeth,\u201d you\u2019re not alone. Plenty of people sink their teeth into things they […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nTooth-Breakers: 5 Items That Could Hurt Your Pearly Whites | Coco Dental of North Dallas<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether out of habit or apparent necessity, you might be included to bite your teeth down on some harmful substances. 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