Though you may think that your pearly whites are indestructible tools that can accomplish any task, we disagree. At Carolyn L. Yu, DDS, we’ve seen enough patients to know that using your chompers for anything other than chewing food can result in damaged or lost teeth and dental emergencies. Pay attention for the following activities and protect your pearly whites with a tiny bit of defensive effort:
Playing contact sports without a mouthguard. Football and lacrosse can be enjoyable, but chest pads aren’t the only defensive gear you should be wearing while playing. Without a mouthguard, playing these sports can do serious damage to your chompers. Make sure you’re wearing a good mouthguard before playing in any contact sports.
Wearing mouth jewelry. Mouth jewelry like lip rings or tongue piercings can cause split teeth if you’re not alert while eating or speaking. If you wear mouth jewelry, consider removing it (at the very least) during your dining sessions; we don’t want you to suffer the hurt of a chipped tooth!
Opening things with your mouth. The impulse to open things with your chompers can be strong, but we ask that you practice patience! The time you save opening a package is not worth the time you’ll spend mending broken chompers. Be patient and wait until you can get the proper tool for the job.
If you have harmed your teeth, we can help! Oral bonding, crowns, and veneers can help make your mouth look like new again. Give us a call at 510.974.2147 to pencil in a visit with our Pinole, California staff. Dr. Carolyn Yu and the staff at Carolyn L. Yu, DDS will be pleased to see you.
