Chewing ice can damage teeth and might even crack them, a dentist said, adding that food such as squid, sugar cane and crab legs are also common causes of fractured teeth or damaged gums.
As the mercury is rising, many people like to drink cold beverages with ice, and some people even like to chew ice, but Shinkong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital dentist Lin Shih-rong (林世榮) said that he has had patients who have chipped, cracked or even split their teeth from chewing ice.
A 24-year-old woman who often enjoyed eating out with friends complained that her gums were constantly swollen and painful, and frequently bled when she ate food that was hard to chew, such as crabs and sugar cane, Lin said, adding that he diagnosed her with periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is mostly caused by improper oral hygiene, which can contribute to plaque buildup, or receding gums in more serious cases, Lin said, adding that frequently eating hard or rubbery food causes further damage to the teeth, or inflamed, swollen or bleeding gums.
He said the proper way to clean the teeth includes brushing every surface of every tooth and the gum line, but most people only brush about 25 percent of the surface of their teeth, which can only remove about 40 percent of plaque.
If the teeth are not brushed completely, plaque can continue to damage the periodontal tissue and can cause receding gums or numbness of the teeth or gums that can affect a person’s ability to chew, he said.
In addition to thoroughly brushing the teeth and gums and flossing, using mouth wash occasionally can restrict the growth of bacteria between teeth, Lin said, adding that people should see a dentist if they develop bleeding gums, sore teeth or other symptoms of periodontal disease.
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