Don't Chew on Hard Objects

Your teeth are not indestructible. Hard objects such as ice, bones, or popcorn kernels can easily crack your teeth. Therefore, avoid using your mouth or teeth as a tool; for example, don't use your teeth to open beer bottles or strip the insulation off electrical wires. You might not notice the cracks at first, but with time, they will get more serious and cause further damage.



Treat Your Bruxism

Bruxism is a chronic dental condition where you can't help but grind and/or clench your teeth all the time. With bruxism, you can grind your teeth both when you are asleep and when you are awake. Bruxism causes tiny wear and tear on your teeth that eventually accumulate and cause your teeth to crack.

Here are some of the common causes of bruxism:

• Sleep disorders
  
• Crooked teeth
  
• Stress and anxiety
  

Consult a dentist to diagnose and treat your bruxism. In addition to treatment for the root cause of bruxism, here are other measures that may help you manage the condition:

• Limit alcohol intake
  
• Limit intake of stimulants such as coffee
  
• Train yourself to stop when you start to grind your teeth
  
• Don't chew on hard objects
  

A combined approach, which includes the tips above and dental treatment, will help you manage your bruxism and avoid teeth damage.



Protect Your Teeth During Contact Sports

Accidental blows to your mouth may also crack your teeth. Automobile accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, and even accidental knocks during contact sports can all crack your teeth. You can't do much about most of these accidents, but you can prevent teeth damage during contact sports. Wear a protective device such as a face mask or a mouth guard to prevent knocks to your teeth.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the right mouth guard for sports:

• Opt for a custom-made mouth guard if you have braces.
  
• Opt for the highest mouth guard quality possible if you play often.
  
• Ensure good comfort for the mouth guard so that you can wear it regularly
  
• Keep your mouth guard clean so that it doesn't infect your mouth.
  

Talk to your dentist if you have any special needs that require special mouth guards. An over-the-counter mouth guard might not protect if your mouth has special needs.



Get Orthodontic Treatment

You have a high risk of teeth damage if your teeth don't align properly. Crooked or misaligned teeth are more likely to crack during accidental knock to the teeth because the angle in which a tooth grows determines how strong it is. Therefore, you should get orthodontic treatment if your teeth don't line up properly so that the misaligned teeth don't crack easily in the event of an accident.



Prevent and Treat Dental Ailments

Lastly, you also need to ensure your teeth are always strong to reduce the risk of damage. Dental diseases such as carries or decay weaken your teeth, particularly the outermost or protective layer of the teeth (enamel). Therefore, you should prevent dental diseases and treat any dental disease that strikes before it severely weakens your teeth.

At New England Dental Health Services PC, we hope that the above tips will help prevent cracks on your teeth. If your teeth do crack, however, contact us as soon as possible so that we can deal with the crack and prevent further damage. We will help you whether the treatment calls for dental bonding, tooth extraction, or dental crowning or any other relevant treatment we may advise after examination.