Mature Life Features

By James Gaffney

Mature Life Features

     Using your teeth to rip off clothes tags or crack open nuts or crunch ice and hard candy can wear down and weaken the surface of your enamel.
     Over time, these habits can chip the enamel or break a tooth at the gum line, said Dr. David McFadden, a Harvard Medical School associate professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
     Enamel protects the core of each tooth from the pressure and attrition of chewing as well as from invasive bacteria. Even though it is the hardest substance in your body, it can still incur damage.
     “When you chew food, pressure is equally distributed over the entire surface area of your mouth,” said McFadden. “But the force drastically increases when the focal point is concentrated on a
small surface area, as is the case when you eat hard candy.”
     While you shouldn’t forget to brush and floss to maintain dental health, McFadden suggests
chewing not chomping to preserve your teeth from undue pressure.
Mature Life Features, Copyright 2002