#preventitive

Whether it’s your lip, your cheeks, or your tongue, biting the tissues in and around your mouth is a troublesome habit for many. Mostly brought on by stress or as a nervous habit, cheek or lip biting can be hard to break. At our dental office in Columbia, we’d like our patients to know just how harmful this habit can actually be and provide them tips on how to stop.

Explanations to Why We Bite

If you’re a chronic nibbler, the cause may be nerve related and should be resolved through actively recognizing when you do it and working consciously to stop it. Sometimes, a bite to the oral tissues is accidental, typically occurring when trying to multitask eating and talking. Although we all know how painful it can be, the occasional bite usually isn’t a big deal and should heal on its own.

However, there are times when lip or cheek biting can be unavoidable. An abundance of accidental bites could be a sign of something more serious like a misaligned bite (malocclusion) or even TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder). When teeth don’t align properly, the likelihood of your cheek, lip, or tongue getting in between them increases.

Why is Chronic Biting Bad?

No matter what the underlying cause is, biting any part of the mouth hurts! And the discomfort sometimes lasts much longer than the initial zing of pain upon contact. What’s more, after a bite, a mouth sore usually develops. These sores can become infected if proper oral hygiene isn’t maintained, and infection in the mouth is never a good thing. If malocclusion is the main cause behind your accidental bites, a whole host of other potential problems can arise including headaches, tooth shifting, and jaw pain.

How Can You Stop?

Like we’ve discussed, if you’ve identified your biting as a nervous habit, try to consciously work at stopping it. Also chew more deliberately and pay attention while eating to reduce the chance of sustaining an injury. If this is an ongoing problem, talk with your dentist in Columbia to determine if your bite may be misaligned.

At our Columbia dental office, we’re always here to help current and new patients with any concerns they may have. If you’re experiencing the pain of chronically biting your cheeks, lips, or tongue, give us a call to schedule an appointment today. We’ll determine the cause of your biting and work with you to help correct the problem.

When we think of drinks that are terrible for smiles, we usually automatically turn to soda. And while these sugary, carbonated beverages are absolutely bad for our teeth, there’s another type of drink that may be just as concerning. We’re talking about sports drinks, and at my Columbia dental office, we want you to know just how damaging they can actually be.

Sports Drinks Are NOT a Healthier Alternative to Soda

One of the common misconceptions is that sports beverages are a better choice than soda because of the typically lower sugar content. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. While many of the sports drinks of choice don’t contain a whole lot of sugar, they are pretty acidic, and that’s the part that’s concerning.

Acid is a large contributor to dental decay and cavities. When sports drinks are consumed regularly, teeth are exposed to a lot of acid which damages the protective tooth enamel. Why is that bad? Well, once enamel is damaged, it’s damaged, and teeth are left exposed. Without enamel, bacteria are able to wiggle into tooth crevices, feed off sugars from food, and, as a result, produce even more damaging acid. It’s an ongoing cycle that can lead to decay. But that’s not all.

But Wait, There’s More

If decay is left untreated, the possibility for more advanced treatment may be necessary. For example, decay that reaches the root of a tooth may require a root canal and crown to relieve the pain and save the tooth. Many patients are concerned and sometimes even fearful when they hear the term root canal, but it’s important to know that a root canal itself isn’t painful, it’s the damage the root canal treatment is fixing that hurts. If left alone, it will become more painful and may even lead to an infection known as an abscess, which also doesn’t feel very good.

Signs of a Problem

When a problem does occur, it’s important to recognize the symptoms so you can catch and treat it early. If you notice any of the signs of decay below, see your dentist in Columbia as soon as possible.

Toothaches

Pain with hot, cold, or sweet food or drinks

A change in tooth color

Painful chewing

Noticeable pits or holes

Prevention is always preferred over treatment. This is why we recommend dental cleanings and checkups at my Columbia dental office at least every six months. This way if something does occur, we can catch it and treat it early before more advanced treatment is needed. If you haven’t seen us for awhile, call to schedule your appointment today.