Meaning of broken teeth: from chewing ice cubes to osteoporosis

Although teeth are made of enamel, the body's single most resilient natural product, teeth can crack and break if they are subjected to great pressure. But it turns out that a broken tooth doesn't always mean the result of a direct hit to the face - for example, during a car accident.

The meaning of a broken tooth may be caused by a system in your body that is not working properly. For example, did you know that teeth, like glass, can crack as a result of extreme temperature changes? Well, you know!

What do broken teeth mean?

Below are nine common causes of broken teeth.

1. Physical impact to the face / jaw

Apart from falling into a hard object or driving accident, the meaning of broken teeth is also caused by contact sports such as football, basketball or martial arts such as boxing or thai boxing.

Oral trauma is one of the causes of cracked and broken teeth, so athletic activities can increase your risk of experiencing this. Falling, hitting another player, or getting hit, hit by a hard pass / kick of the ball can crack your teeth.

If you are a person who regularly engages in vigorous contact sports, it is very important to wear protective oral gear that covers your teeth during matches or training sessions.

2. Bruxism

Bruxism is the habit of grinding your teeth without realizing it, because bruxism usually occurs when you sleep. Clenching both upper and lower jaws, while also grinding your teeth, can gradually but steadily erode your teeth, especially on the chewing surface of your teeth. Weak tooth enamel is much more prone to porous and cracking, even if under slight stress.

To prevent further tooth decay, protect your tooth enamel with special protective gear that your doctor can prescribe for you to wear at night while you sleep.

3. Chewing hard food / objects

Be careful what you put in your mouth. Many people think that all foods are safe to chew. Not necessarily. Chewing ice cubes, hard candy, or hard non-food objects - for example, those of you who like to gnaw at the tip of a pen or the tip of your nails - can cause teeth to brittle, crack, and eventually break.

If you have a habit of chewing hard objects, you should start to avoid doing so now and replace this bad habit with chewing sugar-free gum.

4. Sensitive teeth

The American Dental Association (ADA) notes that exposure to the extreme temperature changes that tooth enamel receives, such as eating hot food and then drinking ice water, can cause teeth to crack and break easily. If you have sensitive teeth, it is important to tell your dentist about this.

5. Genetic

Having soft tooth enamel may be a genetic predisposition that runs in your family. This genetic disorder can also affect dentin, the lower layer of enamel. This genetic condition causes weak teeth, so they are easy to crack and break.

6. Disease

Teeth can be weakened as a result of osteoporosis, a condition that causes bone loss in the body, or kidney disease - which can affect calcium absorption.

In addition to the two conditions above, the meaning of your broken tooth may come from an advanced periodontal disease that you currently have. If left untreated, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) can lead to a serious inflammatory infection that spreads to the surrounding teeth and weakens the bones of the teeth.

7. Cavities

The bacteria that cause cavities live in the mouth and produce acidic fluids that can eat away at tooth enamel. This results in the teeth becoming cracked and discolored. Perforated teeth are also more likely to be severe, causing even more damage due to openings that allow bacteria to infect the innermost parts of the tooth.

Cavities can be treated by having a dental filling done at the doctor, or if it is severe the dentist can perform root canal therapy to clean cavities and cover them with artificial dental crowns to fortify your teeth from the risk of cavities in the future.

8. Food

The meaning of your broken tooth may come from what you have been eating all this time. Eating sugar, flour, or acidic foods can erode enamel and make your teeth more susceptible to decay. Also, eat snacks, such as potato chips or hard crackers that place undue pressure on your teeth thereby increasing the risk of tooth decay.

9. Uneven teeth alignment

Braces are not only a solution for you to have a charming smile, but can also improve pain or discomfort caused by improper jaw position when chewing. All types of malocclusion (uneven teeth) can cause tooth loss and easily. This is why correction of the teeth and grooves is so important to support your oral health in the long term.