If a dentist has warned you that your teeth have weakened and are at much higher risk of breaking than they were in the past, here are some tips that you might want to bear in mind if you want to avoid the negative financial and physical consequences associated with having broken teeth.
If you participate in physically risky sports, consider looking for alternative hobbies
If you participate in any type of sport that puts you at risk of physical injury, then it might be time to replace this hobby with a gentler one. For example, if you enjoy mountain biking and you participate in biking trips on a regular basis, there is a very good chance that you will eventually be thrown from your bike simply because of the extremely rough terrain on which you choose to cycle. For example, if your front wheel hits a large rock, you could be flung headfirst over the handlebars and may not have time to shield your face with your hands before you hit the ground.
If this happens, your already-weakened teeth could break. In a situation like this, not only would you have to try to track down a dentist in the area where you were biking in order to receive emergency treatment but you may also end up having to get that tooth extracted, and developing a serious infection in the root of the tooth (as the breakage of a tooth can leave the root canals exposed to bacteria).
As such, if you value your teeth and want to avoid breaking them, then it might be best to look for an alternative to your current, physically risky hobby. For example, instead of mountain biking, you could try taking spin classes at your local gym, as this would be considerably safer.
Ask a general dentist about alternatives to professional whitening treatments
Most people like their teeth to look white. The most effective way to achieve this particular look is to have a dentist apply a bleaching treatment. However, if the general dentist who has looked closely at your teeth has told you that they could break very easily and you want white teeth, you should consider asking them for alternative, gentler ways to whiten them.
The reason for this is as follows; if your teeth are on the verge of cracking and breaking, this probably means that their enamel has become very thin. If your enamel were fully intact, then any bleach a dentist applied to it would probably not cause damage. However, if your enamel has deteriorated and you have a dentist apply this strong chemical solution to it, this could further increase the risk of breakage.
As such, it is best to discuss different whitening treatments with your dentist. In your situation, they may recommend that you undergo frequent scale-and-polish treatments to remove any build-up of food and drink-based stains and might advise you to use a whitening toothpaste rather than having the aforementioned bleaching treatment.
Over-the-counter whitening toothpaste, for example, doesn't usually contain any type of bleach but instead has either silica or bicarbonate of soda, both of which can be effective at making teeth appear cleaner and whiter.
Reach out to a general dentist to learn more.
