Molars are subjected to the most biting force and thus can end up broken pretty badly, but at what point should they be pulled when this happens?
“Broken teeth are probably one of the most common emergency calls to the dental office,” says Gigi Meinecke, DMD, FAGD, member of the Academy of General Dentistry with a private practice in Potomac, MD.
“Like anything else, there are varying degrees of ‘broken’ when it comes to teeth,” she continues. “Only a dentist can determine if a tooth is broken beyond repair.
“Molars, located in the back of the mouth, have the most force applied to them when chewing (think of a nutcracker), and are frequent victims of breakage.”
Foods that Can Break a Molar
Hard candy. This includes anything with names like “Jaw Breakers.”
If you love hard candy, suck on it rather than chew. Remind yourself that you don’t have the jaws/teeth of a dog.
Stale gumball. Especially large ones; when stale they can be as hard as hard candy.
Chilled chocolate blocks. Biting into a block can easily crack a molar.
Peanut brittle.
Unpopped popcorn kernels.
Bread. Some crusts are ridiculously hard, forcing the eater to try to tear at the crust with their teeth, and then chew it with the molars. This puts tremendous strain on the molars.
Ice cubes. If you like to chew on ice, make it crushed ice.
Bones. You’re not a hyena. Don’t try to chew bones in the name of getting more calcium or because you don’t want to bother spitting them out.
Dr. Meinecke continues, “Depending on the extent of damage, your dentist will recommend anything from a simple filling, root canal and/or a crown.
“If your dentist believes the damage is beyond repair, or if the cumulative costs involved in repair don’t make good financial sense when weighed with the resulting long-term prognosis, he or she may recommend extraction.
“When extraction is the only option, your dentist will discuss replacement options with you.”
Dr. Meinecke, member of the Academy of General Dentistry, uses state-of-the-art sterilization procedures to ensure patient safety. In addition to comprehensive dental care, you’ll be treated in an ultra-modern dental office utilizing many of today’s latest dental technologies.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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