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Your teeth are remarkably strong. They bite, tear and grind their way through thousands of meals every year, often without us giving them a second thought.

But strong doesn’t mean indestructible.

One of the easiest ways to chip, crack or wear down a perfectly healthy tooth is to ask it to do a job it was never designed for. And some of the most common culprits have nothing to do with food.

Here are 10 things your teeth should definitely not be used for.

1. Opening packets

That stubborn plastic packet might seem like no match for your front teeth, but biting and pulling packaging puts unusual pressure on them. One awkward movement can chip an edge or even damage an existing filling.

2. Opening bottles

Your teeth are not a bottle opener. Using them to pry off lids creates enormous forces, particularly on the front teeth. A party trick can very quickly become a broken tooth.

3. Cutting sticky tape

It’s incredibly common when wrapping presents or packing boxes. You’re holding everything in place, your scissors are out of reach, and your teeth seem like the obvious solution.

Unfortunately, repeatedly biting through tape can cause small chips and wear along the edges of your teeth.

4. Cracking nuts or shells

Nut shells, crab shells and other hard foods should be opened with the appropriate tools. Teeth can handle plenty of pressure during normal chewing, but biting suddenly onto something extremely hard concentrates that force into a very small area.

5. Chewing pens and pencils

This is often an unconscious habit, particularly while working or concentrating. Over time, repeatedly chewing hard objects can wear the biting edges of teeth and potentially contribute to small cracks.

It’s also not particularly hygienic when you consider where your pen has been!

6. Holding things

Keys, shopping bags, hairpins, nails, clothing tags: people use their mouths as an extra pair of hands surprisingly often.

Apart from potentially damaging your teeth, holding objects in your mouth can be a choking risk. Take the extra few seconds and use your hands instead.

7. Biting your fingernails

Nail biting doesn’t only affect your nails. It repeatedly places pressure on the same areas of your front teeth and may contribute to wear or small chips over time.

It can also introduce bacteria and dirt from underneath your fingernails into your mouth.

8. Chewing ice

Ice is technically water, but that doesn’t make chewing it harmless.

Ice is extremely hard, and biting down on a solid cube can damage enamel, fillings, crowns and other dental restorations. If you enjoy ice in your drinks, let it melt rather than crunching through it.

9. Undoing knots

Fishing line, shoelaces, string and stubborn knots often end up between people’s teeth.

The problem is that pulling against something while gripping it with your teeth creates forces quite different from ordinary chewing. There’s also the risk of whatever you’re pulling suddenly slipping and causing your teeth to slam together.

10. Biting clothing or removing tags

That annoying loose thread or clothing tag can be tempting to bite straight through.

Your incisors are designed to bite through food, but fabric, thread and plastic tags can be surprisingly tough. Pulling at them can place unnecessary strain on the teeth and jaw.

Teeth Are Strong, But They Have Limits

Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, which is pretty impressive. But unlike a fingernail, enamel doesn’t simply grow back when a piece breaks off.

Sometimes a tiny chip is mainly cosmetic. In other situations, a crack can extend deeper into the tooth and cause sensitivity, pain when biting or more significant problems later.

Dental restorations also have their limits. Fillings, veneers and crowns are designed to withstand normal biting and chewing forces, not bottle caps, pens and plastic packaging.

If you’ve been using your teeth as tools for years and nothing has happened, you might feel like you’ve gotten away with it. You probably have. But dental damage can happen in a split second, and it’s much easier to reach for the scissors than repair a broken tooth.

If you’ve chipped a tooth, noticed a new rough edge or have a tooth that suddenly feels different when you bite, come and visit us. We can take a closer look and make sure there isn’t more damage than you can see.

Have you ever wondered why one person seems to have beautifully clean teeth despite a fairly relaxed brushing routine, while someone else can be meticulous about their oral hygiene and still notice plaque building up?

It can feel unfair, but plaque isn’t simply a sign that somebody isn’t brushing properly.

Everyone develops plaque. It’s a natural consequence of having bacteria living inside your mouth. However, the speed at which plaque accumulates and the places where it collects can vary considerably from person to person.

So why are some mouths more prone to it than others?

First, What Exactly Is Plaque?

Plaque is a soft, sticky film that continually forms on your teeth.

Your mouth naturally contains hundreds of different species of microorganisms. When bacteria interact with saliva and the foods and drinks you consume, they can form a biofilm that attaches to tooth surfaces.

You can remove much of this plaque through thorough brushing and cleaning between your teeth.

If plaque isn’t removed effectively, however, minerals in saliva can eventually cause it to harden into calculus, also commonly called tartar. Unlike soft plaque, calculus can’t simply be brushed away at home.

Your Saliva Makes a Difference

Saliva is one reason plaque and calculus accumulation varies between people.

Saliva performs several important jobs. It helps wash food particles away, neutralises acids and supplies minerals that help protect tooth enamel.

But the composition and flow of saliva differ between individuals.

Some people naturally have saliva containing higher concentrations of certain minerals, which can contribute to calculus forming more readily once plaque is present.

This is also why calculus often develops particularly quickly around the inside surfaces of the lower front teeth. Major salivary ducts empty into the mouth nearby.

The Shape and Position of Your Teeth Matter

Perfectly smooth, evenly spaced teeth are relatively straightforward to clean.

Real mouths aren’t always like that.

Teeth may overlap, rotate or sit very close together. Some have deeper grooves, irregular surfaces or spaces where plaque can easily collect.

If teeth are crowded, there may be areas a toothbrush simply can’t reach effectively.

That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with those teeth. It just means they may require a little more attention when cleaning.

What You Eat and Drink Plays a Role

The bacteria within plaque use carbohydrates from food and drinks.

Frequent snacking or sipping on sugary drinks throughout the day provides bacteria with repeated opportunities to metabolise sugars and produce acids.

Sticky foods can also remain around teeth for longer than foods that are quickly washed away by saliva.

Interestingly, frequency can matter just as much as quantity. Constantly grazing throughout the day creates a very different environment inside your mouth compared with eating the same foods as part of regular meals.

Dry Mouth Can Change Things

Saliva naturally helps cleanse the mouth, so reduced saliva flow can allow plaque and food debris to remain around teeth more easily.

Dry mouth can occur for many reasons, including dehydration and as a side effect of some medications.

People experiencing persistent dry mouth may therefore notice that their mouth feels different or that plaque seems to accumulate more readily.

Your Daily Technique Matters Too

Two people can both say they brush twice a day and still achieve very different results.

How long you brush, the angle of the toothbrush, whether you consistently reach the gumline and whether you clean between your teeth all make a difference.

Most people also have favourite and forgotten areas.

Right-handed people, for example, may unconsciously brush certain parts of their mouth more thoroughly than others. It’s easy to follow exactly the same pattern every morning and evening without realising that one small area is repeatedly being missed.

Some People Simply Build Calculus Faster

There really is individual variation.

You may have two people with similar diets and brushing habits who develop noticeably different amounts of calculus between professional cleans.

That’s why comparing your mouth with someone else’s isn’t particularly useful.

The better comparison is with yourself.

Knowing where plaque tends to accumulate in your own mouth allows you to focus your cleaning where it’s needed most.

Plaque Isn’t Just About How Your Teeth Look

Plaque accumulation around the gumline can irritate the gums, contributing to redness, swelling and bleeding.

Because plaque can be pale or almost colourless, you might not necessarily see it when you look in the mirror.

That’s one of the reasons regular professional care can be useful. We can identify the areas where plaque and calculus consistently accumulate and help you adjust your home routine accordingly.

If you feel as though plaque builds up incredibly quickly despite brushing carefully, come and see us. Sometimes a small change in brushing technique, interdental cleaning or the tools you’re using can make a surprisingly big difference.

Your bite is the way your upper and lower teeth come together.

Most of us barely notice it. You close your mouth, chew your food and get on with your day. But your bite isn’t necessarily fixed for life.

Teeth, gums, bone, muscles and the jaw all change over time. Sometimes those changes are so gradual that you don’t notice them until your teeth suddenly seem to meet differently.

Here are seven things that can alter your bite.

1. Natural Tooth Movement

Teeth aren’t permanently fused into your jawbone.

Each tooth is supported within the bone by a periodontal ligament, which allows tiny amounts of movement and helps absorb chewing forces.

Over many years, the position of teeth can gradually change.

This is one reason someone who had beautifully straight teeth when they were younger may notice mild crowding or movement later in adulthood.

2. Losing a Tooth

Every tooth forms part of a larger system.

When one tooth is lost, the neighbouring teeth may gradually drift or tilt towards the empty space. The opposing tooth can sometimes move further out of its socket because it no longer has a tooth to bite against.

These movements may alter the way your teeth contact each other and can potentially make certain areas more difficult to clean.

It’s one reason we look at the whole mouth when discussing options for replacing a missing tooth.

3. Teeth Grinding and Clenching

Grinding and clenching can place substantial forces on teeth.

Over time, repeated grinding may wear down biting surfaces. Teeth can become flatter or shorter, and small amounts of enamel can gradually disappear.

If enough wear occurs, the relationship between the upper and lower teeth may change.

Many people grind while sleeping and have no idea they’re doing it. Sometimes the first clues are worn teeth, morning jaw discomfort or a partner hearing grinding noises overnight.

4. Dental Treatment

Some changes to your bite are intentional.

Orthodontic treatment, including braces and clear aligners, works by carefully moving teeth into different positions.

Restorative treatment can also affect the way teeth meet. A filling, crown or other restoration needs to fit comfortably within your existing bite.

Immediately after dental treatment, something may occasionally feel slightly different simply because you’re suddenly paying close attention to an area you normally ignore. However, if a new restoration feels noticeably high when you bite, let us know.

5. Changes to Your Gums and Supporting Bone

Your gums and jawbone provide the foundations that support your teeth.

Gum disease can damage the tissues and bone supporting teeth. In more advanced cases, teeth may become mobile or change position.

This can create new gaps, alter the angle of teeth or change the way the upper and lower teeth come together.

Importantly, gum disease can progress with surprisingly little discomfort, which is why changes in tooth position shouldn’t simply be dismissed as part of getting older.

6. Wisdom Teeth and Changes During Adulthood

Wisdom teeth get blamed for almost every case of adult crowding.

The reality is more complicated.

Teeth can naturally shift throughout adulthood whether wisdom teeth are present or not. Changes in jaw growth, ageing and the balance of forces from your lips, cheeks and tongue may all contribute.

If your lower front teeth seem more crowded than they used to be, it doesn’t automatically mean your wisdom teeth pushed them forward.

7. Changes in Your Jaw and Muscles

Your bite isn’t determined by teeth alone.

The muscles responsible for chewing and the joints connecting your lower jaw to your skull all influence how your mouth closes.

Changes in muscle tension, jaw function or tooth wear can sometimes make the bite feel different even when individual teeth haven’t dramatically moved.

This is particularly noticeable because your mouth is incredibly sensitive to tiny changes.

Why Does a Small Bite Change Feel So Obvious?

Your teeth and jaw have an extraordinary ability to detect pressure.

Something as small as a tiny piece of food caught between two teeth can feel enormous. That’s why a subtle change to one tooth can sometimes make your entire bite seem unusual.

Occasionally, that sensation disappears as you become accustomed to a change. At other times, it may indicate that a tooth has moved, become damaged or is contacting differently.

The important thing is noticing when something has genuinely changed.

If your teeth suddenly don’t seem to meet the way they normally do, one tooth hits before the others, or you’ve noticed your bite gradually changing, come and visit us. We can examine how your teeth are coming together and work out what may be behind the change.