Do you have any of these bad habits? Your teeth need to be with you for the rest of you life. Quitting these habits can help protect your teeth.
Do you have a habit of not brushing? Going to bed or leaving the house in the morning in a rush without brushing your teeth can be habit forming. If you don’t brush your teeth regularly, bacteria can build on your teeth called plaque. Brushing your teeth regularly helps to remove plaque and prevent it from forming. Plaque build up can cause tooth decay like cavities and gum disease known as gingivitis.
Lay off lemons as they are very acidic.The acidity corrodes the enamel of the teeth. Repeated exposure to acidic substances can cause tooth enamel to erode, creating a rough texture on the surface.
Stop crunching ice! The cold temperature and the hardness of ice cubes can cause serious damage to your teeth. Your teeth are designed to crush through food, not against hard objects. Even though crunching ice with your teeth may be easy, keep in mind, your blender uses special blades to crush ice.
Teeth are not part of your tool box. Many people use their teeth to break off a tag on clothing, rip open a packet of crisps, or even unscrew bottle tops. Teeth are not pliers or bottle openers. Using your teeth as a tool is a threat to dental health and can damage dental work or cause your teeth to crack.
No more nail biting… Your nails are harder than you may realise. Biting your nails, a pen or a similar object can cause your teeth to shift or even crack.
Say no to sugary drinks… Sugary carbonated drinks are bad for your teeth. Besides a high level of sugar, they typically are very acidic. This includes diet drinks. Like lemons, the acidity is corroding your enamel. Your teeth are being bathed in sugary acid. This can lead to dental health problems such as decay around your gum line and loss of enamel.
Use floss instead of toothpicks. Toothpicks can help keep the areas between your teeth clean, but using a toothpick too aggressively can cause pain or soreness and nothing you do to your teeth or gums should ever hurt. Using floss is much more practical and more gentle.
No pencils between you teeth. Some people have a habit of holding objects such as pens, pencils, or eyeglasses between their teeth when concentrating on a difficult task. Much like ice, teeth are not meant for hard objects. This habit can lead to worn and cracked teeth. This habit can also damage existing dental treatment you may already have had.
Children sucking their thumbs can cause permanent changes that affect tooth and jaw structure. This misalignment can lead to issues, including difficulty chewing and breathing problems. Helping your child wean from sucking their thumb may be hard but it will help them have better oral health in the long run.
Don’t brush too hard! If you brush too vigorously, you can cause more harm than good. Brushing your teeth too hard can wear down enamel, irritate your gums, make your teeth sensitive to cold, and even cause cavities. To avoid these problems, try using a soft bristled toothbrush. Vitality can recommend a toothbrush that is right for you.
