Common Habits Which Can Damage Your Teeth
When you speak about dental care with dentists they will be able to give a long list of reasons why people end up with damaged teeth. Some can often be unavoidable such as an underlying medical condition or an accident, however, there are also many reasons where the blame lies solely with the individual in question.
On that list of reasons, you will see many which you could have predicted, but there are also some which you may not previously have realised can harm your teeth. So, in a helpful spirit, and in the hope that you can avoid or stop any of these, here are the most common bad habits that cause damaged teeth.
Smoking
This seems to appear on every bad habit list but there is no getting away from the fact that smoking can harm your gums and teeth and there is no better evidence for that in the stained teeth that many smokers have.
Chewing Ice
Whilst this might seem a simple and harmless way of cooling down on a hot day and taking in water, chewing ice can actually harm teeth. The force required can be excessive and there is a risk your teeth’s roots can be weakened.
Grinding Teeth
This is a habit that we even do when we sleep so for some there seems no respite from it. However, in your waking hours, try to avoid grinding your teeth as it is particularly known to remove the enamel on your teeth which is there to protect them.
Excessive Eating Of Surgery Foods
Ok, so we all like a nice, sweet treat from time to time, and there is no harm in that if you brush and floss afterwards. Where the problems start is when you eat an excessive amount of them which invariably leads to cavities, toothache, and lost teeth.
Biting Your Nails
Apart from the risk of inviting germs into your mouth and causing infections, the actual act of biting on your nails can cause the enamel to wear from your teeth. You are also at risk of causing bleeding in your gums due to small cuts created by sharp nails.
Using Your Teeth To Open Things
Your teeth are great for doing what they are meant to do, which is chew food, but by using them to open bottles and other items, you risk damaging them. Your gums can also be become infected due to bacteria from the items you are opening.
Careless Use Of Toothpicks
Although toothpicks can be useful for removing stubborn pieces of food if you are reckless and over-aggressive with them, you can cut your gums, which leads to infection and ultimately loose teeth.
Drinking Too Many Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks are probably one of the biggest culprits when it comes to a bad habit that can harm our teeth. As with sugary foods they are fine if drunk occasionally, but only with the proviso that you brush and floss afterwards.
Using A Toothbrush With Hard Bristles
It might seem strange that we are including brushing your teeth as a bad habit, however, it is not the brushing that is the problem, but the brush itself. Unless there is any specific reason to do so, you should not use a hard bristle toothbrush to clean your teeth, as this can irritate your gums, and can actually harm some of the enamel on your teeth. For most people, a soft or medium bristle toothbrush will do the job of cleaning their teeth effectively.