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Are you trying to maintain oral health, but your teeth are still not in the best condition? You might be doing the right things in the wrong manner. For instance, brushing your teeth is a healthy habit, but brushing your teeth aggressively can potentially damage your gums and teeth. In this article, we will discuss various habits that damage teeth.
Let’s discuss the habits that damage teeth:
Aggressive tooth brushing significantly damages teeth. People often choose a toothbrush with hard bristles, which harms the gums and makes the associated teeth sensitive. Therefore, selecting a soft toothbrush is essential to protecting your teeth. In addition, your brushing technique should be accurate.
You should place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Use gentle, short strokes to brush your front teeth. Brush the outside surfaces of your teeth, getting the back molars and upper areas of your chewing surfaces.
Yes, nail-biting affects teeth. Nails are composed of a hard type of protein (keratin). While nail-biting, you force your teeth to pierce through this challenging material. This can lead to the formation of cracks and fractures, speeding up the deterioration of your teeth.
Teeth cracks can cause severe discomfort and pain and worsen existing problems.
Moreover, chewing your nails pushes your jaw forward, which can lead to jaw dysfunction, according to the American Dental Association.
Biting down on teeth refers to clenching and grinding teeth, and it is really bad for your teeth. This is often a subconscious habit, but it makes teeth brittle and affects the strength of muscles, which helps with chewing, biting, etc. If you have this habit, you must visit your dentist. In this case, relaxation exercises and a night mouth guard help. Moreover, you must consciously try to avoid this habit.
Enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth. Your tooth enamel is weak enough to withstand ice’s brittle and hard texture and freezing temperature. Chewing ice cubes is one habit that damages teeth by forming cracks in the enamel. After some time, it can also lead to extreme tooth sensitivity to hot and cold beverages.
Tobacco in any form, whether cigarettes or chewable, is harmful not just for your teeth but overall health as well. Tobacco increases your risk of gum disease, bad breath, dry mouth, tooth decay and oral cancer. In addition, it also affects aesthetics by staining teeth and darkening gums and lips.
It is advisable to cut off tobacco smoking or chewing slowly and gradually to maintain good quality of your health.
Alcohol causes dehydration, which reduces the ability to produce saliva. Reduced salivary flow leads to tooth decay and gum disease. The flushing action of saliva over teeth, which wipes away bacteria, is also affected. As a result, bacteria remain on the tooth enamel for a prolonged period, eventually leading to tooth decay.
Many newborn babies have a habit of either finger-sucking or thumb-sucking. The sooner parents intervene and discontinue it, the better because beyond the age of 5, the habit may result in misaligned teeth. As the child ages, this misalignment can lead to serious dental problems by interfering with the eruption of permanent teeth.
However, this habit can be discontinued by the cooperation of the parents and dentist. You can put a glove on the person’s thumb, finger or entire hand. A dental appliance known as the habit crib can also be used.
Using toothpicks after meals to remove food particles is one habit that damages teeth. Toothpicks increase the interdental gap between teeth, injuring the gums. Their remnants have the potential to cause severe diseases like pancreatitis.
You can conveniently replace toothpicks with a floss. Dental floss is clean and thin enough to protect the interdental gap. You can use it by holding the thread between two fingers and moving it C-shaped against the tooth being cleaned. Water flossers are also available, and high-pressure water jets are used to clean the area between teeth.
Yes, it is one of the habits that damage teeth. Many people chew on toothpicks consciously or subconsciously. It can cause premature wear and tear on the tooth enamel.
Toothpicks can damage the gums and reduce the gum coverage of teeth, exposing tooth roots. Although ingested toothpicks are relatively rare, they may cause serious gut injuries and infections like peritonitis and sepsis.
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, consuming soft or carbonated drinks can lead to erosion of teeth. Erosion of teeth results in their discolouration and extreme sensitivity.
Discontinuing this harmful habit nips the problem in the bud, while the harmed aesthetics can be dealt with through veneers. Veneers cover the dental flaws and issues caused by erosion.
Consuming sugar frequently increases the risk of dental caries, especially if the food is eaten between meals. Snacks high in sugar and beverages sweetened with sugar should be avoided. Limiting free sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy intake and ideally to less than 5% – reduces the risk of dental caries immensely throughout life.
Rice is bad for teeth if you do not brush your teeth after consuming it. Our saliva contains enzymes which break down a part of such carbohydrates and convert them into simple sugars. Bacteria feed on them. As a result, plaque and food debris get deposited. Therefore, irrespective of what you consume, brushing your teeth is essential.
To improve dental health, avoid the habits that damage teeth. These include things bad for teeth, like the use of toothpicks and the consumption of carbonated drinks. You must visit your dentist every six months to maintain your teeth in the best condition.
At Hesed Dental, we offer thorough dental check-ups and help you withdraw from habits that damage teeth, followed by a comprehensive treatment plan. Moreover, if your teeth can not be restored, you can get dental implants in NJ. Reach out to Hesed Dental today and take the first step towards achieving the bright, confident smile you’ve always desired!
Do you have a toothache or think you may need a root canal? Call or find us online for a convenient appointment at Hesed Dental Clinic. Our skilled, professional staff is ready to gently and efficiently treat your dental issues. We are located at 543 Gorge Road, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010. We look forward to helping you restore optimal dental health and a natural, beautiful, pain-free smile.
Hesed Dental 543 Gorge Road Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
201 941 8877