Considering 64 percent of American adults between the ages of 18 and 64 visited their dentist in 2017, then it may be safe to assume that most of us are well-informed about the basics of maintaining a healthy smile: brush, floss, make routine visits to your Southern California dentist, and correct any oral hygiene mistakes. Decades of ongoing clinical research and observation, however, revealed that certain lifestyle choices and habits can harm your oral health regardless of your diligence in practicing good dental hygiene.
What Are the Surprising Habits That Damage Teeth?
For problem-free teeth and a smile that captivates, do your best to avoid the following:
1. Nail Biting
Biting your nails on a regular basis can impede your efforts in achieving a celebrity-esque smile. Your front teeth, in particular, are susceptible to breakage and misalignment as a result of this bad habit.
In some cases, nail-biting is a sign of mental or emotional distress. If you are feeling nervous, anxious, or antsy, you may eliminate the urge to bite your fingernails by keeping your hands busy. Try picking up a new hobby that requires using your hands, such as playing an instrument, gardening, building model airplanes, and so on. Applying bitter-tasting nail polish, wearing gloves, and meditating are additional tips to help you stop biting your nails.
2. Chewing on Ice
Your seemingly harmless and calorie-free habit of munching on ice cubes can actually chip or crack your teeth. The incessant chewing, and in response to extreme cold, can likewise irritate the sensitive soft tissues inside teeth, which can cause lingering toothaches to follow.
Craving and masticating ice are often associated with iron deficiency, with or without anemia. That being said, consulting a physician for proper medical assistance is essential to your health. If you have no mineral deficiencies and simply find yourself wanting to chew on something, then opt for celery sticks, baby carrots, or sugarless gum instead.
3. Using Your Teeth as a Tool
Opening things with your teeth may seem convenient since your chompers are always right in front of you, but using your pearly whites to break open bottles or rip plastic packaging is one of the habits that can crack your teeth. Remember, the main purpose of your teeth is to crush and grind food for easier digestion. Leave the beer bottles and packages to the right tools, or endure the consequences of having a dental emergency.
4. Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Over time, grinding your teeth can impair the health and appearance of your oral cavity. Although stress and anxiety can trigger this condition, dental problems such as an irregular bite, crooked teeth, or missing teeth are among the leading causes of teeth grinding, which usually occurs during sleep. A serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea is also associated with bruxism.
Wearing a mouthguard at night and seeking effective treatment for sleep apnea can prevent the damaging outturns of teeth grinding while sleeping.
5. Playing Sports Without a Mouth Guard
Do you play hockey, football, soccer, or any other contact sport? If yes, remember to wear a mouth guard before participating. According to Colgate Professional, "a mouth guard is a soft plastic or laminate device used in sports to prevent oral injuries to the teeth, mouth, cheeks, tongue, and jaw." The American Dental Association estimates that one-third of all dental injuries are sports-related and that wearing a mouth guard can prevent as much as 200,000 oral injuries each year.
6. Drinking Gatorade, Powerade, and Other Sports Drinks
Gulping an ice-cold sports beverage, also called an electrolyte drink, is refreshing after a good workout session or sports tournament. The downside is that these thirst-quenchers are typically high in cavity-causing sugar. Aside from the latter, most sports drinks contain phosphoric and citric acids, which can attack the enamel of your teeth and lead to decay. Soda, another sugary beverage, produces the same effect.
The best way to stay hydrated (and protect your teeth from dental caries) while exercising or performing other physical activities is to drink sugar-free, calorie-free water.
7. Drinking Red Wine
"Red wine is acidic, and this acidity etches your enamel, making it more porous," says Dr. Uchenna Akosa, a dentist and head of faculty practice at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Furthermore, red wine contains deep pigments called tannins and chromogen, which, when combined with acids, makes it much easier for the garnet or violaceous color to stay with you long after your glass is empty.
8. Drinking White Wine
Much to our dismay, drinking white wine as an alternative to red wine will not spare your teeth. Acid is also present in white wine, and drinking this alcoholic beverage can still weaken the enamel. As a result, the teeth can become porous and vulnerable to staining from other dark-colored drinks, including coffee and tea.
Luckily, using toothpaste with a mild whitening agent immediately after drinking wine can fight the teeth-staining effects of both red and white wines.
9. Constant Snacking
Frequent snacking causes your mouth to secrete less saliva—the essential fluid that helps wash away food debris and bacteria remaining in the oral cavity. Producing less saliva leaves bits of food on the surface of your teeth, gums, and tongue—the ultimate breeding grounds for oral bacteria.
It is ideal for most adults to avoid snacking more than once a day. Whenever you feel a sudden onset of hunger before or after a meal, only choose snacks with low contents of sugar and starch, such as carrot sticks.
10. Chewing on Pencils
Similar to ice cubes, biting the tip of a pencil or pen when concentrating can cause chipped, cracked, or broken teeth. Therefore, the next time you feel the need to chew while studying or working, then pop sugar-free gum in your mouth instead. Sugarless gum helps stimulate the flow of saliva, which protects against enamel-eating acids and makes your teeth stronger.
11. Wearing a Tongue Piercing 24/7
Although tongue piercings are trendy, accidentally biting down on the metal stud can break your tooth. The metal constantly rubbing against your gums can also cause gum damage that may lead to permanent tooth loss. Discuss the health risks and dangers of having a tongue piercing with your dentist before committing to one.
12. Smoking
Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products can discolor teeth and cause them to fall out as a result of periodontal disease. Tobacco products are also a leading cause of cancer, which include malignancies that arise in the mouth, tongue, lips, and throat. If you are looking for a reason to quit smoking, then think of your smile (and overall health).
13. Brushing Your Teeth Too Hard
Brushing too hard can damage and irritate your teeth and gums, leading to serious problems like enamel wear and receding gums. To avoid such consequences, think of your oral care routine as a gentle massage rather than an intense cleanse. Brush your pearly whites at a 45-degree angle towards the gums and use short strokes.
Did any of these thirteen habits wreck your teeth? Don't worry, our professional dental services can restore the allure and beauty of your smile. Call Cunning Dental Group now at 855-328-6646 and our office associate will schedule your appointment. A healthy and brilliant smile—just like the ones from our smile gallery—awaits.
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