5 Common Dental Habits To Avoid
Taking good care of your teeth and gums can prevent a lot of oral health problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. However, even if you brush and floss every day and avoid smoking tobacco, you could still be doing things that can damage your oral health. Here are five common dental habits you have to avoid.
Grinding Your Teeth
Whether you grind your teeth on occasion or on a daily basis, it is a very harmful habit. When you clench down on your pearly whites, it can wear down the enamel over time, making them more susceptible to chips and cracks. Since this habit can be quite difficult to break on your own, ask your dentist to give you a custom made mouth guard. Wearing this mouth guard at night will prevent you from clenching down on your teeth.
Brushing Too Aggressively
Have you ever brushed your teeth with a lot of force? If so, you could be doing a lot of damage to your teeth and gums. Brushing your teeth too aggressively can wear down the enamel, making your teeth more sensitive and vulnerable to chips. To avoid damaging your teeth, remember to brush your teeth in short, gentle strokes and use a soft-bristle toothbrush.
Crunching on Ice
What could be the harm in crunching on the ice at the bottom of your cup? The cold temperature and hardness of ice cubes can actually cause your teeth to chip or break. The next time you get tempted to chew on leftover ice, just think about how it will affect your teeth.
Using Your Teeth as Tools
Most people have used their teeth to open a bag of chips or rip off a price tag off a piece of clothing. However, using your teeth as tools can traumatize them and lead to fractures. Remember that you should only use your teeth to chew your food.
Biting Your Nails
Nail biting is a common habit, and it can do more than make your hands look unattractive. If you regularly bite your nails, it can make your teeth move out of place and even cause them to splinter. Keep your nails trimmed so that you are not tempted to bite them.
As you can see, there are several seemingly harmless habits that can damage your teeth more than you might think. For more advice about proper tooth care and the habits that could be damaging your teeth, talk to a dentist like Dr. Chen & Associates.
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