6 Bad Habits That Harm Your Teeth

It is undeniable that everyone would like to have a set of white, healthy,good-looking teeth. Therefore, you will do all it takes to achieve thisobjective, and some of the routine things you will do include brushing andflossing. These are great steps, but did you know that there are some habitsthat can be detrimental to your dental health without you even knowing? Many patientswho complain of dental problems have accidentally damaged their teeth with whatthey thought were harmless habits. In this article, we will explain six of thecommon bad habits that may harm your teeth.

1) Chewing ice

If you are the kind of person who loves chewing ice cubes, then be warned that your habit may ruin your teeth in the long run. Ice cubes, however small they may be, are too hard for teeth to crush down when chewed. If you choose to do so, then you are repeatedly colliding two hard surfaces, and one of them will eventually break (your teeth will often be what breaks). Chewing ice can chip or crack your teeth and, if that happens, it can cause a great deal of pain! If this were to happen, you should consider Teeth Reshaping as this is a great technique in contouring you teeth and getting back to that perfect smile.

2) Nail biting

Some of us have had the habit of biting nails, especially when we were young! Unfortunately, for some people, this habit did not stop at childhood. The worst part of it is that it appears in the list of bad dental habits, and so it can be harmful to oral health. Frequent nail-biting can cause the lower jaw to become misaligned, which can cause chipped teeth and impede a healthy smile. The effects do not stop though; jaw dysfunction leads to a severe pain called TMD or temporomandibular disorder.

3) Using teeth as tools

If you have ever been to a construction site, you will undoubtedly see one or two people using their teeth to pull something, be it a cable or ripping off a seal. Even at home, people are pulling off product price tags using their teeth instead of a pair of scissors! Well, there are endless examples of how people are giving their teeth new roles apart for eating. What they did not know is that this habit can severely harm their teeth. More often than not, it leads to cracked or chipped teeth. It also puts you at a higher risk of accidentally swallowing something you should not or injuring your jaws.

4) Grinding and clenching teeth

Many people engage in a habit called bruxism, when sleeping.  Bruxism is a state of clenching and grinding teeth. This condition is hard to control. Just as it sounds, people with this condition find themselves clenching their jaws with their lower and upper teeth set against each other. If this repeats over time, it causes permanent jaw and tooth injury, such as chipped or cracked teeth and joint pain. It also leads to a more severe dental problem like TMD.

5) Constant snacking

Most of us love feasting on snacks, but little did we know that it might cause dental issues. This is so especially if you satisfy your appetite in sugary liquids and food throughout the day! Harmful bacteria feed on sugary snacks which, in turn, causes the bacteria to excrete acid that damages tooth enamel.  If you frequently indulge in sugary snacks, then your teeth will become a permanent host of pathogens, resulting in tooth cavities.

6) Brushing too hard

We oftenadvise our clients to brush their teeth at least two times a day for twominutes as a rule of thumb for optimum dental health. However, we have notedwith great concern that some people brush too hard, thinking that the practicewill eliminate all the plaque and tartar from their teeth. In reality, thishabit damages your teeth as it irritates the gums, which eventually leads togum recession or gum disease.Theaforementioned are just a few habits that unknowingly damage our teeth. Whileit may not be easy to stay away from these practices, it is highly advisablethat you keep trying to mend your habits. If you can successfully break all ofthem, then you will ultimately boost your dental and overall health.