11 HABITS THAT HARM YOUR TEETH – ELITE DENTAL CARE

We know that healthy teeth lead to a peaceful mind and a beautiful smile. To keep the teeth healthy, you must brush your teeth regularly, floss them well, and maintain ideal oral hygiene. People usually take care of their teeth by following oral hygiene habits. But they fail to recognize the habits that harm the teeth. It’s not enough if you follow the best practices for the teeth it is also necessary to curtail the habits that harm the teeth. It goes with the familiar theory of prevention is better than cure.

Let’s find out which habits lead to teeth damage and must be avoided.

1. Eating Sugary FoodsSugary foods like sugar candies, sweets promote tooth decay. These food particles stick on the teeth for hours and do not remove unless you floss or brush your teeth well. Staying on the teeth, they lead to cavities, bacterial growth and then wearing of the enamel.

Healthy Alternative: Instead of consuming sticky, sugary foods, you can eat fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are very particular about eating these candies, you can have them during your meals and floss your teeth thoroughly after the consumption to remove the residues sticking on the teeth.

2. Consumption of Soda and Carbonated Drinks
Soda and sweet drinks contain a sugary substance that spoils dental health as the acidic content in these drinks wear away the enamel of the teeth. Carbonated drinks stain the teeth.

Healthy Alternative: Consume plenty of water as it flushes out the food residue, acid, and bacteria from the teeth. Consume fruit juices that are of natural taste.

3. Biting the Nails
People sometimes develop the habit of biting nails. It might have started with stress, anxiety or curiosity. No matter, however it started, it is a bad habit. Firstly the germs in the nails enter your mouth and spoil your health. Secondly, this habit can chip your teeth.

Healthy Alternative: Whenever you feel the sensation of biting your nails, have a bite on fruit or healthy edible stuff. Try to control your fingers from reaching your teeth in stressful situations.

4. Improper Brushing of Teeth
Brushing the teeth twice a day is considered to be a good habit for oral hygiene but only if the brushing is done properly. When you brush your teeth harshly, the brush hurts the teeth and the gums. It’s wise to remember that you are not scrubbing your teeth but brushing it and hence do it gently.

Healthy Alternative: Use a soft toothbrush and brush the teeth in a gentle way that does not harm the teeth or gums.

5. Grinding of Teeth
You would have probably noticed people clenching their teeth when in stress or anger. Sometimes people grind their teeth during sleep as well in a subconscious state. It could be due to a dental ailment termed bruxism. Grinding exerts pressure on the teeth, chipping them and hurting the gums.

Healthy Alternative: Wear mouth guards to protect the teeth when you feel the urge to grind the teeth. Practice yoga and meditation to have mental peace during stressful situations.

6. Smoking and Consuming Tobacco Products
Smoking is not only injurious for your physical health but your oral health as well. Consumption of these products can stain the teeth and leads to gums disease.

Healthy Alternative: Practice yoga, meditation, and give up on these smoking habits.

7. Being Careless and Using Teeth for Inappropriate Activities
Boasting about the strong teeth, you may tend to open bottle caps or chew on hard substances like a pen, pencil and other stuff. These practices chip or break your teeth, and the pressure exerted damage the gums as well.

Healthy Alternative: Use bottle cap openers to open the bottles and be very careful with the teeth.

8. Playing Contact Sports without Mouth Guard
When you play sports like boxing and do not wear a mouth guard, a hit on the mouth will chip or break your teeth and also damage the jawline.

Healthy Alternative: Wear a mouthguard while playing such contact sports and be very careful with your mouth and dental health.

9. Snacking on Starchy Snacks
Starchy snacks like chips, crackers, and soft bread, stick to the teeth and build up bacterial plaque in the mouth.

Healthy Alternative: Floss your teeth soon after the consumption of such snacks to avoid plaque buildup.

10. Consuming Too much Coffee
Caffeinated drinks are good to give a headstart to the day, but these drinks also reduce the saliva creation in the mouth. Saliva acts as a defense for the bacteria, and when saliva is reduced, your oral health is at risk.

Healthy Alternative: Consume coffee in a limited amount and consume more milk and milk products that increase the production of saliva and prevent bacteria buildup in the mouth.

11. Drinking Alcohol
Have you seen the stains on your clothes when alcohol spills on them? These stains hardly leave. When these stains don’t leave the clothes, imagine the condition of your teeth. The acidic content binds the stain to the teeth.

Healthy Alternative: Consume healthy drinks that are less acidic and do not dry your mouth.

These are a few habits that one must avoid to maintain good dental health. Focus on good habits, but also put a full stop on the harmful ones. If you have developed a dental ailment due to these habits or wish to upgrade your oral health, you can visit the Elite Dental Care, your dental friend forever.