Sometimes it can be hard to admit that we don’t follow a strict oral hygiene regimen. Or if we do, it is short-lived. With the hustle and bustle of life, oral hygiene is easily thrown by the wayside. However, if you want to prevent cavities, gum disease, and bad breath, it’s simple: Practice good oral hygiene! You can also decrease your risk of infection like heart disease and stroke by following a daily regimen. Research has even shown that you are less likely to develop cancer and Alzheimer’s disease if you have healthy gums! Now, maybe you believe that your oral care routines are optimal, but you are still experiencing issues, regardless. Believe it or not, some common habits might be unintentionally harming your teeth. In this article, we hope to reveal some of those bad habits for your teeth and will offer solutions to protect your health. Let’s take a look!
Habit 1: Grinding Your Teeth (Bruxism)
Have you experienced tooth sensitivity, worn enamel, or fractures over the years? If so, you might suffer from grinding or clenching your teeth while asleep or even awake! This unfavorable habit is called Bruxism. No one wants to deal with facial pain, a locked jaw, or headaches. So, here are some special solutions to consider if you are a victim of Bruxism. Using a nightguard would be considered a great start! This will help protect your teeth while you work on integrating more relaxation techniques into your life. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, sound therapy, and meditation should be fused into your weekly work-life balance. We promise you won’t regret making these lifestyle changes!
Habit 2: Chewing on Ice
Since chronic stress is common throughout our society, sometimes people chew on ice with the intention of calming down. However, chewing ice can be detrimental to your oral health. Oftentimes, people end up with chipped or cracked teeth. Irritated gums and weakened enamel are other potential side effects as well. Weakening the enamel can lead to an increase in sensitivity to hot and cold. Not fun! So, what do we recommend? If you have developed a strong ice chewing habit, consider crunching on carrot sticks, apple slices, or cucumber slices. But, it is typically advised to give your teeth a break from all of the crunching and select softer foods and water at room temperature. You can do this!
Habit 3: Frequent Snacking
We all love snacks, but too much snacking can lead to an unhappy mouth! Constant snacking can lead to an acidic mouth microbiome. So what does this mean? When your mouth becomes too acidic, it can cause you to become more susceptible to dental erosion, cavities, altered taste, dry mouth, and gum disease. Sticking to a couple regular meals per day will help sustain your oral pH as well as choosing teeth friendly snacks. Teeth friendly snacks might include carrots, cheese, nuts, yogurt, vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and much more! Your health is number one!
Habit 4: Using Teeth as Tools
Have you ever yelled at your loved one for attempting to open an item with their teeth? Most likely, yes! Opening packages or plastic bottles with your teeth can lead to cracks and fractures or scrape your enamel. Unpleasant jaw pain and poor alignment can ensue from this behavior as well. Please, politely ask people for help or try to use tools like bottle openers and scissors to open those exciting objects. Your oral health is not worth the risk!
Habit 5: Drinking Sugary or Acidic Beverages
There are different factors that can erode your enamel over time and major culprits like pop, energy drinks, and citrus juices are included! We are not advising to eliminate these items from your diet forever, but we are here to recommend helpful alternatives you can take. Let’s say, you are drinking a Coca-Cola or another soda! Sipping through a straw is one great technique to exercise as the straw funnels the fluid directly to the back part of your throat instead of your teeth. This can help prevent teeth staining from drinking coffee as well. Rinsing with water can assist with balancing the pH in your mouth to be more basic, which will decrease the risk of enamel erosion. Therefore, you will be less susceptible to hot and cold sensitivity.
Habit 6: Skipping Flossing
When the dentist inquires about how often you floss, what is your answer? If you knew right away that your answer was never or rarely, we need to talk! Flossing is imperative as it prevents gum disease, plaque build up, and cavities. What a world of difference it would be if everybody took the initiative to floss or use floss picks regularly. This should also be a daily priority in order to keep your oral health in top shape and prevent cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes. Yes, it’s true, a poor flossing regimen increases the risk of these problems because bacteria from the mouth region can end up in your bloodstream. This can lead to heart problems because of inflammation in the body. Start your flossing routine today!
Habit 7: Brushing Too Hard
Have you ever heard of an “ultra soft bristle toothbrush?” If not, this is a great solution to offset brushing your teeth too rough. Sometimes we are in a rush to work or family events, and brushing ends up becoming a hasty practice. While we are rapidly brushing, sometimes we put too much pressure on our pearly whites as well. This can lead to enamel erosion, inflammation, gum recession, and damaged gums. Generating gentle, circular motions while utilizing an “ultra soft bristle toothbrush” can counteract those unfavorable side effects of hard-rapid brushing. A gentle, circular motion induces more mindfulness and will cause you to become more careful as well. So, think gentle, slower, circular, and you’ll be more aware!
Simple Steps to Healthier Teeth
Today, we covered unintentional habits that might be harming your teeth! Teeth grinding or bruxism can easily be prevented with a mouthguard and relaxation techniques. Curb your ice chewing habit with a crunchy substitution like carrots or cucumbers or simply consume softer foods and cold water. Try to eat regular meals instead of snacking frequently and refrain from using your teeth to open plastic bottles and other objects. Minimize your consumption of acidic or sugary beverages and floss, floss, floss! Slow and steady will win the race when it comes to brushing your gorgeous pearly whites. Be extra mindful of your daily oral routines and make small lifestyle changes for long term dental health.
If you need some personal advice or dental care please reach out to Shorewood Family Dental Care to schedule a consultation. We can’t wait to hear from you and offer you oral solutions for a healthy life!
