Everyday Habits That Can Wreck Your Teeth
Chances are that you are wrecking your teeth and you do not even realize that. Do you chew on ice? Do you bite your nails? Or do you simply love sucking lemons? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are actually hurting your teeth without probably even realizing that! While some of these bad habits can cause an immediate damage to your teeth (breaking or cracking them – which might result in a dental emergency appointment) and gums, the other habits might just add up over time and harm your dental health in a long term. According to the research 25% of people over age 65 have lost all their teeth. By maintaining good oral health, performing oral hygiene and avoiding habits that can destroy you teeth you can reduce the risk of damaging and losing your teeth in the future! And that is definitely worth changing the bad habits.
The biggest problem with the old habits is that they are hard to change. You have probably been doing them for couple of years and it is difficult to stop doing them over night. But you can do it!
Green Apple Dental – your Surrey dentist recommends you avoid following bad habits:
Chewing on Ice
Ice cubs might seem harmless at the first glance. There is no sugar and your teeth are stronger than ice, right? The issue is that our
teeth are designed to crush through things not against them. So even though it might seem easy to you to crush through the ice, it can easily crack or chip your tooth. In addition cold temperature of the ice cubes is not good for your teeth neither. Have you cracked your tooth while chewing on ice? Good news is that Green Apple Dental – your emergency dentist in Surrey, BC offers short notice dental emergency appointments!
Doing Sports Without Protective Gear
Do you play hockey, football or any other contact sport? Then wearing a mouth guard is a must for you! Mouth guard is a piece of plastic that protects the upper row of your teeth and reduces the risk that your tooth gets chipped or even knocked out.
Teeth Grinding and Clinching
Grinding and clinching can wear down your teeth over time. People usually grind their teeth when they are stressed or while sleeping. That often makes it hard to control. By wearing a mouth guard during night you can prevent wearing down your teeth in a long term.
Opening Things With Your Teeth
Using your teeth as “an opener” can easily result in cracking or chipping your tooth. Yes, it is convenient and fast to open a bag of chips with your teeth, but it is not worth the risk!
Brushing Your Teeth Too Aggressively
Brushing your teeth with a toothbrush with too firm bristles or pressing too hard can wear down your teeth and gums over time. We recommend you use soft bristles and take your time to brush your teeth thoroughly rather than rushing and pressing too hard.
Brushing Your Teeth Right After Eating
Brushing your teeth too soon after consuming food can hurt your tooth enamel. If you ate anything acidic, you should wait at least 30 minutes before you brush your teeth.
