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10 Bad Habits That Can Spoil Your Teeth

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16th Oct 2020




Maintaining proper oral health is not a simple task. You need to brush your teeth two times a day, floss daily, visit the dentist regularly, eat healthy foods, and reduce the native impact on your teeth. 

However, there are a lot of common dangerous habits that can damage your oral health. The reality is that many people even don’t know that they harm their teeth and continue to destroy them. In this article, we have gathered 10 bad habits that can spoil your teeth.

1. Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding (bruxism) is a quite common issue that can affect both children and adults. In children, bruxism usually passes away with age while adults can suffer from it constantly. 

There are two types of bruxism, sleep and awake. Sleep bruxism means that a person clenches their teeth during sleep and awake bruxism means that the person grinds their teeth during the daytime. 

The main problem is that teeth grinding leads to excessive enamel wear. As a result, you may experience loose teeth and increased teeth sensitivity. Special night guards can help you avoid bruxism at night. Throughout the day, you should monitor your habits and prevent clenching your teeth.

2. Gnawing ice

Many people like to gnaw an ice cube to distract or when they try to quit smoking. Additionally, some people unconsciously chew an ice cube. This can result in micro-cracks in the tooth enamel. These cracks can increase and cause painful sensations over time. 

If you have noticed that you gnaw an ice cube, it’s high time to get rid of this harmful habit. You can try to eat ice cream or drink cold drinks without ice to lessen the probability to start gnawing an ice cube. 

3. Coffee addiction

Coffee is a great way to wake up in the morning and keep you awake throughout the day. But the excessive consumption of coffee can harm your oral health. The reality is that coffee is an acidic drink. If you consume it frequently, it can soften your tooth enamel. 

Additionally, coffee can stain your teeth or make them look much darker. Indeed, people with coffee addiction visit a cosmetic dentist for teeth whitening more often than people who don’t drink coffee and tea. 

4. Using your teeth as a tool

If you tend to open potato chip bags or bottles with the help of your teeth, you may break or chip it sooner or later. You should understand that your teeth are not a bottle opener or knife and you should use special tools instead of them. 

In addition to tooth damage, you can also injure your gums if the bag of bottle slips. Additionally, you can make your teeth lose, and it may be quite difficult to fix them. 

5. Nail-biting

Nail-biting is an extremely harmful habit that may damage both teeth and nails. When you bite your nails you can bite through the skin and make a wound. However, this dangerous habit can also damage your oral health. 

While biting nails, you transfer the bacteria and dirt that tend to accumulate under your nails. You can also injure your gum with the sharp edge of a nail or a piece of the nail can be stuck between your teeth. You can use special bitten nail polish to make nail-biting untasty. 

6. Using wooden toothpicks

Wooden toothpicks are a widely used tool that may help reach the food particles that can be stuck between your teeth. But the reality is that these toothpicks can easily injure your gums and even damage your teeth.

When you use a wooden toothpick, its sharp tip can puncture your gum. Additionally, such toothpicks can be broken and the tip can be stuck in your gum or between your teeth. If you want to remove a piece of food from your mouth, it is better to use dental floss. 

7. Excessive tooth brushing

Tooth brushing is an essential part of proper oral care since it helps remove dental plaque and food particles from your mouth. But it is important to brush your teeth gently because when you brush your teeth with force, you can damage them.

Excessive tooth brushing can make your enamel weak and teeth may become sensitive. You should also avoid using a toothbrush with stiff bristles since it can also scratch your gums and tooth enamel. 

8. Having a sweet tooth

If you have a sweet tooth, it’s high time to make an appointment with your dentist and evaluate the condition of your teeth. The reality is that people with a sweet tooth are more prone to tooth decay than people who don’t consume sweets. 

Sugar is a perfect food for bacteria that inhabit your mouth. In a sweet environment, they start to multiply actively and produce acids. These acids soften and wear out your tooth animal. As a result, you may get tooth decay. Additionally, these bacteria can contribute to the development of gum disease. 

9. Frequent snacking

Even though frequent snacking may seem harmful only to your body shape, this habit can also spoil your teeth. If you constantly chew some food, you create perfect conditions for bacteria that inhabit your mouth. 

Food particles that remain between your teeth after every snack feed on the bacteria that cause tooth decay. That’s why it is better to reduce the number of snacks or rinse your mouth with plain water after each meal.

10. Smoking

Smoking tends to be one of the most harmful habits since it can affect your body significantly. People who smoke often have halitosis (bad breath)and stained teeth. Additionally, smoking also increases your risk of gum disease and oral cancer.

Tobacco by-products that settle on your teeth and gums can contribute to the development of tartar. Tartar is a hard deposit that occurs on your teeth. It also increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. 

The bottom line

If you want to keep your teeth healthy and strong, it is essential to maintain proper oral care. Don’t forget to visit the dentist regularly to avoid serious oral issues and perform the timely treatment.