Are You Harming Your Teeth Unknowingly?
You might think brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, or seeing your dentist regularly is sufficient for your dental health. But it’s time to go the extra mile to take care of your teeth. Everyone has the occasional bad habit, but if you are aware of them, you can reduce the damage to your teeth.
Bad Habit #1: Chewing On Ice
Many of us are guilty of this but did you know crunching on an ice cube could potentially crack or chip your teeth? Small cracks in your teeth could get bigger over time and might lead to a tooth fracture. If you can’t resist the urge to nibble on ice cubes, try sipping on water or drinks that have been chilled in the fridge.
Bad Habit #2: Tongue Piercings
Bacteria thrive in warm and moist areas and unfortunately, the mouth is the ideal environment for a wound such as a piercing to become infected. Not only that, tongue piercings may chip or damage teeth and gums when they come in contact with these structures.
Photo credit: Oralanswers.com
Make sure you use mouth rinse regularly to stop the growth of bacteria and limit the possibility of infection. Do check your jewelry periodically to make sure it’s secure and remove your piercings before playing sports so that you don’t injure your teeth or gums.
Bad Habit #3: Opening Stuff With Your Teeth
Yes, we’ve all done it before and think it’s not a big deal. Would opening a bag of chips with your teeth really do any harm? Using your teeth to open things can potentially lead to tooth damage like chips or fractures. Reaching for a pair of scissors or a bottle opener is definitely a better choice than opting for an emergency root canal or crowning procedure to save your tooth.
Bad Habit #4: Drinking Coffee
Café-hoppers, don’t say we didn’t warn you! Coffee may be your favourite go-to drink but don’t forget that caffeine has the ability to stain your teeth and inhibits saliva flow which leads to dry mouth. To prevent dry mouth from caffeine do drink more water throughout the day. Try having coffee without sugar if you indulge in multiple coffee refills in a day.
