Brushing your teeth daily and taking cough drops in the event of coughing are some of the things we do for our oral health. Of course, everyone needs to brush their teeth twice a day, and if you contracted a cough, you need to cure it immediately to avoid complications. However, these two things can be done the wrong way, and as a result, our oral health may be at stake.
If we keep treating our mouths and teeth wrong, we’ll suffer a number of oral conditions as a consequence. In worst-case scenarios, we’d need dental implants or professional oral surgery for treatment.
That said, let’s find out the seemingly harmless habits that actually ruin our oral health, and practice avoiding them moving forward.
1. Nail-Biting
For some, nail-biting is a way to ease agitation. But if done habitually, the jaws will frequently be in a protruding position, experiencing pressure. As a result, the person may be at risk of developing jaw dysfunction.
2. Brushing Teeth Too Harshly
As mentioned, brushing your teeth can be done the wrong way, in this case, too harshly. If your gums are always bleeding after you’ve brushed your pearls, it’s a sign that you’re brushing too hard, or you could be using a toothbrush with hard bristles. Go easy on your grip and strokes, and use soft-bristled brushes only.
3. Taking Cough Drops Without Brushing Your Teeth Afterwards
Another thing previously mentioned, taking cough drops can also be risky for our oral health, that is, if you don’t brush your teeth afterwards.. Cough drops and lozenges are loaded with sugar, which causes cavities.
4. Opening Packaging Through Biting on Them
Even if it’s convenient, just look for a handy pair of scissors next time when you need to open a tight packaging. Using your teeth as opening tools for bottle caps and packets may crack or chip your pearls.
5. Grinding and Clenching
Some people carry out these habits in sleep, meaning they do it unwittingly. Grinding and clenching may chip or crack the teeth, and cause pain in the surrounding muscles. If you have this habit, using a nightguard will help prevent you from doing this.
6. Eating Potato Chips
This yummy snack tends to get stuck in the spaces in between our teeth as we consume them. The starch will be broken down into acid, which can damage our teeth. Make sure to floss after eating potato chips to get rid of all their traces in our mouth.
7. Chewing Ice Cubes
Ice, even if they melt quickly, are still hard substances that can break our teeth or its fillings if we chew them. If you’re struggling to avoid this habit, just wait for your beverage to cool in the fridge before drinking it, or use a straw if there’s ice.
8. Nibbling on Starchy and Sugary Snacks
Constantly nibbling on starchy and sugary snacks damages our tooth’s enamel. Try to minimize your consumption of those snacks, and munch on something healthier instead, like carrot sticks. And if you can’t resist starchy and sugary bites, always remember to floss afterwards.
9. Chewing on Pencils
This habit poses the same risks as chewing ice cubes. If you need to chew on something to improve your concentration or to ease your worries, go for sugar-free gum, instead.
10. Drinking Coffee
Terrible news for coffee lovers! The color of coffee and its acid content causes discoloration of the teeth. Fortunately, though, it’s treatable with various whitening methods.
Now that we know everything we do that ruins our oral health, let’s try to be more mindful of these bad habits until we stop doing them altogether. If giving up coffee is something you’d never consider, talk to your dentist about maintaining the whiteness of your teeth so that your daily caffeine fixes will be guilt-free.