Bad Habits that Damage Our Teeth

Our lives are incredibly hectic. Our days are packed full, so often times we do not give nearly as much thought to our dental health as we should. Sure you brush twice a day and floss, you see the dentist twice a year for check-ups and cleanings. What else can you possibly do right? Wrong, even if you take care of your teeth from a hygienic standpoint you may still be causing damage to your teeth on a daily basis. Let’s take a look at a couple common habits that damage our teeth.

Sucking, sipping and crunching all day long. We are of course talking about an all-day oral habit, whether it is crunching ice, sucking on hard candy/mints or drinking coffee or soft drinks all day long. You may think that these activities are harmless, they may even seem beneficial in ways (like freshening your breath). Unfortunately, the fact is, all you are really doing is completely coating your teeth with sugar or acid repeatedly all day long. Our teeth are extremely strong but these type of oral indulgences every single day, all day long will begin to erode your enamel. This will lead to staining and eventually tooth decay.

Excessive brushing or whitening. As with so many other aspects of our life, too much of a good thing can actually cause more harm than good. You should brush your teeth twice a day as well as floss once or twice a day. When we get carried away with the brushing we can actually cause serious damage to our gums. This can lead to bleeding gums, receding gums and gum disease. This is likely going to lead to many other serious oral health issues.

On the same note, you should not use store-bought whitening products regularly. However, this can be difficult. You have tried the white strips once and saw results, more will just make your teeth whiter right? This is actually far from the truth, the chemicals used in over the counter whitening products will eat away at the enamel of your teeth when used in excess. So instead of a whiter smile you end up with bad staining and decay.

Using your teeth for anything but eating. It is really quite simple, our teeth are not tools, they are not scissors, or bottle openers or even plyers. Our teeth are meant for chewing our food. When you use them in other ways you are likely doing irreparable damage. You can chip a tooth, break a tooth or damage the enamel, it isn’t worth it. Use the right tool, chances are you have what you really need lying around the house anyway.

These are just a couple of the major habits that can damage your teeth, there are many others such as smoking, grinding/clenching or mouth piercings that all lead to poor oral health. While ceasing these types of activities will greatly increase your oral health, remember it is also important to have your teeth cleaned and examined twice a year. Call the professional team at Palm Beach Dental Spa today and schedule your next cleaning or checkup. 561-688-7933