4 Habits that are Directly Harming your Teeth
Habits make us who we are, but not all of them are benefiting you. Bad habits can bring you down as much as good habits build you up. They can also be harmful to your body. Below are 4 bad habits, which you are probably doing without thinking, that are harming your mouth and your teeth.
Smoking
Smoking damages your lungs and airways the most, but can also harm your teeth. Smoking causes bad breath and discoloration of your teeth, as well as a loss of bone density in your jaw, inflamed salivary glands, gum disease and oral cancer.
Clenching and Grinding
Life can be tough. Stress gets to all of us. Some people grind their teeth or clench their jaws when stressed, and this is harmful to your teeth. Grinding erodes the protective enamel that covers your teeth, which leaves them unprotected against germs and harmful foodstuffs, such as acidic or sugary drinks. Clenching your jaw puts pressure on your teeth which can lead to lockjaw or cracked and chipped teeth.
Crunching Ice
Crunching some ice can be nice to cool off a little in summer, but your mouth won’t thank you. The hard ice and the force required to break them will cause your teeth to crack or chip. The damage to the enamel can also cause your teeth to become more sensitive to extreme temperatures.
Using Teeth as Tools
You don’t always have the right tools handy to open a packet or bottle, but don’t resort to using your teeth. Using your teeth to open containers, cut clothing tags or open parcels can cause them to become misaligned or crack and chip, which removes tooth enamel and leaves teeth vulnerable to tooth decay.
Expensive dental procedures are not necessary if you practice preventative dental care. For more information on Four Seasons Dental preventative care services, contact our Millcreek office today.
