I was watching a movie the other evening and one of the characters decided to open a bottle of pop with their teeth! Now, setting aside the fact that a nice glass of water or milk would have been a tooth friendlier choice of libation, using your teeth to pry a metal cap of a bottle would seem like an obviously bad idea.
So what do we mean when we are talking about bad habits that can affect your oral health? There are obvious ones like smoking: nicotine and smoke are dangerous for every part of your body, including your mouth. But what about some not so obvious things you might be doing on a regular basis?
Brushing Too Hard
Very often people make the mistake of thinking that brushing ‘harder’ is brushing ‘better’. It’s not. In fact, a very light touch is all that is required to remove plaque and vigorous brushing can result in undue wear on enamel and irritation to your gums.
Chewing on Things Other than Food
Pencils, ice cubes, candies (which are technically not food – check out this list of ingredients that will have you thinking twice about eating that gummy bear): chewing on things like these can chip or crack a healthy tooth and cause damage to the tissues that surround your teeth. The freezing of gum tissue by the ice, for example. Or when the teacher yells at you to pay attention and your hand slips, causing that pencil you were chewing on to stab you in the gums? It’s best use your teeth for food and smiling.
Nail Biting
This is one of those habits that some people aren’t even aware that they are doing until someone else points it out to them. Nail biting wears down teeth in odd ways that can actually result in misalignment, if it goes on for the long term. Aside from the visual effect of misaligned teeth, you can be prone to more plaque or bacteria build up in those areas.
Coffee
Many of us can’t get through the morning without that steaming hot cup of coffee. But what about the ‘endless sipper’? Someone who perpetually has a cup in their hand and sips at it throughout the day? Aside from the sugar, if the drinker uses it, long term exposure to the acidity in coffee will stain and can even wear down the enamel on teeth.
People don’t often consider their oral health when they are thinking about their overall health, but “A growing body of research finds that bacteria and inflammation in your mouth are also linked to other problems, including heart attack and dementia, and may well jeopardize your overall health.
Healthy habits aren’t just for your body: your mouth will thank you too! If you’re looking for a family dentist, we’d love you to check us out! We have family dentist offices in both Milton and Scarborough, both with evening and weekend hours, so give us a call today at our Milton office at (905) 636 – 9770 or at our Scarborough office at (416) 291 – 0306!
