Bad Habits That Are Damaging Your Oral Health

Tooth damage can occur due to certain habits. Listed below are common tooth damage habits that should be avoided:

• Nail Biting

Nail biting is a bad habit that can cause a number of oral health issues. For example, it can wear down your teeth, causing chipping and cracking. It can also lead to infection of the gums or jaw misalignment. If you bite your nails often, talk to your dentist about tips to break the habit.

• Smoking

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals that can harm our teeth and gums. The harmful chemicals from cigarette smoke will cling to your teeth and mouth lining and cause staining over time. Tar and nicotine found in cigarettes will also damage your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss and gum disease. Smokers also have a higher risk of developing oral cancer compared to those who don’t smoke. To avoid these complications, you need to quit this bad habit now.

Smoking also affects your oral health indirectly by causing dry mouth. A dry mouth is a condition where there is not enough saliva in the mouth, which helps wash away bacteria and food particles that can stick to the teeth and cause decay. Saliva also acts as a natural cleanser to remove plaque from the mouth. When you have a dry mouth, you have a higher risk of developing tooth decay, bad breath, and other oral problems. Nicotine in cigarettes causes salivary glands to shrink, which can also lead to a dry mouth. Quitting the habit can help reverse the effects of dry mouth. Once you stop smoking, the body will be able to produce more saliva, which will help flush away bacteria and protect your oral health.

If you find it hard to quit smoking on your own, you can seek professional help. Support groups can help you in your journey toward quitting smoking. There are also medications that can help ease withdrawal symptoms so you can get through the first few weeks without smoking.

• Brushing Teeth Aggressively

If you brush your teeth too forcefully or do not brush them regularly at all, it can lead to problems such as bleeding gums and receding gum lines. This can also damage the enamel of the teeth. Instead, make sure you use a soft-bristled toothbrush and make a circular motion while cleaning your teeth. Do not scrub back and forth since this can harm the tooth enamel. Also, don’t forget to floss after every meal. Flossing helps remove the food debris from between the teeth and also stimulates healthy gum tissue growth.

• Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is an involuntary habit for many patients. The damage that it does to the teeth can range from subtle to severe and can even be dangerous in some cases. When patients are asleep, they grind or clench their teeth together as a result of bruxism. This can happen because of stress, sleep disorder, misalignment of the jaw joint, or even as a side effect of certain medications. Many patients do not even realize that they are doing this until they get checked out at the dentist’s office and discover the damage that it has done to their smile. But the good news is that a dentist can prescribe a night guard to help patients stop grinding their teeth while sleeping.

By wearing a night guard, a patient protects their tooth enamel from the effects of grinding. They form a barrier between the upper and lower molars where otherwise the teeth would be touching. This prevents wear and tear on the teeth and also helps to prevent chips and cracks that can lead to further complications and long-term problems. However, the easiest first step is to stop grinding altogether, which can be done with the help of a dentist.

• Using Teeth As Tools

A habit as simple as chewing on a pen or pencil may seem harmless, but it actually can wreak havoc on your smile by wearing down your tooth enamel and damaging your gums. Once tooth enamel is gone, it doesn’t grow back! Enamel protects the sensitive inner layers of your teeth from damage, so when it is compromised, it puts your teeth and gums at risk of developing decay, infection, sensitivity, and more problems.

You should also avoid using your teeth to open packages or cut tape because these types of activities can damage the protective layers and expose the inner parts of your teeth to potential harm.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the fact that using your teeth as tools can actually lead to tooth loss. That’s because regular use of your teeth as a tool can cause cracks or chips in a tooth, which can also lead to a crack in your dental veneer or dental crown that will cause severe pain and require immediate attention.

If you’re experiencing pain in a tooth or if you’ve noticed a crack in your dental restoration, contact our office right away to schedule an emergency visit. We’ll get you treated as soon as possible so you can avoid further damage to your smile.

• Not Visiting Your Dentist Regularly

When you visit the dentist every six months for a regular checkup and cleaning, you can reduce your risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

The dentist will clean your teeth and examine them to look for any signs of cavities or gum disease. If there are signs of damage, your dentist may recommend restorative treatments to repair your smile. Additionally, these routine visits will also allow the dentist to catch any minor problems before they become major oral health issues. If you skip appointments with your dentist, you may develop serious problems that require costly treatment to fix.

Choo Choo City Dentistry, located in Chattanooga, TN, is equipped with the best dentists and modern technologies that enable the best dental care facilities for patients. Call us at (423) 756-0957 and schedule an appointment with the dentist to learn more about the services provided at the dental practice.