You can’t lie to us. We know what you’ve been doing to your teeth — and it ain’t pretty!
We’re talking, of course, about the ways that you are damaging your teeth by using them for tasks other than chewing food. Teeth are quite strong, but they’re not invincible. If you keep up with the four bad habits listed below, you’ll only have yourself to blame. It’s time to resist these habits and prevent your teeth from becoming a casualty.
Bad Habit #1: Biting Your Nails
Nearly every child has been told at one time or another to stop chewing their nails. Unfortunately, this habit often follows people into adulthood. In addition to the possibility of making you sick, thanks to the fact that our hands can easily pick up bacteria from everything we touch, nail-biting can damage your teeth, causing them to move out of place. Plus, this nasty habit may lead to broken teeth or worn enamel.
Bad Habit #2: Using Your Teeth as a Tool
Okay. Let’s not mince words here. We have all done this. Whether you don’t have scissors handy to cut open a package, are struggling to twist off the cap of a bottle, or one of a hundred other similar tasks, we’ve all used our teeth as a tool. Our advice? Stop it! Using your teeth on plastic, metal, or some other substance, especially where you’re being forced to exert force, can be extremely damaging to your teeth. And the funny thing is, we don’t even have to explain why!
Bad Habit #3: Chewing Ice
Think of it like this — “water good, frozen water bad” — and you’ll never go wrong. While drinking water is a great way to wash bacteria off of your teeth and gums, crunching on that same water in the form of ice can be a death knell to your teeth’s health. If chewing is the source of your habit, switch to gum. If you like the cold factor of ice, just suck on it and don’t bite down. The pressure being put on your teeth while chewing ice simply isn’t worth the problems it can cause.
Bad Habit #4: Incorrect Use of Toothpicks
The use of toothpicks can be a great way to remove food from between your teeth, especially in a situation where pulling out a string of floss might not be appropriate. The problem is that many people will either use the toothpick too frequently, be overly aggressive with its use, or a combination of both. While brushing and flossing are preferable, the gentle and occasional use of toothpicks is okay.
Bad Habit #5: Drinking Soda
It seems that every time we do a list like this, soda is at the forefront. We’ve stuck it at the bottom of our list this time, but only to give more focus to other bad habits. The truth is, when you drink a soda, what you’re doing is bathing your teeth in acid for an extended period of time. People who work desk jobs and leisurely drink a soda for hours are doing their teeth a disservice. Break the soda cycle and switch to water, which will actually cleanse your mouth of bacteria.
Are you in need of emergency dental care or looking for a new dentist to take care of all your dental and oral needs? Dr. Bruce McArthur, DDS has been named a Top Dentist by 5280 Magazine for the past eight years for a reason — because he knows his stuff and he truly cares about your teeth and gums. Contact his office today to make an appointment, and we’ll get you started on a future of excellent dental and oral health.