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Practicing good oral hygiene means more than just preventing tooth decay, it is also about protecting the enamel, taking care of the gums, and reducing the buildup of bacteria.
Here are seven bad habits that can damage teeth and how to fix them.
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1. Chew ice:
Chewing on ice can crack and break teeth. The damage is irreversible, and depending on the severity of the crack or fracture, it may require a composite filling or crown, or a tooth loss completely, says Michaela Tosi, a dentist in Henderson, Nevada.
Tozi adds that many people chew ice because they feel an urge to grind, but it is a harmful habit, and instead of chewing ice, try snacking on crunchy foods, such as apples, carrots, or popcorn, and sugar-free gum can also be chewed to replace the oral fixation of chewing ice. .
2. Brush your teeth hard:
Brushing is one of the most important ways to maintain oral health, but brushing too hard can damage your teeth and gums, says Tozi.
Harsh brushing can erode the protective layer on your teeth, called enamel, which can lead to increased sensitivity and pain.
Heavy brushing can also cause the gums to recede or push them away from the teeth. This exposes the roots of the teeth, which may also lead to sensitivity and increase the risk of infection.
There is no way to restore missing tooth enamel or gums, says Tozi, although veneers can help protect the tooth surface.
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Tuzzi recommends using an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor that will beep if you press too hard, and switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush.
3. Teeth grinding:
Many people grind their teeth while sleeping and don’t realize they are doing it, says Alice Bogossian, a dentist in Park Ridge, Illinois and a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association.
Teeth grinding can lead to erosion and increase the risk of tooth decay and fractures. Signs that may indicate gnashing at night include: waking with jaw pain or a mild headache, and damage to the cheeks from the inside, which may indicate that you are biting while you sleep.
To reduce the damage, wear a dental implant that protects your teeth at night, Boghossian says. This is a device that is placed over the teeth on one side of the jaw and provides a protective barrier between the teeth.
Teeth grinding is also associated with stress and is sometimes exacerbated by intense exercises such as weightlifting that may put you on stress on the jaw.
To stop teeth grinding, Boghossian recommends practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or taking a warm bath before bed, applying a warm towel to the face to prevent the muscles from contracting, and massaging the jaw to relax the muscles.
4. Nail biting:
Toozy says that biting nails can break a tooth and cause it to crack. These fractures can be repaired by compound bonding, which involves placing resin into the fractures to repair them. However, if the habit persists, the compound bonding can break and also crack.
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Tozzi notes that a manicure may help reduce the urge to bite into nails. Chewing sugarless gum or mint can also stop the need to chew something.
5. Drinking without straw:
Bogossian says drinking some beverages without an straw can damage teeth. Bogossian explains that sugary drinks such as soda and lemon juice or sports drinks with added sugar can be particularly bad for teeth. The sugar in the drinks feeds the bacteria responsible for cavities.
Other beverages that can damage teeth include high-carbon or acidic drinks such as orange juice or lemon water.
High levels of acid erode tooth enamel, which increases the risk of tooth decay.
Wine and coffee can also make teeth look yellow or brown, and using a straw can reduce damage from drinking these drinks because they redirect the fluid to the back of the mouth and away from the teeth.
6. Using teeth as tools:
Using teeth to open a bag of potato chips or removing a pen cap can damage your teeth by cutting or breaking them.
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“Your teeth are supposed to chew your food so that you have proper digestion,” Bogossian says. “Teeth are not tools.”
“Use scissors if you need to open a package. If you don’t have scissors available, you can use keys or nail clippers,” Touzi adds.
7. Smoking:
Boghossian says smoking not only harms your overall health, but also harms your teeth. And people who smoke are more likely to develop bacterial plaques that cause gum disease. Smoking also reduces blood flow to the gums, which prevents mouth healing.
Aside from increasing the risk of disease, smoking can also cause bad breath and stain teeth.
Source: Business Insider
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