We all have a bad habit (or two). How many of your bad habits affect your oral health? If you are guilty of one of the bad habits listed below, there’s no better time than now to make a change!
4 Harmful Habits That Affect Your Teeth
1. Chewing on ice
Ice is simply frozen water, so it’s common for one to think that it should be absolutely fine to chew on. However, chewing on ice can actually crack the enamel in your teeth. Over time, these cracks can become larger and affect your oral health. It can also cause damage to your braces, fillings, and crowns.
2. Biting your fingernails
Biting your fingernails is a big issue for two main reasons. The first reason is you’re increasing the risk of consuming harmful bacteria. There’s a lot of dirt and bacteria underneath your fingernails and that can lead to an infection in your mouth.
The second reason is it can chip and crack your teeth. When you’re applying pressure to bite your nails, it will loosen your teeth, leading to a chip or crack.
3. Using your teeth as tools
We don’t doubt that many of us have used our teeth as an opener or a scissor when we were younger. But that bad habit shouldn’t continue, especially into adulthood. Every time you use your teeth to open something, you’re damaging your enamel and the root of your tooth. It’s much easier to just use a bottle opener or a scissor instead!
4. Brushing your teeth too hard
While brushing your teeth is a good habit to have, over brushing is actually a serious issue. If you brush too hard or use a toothbrush with hard bristles, you can damage your enamel and irritate your gums. Use a toothbrush with soft to medium bristles to avoid this issue.
Dr. Neal and his team can’t want to meet you! Contact us today at (972) 200-0656 to schedule an appointment and join our dental family.