Your daily habits may be injuring your teeth more than your realize. Using teeth for anything other than eating and smiling can be harmful to your oral health. Here are some guidelines to protect your smile damaging habits.
- Don’t use your teeth to open bottles or wrappers. This can dull or chip your teeth.
- Avoid chewing on pens, pencils, ice and popcorn kernels. It may result in a painful cracked tooth.
- Break your child’s thumb sucking habit. It can severely damage tooth alignment.
- Wean babies from pacifiers and bottles before the age of two.
- Quit smoking or chewing. It weakens teeth and can lead to gum disease or oral cancer.
- Brush and floss before you go to bed and don’t snack in the middle of the night. Plaque that remains on your teeth for an extended period of time makes you vulnerable to gingivitis.
- Take notice if you are clenching your teeth during the day or grinding your teeth at night. See your dentist immediately to provide you with options for uncontrollable nightime grinding.
- Determine to stop biting your nails. This can dull your teeth or chip off the edges. Keep a file and nail clippers with you at all times, so there is not excuse.
- Brush correctly. Using a soft bristled toothbrush, gently brush in small circle (not side to side) for two or three minutes twice a day.
- Avoid drinking soda or white wine. Both contain acids that wear away your tooth enamel.
- See your dentist regularly. If you don’t get your teeth cleaned and checked professionally twice a year, you’re bound to end up with some serious and painful dental problems.