It’s common knowledge that regularly brushing your teeth and limiting your sugar intake are important for a healthy smile. However, breaking bad habits is just as important as keeping up good ones. Even if you practice a great dental routine, you may still be damaging your oral health by practicing a few unconscious but harmful behaviors. Your Melbourne dentist reveals five ways you may be hurting your teeth every day and what you can do to protect your smile.
Bad Brushing Behaviors
If you’re brushing your teeth incorrectly, you may be doing more harm than good. Using a hard-bristled toothbrush, abrasive toothpaste, or simply too much force to clean your teeth scratches away at your enamel. As the enamel erodes, your teeth become weaker, more sensitive, and more prone to cavities. To safely clean your teeth, try using a toothpaste and electric toothbrush with the American Dental Association Seal of Approval.
Chewing on Hard Objects
Do you chew on pen caps, ice, or your fingernails? Gnawing on hard objects is an unconscious behavior many people practice when they’re bored, frustrated, or nervous. These items can wear down your teeth, introduce new bacteria into your mouth, and encourage oral infections. If you must chew on something, make it a piece of sugarless gum or a crunchy apple.
Using Teeth as Tools
Whether you’re about to open a long-awaited package or your favorite bag of chips, it may be tempting to use your teeth to get the job done. While this may save you a few moments now, it could cost you much more time in the dentist’s chair later! Using your teeth to open bags, containers, or bottles could chip, crack, or fracture them in a matter of seconds. Instead, keep the proper tools somewhere easy to reach so you don’t forget to use them.
Mindlessly Munching All Day
When it comes to tooth decay, how often you snack is just as important as how much. Snacking throughout the day provides a steady stream of fuel for cavity-causing oral bacteria. Even eating healthy snacks like fruit throughout the day is enough to raise your risk of tooth decay dramatically. If you have trouble limiting your eating to mealtimes, choose low-sugar options like vegetables, nuts, and lean protein.
Skipping Your Dental Checkups
Dental checkups are essential to your smile even if your teeth look and feel fine. Oral health issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer typically develop unnoticed until they begin to cause damage or discomfort. Getting a dental checkup every six months lets your dentist detect and treat these problems as early as possible. However, the main goal of regular checkups is to prevent these conditions from occurring in the first place! Seeing your dentist twice a year is a healthy habit that can help keep your smile beautiful and intact for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. Beverly Rose has been serving the families of Melbourne, FL and the surrounding communities with exceptional dentistry since 1996. She believes that consistent preventive dental care is the foundation of better oral health and improved quality of life. While she is proud to offer a wide variety of services for every smile, including teeth whitening, dental implants, and gum disease treatment, she’s dedicated to helping you maintain your naturally beautiful and healthy smile for years to come. To learn more about dental checkups, feel free to contact her via her website or at (321) 259-4666.