Many people naturally label their teeth as a tool to use for certain habits. This means that they use their teeth to perform certain habits unconsciously. By unconsciously, this means that you use your teeth for a habit without actually realising the damage it could cause to your oral health.
Your teeth should not be used to perform habits that can be performed with the use of certain equipment. From now on, the avoidable habits with your teeth need to stop to preserve the strength and health of your teeth and gums. People have naturally performed the five below bad habits regularly. If you perform either of these habits, it is important that you avoid them because they are a contributor to tooth loss and decay.
Let’s take a look at the avoidable habits with your teeth.
Using Teeth To Open Objects
Teeth are never designed as an opening tool for objects and packaging. You’re at greater risk of fracturing or cracking your teeth depending on the toughness of the object or package you’re trying to open. Avoid using your teeth for this. This is especially if you’ve cosmetic fittings in the mouth such as crowns and veneers. All in all, use actual opening tools, and not your teeth.
Snacking Before You Sleep
You’ve recently eaten a meal, and you brush your teeth at night, but then you cannot resist a sneaky snack before you go to sleep. The hard work has been undone because food debris remains in your mouth during sleep. Food debris in the mouth (if remains persist) can cause dental plaque build-up. This is a yellow sticky substance that forms around the teeth and is the initial stage of tooth decay.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding naturally occurs either during sleep or when you’re stressed. It causes wear and tear and can cause more severe damage if its a habit you perform constantly. Wear and tear include chipping your tooth enamel, cracking your teeth, facial soreness and headaches. Consult the dentist for a dental mouthguard you can wear during sleep.
Feeling Stressed
Stress is natural in life, and the last thing you think about is the damage it can do to your oral health, but your oral health does get impacted. It is important that you apply techniques to help combat stress such as meditation and relaxation methods. You’re more than likely to neglect your oral health as well by not brushing your teeth regularly, and consuming fad diets.
Skipping Oral Hygiene Steps
Either out of tiredness, a general habit or simply not liking the dentist, we can skip visiting the dentist and make excuses for not turning up to your appointment. The dentist is best placed to determine how strong or weak your oral health is, because whilst you may be brushing your teeth regularly, this doesn’t automatically mean you have strong teeth and gums. There may be certain habits or other aspects of your oral health you’re missing out on that are causing problems. The dentist can uncover what these are at your check-up.
Are you guilty of any of these habits? If yes, you will begin to notice the damage on your teeth slowly but surely. The dentist can help you change these avoidable habits with your teeth to make way for positive habits that keep your smile strong and shining.
Why not check yourself in with us at Simply Dental Chatswood today for an appointment? Click here to book yourself in with us.