If you brush and floss every day, you may think you are doing everything required to protect your teeth. Unfortunately, many seemingly harmless habits can secretly make you more susceptible to tooth decay and damage.
When you become aware of these habits, you can begin to address them and get closer to the perfect picture of dental health that everyone strives for. Here are three ways you may be damaging your teeth without knowing that's what you are doing.
1. Opening Packages With Teeth
Teeth were one of the first tools that our early ancestors made use of, but if you're still using your teeth to open packages you should get with the times. Using your teeth on anything but food is asking for dental trouble, and things could go wrong at any time. Your teeth are designed to withstand the vertical force of your bite, but torque and lateral force can crack dental enamel suddenly and unexpectedly.
Plastic and other thin materials present another problem if you try to bite through them because your teeth come close to direct contact with each other. When you chew your food, the crowns of your upper and lower teeth are separated by the food itself. Your teeth can easily chip as they scrape together when you use them to open a package.
2. Brushing Too Vigorously
Brushing your teeth is one situation where the phrase too much of a good thing strongly applies. Your goal when you brush your teeth should be to remove food particles and plaque, a soft, pasty film that collects on the enamel.
As you might expect, removing these soft substances does not require much force. Your teeth can also get stuck with stubborn hardened plaque known as tartar, but brushing harder doesn't help because tartar must be removed by a dental professional.
The two primary concerns from brushing too hard are gum recession and erosion of dental enamel. When vigorous brushing irritates gum tissue, it can gradually recede and expose the roots of your teeth. Exposed roots are a common cause of painful tooth sensitivity, and they also increase the likelihood of cavities.
Enamel erosion is of particular concern because your body is incapable of restoring lost enamel. Worn enamel allows the acids from oral bacteria to penetrate your teeth and create nasty cavities. Additionally, the pulp inside your teeth is dense with nerves, and enamel that is too thin may give rise to tooth sensitivity.
3. Snacking Throughout the Day
Replacing a meal with a lighter snack is often a good choice, but snacking all day does more harm than good. Frequent snacks pose an oral health challenge because your teeth are always exposed to food particles. This means the bacteria in your mouth will have a round-the-clock supply of food and will produce enamel-eating acid continuously.
With careful snack choices and a bit of moderation, you can keep your teeth healthy without the need to stop snacking altogether. Keep a reasonable limit on sweet, starchy, and sticky foods that readily stick to your teeth. While no one wants to brush after every snack, a quick post-snack rinse with fluoridated mouthwash or even water can go a long way toward protecting your dental health.
Daily choices and habits have a greater impact on dental health than many people realize. If you snack smart, clean your teeth carefully, and do not use your teeth as tools, you can greatly reduce your chances of unnecessary tooth damage or decay. Chew on these tips for a while, and remember to visit
Eastland
Dental Center & Professional Dental Center for all your dental needs!
