7 bad habits that harm your teeth
Pay attention to habits that are a part of everyday routine and yet can negatively affect the aesthetics and functionality of your smile.
- Toothbrushing right after a meal
You must have heard many times that teeth need to be brushed after each meal. Nevertheless, that is not always true, at least not when your menu includes acidic food. In case you have seasoned your lettuce with wine vinegar or have had an apple treat, you need to wait at least half an hour so that the calcium in your saliva demineralises the sensitive areas in your oral cavity. - Using your teeth as a tool
Patients frequently forget that teeth are primarily intended for chewing and hence they regularly use them insetad of a knife, an can opener, nail clippers, etc. Each such activity is too aggressive for your teeth and, in addition to tooth enamel erosion, it often results in tooth chipping. Make sure these bad habits are replaced with higher care of your teeth. - Drinking carbonated beverages
Besides containing high quantities of sugar and hence exert a negative impact on your overall health, carbonated drinks also have unwanted consequences on your smile. They greatly increase the possibility of cavities and through their chemical content they impact on enamel weakening. You may sometimes indulge in carbonated drinks, yet you certainly need to make sure they do not become a part of your daily routine. - Smoking
In case you still need reasons to quit smoking, try to think of your smile. Cigarettes do not only interfere with the aesthetics of your teeth, but they can seriously threaten your oral health. Indulging in this vice will result in yellow teeth and bad breath, as well as appearance of bacteria and toxins that cause cavities, inflammatory processes and gum disease. - Use of worn-out and inadequate toothbrushes
Make sure that your toothbrush is not older than 3 months and, if necessary, change it earlier. In case you have noticed signs of your toothbrush being worn-out or its bristles are splayed out it is time to change it. Special attention needs to be paid to the softness of the bristles of your toothbrush and proper brushing techniques. - Avoiding the use of dental floss
Regular toothbrushing and dental hygiene maintenance is extremely important for your oral health. Nevertheless, oral hygiene should not be restricted only to toothbrushing. Toothbrush cannot reach all the tooth surfaces on which plaque is accumulated. Narrow spaces between the teeth are most effectively cleaned using dental floss and hence ensuring impeccable cleanliness of your teeth. - Coffee
May people find it hard to think of the beginning of the day without this beverage, yet one needs to take itno account the impact of coffee on your teeth. Caffeine consumption causes dark stains on your teeth and significantly interferes with the aesthetics of your smile. You need to strive to restrict the consumption of this beverage to once a day and if possible brush your teeth within an hour after its consumption. In case you cannot do that, reach out for a chewing gum, as they increase saliva production which naturally cleans your oral cavity.