Bad Habits That Damage Your Teeth

You may feel that you look after your teeth well; you brush twice a day, floss and don’t drink fizzy drinks. Your oral health routine may be superb, but there are other habits you may have that can be very damaging to your teeth without you even realising!

Read on to discover the most damaging habits for your oral health:

Eating sugary sweets

Gummy sweets may feel healthier for you than chocolate in terms of calories, but these sweets are very bad for your teeth. The sticky sugars can stick in between your teeth and stay there for several hours, increasing your chance of gum disease.

Using your teeth as tools

Opening plastic packaging and bottle caps with your teeth is never okay and can actually cause chipping or cracking. The kind of damage can cause excruciating pain and may even result in the tooth needing to be extracted if the tooth can’t be saved or repaired.

Fruit Juice

Juices such as orange and apple juice may appear to be the healthier option compared to coffee and fizzy drinks, but most juices actually have the same amount of sugar! The best thing to do is to drink more water and if that doesn’t satisfy you, try diluting some juice with water.

Crisps

Starch filled foods such as crisps are very bad for your gums. The bacteria found in plaque breaks down the starch into acid, which will then stay between your teeth and your gums for up to half an hour. Make sure you floss after eating crisps and other starchy foods if you don’t want to cut them out of your diet completely.

Chewing

Not only is chewing objects such as pencils and tooth picks unhygienic, they also pose a rise to your teeth. Chewing on items that aren’t meant to go in your mouth can cause your teeth to chip and crack. If you need to chew on something to concentrate, try sugar-free gum.

Do you need to see a dental hygienist? Get in touch now to book an appointment