If you’re conscious about how you look, you probably spend a lot of time deciding your clothes and accessories daily. One thing you might not be focusing on is your smile. A bright smile is always the best accessory a person can wear—and to keep it looking fresh and pearly, you need to let go of some bad habits that can damage your teeth.
We’ve put together a list of habits you should avoid to keep your teeth and gums healthy in the long-run.
Continuous Snacking
Continuous snacking is discouraged for a lot of reasons. But one reason you probably don’t know is that it’s damaging for your teeth. Whether it’s sweet or savory, eating continuously can lead to a buildup of food particles in the crevices of our teeth. This gives bacteria ample nutrients to feed on and produce acid, which weakens our enamel.
Smoking
While smoking has countless adverse effects on our health, it can also lead to tooth loss and gum disease. If you’re a smoker, a best-case scenario can lead to stained teeth, and worst-case scenarios can lead to mouth cancer.
Regular Soda Intake
Regularly drinking sodas, juices, and other sugary drinks can also lead to a buildup of sugary nutrients for bacteria to feed on. Apart from this, carbonated beverages are acidic—they eat away our tooth enamel, increasing the risk of tooth decay.
Using Your Teeth as an Opener
Most people don’t realize how harmful it is to use teeth as a bottle or can opener. It might seem like an easy alternative when you forget the opener on a picnic, but using your teeth to open containers can cause fractures and shifts in your gums.
Our teeth are made to bite and chew on soft, semi-solid food. Using them on hard materials like ice, plastic, or metal can be extremely detrimental to them.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding is something most of us are guilty of, and more often than not, it’s not something we do intentionally. Grinding occurs when our jaw muscles tense up, and we must mindfully loosen and ease our jaw to release our teeth. For some people, it also happens during sleep for which they should consult a general dentist NJ who can give them a muscle relaxant or a custom-made teeth guard.
Last but surely not least, never skip your dental appointments! Regularly schedule a dental appointment with Rapha Dental in New Jersey to keep a check on your oral health and be your best self with a bright, confident smile.