You practice good dental care: brushing your teeth, flossing fairly regularly, and seeing your dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings. Good for you! But you’re probably also engaging in one or more bad habits that can undermine the good ones and compromise your dental health. Here‘s our list of five of the worst dental habits, why they’re harmful, and what you can do to stop them.
1: Crunching, Sucking, and Sipping
You slurp down an ice-cold soda or iced tea and then crunch, crunch, crunch the leftover ice. What’s the harm? The brittleness and cold temperature of ice cubes can actually cause teeth to fracture. Or they can cause microscopic cracks in the surface of the enamel, which could lead to bigger dental problems over time. Crushed ice is less harmful than bigger cubes, but it still doesn’t get the blessing of most dentists.
Right up there with ice cubes are popcorn kernels, which can also put undue stress on a tooth and cause it to fracture. And some people keep the pits of fruit such as peaches, apricots, and plums in their mouth to suck on and then crunch on.
2: Using Teeth as Tools
Dentists report that patients rely on their teeth for a number of odd jobs: to tear open a bag of potato chips, uncap a bottle of nail polish, pull out a watch stem, straighten a bent fork tine, or rip a price tag off a piece of clothing. This can be hard on your teeth, traumatizing them or causing the edge of a weakened tooth to chip off or even fracture.
Think about what you’re putting in your mouth before you use your teeth as tools. And keep simple real tools such as a scissors and pliers handy to do the dirty work and let you maintain good dental health.
3: Grinding Your Teeth
Whether you grind your teeth during the day, at night, or both day and night, it wears them down. Often, teeth grinding is a nervous habit, reflecting anxiety.
Your dentist may suggest wearing a mouth guard for teeth grinding at night. Custom models made by your dentist cost more than over-the-counter ones, but they generally fit better and work better too. Sometimes, it helps simply to be aware that you are grinding your teeth and find another way to disperse the nervous energy or deal with the anxiety.
4: Using a Hard-Bristled Toothbrush
Some people think the firmer the toothbrush, the better. This isn’t so, especially for older adults. With age, the gums push back and the roots of the teeth become exposed, often increasing sensitivity. The root is covered with cementum, which is worn away more easily than enamel. A brush with too-firm bristles may irritate the gums and lead to sensitive teeth.
Ask your dentist or hygienist what toothbrush might be best to maintain your dental health, depending on your individual gum and tooth problems.
5: Not Brushing or Flossing Properly
Some people floss and brush their teeth regularly, but not often enough. You should aim to brush twice a day, and be sure to replace your manual toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every three or four months.
Flossing teeth should be done daily, too. If you aren’t sure if you floss properly — and dentists say many people aren’t — ask your dentist or your hygienist for a demonstration on your next visit. The American Dental Association also says antibacterial mouth rinses can reduce bacteria that can cause gum disease.
You may find a powered toothbrush better, especially if you have hand, arm, or shoulder problems that make manual brushing difficult. If you have children, be sure to buy them child-sized brushes so they fit their hands and mouth, and are easier to use.
-m.webmd.com
