You probably don’t put much thought into small habits like when you crunch the ice leftover at the bottom of your cup or when you vigorously brush your teeth because you think it’s going to clean them better. Even though these actions seem like no big deal, it turns out they can influence your oral health. You may be causing harm to your teeth and not even know it. Luckily, your dentist in Tallahassee lets you know what habits you can work on to protect your smile.
Thumb Sucking
While thumb sucking is a completely natural response for a child, it can be harmful to them after a certain age. When child’s permanent teeth start to come in around the age of 6 or 7, thumb sucking can cause them to grow in misaligned. This can affect other aspects of their health and contribute to breathing and chewing problems.
Brushing Too Roughly
Brushing is essential to your daily oral hygiene. You may think that when you brush your teeth vigorously, it can do wonders for getting rid of bacteria and tartar. In reality, it can do more damage to your enamel and irritate your gums more than anything else. When your enamel wears down, it starts to expose a sensitive part of your tooth called dentin, making your teeth extra sensitive to temperature.
Clenching and Grinding Your Teeth
You may or may not notice that you clench and grind your teeth in the middle of the night. Maybe you wake up with a sore jaw or neck and you have your suspicions, though. This is a frequent reaction to dealing with stress in your life and can cause small cracks in your teeth. With such an intense amount of pressure put on them, it can weaken the enamel and make them sensitive. Luckily, your Tallahassee dentist can provide you with a custom-fitted nightguard to help protect your teeth.
Crunching Ice
It may seem harmless to crunch on the leftover ice at the bottom of your cup on a hot summer’s day. The extremely cold temperature and hard texture of ice cubes can cause serious damage. Even though your teeth can easily tear through ice, it’s important to remember that doesn’t mean it’s good for them.
Using Your Teeth as Tools
Every time you’re nervously biting the tip of your pen or ripping packing tape with your teeth because there aren’t any scissors in sight, you’re causing damage to your teeth. They’re meant to do a couple of primary tasks, eat and speak. Using them as an all-in-one tool can cause them to crack and break.
Eating Excessive Amounts of Sugary or Acidic Foods
Sugary and acidic foods can put your enamel in jeopardy. When you repeatedly chew or drink these kinds of products, it can lead to tooth decay if not brushed or rinsed away properly. The bacteria in your mouth feed and multiplies based on the sugar available to it, so limiting your sugar intake is a great way to safeguard your oral health.
Whether you have one or three of these habits, it’s important to recognize when your actions can be harmful to your teeth. You can prevent these from having detrimental impacts on your health by attending your semi-annual dental cleanings and upkeeping your brushing, flossing and mouthwash routine. Remember to alert your dentist if you have any sensitivity or concerns about your teeth.
About the Practice
At , Boyd and Walter, our main goal is to provide Tallahassee with the highest quality of dental care. We strive to create a warm and welcoming environment that is comfortable and personal for our patients. Whether you’re seeking a regular checkup or dental implants, we have you covered! For any questions or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or contact us at 850-895-9858.