Posted on September 26, 2023
Everyone wants to have a healthy, brilliant smile, so taking care of our teeth is important. Oral health can have a bigger effect on our overall health, too. But there are some habits we’ve picked up over time that can be harmful to our dental health – even if we don’t realize it. Here are a few habits you might be doing daily that you should consider dropping.
Biting your nails
Whether it’s because you’re nervous or you just automatically bite your nails subconsciously, nail biting is a harmful habit for your smile. Over time it can chip your teeth and even impact your jaw as the habit puts pressure on your jaw because your jaw is in that position for an extended period.
If you find that you’re biting your nails and want to stop, you have a few options to help you kick the habit. First, you could buy bitter-tasting nail polishes that would deter you from wanting to put your nails anywhere near your mouth. Additionally, if you are biting your nails out of stress or anxiety, then you may need to work to reduce these triggers in your life so that you are not tempted to continue this habit.
Brushing too hard
Wait – can you brush your teeth too hard? Isn’t brushing your teeth good for your smile? Well, yes, but if you’re putting too much pressure while brushing your teeth, it can be harmful to your dental health.
If you’re using a toothbrush that is too hard or pushing too hard, this can be damaging to your teeth. Instead of using a scrubbing motion while brushing, try to think more of a massaging motion and switch it out to a brush with softer bristles.
Grinding or clenching your teeth
Sometimes when people are stressed, they will grind their teeth or clench – even if they don’t know they’re doing it. Over time, this can cause your teeth to chip, crack or even wear down, exposing the nerves of your teeth.
Further, it can cause joint pain in your jaw or make you feel like you can’t completely open your mouth all the way without pain.
You may want to look into getting a mouth guard for at night, which is when many people do clench or grind their teeth. This can help prevent your teeth from cracking or wearing down over time. It can even help you sleep better.
Continual snacking
Do you tend to snack throughout the day and not sit down to eat designated meals? If so, this could cause harm to your teeth – depending on what you’re snacking on.
If your snack choices are especially sugary foods, it could put you at a higher risk for more cavities. Every time you eat, bacteria and food particles will be left behind in your mouth and between your teeth.
To kick this habit, you can change up your meal plans and try to eat more balanced meals that leave you feeling fuller for longer, so you don’t want to snack. If you do snack during the day, then try to choose snacks that are lower in sugar content and try to make sure you follow it up with plenty of water so that you’re washing away all the bacteria and food left behind.
Contact Stoney Creek Dental today
Are you experiencing issues with your dental health that some of these bad habits may have caused? If so, contact Stoney Creek Dental today. Our dentists can help correct these problems and provide advice on caring for your smile so that problems don’t become worse.