We all want straight smiles with flawless, pearly white teeth. To get that Hollywood smile, however, much time and effort are required. As motivated as we may be to take proper oral hygiene seriously, the busyness of life can distract us and make us too impatient.
Patients know what good at-home oral hygiene is and what is involved in the twice-daily teeth cleaning and flossing. It is also widely known that regular visits to the dentist every six months for an examination and deep cleaning.
What are the habits and things that are bad for your teeth and gums? So much is focused on what patients can do to maintain and improve their oral health.
Some of the things patients should avoid may seem obvious while others may not be as obvious.
Here are some of the worst things for your teeth and gums that you should avoid or have treated:
Nail Biting and Jaw Clenching
Biting one's nail out of boredom, anxiety, or stress may seem like an innocent habit. Prolonged nail-biting can chip away at the enamel on the front of teeth, weakening them and making them more prone to breaking and decay. The front tips may also become jagged and worn, resulting in a less than desirable appearance.
Clenching the jaw may seem like instinct when one is cold, angry, or stressed. As with nail-biting, the regular, persistent grinding and pressure of the jaws can wear down teeth and can lead to cracks and fractures in the teeth.
Bruxism, a condition where one unconsciously clenches his or her jaws or grinds their teeth, usually at night can be treated with a mouth guard prescribed by your dentist.
Piercings in the Mouth
Piercings of the lips or tongue can damage your teeth and gums, especially if they are worn consistently over several years. Metal rings and piercings constantly rub and hit against the teeth, which causes the same wear as jaw clenching and nail-biting can. The alteration of the piercings can also cause the gum tissue to recede from the teeth, increasing the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
Ignoring Underlying Health Conditions
Did you know that your heart condition or uncontrolled diabetes not only puts your health at risk but can also diminish your oral health? There have been studies done that show the connection between one's overall health and oral health. The health of one affects the other.
Eating Bad Foods
Sticky, starchy, hard, and sour foods. Foods that are sticky such as taffy can easily leave remnants behind in your mouth, between and on the teeth long after the candy has been consumed. Starchy foods such as white bread can easily dissolve with saliva and settle into tiny crooks and crannies in and between teeth. Starchy foods also contain sugars that, when combined with saliva combine to produce plaque which in turn, produces a film on the teeth that eats away at tooth enamel, increasing the risk of cavities. Hard and crunchy foods can chip the teeth and scrape off sections of the tooth enamel. Sour and acidic foods such as lemons and tomato sauce have tooth enamel destroying acid.
Neglecting Proper Oral Hygiene
Everyone knows what proper dental hygiene is, but not everyone follows it. Some patients may put more emphasis on at-home dental hygiene and neglect the recommended six-month dental visit and vice versa. Both are needed to ensure strong and healthy teeth and gums.
Sugary foods are also bad as the sugar particles get mixed with molecules in one's saliva. The resulting acid that is produced causes plaque build-up and the destruction of tooth enamel.
It takes persistent, daily care to maintain the good health of your teeth and gums. It also takes regular visits to the dentist, avoiding certain foods, taking care of other, underlying health conditions, and avoiding the habits of nail-biting and teeth grinding.