You might be regularly brushing, flossing, using mouthwash and avoiding sugary foods, but all this would be in vain if you have some of the bad dental habits listed below. Many of us are guilty of doing it at some point in our life, but this can have an adverse effect on our teeth later on.
Here’s a list of a few dental habits you should avoid.
1. Eating iceHow many of you are guilty of doing this? We drink the juice and end up sucking and crushing the leftover ice with our teeth. The coldness and brittleness can cause a microscopic crack in the enamel and damage the gums. If chewing ice is a habit you can’t get out of, try consulting a doctor. Studies show that chewing ice is usually a sign of an iron deficit in the body.
2. Nail bitingWe’ve done this as children but for some, this becomes a habit that’s quite addictive. The nail is pretty hard itself, so regularly biting this can cause a splinter on your enamel, thus weakening the teeth. Don’t forget the fact that you’ve probably touched many objects with your hands, so all those germs would go right into your mouth.
3. Thumb suckingThis is very prevalent in young kids; thumb sucking can cause the upper or lower teeth to lean forward and cause misalignment. This misalignment can usually be corrected by using braces. If you don’t want your kid to wear braces, you can always switch to something like braces alternative.
Sometimes thumb sucking can also result in abnormal bite patterns and overcrowding of the teeth, also known as malocclusion. This can be treated in children through an interceptive orthodontic procedure. Consult your dentist if you want more information regarding this.
4. Using your teeth as a toolI’m sure many of you have used your teeth to open bottles, this might seem convenient at that time, but it is actually the worst thing you can do for your teeth. This can easily lead to a cracked tooth. All these habits are horrible for your teeth, you may not notice the effects right away, but eventually, you would start to feel like you are constantly having issues such as cavities and gum problems. If these habits are hard to avoid try other alternatives, for example, if you are a constant nail-biter, try covering your nails with stickers or use gloves and if you or your child can’t stop sucking the thumb, try coating it with something inedible so that one can’t suck on it even if they wanted to.