The condition of your oral health is essential to more than just maintaining a nice smile. It can also impact your overall wellness, your bank account and self-esteem. Thus, it’s best to take care of your mouth, teeth and gums. To encourage excellent oral health, your dentist in Burleson says steer clear of these 5 bad dental habits. Additionally, learn how semi-annual visits for dental cleanings and checkups can encourage improved health and happiness!
#1 – Smoking or Chewing Tobacco
Tobacco usage is never a good idea. For starters, whether smoked or chewed, it leaves a trail of toxins in the mouth that can contribute to bacteria growth, gum disease, gum recession and a host of other problems. The best way to protect yourself, then, is to avoid all tobacco usage.
#2 – Eating Snack Foods
The main secret about snack items is that they’re not actually food. They could better be labelled as food-like substances. One of the primary issues with them is their tendency to be high in sugar, which happens to be the sustenance of choice for bacteria.
If you have a “sweet tooth,” a healthy alternative to snack foods is to eat more fruit, as the natural sugars they possess cause less havoc to your mouth, teeth and gums.
#3 – Grinding Your Teeth
Do you have a tendency to grind your teeth (also called bruxism)? If so, it can put your oral health at risk, as the added pressure can lead to premature wear, a severe break or even tooth loss. Some of the usual symptoms of the condition are jaw stiffness, immobility and pain. If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs, it’s best to contact your dentist as soon as possible.
#4 – Using Your Teeth as Tools
To be on the safe side, it’s best to only use your teeth for what they were designed to do: to chew food. Any activity outside of that can put you at risk of having a dental emergency. So instead of using your teeth to open a package, trim your fingernails or to pop a bottle cap, it’s better to leave the job to the tool that was actually designed to do it. Therefore, you’ll get a lot more mileage out of your teeth.
#5 – Vigorous Toothbrushing
Everyone wants their teeth to be clean. This desire can sometimes become misguided, though. An example of this is with aggressively brushing your teeth in an attempt to see better results.
Instead of encouraging cleaner and healthier teeth, however, this can be a hindrance. That’s because vigorous toothbrushing can damage the enamel, the protective outer layer of the teeth. To prevent this from happening, use a toothbrush with soft bristles and always apply gentle force when cleaning your teeth.
In addition to making the above corrections, don’t forget to pay your dentist a visit every six months for a cleaning and examination. Therefore, you can enjoy top-notch dental health!
About the Author
Dr. Jay Oza is a graduate of the New York University College of Dentistry. Since entering the dental profession, he has helped countless patients experience the benefits of having excellent oral health. Dr. Oza provides preventive care at Marvel Dental, and he can be reached for more information through his website.