5 Habits That You Didn’t Know Were Ruining Your Teeth
You may think that if you have a strict teeth cleaning regimen that it begins and ends there – but there are still many everyday lifestyle habits that may be having a negative effect on your teeth. The worst part is, you probably don’t even know you’re doing them. Caught up in busy schedules and hectic routines, these habits can often go unnoticed, but over time, they may significantly impact the integrity of your oral hygiene.
- Brushing Your Teeth Straight After Consuming Fizzy Drinks
It’s a common assumption that the sooner you brush your teeth after eating or drinking, the better it will be for your teeth – but it’s sometimes not the case. If you brush your teeth while the acidic properties of fizzy drinks are still active around your teeth, you risk brushing the damaging properties into your teeth even further. It is better to wait around 30 minutes before brushing your teeth after drinking a fizzy soda.
- Chewing on Pens and Pencils
You may do this without even realising in a state of deep concentration or in the middle of your work, or maybe you’re just an individual who likes to fiddle with a pen in their hand and mouth during the course of their day. Not only is chewing on pens and pencil unhygienic, and therefore a cause for spreading germs to your mouth, it will also wear down your teeth over time if you are constantly gnawing at the end of a plastic or wooden writing tool.
- Chewing On Your Nails
With the same logic as point number 2, chewing on your nails is very bad for your teeth – and nails! You will risk damaging the integrity of your teeth over time if you are persistently chewing on your nails, as well as passing germs from your hand to your mouth.
- Snacking Throughout the Day
Even if your snacking habits aren’t particularly unhealthy, the more you do it over a longer period of time, the more of a wearing effect it will have on your teeth. It is less damaging to your teeth to have one snack at one time which is a larger portion, compared to several small snacks throughout the day. This is because your teeth are working overtime to chew, and it also exposes your teeth to more damaging properties on a more regular basis, such as sugary snacks spread out through your day.
- Using Your Teeth to Bite or Rip
It’s common to use your teeth to break off some tape, for example, if you can’t find the scissors, or maybe to open a particularly problematic wrapper or packet. However, using your teeth as a tool risks wearing down your teeth in the long run, not to mention the damage which could potentially be inflicted if you bite into something which is too hard, such as cracking or chipping your tooth.
However, by ensuring regular dental check-ups, you can keep in control of how everyday habits may be harming your teeth.
