10 Daily Habits That Can Affect Your Oral Health

Our teeth play a crucial role in our body functions and physical health. They not only allow us to chew food well but ensure correct pronunciation and good facial structure also. But few people have certain bad habits that damage their gums and teeth. When you fail to prevent these daily habits, they cause a long-term impact on dental health.

Daily Habits That Impact the Health of Our Pearly Whites

Below are certain habits that are harmful to our teeth and gum health:

Biting the Nails

Did you know biting your nails could cause damage to your teeth that you can even think about? Once you start doing it daily, you will experience serious tooth pain and other discomforts. Therefore, to make sure your teeth stay strong and healthy avoid doing it.

The best way to minimize nail biting is to paint the nails using bitter nail polish. You can also practice stress management methods like exercises, medications, etc. Biting nails only causes a significant impact on the jaw and cause chipped teeth. It also exposes your mouth to the bacteria under the nails.

Snacking More Frequently

Rather than snacking frequently, consume protein-rich and well-balanced meals. Another way to stop is to take a lot of water daily because it will eradicate leftover food bits from your mouth.

Heavy Smoking and Drinking

Drinking alcohol in excess makes the mouth dry. It prevents the saliva from removing the bacteria. This increases the risk of bad breath and cavities. Moreover, alcohol is acidic and causes enamel erosion.

Similarly, smoking not only declines your oral health but also affects your lung and heart health. Taking help from the Scottsdale dentists at Mercado Dental Care is the best way to curb the effects of smoking and alcohol.

Using Teeth for Several Activities

Although our teeth are built to consume food, we often use them as a tool. If you do the same, avoid them as soon as possible. It’s because using your teeth to open a bottle or other activities could damage your teeth and gums. The best way to prevent using teeth as a tool is to keep real tools handy. These include scissors, bottle openers, etc.

Not Brushing Regularly

Although brushing is a basic task for maintaining dental health, we often forget it. It increases the risk of oral health issues and also impacts overall health. Thus, make sure you brush your teeth twice a day. It will help you maintain your teeth healthy and shiner.

Grinding Teeth

Clenching teeth while asleep can damage your tooth enamel and also result in other oral health issues. It can be due to numerous factors like stress, a misaligned bite, growing teeth, etc. Bruxism also causes tooth decay and worn down teeth. It is worth speaking to the doctor at the dental office near you about your teeth-grinding habit. The expert will suggest numerous ways to deal with it – stress-reducing exercises, mouthguards, or therapeutic botox.

Drinking Coffee

If you have a habit of drinking a hot cup of coffee in the morning, stop it immediately. Coffee is a stain-causing beverage. The acidity in it can even make your teeth yellow with time. The best way to eradicate staining on teeth is to get a teeth whitening procedure as soon as possible.

Using Toothpicks Incorrectly

Certain foods like meat or sticky items get stuck in the spaces between our teeth. The use of toothpicks incorrectly could cause damage to the teeth and gums. Therefore, if you are taking the help of a toothpick to get rid of these food materials, make sure you do it correctly.

Playing Sports Using a Mouthguard

Mouthguards give protection to your teeth and gums. Playing sports without it makes the teeth and gums more prone to chipping and even knocking out. Thus, always select a good quality mouthguard and wear it while playing any sports activity. Avoid waiting till it is too late to protect your teeth.

Use of Soda Daily

Although we consume soda to quench our thirst, making it a regular habit can lead to a significant impact on oral health. Soda makes the teeth weak and damages the enamel. Thus, avoid such carbonated drinks whenever possible.