Bad Habits That Can Damage Oral Health

Sometimes, a habit that is seemingly harmless can wreak havoc on your oral health and cause several dental issues. Some of the most common bad habits that can affect your dental health include the following.

• Chewing on ice

Believe it or not, chewing ice is bad for your teeth. When you crunch down on an ice cube or frozen beverage, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your teeth. As a result, your enamel may crack, resulting in pain. It can also damage your gums, leading to receding gums or even gum disease. Over time, this can lead to tooth loss. You may be tempted to chew ice because it’s cold. However, it’s not worth the trade-off of damaging your teeth. Try drinking a cold beverage without ice instead.

• Opening packages with your teeth

While this may seem like an innocuous habit, it can weaken tooth enamel and lead to cavities over time. The friction created from scraping the wrapping on the package can slowly wear down teeth, so it’s best to either use scissors or tear the package with your hands instead.

• Ignoring bruxism symptoms

Bruxism is a chronic sleep disorder that causes you to clench or grind your teeth. If you experience frequent headaches, jaw pain, tooth sensitivity, or migraines in the morning, you may be grinding throughout the night without even knowing it. Chronic teeth grinding can lead to severe tooth damage, so it’s best to seek treatment now before things get worse. Your dentist will suggest you wear a mouthguard at night.

• Biting on fingernails or pencils

These habits are typically viewed as embarrassing, but they can also create problems for your teeth and gums. When biting your nails regularly, you increase the chance of cracking a tooth when chewing something hard or crunchy. The same is true of crunching on a pencil. Biting may damage the enamel of your teeth and expose the inner dentin layer to bacteria. You may also chip teeth while eating nuts or pretzels on a regular basis. 

• Eating sticky food

Eating sticky foods can be especially damaging to your dental health. Sticky foods like caramels, soft candies, and even dried fruit can lead to tooth decay because the sugar tends to linger on the teeth longer than other types of food. 

To learn more about good oral care habits, schedule an appointment right away with Ideal Smiles of Stamford. We are located at 86 Prospect St Suite 300, Stamford, CT 06901. You can also call us at (203) 359-2222 or mail us at [email protected].