Many of us are ignorant about certain physical activities, drinks, and food that can destroy our teeth and gums. Despite flossing and brushing, some bad habits continue to damage our oral health.
According to dentist in south Kolkata, some of the habits cause immediate damage, like breaking teeth; others can affect them in the long run. Therefore, it’s crucial to educate yourself on how to keep your teeth pearly whites white but also avoid harming them in the long run.
Below are the top 8 ways you ruin your oral health unknowingly
Smoking
As per the top dentist in Kolkata, smoking discolours, and stains teeth generate bad breath. This habit can reduce your taste and sense of smell and puts you at risk for oral cancer.
Smoking causes tooth decay and cavities that may result in tooth loss in severe cases. Tobacco reduces blood flow to the gums giving rise to gum disease and oral cancer. Chewing tobacco is better for your lungs and worse for your mouth.
Multiple Medications
Some medications lead to dry mouth. Lack of moisture can make your teeth susceptible to enamel erosion and acid attacks. Ask the South Kolkata based dental clinic about the side effects of medications, and topical supplements are a better alternative.
Pool Water
Swimming regularly in chlorinated pools along with other chemicals has a corrosive effect on tooth enamel. Try to avoid getting pool water in your mouth and search for a dental clinic near me to counter its harmful effects.
Thumb Sucking
Many young children have a bad habit of sucking their thumbs. Continual sucking of their thumb may cause permanent change to both their teeth and jaw. Thumb-sucking can cause tooth misalignment and lead to issues with chewing, speech, and breathing. Critical cases of misalignment need orthodontic treatments.
Nail-Biting
Biting nails does not only cause chipping, cracking, or wearing down of your teeth; it can cause jaw dysfunction. When you bite nails, jaws are placed at an unnatural angle by pushing the lower jaw out of line.
It may lead to temporomandibular disorder, a dental health condition characterized by a painful jaw. Also, biting your nails may introduce toxic bacteria into your mouth.
Teeth Clenching and Grinding
Some of you have a habit of involuntary clenching and grinding your teeth while asleep. Bruxism is often triggered by sleep apnea and stress. It is hard to control grinding and clenching during sleep.
However, an investigation is necessary before you begin treatment. You may use a night guard prescribed by your dentist to enjoy a restful night’s sleep and prevent any major damage to your teeth. Both grinding and clenching can result in fractured and grinding. Dentists suggest using crowns or other forms of the rental period. Teeth clenching and grinding may lead to chronic facial pain joint, and muscle dysfunction. You can avoid clenching and grinding by relaxing exercises like yoga and meditation. Make a conscious effort to keep your teeth slightly apart during the day.
Brushing Too Hard
Regular brushing is good to maintain good oral hygiene. Brushing vigorously could be harmful. This can irritate your gums and wear down enamel by making your teeth sensitive. You can try switching to soft bristle brushes and use softer strokes while brushing teeth and gums.
Crunching Ice Cubes
Even if it seems harmless, crunching ice can damage your teeth. Ice cubes have a crystalline structure similar to tooth enamel. Crunching them may result in two breakings. It is usually your tooth that sustains the injury.
Stop the habit of crunching ice or steer clear of large chunks. Chewing ice chips or shaved ice may significantly decrease tooth damage.
Although difficult, checking bad habits is a great way to improve your overall dental health. You can run a location-specific search like teeth implants near me and visit the best clinic nearby if you’re worried about your habits getting worse and affecting your oral health.
Remember to schedule routine surveys with your dentist and keep your oral health in great shape.
Impact of Inadequate Hydration
Many of you are unaware of the fact that proper hydration is an under-appreciated secret for healthy teeth. Simply brushing is not an option. You must drink a glass of water to wash away the bacteria, food particles, and acid from your mouth. Drinking water after eating stain-causing foods like coffee or red wine rinses away the tannins and other stain-causing chemicals. It keeps your teeth brighter and whiter.
Like your body, teeth can also become dehydrated because of mouthwatering or inadequate hydration. Proper hydration keeps your gums and teeth stronger and healthier.
Solutions Suggested by South Kolkata based Dentist
To err is human, and often do we find ourselves caught with these poor habits from time to time. Bad habits are hard to break but repairing your ways may give your dental health a significant boost.
Oral health is not something you can dismiss. It can cause cardiovascular diseases. Having poor oral health may put you at risk of heart disease. Look for cosmetic dentistry near me to maintain strong oral health.
Dementia is another major problem some people face as poor oral health can affect your brain.
One must protect good oral health to avoid the risk of diabetes, respiratory infections, infertility, pregnancy complications, erectile dysfunction, and oral cancer.
You may use aloe vera tooth gel, practise oil pulling, intake Vitamin D, avoid phytic acid, avoid sugary liquorice drinks, maintain sugar-free gum, eat liquorice root to fight off bacteria that causes cavities. No sooner do you find oral issues than you must consult dentists for dental restoration.
- Daily brushing helps. However, one must refrain from aggressive brushing. Brushing your teeth twice daily eliminates plaque and helps keep the teeth clean. You must know the proper technique.
Try to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush your teeth gently in small and circular motions for nearly two to three minutes. Never brush your teeth too hard to avoid any damage to the gums and enamel. When your teeth become badly eroded, it may cause sensitivity.
- Avoid Smoke – Cigarette smoking harms your immune system and affects the body’s ability to heal tissues. Often, smokers encounter a slow healing rate after obtaining a dental procedure. Smoking could impose significant risks for periodontal diseases and halitosis.
- Eating a healthy and balanced diet – whatever you eat, plays an important factor in both you’re oral and general health. Try to incorporate healthy foods like cheese, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and chicken in your diet as they are useful for your oral health.
For instance, cheese stimulates your salivary glands to boost saliva production and help neutralize the acid in your mouth.
You can get rid of bad habits and gain good ones, but this does not imply you can avoid your regular dental exam.
Do your best to keep healthy teeth, and leave the rest to the top dentists in Kolkata.
Schedule a regular dental checkup for teeth cleaning or a full oral examination.