Taking care of your teeth is essential not only to keeping your teeth, but also to your overall health. Yet for all of the brushing, flossing, and regular scheduled exams we do, there are still things you do day in and day out that are causing unnecessary wear and tear on your teeth.
Here are a few habits you need to break today if you want your teeth to be with you for a long time.
- Using your teeth to open things. Teeth are not scissors. Sure, they’re convenient when you’ve got a bag you need to get open or a tag you need to rip off, but using your teeth to open and tear things not only adds unneeded pressure to them, but it also puts you at risk of breaking a tooth. Don’t be lazy. Walk to the cabinet and get the scissors or a knife next time you need to open something!
- Biting your nails. This common, yet very bad habit, can lead to chipped teeth and put undue pressure on your jaw, which can lead to jaw dysfunction.
- Eating ice. Did you know your teeth and ice are both crystals? And the way crystals work is when two crystals rub against each other, one of them tends to break. Sometimes it’s the ice, sometimes it’s your teeth but do you really want to take that chance?
- Not changing your toothbrush. Like most things you use on a daily basis, toothbrush heads wear out and collect germs. That’s why dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every 3 months.
- Chewing on pencils or pens. A common habit, doing this could cause damage to teeth including cracked or chipped teeth. Also, the constant bearing down can wear down teeth and make them more susceptible to damage.
Breaking bad habits will go a long way to ensuring good oral health in the long run. Give us a call today at 573-243-5200 to schedule an appointment where we can examine your teeth, address any issues or damage, and provide you with suggestions on how to break bad dental habits.