Our oral health can be affected by our lifestyle. Certain habits can be harmful to our dental health. Listed below are habits that affect our oral health.
- Nail Biting
Everyone bites their nails at some point in time. Usually, this is all that is needed to break the habit. However, some people continue to bite. This is dangerous to oral health and can lead to severe damage to the teeth and jaw. The constant pressure put on the teeth can cause them to crack or break, leading to the need for restorative dental procedures. If enough pressure is put on hard enough, it can cause the teeth to move out of place and even cause damage to the jaw joint. This can also lead to more serious problems, including TMJ disorder. In order to break the habit, try wearing gloves or applying bitter-tasting nail polish. If that doesn’t help, visit your dentist to discuss possible solutions.
- Smoking
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including hundreds of toxic ingredients that can damage your health in various ways. The negative health effects of smoking include increased risk for cancer and heart disease, which can lead to serious complications and even death. But cigarettes can also have a negative impact on your oral health by causing staining on teeth and bad breath. If you care about your appearance and want to avoid unpleasant odors, quitting smoking can help.
- Teeth Grinding
Also known as bruxism, this bad habit can result in worn-down and fractured teeth or even jaw disorders. Bruxism can even damage the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that connects the lower jaw to the skull. Luckily, there are treatments available for teeth grinding. Night guards are specially-made mouthguards that you wear while you sleep to prevent you from grinding your teeth. There are also medications available to help relax the muscles in your jaw.
- Aggressive Brushing
Brushing teeth too hard can cause gums to recede and wear away enamel. It can also increase the risk of gum inflammation, known as gingivitis or periodontitis. So, always use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damaging your teeth and gums.
- Using Teeth as Tools
Using teeth as a tool to open a bottle cap or remove a loose filling can fracture or chip a tooth. Also, when teeth are used as a tool to open something, the person risks cutting or injuring themselves in the mouth. So, stop this habit and use appropriate tools instead.
- Not Visiting the Dentist Regularly
Avoiding the dentist increases the risk of tooth decay because a person will skip important cleanings and exams that help to prevent oral health problems. It also makes it more likely that small issues will become big ones that require more extensive and expensive treatments to fix. Regular checkups also help patients catch any developing oral health problems. Patients should schedule a visit with their dentist every six months to get a checkup and cleaning so that problems can be caught early and treated easily.
Contact The Florida Center for Laser Dentistry at (727) 862-8513 or schedule an appointment online to learn more about ways to maintain oral health. We are located at 12124 Cobble Stone Dr, Hudson, FL 34667.