4 Bad Habits That Can Damage Your Smile

Oral health is not just about brushing your teeth twice a day. It refers to your overall oral health. It involves much more than just having clean teeth and healthy gums. Here are some bad dental habits that can take a toll on your oral health.

Nail Biting

Nail biting is a common bad habit that can cause damage to your teeth and gums and overall oral health. Sometimes, people bite their nails when they are nervous or bored. Other times, they bite their fingernails because they like the taste or the sensation that they receive from putting their teeth to work. Whatever the reason might be for engaging in this bad habit, it should not be done because it can lead to some serious dental health issues.

Nails are dirty and harbor bacteria and other germs. This makes them the perfect place for bacteria to multiply and grow. When these germs enter your bloodstream through your gums, they can travel to your heart and cause heart disease or other health-related problems. In addition to the health risks, you can also damage your teeth by biting your nails. Some people will chip or break their teeth while biting them, which is not only painful but also expensive to fix. You might also cause trauma to the soft tissue inside your mouth when you chew on hard objects like nails. A cracked or avulsed tooth is an emergency that may require a root canal and a crown to restore the appearance and health of your tooth. An infection of the soft tissue inside of your cheeks can occur as well, requiring antibiotics to heal the infection.

If you know that you are engaging in this bad habit, try to quit as soon as possible so that you can avoid the many health and dental issues that it could cause. If you can’t seem to quit on your own, consult with your dentist to discuss possible treatment options that could help you kick your bad habit for good.

Smoking

There are many ways that you can damage your teeth and gums with habits that are seemingly harmless. For example, you might not think that smoking cigarettes can do a lot of damage to your mouth. However, it can cause discoloration of your teeth and irritate your gums. This can cause gum disease, which will make your smile look less attractive and cause other problems. Depending on how much and how frequently you smoke, you could also develop oral cancer. You should quit today if you want to improve your oral health!

Smokers are more likely to suffer from more problems when it comes to their oral health than non-smokers. This is because chemicals in cigarettes can weaken the bone in your jaw, making tooth loss more likely. After all, the mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body, so any infections in the mouth can spread to other parts of the body. Quitting now is the best thing you can do for your overall health as well as the health of your mouth.

Brushing Teeth Aggressively

Sometimes patients think of brushing their teeth as a contest to see how fast they can brush them. While it may seem like a good idea to brush your teeth as quickly as possible, it’s more important to brush your teeth the correct way. When patients brush too quickly, they may actually damage the enamel on their teeth. Enamel is the outermost layer of a tooth and helps protect the inner layers from decay. It’s important to keep this layer intact by brushing effectively and properly. Patients shouldn’t press too hard or scrub too vigorously, as this can erode enamel over time. Instead, they should use a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste to clean all surfaces of their teeth and the gum line. It may take a bit longer, but it’s worth it to preserve the health and appearance of your teeth.

Teeth Grinding

While most of the habits on this list are preventable, it can be hard to stop yourself from clenching or grinding your teeth. If you wake up with sore jaw muscles or have unexplained headaches, you may be grinding your teeth at night and not even know it! This habit can wear down your enamel and cause tooth sensitivity, so talk to your dentist about possible treatment options.

If you have the habit of teeth grinding, we can provide you with a custom night guard that will significantly help to prevent you from damaging your teeth while you sleep. Night guards may also protect you from developing TMJ disorder by lessening the pressure on your jaw joints. Ask our dentists for more information about this protective appliance.

Please schedule an appointment online or call the Dentist in Sacramento, CA, at (916) 481-2001 to have a consultation with Dr. Talluri. We also serve areas including Sacramento 94203, Carmichael 95608, Arden-Arcade 95825, North Highlands 95660, and Citrus Heights 95621.