It’s common knowledge that regular brushing and flossing are essential when it comes to taking care of your teeth. However, keeping your smile healthy and intact takes more than just a great dental routine. In fact, you could be causing it some serious damage every day with a few unconscious behaviors. Read on as your Chesterton dentist reveals five bad habits for your oral health and what you can do to protect your smile.
Nightly Teeth Grinding
Grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw in your sleep is a condition known as bruxism. You may not realize you grind your teeth since it usually happens at night, but you’re bound to notice the symptoms. Bruxism wears away at your enamel, which causes your teeth to become sensitive, weakened, and susceptible to breaking. Your dentist will be able to tell if you have this oral health issue and create a custom nightguard to keep your smile strong.
Chewing on Hard Objects
Do you chew on things when you’re bored, anxious, or frustrated? Unfortunately, chewing on objects like pen caps, ice, or fingernails can easily chip or crack your teeth. You also risk damaging your soft tissues, which could become infected. If you really need to chew on something, try a piece of sugar-free gum or a crunchy apple.
Brushing Too Hard
Brushing with extra force doesn’t remove any more plaque or tartar than regular toothbrushing. In fact, sawing away at your teeth can wear down your enamel and cause tooth sensitivity. You could also irritate your gums and cause them to pull away from your teeth, revealing the vulnerable tooth roots underneath. If your toothbrush bristles are squashed, there’s a good chance you need to slow down and practice gently massaging your teeth and gums with a soft bristled toothbrush.
Eating Gummy or Crunchy Snacks
While it’s common knowledge that sugary snacks are bad for your teeth, some are worse than others. Chewy, gummy candies and crunchy potato chips can be especially hard on your oral health since they can easily get stuck between your teeth or damage fillings. As you cut back on the junk food, try to limit these ones first!
Skipping Dental Checkups
You should be getting a dental checkup every six months even if your teeth look and feel fine. Most oral health issues like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer progress unnoticed until they’ve caused enough damage to be uncomfortable. Your dentist can identify warning signs that you can’t see or feel yet, and then put a stop to them. Routinely getting your dental checkups twice a year boosts the chances of detecting issues as early as possible, which can save you time, money, and your healthy smile in the long run!
About the Practice
From simple checkups to more advanced dental treatments, our highly skilled team of dentists at Advanced Dental Concepts in Chesterton, IN is here to help. With outstanding patient amenities and state-of-the-art technology and techniques, they strive to make every appointment as easy, effective, and comfortable as possible. If you’re overdue for a checkup, they’d love to help you keep your smile happy and healthy. To learn more, feel free to contact them via their website or at (219) 926-7595.