Our oral health will depend on our habits. If we’re not careful with our habits, it will negatively affect the health of your teeth and gums. Sadly, most of us don’t even know we have those bad habits, so we end up damaging our oral health unknowingly. From ignoring oral care to not being judicious with food choices, bad habits can come in different ways and we have to first know them to prepare for them. Because, if we did not take a good care of our teeth and gums, our overall health and physical health would suffer.
Here are some of bad dental habits we should stop today itself –
1. Not brushing, flossing and rinsing regularly
Some of us take oral hygiene lightly and we don’t clean our teeth and gums regularly. We think that skipping oral hygiene won’t harm us in any manner. Well, this is a bad dental habit as not brushing or flossing means allowing plaque and food debris to accumulate and cause harm. When we don’t rinse, the germs in our mouth find a free reign and start multiplying which is never good from our oral health. So, make it a point to not skip brushing or flossing or rinsing even for a day else it can affect your oral health greatly.
2. Not using a right toothbrush and toothpaste
Most of us are not judicious when it comes to selection of toothbrush and toothpaste. For example, we pick any toothpaste based on TV ads thinking that it would help. Sadly, a majority of toothpastes in the market have only colours, sweetness and fragrance and nothing else. If they don’t have fluoride minerals, your teeth will always be at risk for cavities. Similarly, we continue to use the same toothbrush for months on end which is bad because their bristles get frayed or worn-out and can harm the enamel. We must change toothbrush every two to three months to avoid damage to our teeth.
3. Not being careful with food choices
Our teeth and gums are what we eat. Sadly, most of us are not careful with food choices hence our oral health suffers big time. Consuming sugary items and acidic drinks or foods can harm the teeth in a big way, so their intake should be controlled. Food and items like candies, chocolates, chips, tea, coffee, cake, bread etc. are bad for our oral health. We should rather focus on eating a balanced diet with items that are not harmful for our teeth, like yoghurt, milk, cheese, almond, carrot, leafy greens, whole grain, cucumber, apples etc.
4. Using teeth as a tool
Some of us feel blessed to the extent that we start using the teeth as a tool to cut open the packets or open the bottle or scratch the sachet. When we do this, the enamel is always at risk. In using out teeth as a tool, we put it risk for cracking, chipping, breaking or damage which we should never do. The teeth edges might snap or break leading to the danger of tooth decay over time. This is a bad dental habit and the earlier it’s ditched the better for your overall dental health.
5. Smoking and drinking alcohol
Tobacco is bad for our oral health. It not only discolours our pearly whites but also causes gum diseases. The chemicals and additives in tobacco can weaken the roots of the teeth an in worst cases, can lead to the risk of oral cancer. Similarly, drinking alcohol is a bad oral habit as it affects saliva production in the mouth. And when saliva is less in amount, your oral cavity may not be able to wash away food debris, plaque and bacteria so the risk of oral issues goes up.
6. Not drinking plenty of water daily
Most of us are guilty of not drinking lots of water on a daily basis even after knowing its utility for our oral health. Water helps us in many ways as it washes away plaque and food debris, neutralizes acidic elements and keeps the oral cavity hydrated. You can consult a top dentist Bushwick and he/she will also confirm the same regarding the benefits of water for your oral health.
