Written By: Dr Runit Nangalia | Updated : March 4, 2014 7:10 PM IST
Everyone tells you to brush your teeth properly and not eat too many desserts or chocolates to avoid dental problems, but is that enough? You would be surprised to find out that there are a lot of other habits that can cause tooth-damage:
Habit #1: Teeth grinding or bruxism
Did you know that the upper and lower sets of teeth that we have should come in contact only for a little duration of time in a day and that should be during function such as chewing, talking or swallowing? Doing it more often is considered a parafunctional activity activities that are not considered habitual. If you notice that your upper and lower teeth are touching even when they don't need to, you might be suffering from something called tooth grinding or jaw clenching or bruxism. Such a tendency has the potential to literally grind tooth substance from the surfaces of the teeth. This will lead to shortening of the height of the teeth and may cause sensitivity of teeth in the long run. This tendency is triggered by stress and it's not uncommon to see lots of people grind away throughout the day and even in their sleep.
Habit #2: Drinking cola and sucking on lemons
If you're one of those people who love their aerated drinks, then there's bad news in store for you. Sodas and colas are acidic in composition and this acidity erodes the minerals from your teeth in a process called dental erosion. If left unchecked, it could lead to the yellowish discoloration of teeth and/or severe sensitivity. Sucking on acidic items like lemon or drinking too much white wine can also cause a similar problem. A good idea would be to reduce consumption of these. You can also use a straw while drinking aerated drinks. (Read: Top 10 foods for healthier teeth)
Habit #3: Brushing the wrong way
This could come as a shocker but brushing your teeth too vigorously or using a wrong brush can do more damage than good. Brushing should involve light strokes without putting too much pressure on the teeth. Our teeth, though hard structures, are not indestructible and brushing too hard can damage the structure. One should also avoid hard-bristle toothbrushes and use softer ones.
Also you need to know the proper way to brush. Most people randomly scrub their teeth and generally use a horizontal to and fro motion but that's actually bad for your teeth, especially the bit near the gum line. This will in the long run cause wear and tear to the base of the tooth near the gum line and in severe cases can even lead to dead teeth and damaged gums.
The ideal way to do it is to hold it so that the bristles are aligned at an angle of 45 degrees to the tooth surface and use vertical strokes starting at the junction of the tooth and the gums. Start from the back teeth. Brush 2 to 3 teeth at a time and then move to the next set of teeth. (Read: Are you brushing your teeth right?)
Habit #4: Breathing through your mouth and sucking your thumb
These are two habits which can cause a lot of damage in the childhood and adolescent growing phase of an individual. Thumb sucking as a habit may cause protrusion of upper front teeth and retrusion of lower front teeth. It can also cause the misalignment of teeth and can changes in the growth pattern of the jaws. Breathing through your mouth can also cause changes in growth of the jaws and face and also cause misalignment of teeth.
Habit #5: Using your teeth as a tool
Are you one of those people who love unscrewing bottles with your teeth or using it for other esoteric purposes like cracking open nuts, tearing packets and basically things for which it wasn't intended? Well you're likely to cause trauma to them which can be in the form of cracks, fractures of teeth or chipping away of parts and can be severe enough to warrant a root canal treatment. (Read: Top 10 causes of toothache)
Habit #6: Chewing on very hard food regularly
When you finish a drink and see that some ice is left in the glass, do you crunch on it? Do you love your betel nuts? Well, you should put an end to this habit soon as it can cause trauma to the teeth as explained above.
Habit #7: Using toothpowder or baking soda to whiten your teeth
Instead of using toothpaste are you in the habit of using baking soda or other kinds of abrasive toothpowders to give a bright white shine to your teeth? If it is so, you may be doing your teeth a great deal of harm. Toothpowders and baking soda are highly abrasive and when used on teeth may damage the tooth structure from the surface. Instead one should always use low abrasive fluoride toothpaste. (Read: Get whiter teeth with these 8 simple tips)
Habit #8: Using a toothpick to remove food
While toothpicks are almost ubiquitous in every restaurant they're not the best way to remove things stuck in your teeth. They can cause abrasions and damage the base of the teeth where they meet the gums which can lead to gum disease and other dental problems. A better option is to floss when you've got stuck something stuck between your teeth.
Habit #9: Using tobacco in various forms
Smoking, chewing tobacco, pan masala not only stain your teeth but also harm your gums and oral mucous membrane. These habits may lead to gum disease which could eventually lead to loss of tooth. And of course, these habits are also likely to cause oral and/or lung cancer. (Read: 10 reasons for yellowing teeth)
Habit #10: Biting your nails
A lot of people have the habit of biting their nails even as grown-ups. The microbes lodged under the nails freely enter the mouth and may also reach the stomach causing infections. The habit also causes damage to your teeth by wearing out the outermost layer of the teeth (called enamel). The edges of the teeth may wear out or also get cracked.
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