Your family dentist reminds you on every visit to floss daily to keep plaque build-up in check, brush at least twice every day, and to make sure to keep your twice yearly dental visits to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned, polished, and examined for potential problems. But the discussion rarely turns to things you should NOT be doing for your dental health.
Tobacco use, whether it be with cigarettes, cigars, or chew, is harmful in so many ways. You already know about heart disease and lung cancer. But the dangers to your oral health are not just limited to major, life threatening problems like cancer. Periodontitis is more prevalent among tobacco users, and could lead to tooth loss. Your appearance is spoiled by dental stain, but how difficult do you think it would be to eat, speak, and smile after suffering from tooth loss.
Many people believe their teeth are appropriate for opening packages, however, scissors and letter openers were invented for a reason. Teeth are strong, but should never be used to rip into packages.
Nail biting is a habit that needs to be broken. This can damage dental enamel, impact your dental occlusion, and lead to worn down teeth. This would not happen overnight, and changes might be so subtle you may not even realize what’s happening until it’s too late and damage has been done.
We all know that sugary snacks, foods, and beverages are problematic to overall health (especially weight concerns). However, acidic foods are especially harmful for your teeth. You recognize things like citrus fruits as acidic, but we generally don’t sit down to suck on a lemon. One of the most commonly consumed acidic products is soda pop. Dental enamel erosion, plaque build-up, and dental stain are conditions attributable to regular soft drink consumption.
Broken, cracked, or chipped teeth can occur from biting down on anything hard, such as nuts, rock candy, and ice. The number of things that can do damage to teeth is lengthy. Teeth and the protective enamel covering are strong, but not invincible.
Your family dentist will provide all the information you need to maintain excellent dental health, but you need to become knowledgeable about the things you may be doing that can damage your teeth and risk your dental health for years to come.
Call our friendly and caring team at Richardson Dentistry today to learn more about how to care for your teeth!
