Top 3 Habits That Are Destroying Your Teeth
92% of adults between the ages of twenty and sixty-four have tooth decay. Around 5% of adults in this age range have no teeth at all. Those are two sobering statistics
For these people, tooth decay and loss is the result of poor dental hygiene. There are the obvious culprits: brushing infrequently, not flossing, ignoring checkups, and drinking too much coffee. There are the less obvious, but still commonplace, culprits: smoking cigarettes, eating acidic foods, and more.
There are five factors that will destroy your teeth and need to be cut out immediately.
We’ve listed them out below.
Learn them, avoid them, and contact us today if you need orthodontic dentistry or restorative work done.
Smoking Cigarettes
We mentioned this before because it’s one of the worst things you can do to your teeth. Smoking is bad all around, of course, but it has some seriously negative implications for your smile.
Smoking stains teeth, causes bad breath, decreases your sense of taste, and lowers your immune system’s ability to fight infections (like gum inflammation and infection). Not to mention it increases your likelihood of developing many different forms of cancer.
Although we’re talking about smoking tobacco, there are numerous negative implications to smokeless tobacco as well. This includes products like chewing tobacco, dip, and snus. Risks associated with smokeless tobacco include: oral cancer, tooth discoloration and decay, as well as tooth loss.
Eating Snacks
Snacking throughout the day is something we all do. We shouldn’t, though, and for more reasons than putting on a couple extra pounds. Snacking in the middle of the day (think an early afternoon yogurt or fruit cup) leads to food particles getting caught between your teeth. They stay there until you brush your teeth at night. The result is several hours of unchecked bacteria growth and potential tooth decay.
Another negative side effect of eating snacks is an increase in your mouth’s acid production and a decrease in saliva production. This acid begins to wear away at the enamel of your teeth, while the dip in saliva means more residual food particles will get stuck in your mouth.
This one-two punch of increased bacteria and acid and less saliva doesn’t lead anywhere good. Cut the snacking out of your daily routine and you should see an improvement in your dental health.
Grinding Your Teeth
Grinding your teeth is harmful, but the extent of the harm is surprising. Often thought of as no more than a bad habit, grinding your teeth is actually one of the most harmful things you can do to them.
Known medically as bruxism, grinding your teeth can wear down the biting surface over time. This leads to teeth fractures, which gather bacteria and have a tendency to become infected.
Another side effect of grinding your teeth is the loosening of the space between your teeth and gums. This open space, a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, is called a pocket and, trust us, you don’t want one.
If you need premier dental care in New York, contact us today. Our dental professionals offer unmatched cosmetic dental services.