Your oral health is not only impacted by poor hygiene. Other things you do can introduce bacteria into the oral cavity, chip a tooth, or harm your gums. For example, frequent snacking and sugars harms the tooth enamel. With 3.5 billion people living with one oral disease, it helps to know more about how to avoid becoming a part of the statistics. With adequate knowledge on this subject, you can take better care of your teeth. Here are some common habits to avoid for better oral health:

Chewing ice cubes:

Pagophagia is the term used to describe the compulsive craving for ice cubes, frost, or snow. Medical researchers say it is a subtype of pica and is often triggered by iron deficiency. For some people, however, chewing ice cubes is a learned habit and, after a while, becomes difficult to stop. Indeed, a few ice cubes in a glass of water is a welcome drink on a hot day. The danger, however, is getting your teeth to chew through them.

Ice’s solid and cold nature makes it unfriendly to the teeth when chewed. It can cause cracks and chips or displace previous tooth fillings. Additionally, chewing ice can harm any other dental restoration you’ve done. A crack resulting from ice can go down to the base. It is painful and can be costly to repair. The recommended way to help stop this habit is to drink through a straw. That way, the temptation to slip a cube into your mouth is greatly reduced.

^^^ Pixabay Image

Thumb sucking:

Thumb sucking puts a lot of pressure on your kids’ permanent teeth, especially those in the upper front of the mouth. The sucking causes forward pressure on the upper front teeth, resulting in an altered appearance of the dentition. Apart from the impact on the teeth, the jaw structure can be affected too.

According to research, when permanent teeth cut through the gum, they naturally need more space. This is because permanent teeth are usually larger. Therefore, the thumb-sucking motion applies more pressure on the new set of teeth to overlap the lower ones. Sometimes, it can cause an overbite in a child’s dentition and they will need a local dentist to align the teeth and keep them in place. In the future, however, the solution is to help them stop thumb-sucking to prevent what can be costly repairs.

Brushing too hard:

In your attempt to whiten your teeth or remove stains, aggressive brushing can cause problems. It can result in enamel erosion and sore and receding gums. A soft bristle toothbrush is best for cleaning your teeth. This can be done before or after flossing. A report by the Wall Street Journal indicated that 20% of the population indulges in overbrushing. Consequently, many people have had to spend lots of money on gum grafting.

Vigorous brushing does not remove stains. You will need a dentist to do that job. Being overly diligent in your brushing can do more harm to your oral health. If you find yourself engaging in this habit, hopefully, this is your cue to be gentle with your dentition.

Taking good care of your teeth is just as important as taking care of the rest of your body. Quitting harmful habits will result in better oral health, which is a great reason to smile!

Featured Image By: Pixabay