The teeth are the hardest substances in the human body. Besides being essential for chewing, the teeth play an important role in speech.
A normal adult mouth has 32 teeth, however, in the course of one’s life, various teeth conditions may erupt like cavities, plaques, teeth sensitivities, grinding and so on.
A damaged or missing tooth can have far-reaching effects has a tremendous effects on your overall health and appearance.
Below are 15 habits that damage your teeth.
- Chewing on ice
It may be natural and sugar free but don’t think ice is harmless. Munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if chewing irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead
- Chewing on pencils
Do you ever chew on your pencil when concentrating on work or studies? Like crunching on ice, this habit can cause teeth to chip or crack. As earlier said, sugarless gum is a better option when you feel the need to chew. It will trigger the flow of saliva, which can protect your teeth against enamel-eating acids.
- Opening things with your teeth
Opening bottle caps or plastic bags with your teeth may be convenient for you, but this habit is not good for your teeth. Using your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip. Instead, keep scissors and bottle openers handy. Bottom line, your teeth should only be used for eating.
- Grinding teeth
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can wear teeth down over time. It is most often caused by stress and sleeping habits. This makes it hard to control. Avoiding hard foods during the day can reduce pain and damage from this habit. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the damage caused by grinding while sleeping.
- Constant snacking
Snacking produces less saliva than a meal, leaving food bits in your teeth for longer hours. Avoid snacking too frequently, and stick to snacks like carrot sticks that are low in sugar and starch.
- Tongue piercing
Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercing raises the risk of infections and sores.
- Binge eating
Binge eating often involves excessive amounts of sweets, which can lead to tooth decay. Binging and purging (bulimia nervosa) can do even more damage to dental health. The h5 acids found in vomit can erode teeth, making them brittle and weak. These acids also cause bad breath.
- Potato chips
This might be your favourite snack but the bacteria in plaque will break down starchy foods into acid. This acid can attack the teeth for the next 20 minutes — even longer. You might want to floss after eating potato chips or other starchy foods that tend to get stuck in the teeth.
- Fruit juice
Fruit juice is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, but unfortunately most juices are also loaded with sugar. Some juices can have as much sugar per serving as soda. Fruits are naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar. You can also reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water.
- Soda
Sodas can have up to 11 teaspoons of sugar per serving. To add insult to injury, sodas also contain phosphoric and citric acids, which eat away at tooth enamel. Diet soft drinks let you skip the sugar, but they may have even more acid in the form of the artificial sweeteners.
- Sports drinks
There’s no doubt a cold sports drink is refreshing after a good workout. But these drinks are usually high in sugar. Like soda or candy, sugary sports drinks create an acid attack on the enamel of your teeth. Drinking them frequently can lead to decay. A better way to stay hydrated at the gym is to drink water.
- Gummy candies
Gummies stick in the teeth, keeping the sugar and resulting acids in contact with your enamel for hours.
- Drinking coffee
Coffee’s dark colour and acidity can cause yellowing of the teeth over time. Fortunately, it’s one of the easiest stains to treat with various whitening methods.
- Smoking
Cigarettes, as well as other tobacco products, can stain teeth and cause them to fall out as a result of gum disease. Tobacco can also cause cancer of the mouth, lips and tongue
- Drinking wine
The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining. Red wine also contains a deep pigment called chromogen and tannins, which help the colour stick to the teeth. This combination makes it easy for the wine’s red colour to stay with you long after your glass is empty. Swishing with water after drinking or using toothpaste with a mild whitening agent can fight the staining effects of red and white wines.
