Four Dental Habits You Should Break
Almost everyone takes care of their teeth for health and aesthetic reasons. There are some common habits that should be avoided, to keep your teeth healthy and strong.
1. Not Flossing
Most people hate flossing because it takes too much time to floss in between each tooth. This habit is also very painful and bloody to those who do not floss often. Flossing can be a hassle for those who have teeth that are tightly arranged together as well. Flossing in-between your teeth is just as important as brushing your teeth as it removes plaque and build-up. The benefits of flossing are great for keeping your teeth white too.
2. Skipping Teeth Brushing at Night
After a long day, it can be difficult to go brush your teeth. Some people may ask themselves what the harm is in skipping brushing their teeth at night. After brushing your teeth in the morning, your mouth is carrying all the fragments of food and bits of bacteria that you have acquired throughout the day. The longer these microscopic sugars and bacteria live in your mouth, the more damage they are doing to your teeth. The average human spends about 8 hours asleep. Skipping brushing your teeth at night could mean that all that harmful debris will be working at breaking down tooth enamel and layers of the tooth for eight hours.
3. Opening Bottles with Your Teeth
There are many people who find it easy to open or unscrew bottles and caps with their teeth instead of using the designated utensils to open it for them. Teeth are surprisingly strong and durable for most eating. However, the common mistake made is that teeth are strong enough against metal, plastic or other non-edible materials. The truth is that depending on your diet this could deteriorate the protective coating on your teeth and cause breaks, cracks, or chips. Not only is this unsightly, but it can also be painful when eating tougher foods.
4. Grinding Teeth
The number of people who grind their teeth increases with nervous tics and/or the stress of day to day life. It has been reported that grinding your teeth is so damaging because the jaw is the human skulls’ largest bone. The strength of the jaw bone can cause many harmful effects such as earaches, headaches, lockjaw, and chronic jaw pain.