You May Not Realize That These Habits Are Harming Your Teeth

Most people overlook their habits because they are used to them. They may also fail to see the damage that they may be causing. There are plenty of habits that are harming your teeth, and you need to keep them at bay. We highly recommend consulting Meadows Family Dentistry in Castle Rock if you are suffering from dental health issues.

Here are some habits you may not realize are harming your teeth

• Grinding Your Teeth: Teeth grinding is an unhealthy habit that can cause your jaws and teeth to suffer over time. It commonly results in jaw misalignment, chronic facial pain, and fractured or chipped teeth.
• Smoking and Chewing Tobacco: Smoking and chewing tobacco stain your teeth and can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss over time.
• Nail Biting: Nail biting, especially chronic nail-biting, displaces your teeth, puts them at a higher risk of breaking, and causes tooth enamel to splinter.
• Chewing on Ice, Pencils, or Pens: Our teeth are for biting through things, not crunching against them. Chewing on ice or plastics, like pens or pencils, can cause dental health problems over time. Ice especially is a cold solid, and that is more problematic. Even blenders require special blades to crush ice; that is how hard and devastating ice is.
• Brushing too Hard: Regular brushing is essential for good dental health, but brushing too hard can cause your teeth and gums to suffer. Brush regularly and neatly, not aggressively, because that does more harm than good.
• Drinking too Much Coffee: Similar to smoking and chewing tobacco, coffee is a stain magnet for your teeth. Regular coffee consumption can turn your teeth yellow and is even more damaging if you add a lot of sugar.
• Using Teeth as Tools: Using your teeth as tools to open bottles, packages, or to tear tape or cloth is always a bad idea. It can easily crack or chip your teeth, especially if they are weak, to begin with.
• Kids Sucking their Thumb: Thumb sucking is good for teething infants but not good for kids ages 4 or up. This is because it can cause their teeth to misalign or cause them to get an overbite. Often misalignment requires orthodontic treatment to overcome and correct your kids' teeth alignment.

Avoid these habits if you want to maintain your dental health and keep your teeth functioning for longer. It may take some time to overcome some of these habits, but it will be well worth it, not only for your dental health but your overall wellbeing.

If you live in or around Castle Rock, Colorado, and want to learn more about habits that are harming your teeth, then be sure to consult Dr. Preston Polson with Meadows Family Dentistry. He is the best dentist in Castle Rock, with over 16 years of experience in the field of family dentistry.

To learn more about Meadows Family Dentistry, Dr. Polson, or to schedule an appointment, please visit our website today.