Good dental hygiene is important in protecting your teeth. There are many bad habits that we are used to that can ruin teeth. It is easier when these habits are practised since childhood. This is why children need a strict brushing routine in the morning and night. Once they get into the habit, they can practice it to adulthood as well.
One habit that is very difficult to get rid of is nail biting. People can get into this from childhood and there is certain damage it can cause. In addition to damaging nails, this habit can damage teeth as well by chipping. Sometimes, it can cause jaw dysfunction as well. There are many ways you can try to get rid of this habit such as using a bitter tasting nail polish. If you have experienced a chipped tooth as a result of this habit, you can contact a dentist Berwick for cosmetic dentistry. While brushing is very important, there is a right way of brushing. If you brush too hard, it can actually damage your teeth and irritate your gums. Instead of scrubbing hard at your teeth, you have to gently massage them with the brush. Your dentist can further demonstrate how to properly brush teeth.
Teeth grinding can be a habit that is hard to kick. Sometimes you may not even realise you are doing this; many people tend to grind teeth during sleep. So it can be very difficult to control or stop. To prevent teeth from getting damaged by this habit, you can use a mouthguard at night. If this is not controlled, it can lead to the wearing of teeth over time. Something we have all done at some point or other is ripping open a package with teeth or opening a bottle cap with teeth.
This can cause cracks or chips in teeth. So while it can be tempting to use your teeth instead of going to find a pair of scissors, think about the impact it has on your teeth. While sweets are bad for your teeth, there are particular sweets that you’ll need to watch out for. For example, gummy sweets can stick to the teeth and the sugar can stay in contact with the teeth for a longer time. And fizzy drinks have a large amount of sugar. Even if you switch to the diet or sugar free options, you are still dealing with acids that are in the form of sweeteners.
Another bad habit that people are used to is chewing on ice cubes. If this is done continuously, the soft tissues inside the teeth can become irritated and you will start to get toothaches. Extremely hot and cold temperatures are not food for teeth and they can trigger sharp pains when exposed. This is more prevalent in people who have sensitive teeth. When playing contact sports, it is very important to wear a mouthguard as you can get a chipped tooth or even get a tooth knocked out. You should also know what to do in the event a tooth gets knocked out. If the tooth cannot be inserted back into the socket, you will need to immerse it in milk and visit a dentist right away.