6 Surprising Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

There are some things that we know we should not do if we want to maximize our dental health.

We know that sugar is bad for teeth, we know that missing dental appointments is bad for dental health, and many of us even know that tongue piercings can cause tooth movement, chipping, or even bacterial infection.

But beyond this, there are also a host of other behaviours that can affect your dental health, some of which you might not know about.

To help you towards better dental health, Warner Lakes Dental would like to introduce you to some habits that you might think are safe, or even good for you, but that can have negative effects on your dental health.

Brushing Issues

1) Brush after every meal? Some people believe it is best to brush after every meal. In fact, you should wait for 30 – 40 minutes to allow saliva to naturally neutralise the low PH in the mouth caused by food and drinks before brushing. If you brush directly after eating, the acid in the mouth gets brushed into the teeth and causes erosion and loss of tooth enamel, making the teeth sensitive and weaker over time.

Instead, consider brushing your teeth as soon you wake up to brush away the bacteria that has formed in your mouth overnight. This is particularly true if the food you have eaten is particularly acidic!

2) Brush vigorously? Another common misconception is that you should brush as hard as you can. In fact, it’s often better for your gums and teeth if you use a soft brush and light touch.

The plaque and bacteria that build up on your teeth are more effectively removed with a light, gentle scrub. If you brush too hard, you risk gum recession and you don’t clean your teeth as efficiently as you could.

Here are a few tips if you are one of those people who brush too hard:

• Practice brushing gently.
• Find a new angle. Don’t brush perpendicular to your gums – make sure that your toothbrush bristles touch your gums at a 45-degree angle.
• Use an electric toothbrush. If you can’t seem to brush more softly, get a machine to do it for you! Electric toothbrushes give your teeth and gums a steady, consistent and gentle scrubbing, just like the professional teeth cleaning at your Warner Lakes Dental

Daily Life

3) Don’t use your teeth as a tool – Spend the extra time to find your scissors instead of opening that bag of crisps with your pearly whites. Using teeth to open bags, bite nails, and do things like open bottles is particularly dangerous. Your teeth aren’t built for that kind of shearing action. If you are an adult, your teeth’s edges have worn down over the years, which makes it easier to injure the edge of a tooth if you accidentally catch it incorrectly on a hard surface. 

Health Related Issues

4) Drinking too many of sports beverages – If you play sports or are a workout warrior, you might turn to high powered energy drinks for a little boost. The problem is that they are overflowing with sugar. If are going to drink them, be sure to brush your teeth afterwards, and drink with a straw if possible. Even better? Just switch to water.

5) Grinding your teeth. When we exert ourselves while exercising, particularly in activities such as weightlifting, we have a tendency to tense our muscles, including those in our jaw. This can lead to tooth grinding.

6) Playing sports without a mouth-guard. Congratulations to Jeff Horn for winning the WBO welterweight title! Did you notice that despite trading hard blows, and sustaining some damage to his face, Horn finished the fight with a big smile? Why? Mouth-guard, mouth-guard, mouth-guard! If you indulge in any contact sports, a fitted mouthguard from your Warner Dentist is a must!

The Warner Lakes Dental Care Experience

Warner Lakes Dental is a family friendly, prevention oriented, patient-centered dental office that offers a full range of services to our community.

Warner Lakes Dental wants your visit to be the easiest and most comfortable dental experience that you’ve ever had, and one with little or no anxiety! From parking to treatment, we try to make the entire process as simple and painless as possible!

Visit us at our conveniently located office: 1185 Old North Road Warner QLD 4500.

Call us for information on Warner Lakes Dental (07) 3448 0162 or visit us online.