Avoid These 10 Bad Dental Habits
For the most part, people in the United States are fortunate enough to be educated in the right way to care for their teeth. While there are exceptions, most of us know the drill… no pun intended! At least the bare minimum of daily oral hygiene should be second nature. But there are places where we slip up. We’re going to talk about the top 10 bad dental habits that are negatively affecting your oral health.
In this article, City Dental Centers discusses some of the most common negative dental habits that even individuals who know how to properly care for their teeth may slip up with on occasion. Steering clear of the list of top 10 bad dental habits will make all the difference in keeping your mouth in tip-top shape for years to come.
Keep in mind smoking didn’t make the list as we focused primarily on habits that were less obvious and common to most individuals, but smoking is also detrimental to the health of your teeth. Read along and consider which of these habits you may have and be able to improve upon.
The Top 10 Bad Dental Habits to Avoid
Chewing Ice
Chewing ice has been attributed to everything from iron deficiency to obsessive-compulsive disorder. While both possibilities have other avenues to be treated aside from dental, if chewing ice is simply a bad habit of yours, you may want to consider the health of your teeth as a reason to stop. Chewing ice can damage the teeth over time and as such, this habit should be corrected as soon as possible.
Using Teeth as Tools
Using your teeth as tools can be incredibly damaging. Whether it’s ripping a bag open or taking the bottle cap off a beer bottle (yes, people do that), be careful with how you use your teeth. They are meant to chew food. They are not tools!
Skipping the Second Teeth Brushing
Most people know to brush twice a day. The first one in the morning comes pretty naturally, but sometimes a late night leads to the second brush being neglected. Make sure to always save time to brush your teeth twice a day. It is incredibly important.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding, whether at night while you sleep or during the day, damages your teeth over time. If it’s a serious enough problem, your dentist may recommend a mouth guard at night. During the day, you simply need to be mindful of factors that cause teeth grinding and try to reduce them, whether they be related to anxiety or compulsive habits.
Brushing Too Hard
Not brushing properly is one of the worst of the 10 bad dental habits that harm your tooth health. Improperly brushing can cause problems whether you are not brushing enough or brushing too hard when you actually do. Being rough with your brushing can harm the gums and even damage the teeth over time.
Biting Pencils, Pens, Etc.
Another compulsive habit, and an unsanitary one at that! Use your writing and other tools as they are intended and keep them out of your mouth!
Nail Biting
Like other compulsive habits, nail biting is also damaging to the teeth. Not only that, but it can cause infection in your nails as well! Keep your nails trimmed with clippers. Some compulsive nail biters report overcoming the problem by keeping a pair of nail clippers on them so they have an alternative to biting. This is useful at least until the habit is overcome.
Bad Diet
A bad diet remains one of the top 10 bad dental habits that are bad for your teeth. And we understand why. The convenience of unhealthy food and drink that may be available through fast-food chains or quickie marts doesn’t make things any easier. Consider the benefits of a healthy diet on your teeth, including both their functionality and appearance. Healthy food can be much tastier than unhealthy food as well! It isn’t always more expensive either. It may be cheaper, in fact.
Sipping Sugary Substances
Sipping sugary substances like soda will erode the teeth over time. Be aware not only of how much you consume sugary substances but also how you consume them.
Neglecting to Floss
Finally, neglecting floss is the biggest of the 10 bad dental habits you need to avoid. Flossing is incredibly important, but it is one of the most common daily dental hygiene acts that is skipped. Flossing really isn’t that hard, but a lot of individuals think it is a pain and like to skip it.
The reality is that brushing, while effective in removing bacteria and plaque from the teeth, is not 100% effective in getting between the teeth. This is why flossing is so important. Flossing reaches where the brush cannot. Effective flossing is necessary to care for your teeth and should be done at least once daily.
Choose City Dental Centers for Your Care
Experiencing the care of City Dental Centers is an opportunity that will change how you view dentistry as a whole. Few dentists can claim the personal attention they give to their patients while keeping up to date with the latest changes in technology, putting quality as top priority, and maintaining quality control through their own, exclusive dental lab. If you’re ready to experience the difference, contact City Dental Centers to make an appointment today!
Convenient Dentist Offices in Southern California
Doctor Sam Shahovesi and the team at City Dental Centers are here to provide our patients with the best dental services and dental surgeries for children and adults of all ages. From toddlers to seniors, City Dental Centers offers six convenient dentist offices in Southern California. We even have a dedicated children’s dentist office, City Dental Kids & Braces, to cater to the special physical and emotional needs of children.
Whether you need checkups, x-rays, braces, bonding, teeth whitening, sealants, oral cancer screenings, root canals, crowns, bridges, implants, or tooth extraction, City Dental Centers is here to make the process as easy and comfortable as possible.
Contact The Nearest Dentist to You
Ready to experience the best dentists in Los Angeles? Choose one of the convenient dental offices we have surrounding LA. We have dental practices in Azusa, Corona, Lake Forest, Montclair, Pico Rivera, and West Covina. You can call our main line at (888) 624-8933 or reach out to an office directly with the information below. We’re so happy you’ve chosen City Dental Centers. We can’t wait to help you along your dental journey and brighten your beautiful smile!
Dentist in Azusa, CA
Location: 483 S. Citrus Ave. Azusa, CA 91702
Phone: (626) 966-3400
Dentist in Corona, CA
Location: 161 McKinley St. STE 102, Corona, CA 92879
Phone: (951) 737-3746
Dentist in Lake Forest, CA
Location: 24602 Raymond Way #210, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Phone: (949) 461-5800
Dentist in Montclair, CA
Location: 5182 Moreno St, Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: (909) 295-3477
Dentist in Pico Rivera, CA
Location: 9400 Whittier Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660
Phone: (562) 949-2526
Dentist in West Covina, CA
Location: 154 Plaza Dr, West Covina, CA 91790
Phone: (626) 962-1722