Teeth are one of the most important aspects of our appearance, yet we often take them for granted. We can all admit we don’t brush our teeth as often as we should or indulge in unhealthy foods and drinks. If you’re not careful, these bad habits can lead to problems with your teeth, so let’s discuss five things you could be doing to ruin your teeth.
Not Visiting the Dentist
One thing you could be doing that could be ruining your teeth, or at least not improving them, is not visiting the dentist. Many people have a strange idea about when to see the dentist, which is often when things are already going very wrong.
However, the best time to visit the dentist is before something goes wrong, to prevent things from happening. For example, if you have dentures, it’s crucial to visit a top rated denturist at least twice a year since the shape and size of your gums or jaw can change over time. You should also see your dentist if your tooth is slightly aching. Putting it off thinking that it might get better with time only leads to your tooth getting much worse and eventually needing to be removed.
Drinking Alcohol and Caffeine
If there’s one thing related to dental health that most people aren’t aware of, it’s the fact that your saliva is one of the best things for your teeth. This is because one of the things that saliva does is remove acids stuck on your teeth. If your mouth is not producing a lot of saliva, acid is not being washed away.
When you drink alcohol, it exposes your teeth to sugars and dries out your mouth, which makes it difficult for your mouth to produce the saliva your teeth need. In addition to this, when you drink caffeine, it has a similar effect, but with more added sugar, this can prime your teeth for cavities.
Eating Sugary or Acidic Foods
As mentioned above, one of the worst things for your teeth would be sugar, and eating food with a lot of added sugar is also as bad as having multiple cups of tea or coffee with added sugar. This means that if you want to promote great teeth, you should consider eating less sugary foods.
You might not realize this, but another thing that is relatively bad for your teeth is smoothies made from various fruits. Even though this is healthy, it is not so great for your teeth, especially since fruits such as oranges contain citrus, which is acidic, and they have it in high concentrations. So, try to drink water directly after having a smoothie so that it can be washed off of your teeth to prevent the erosion of enamel.
Brushing or Flossing Too Much
Many people are under the impression that if you brush as frequently as possible, you can prevent tooth decay and keep your teeth nice and white. However, the issue with this is that if you brush too much, you can actually end up removing the enamel on your teeth, which helps protect them.
More than this, if you floss, you might notice that some of your gums tend to bleed. This lets you know that you have done a good job of flossing. However, if you floss too much, your gums get damaged and you risk getting an infection. This can become a serious dental problem over time, and to resolve it before it’s too late, you need to visit a reputable dental clinic like East Kildonan Dental Group, where they take care of all your dental needs and give you professional tips on how to floss and brush properly.
Not Brushing or Flossing
On the flip side, if you are not brushing your teeth enough or flossing, this is also damaging for your teeth. Throughout the day, plaque can build up on your teeth, and if you do not brush your teeth, this can lead to the erosion of the enamel. It is generally recommended to brush your teeth at least three times a day after meals.
Flossing can be done once a day, preferably at the end of the day, to remove all stuck food items in the cracks between your teeth that the toothbrush can’t reach. As mentioned above, flossing too much is not good for your gums, so once a day is a good amount.
