Health & Wellness

9 Most Surprising Things that can Damage your Teeth You must Know!

Did you know the surprising things that can damage your teeth? Getting healthy and beautiful teeth may take a lifetime of care. To achieve good shape and color of teeth, you should take the right steps and avoid such habits that can harm them. You might be brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, but that is not enough.

Some prevalent habits of everyday can damage your teeth without realizing that they are getting decayed or creating cavities. You may think many things are right for your teeth, but you could be, in reality, doing more damage.

You should use the right oral care products to maintain dental hygiene and be mindful of the lifestyle patterns that can affect your teeth in the wrong way.

Fortunately, dental care has advanced now, and Dentists advise you of 9 things that you should never do to your teeth to keep them healthy and keep you smiling always. To ensure that you never mistreat your teeth, consider the following things that you should avoid-

9 Common things that can Damage your Teeth

1. Brushing Soon After the Meals

Brushing after meals is a wise decision but immediately after you have eaten is a complete no-no.

When you have high acid food such as tea, coffee, juices, smoothie; your teeth enamel becomes weak. And, if you immediately brush your teeth after consuming such food items, you can damage them.

Always wait for at least half an hour after a meal or drink to brush your teeth. Otherwise, you can rinse your mouth with water.

2. Drinking too many Dark and Sipping them Slowly

Drinks with darker colors have lower ph. These drinks are highly acidic, which can corrode your teeth and give them a bad stain as well. You may have observed that your teeth become yellow after a while if you are a regular coffee drinker.

You should avoid drinking too many of such drinks. Also, when you are sipping on these sweet drinks slowly, you expose your teeth to sugar for an extended time, which is harmful to your enamel.

3. Using Unprotected Brushes

Never use a toothbrush that has been left on a counter clustered with other toothbrushes. You will just be inviting lots of bacteria and other harmful pathogens.

An unprotected brush can carry dangerous fecal matter, which can give you infections. Always keep your brush-covered and store it in a medicine cabinet.

4. Using Mouthwash and Not Rinsing Afterwards

Yes, the use of mouthwash is an excellent way to kill all the bacteria that you might have missed while flossing and brushing. But the alcohol present in these mouthwashes can do some severe damage to your teeth.

Alcohol in mouthwashes can make your mouth dry, and bacteria live in dry conditions. Ensure that you pick up an alcohol-free mouth wash and rinse your mouth with clean water after using it.

Also Read: How to get rid of Toothache Fast at Home

5. Chewing Ice

Do not chew on ice because you can easily break a tooth or dislodge a filling. It is like biting a rock; you should know that even though your teeth are relatively healthy, they are not made to hold such pressure.

6. Chewing non Eatable Items

We understand some people have the habit of chewing on things when they have anxiety or only nervous. But in any case, this can cause potential harm to your teeth. The pressure you are applying to the teeth can lead to shifting your teeth or chipping.

Moreover, this can harm your alignment too. Next time if you need to chew on something, then consider getting a sugarless chewing gum.

Also Read: How to Heal Tooth Decay And Reverse Cavities

7. Using Teeth as a Tool

While you are trying to juggle with too many things in your hands, you might have the habit of using your teeth as an extra tool. But this can harm your teeth’s enamel, even with a little pressure.

Holding small things with your teeth can make your enamel splinter. Please do not use your teeth to open bottles or rip open plastic bags because it can only result in fractured teeth.

8. Incorrect Flossing

Most of you might already know the benefits of flossing and might be doing it every day as well. But unfortunately, people do not know the right way to floss their teeth.

First of all, you should always floss before you brush your teeth. As flossing makes sure to get rid of stuck up bits of food that cannot be done by toothbrushes; it is advised to do the routine before brushing.

Take our floss and gently pass it through two of your teeth; you should be moving it in upward and downward directions gently without applying too much pressure; otherwise, you can harm your gums. You can also get ready to use gentle flossers from drug stores.

9. Eating too Many Snacks

People have the habit of munching on snacks all the while. This habit is extremely bad for your teeth as your eating gets stuck in your teeth and creates cavities.

The saliva in your mouth dissolves the leftover bits of food that you eat and washes it down, but when you keep consuming, more saliva is created but in lesser amounts, which is not enough to wash away the remaining food stuck between your teeth.

Yes, avoiding and correcting these habits is very important, and try to include some healthy replacements such as having crunchy fruits and vegetables, drinking a lot of water, etc.

Also, keep in mind that you should not always drink bottled water because the fluoride present in your tap water gives you natural protection against decay and promotes remineralization.

In Closing

Your habits are crucial for your teeth’s health. Even after using the right dental care products and incorporating the proper lifestyle habits, we would advise you to visit a dentist twice every year to keep that beautiful smile of yours intact.

Dr Maria

MD. Board Certified physician. Fellowship In Family Medicine UK. 8 years of medical experience in Lifestyle-related health disorders. Graduated from AIIMS – All India Institute Of Medical Science, INDIA

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