Our habits contribute to our health, no matter if we talk about physical health or mental health.
There are several aspects of physical health that are affected by our lifestyle choices and every habit. Our oral health is not an exception to this! Yes, you heard me right. There are many bad habits that destroy our oral and dental health and we keep on practising these, knowingly or unknowingly.
For instance, not checking our oral hygiene can result in gum diseases or oral infections. I remember one of my cousins developed pyorrhea as a result of improper oral hygiene. She then went to the best dentist in Multan who recommended going for surgical teeth cleaning. After multiple sessions, her oral health got better but it cost her a lot of trouble including both mental and financial. She could have saved herself only if she followed good oral hygiene practices.
This is just one of the many habits. The good part about these habits is that we can give up on them and improve our dental health to a greater extent. I am sure you must be curious to know what these habits are. Let’s get into the details and know about these.
What are the Habits that Destroy Your Teeth
Here are some of the worst habits that can destroy your oral health.
1- Using teeth as tools
Unable to open a bottle can, we use our teeth.
Similar is the case with opening the price tags or using your teeth for cracking nuts. In all these scenarios, we know we are using more teeth than we require.
Despite nature having designed human teeth to be stronger, it doesn’t mean that we can use them as a replacement for tools. This is one of the worst habits that tend to destroy our teeth and oral health. So, next time you are tempted to use your teeth as a replacement for tools, be mindful of the damage it causes to your teeth.
2- Biting nails
How many of us are habitual in biting our nails?
Well, sometimes as a bad habit or sometimes as a response to stress, many people do this. Despite knowing the side effects of nail biting on your health, we still do this. If you are habitual and looking for more reasons to give up on these bad habits, then be mindful that nail biting can wreak havoc on your oral health. There are bacteria under the nails that can cause infections, as well as nail biting, which can impact your teeth and jaws badly.
3- Thumb sucking
Just like nail biting, thumb sucking is next on the list of worst habits that destroy your oral health. Most children are habitual of thumb-sucking even to an extent that they have a completely altered thumb shape. Not only this, but thumb-sucking can also result in permanent changes in tooth and jaw structures. So, it is recommended to stop your children from doing it. You can try stopping them on your own or can even consult a therapist.
4- Ice chewing
You may find it odd but many people are addicted to chewing ice. But this habit can result in permanent and severe damage to your teeth. The reason is pretty clear. Ice cubes have a rigid structure and chewing on the cubes can result in teeth fractures. Not only this, but ice chewing can even cause damage to your dental fillings. Further, the cold temperature of ice cubes is another reason to abide by this habit.
5- Teeth grinding
You may be habitual of teeth grinding, knowingly or unknowingly. Many people do teeth grinding to deal with stress and anxiety. But the impact of this habit can go longer than we expect. Teeth grinding can result in wear and tear, exposing your teeth’ surface to decay. So, if you are prone to this bad habit, then consult your doctor to overcome it.
6-Inappropriate brushing
Brushing is good for your dental health but do you know that not being able to brush your teeth properly can cause damage to your oral health? Yes, brushing too hard is one such habit that can cause damage to your gums. Further, using a bad-quality toothbrush can also be the culprit behind your poor dental health. So, make sure to choose your toothbrush carefully and practice appropriate brushing techniques to protect your teeth and oral cavity.
Bottom Line!
All of these habits can cause damage to your teeth and oral cavity. However, we can minimize the extent of damage by avoiding these habits and following good dental practices. Other than this, be mindful that no matter how much you try you can’t control several factors that could result in poor oral health. So, make sure to not skip your routine dental checkups to keep an eye on your dental health.