Five Habits to Break for a Better (and Healthier) Smile.
Keeping your mouth healthy means sticking to a healthy, daily dental routine. Unfortunately, many of our other routines can get in the way and keep us from having that healthy smile. Here are five bad dental habits to break:
Smoking
Smoking is one of the hardest habits to break. But if bad breath and yellow-stained teeth aren’t enough to make you want to extinguish the habit, know that smoking can lead to many other illnesses along with poor dental health. However, even if you have been smoking for a long time, quitting will greatly reduce your risk of cancers and tooth loss. Look into nicotine patches or recovery programs to help you quit smoking.
Thumb Sucking
This habit is seen in more adults than people realize. Sucking your thumb as a child can cause your teeth to have gaps in between them, leading to required orthodontic treatment later in life. While sucking your thumb as an adult has less risk of damaged teeth, it is still a good idea to quit the habit to be safe.
Not Flossing
Flossing is one of the most important things to do to maintain your oral health. Unfortunately, very few people actually floss their teeth every day. Your toothbrush is not able to reach all of the nooks and crannies in your mouth. Biofilms, like plaque and tartar build up in the hard-to-reach places of your mouth, degrading your gums and teeth. That is where floss comes in to finish the job. In order to prevent gum disease and tooth loss, you need to floss every day. (Check out the video below for a how-to guide on flossing. It’s easier than you think!)
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding is more common at night when you are asleep. If you wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, you probably grind your teeth. This can lead to broken teeth if not treated. To stop this habit, you can purchase a mouth guard to wear in bed to reduce friction in your mouth.
Cheek Biting
Biting your cheek can happen accidentally. While it is sore at the moment, it will not cause lasting damage. However, if this is a habit, similar to biting your nails, it can cause your cheeks to become irritated. Sores in your mouth can lead to painful infections and even mouth cancer further down the road.
The Final Say
Certain habits can really harm your mouth, teeth, and overall oral health. It is best to break these habits as soon as you can. If you notice that you engage in any of these habits simply to calm your nerves, you can consider speaking to a counselor and developing a healthier habits as coping skills.
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