4 Bad Habits to Avoid for a Healthy Smile

People tend to collect bad habits, often little things that we do throughout our daily lives that we’d probably be better off without. Many of these habits, such as smoking cigarettes and eating junk food, can negatively impact our health.

Breaking bad habits is hard, especially when we don’t know that our habits are bad for us. However, part of having good oral health is having good habits like brushing, flossing, and avoiding behaviors that are damaging to your teeth and gums.

Here are four bad habits to avoid for a healthier smile.

Overbrushing

Brushing your teeth twice a day or after every meal is vital to your oral health, but did you know that brushing too much or too hard can actually be detrimental?

Brushing too often or too vigorously can irritate your gums and wear on your enamel. Instead, grip your toothbrush lightly, brushing at a gentle 45-degree angle, and use a toothbrush with soft bristles recommended by the American Dental Association.

Nail-Biting

Biting your nails not only leaves your nails jagged and chewed up, it is also bad for your oral health. For starters, keratin, the material our nails are made of, is a particularly hard substance that can actually cause your teeth to shift or crack over time.

Furthermore, the buildup of dirt and other substances under your nails can introduce a host of new bacteria into your mouth as you chew, putting you at greater risk of infection and gum disease.

Misusing Your Teeth

Teeth are not tools. Using them to open bags of chips, stubborn toothpaste tubes, and beer bottles puts undue stress on them that they simply weren’t made for. This habit doesn’t just wear down your enamel, it can result in severely chipped or broken teeth.

Smoking Cigarettes

There are approximately a million reasons not to smoke cigarettes, but here are a few more.

Smoking tends to dry out the oral cavity, and a dry mouth is the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. On top of the irritation that leads to gum inflammation, smoking is positively linked to a multitude of oral health concerns, from tooth decay to gum disease, and even oral cancer.

Windcrest Cosmetic and General Dentistry helps patients in San Antonio with compassion and expertise. Contact our friendly practice today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wright.