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There are many things that can damage your smile and cause ongoing dental and oral issues. Not taking care of your teeth not only causes physical problems, but it also has an associated mental health side to it. From drinking fruit juice to eating sugary snacks, here are some of the most common things that can damage your teeth without you (mostly) knowing about it.
Skipping Dental Checkups
If you look after your teeth by brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, that’s great. However, you will notice problems even with the best routine. Dental care goes beyond doing the basics and requires a proactive approach. Booking a visit to a local clinic such as Modery Dental Practice is the first step to a better smile. Ongoing care and regular visits mean you can access professional care that aims to eliminate problems and prevent more from happening.
Drinking Fruit Juice
Okay, so you probably think you’re doing the right thing by staying healthy with fruit juices. Fruit juices are high in nutrients such as vitamins, but they are also high in acids. The acids from juice, such as orange and apple juice, can wear down the enamel on your teeth. When this happens, the root gets exposed, and you will feel sensitivity. Unfortunately, there are no home remedies for gum recession, and it requires costly surgery to fix. So watch those smoothies!
Grinding Will Damage Your Smile
Around 31% of people grind their teeth when awake, and about 10% when they’re asleep. Grinding (bruxism) is very damaging to teeth, especially over time. There are also links between mental health and dental health, and grinding can exacerbate some of these issues:
- The pressure from teeth grinding can cause a cycle of stress as the issue gets worse.
- Your sleep can also be affected by bruxism, resulting in daytime tiredness.
- The damage from bruxism can be costly to fix, causing ongoing money worries.
Eating Snacks All Day
Whether you are having a bad day at work or the house chores are getting to you, there’s nothing like reaching for your favorite snacks to pick you up. Maybe you are even trying to be healthy by eating Power Bars instead of Mars and Snickers! But guess what, even consumer bars contain high amounts of sugar. And as you know, sugar is the destroyer of teeth! A snack every now and then won’t do any harm, but three times a day will have a negative impact.
Using Your Teeth as a Tool
So, you’ve just finished a massive report and waited ten minutes for it to print out. Your boss is waiting for it to arrive on their desk, and you are eager to please. But alas, the stapler just messed up, and you need to pull it out. What do you do? Like everyone else, you use your teeth. Bad idea! Using teeth as a tool will eventually result in an injury such as a scraped gum, chipped tooth, or something worse. Never use your teeth for anything other than eating food,
Summary
Skipping dental checkups will damage your smile over the long term as dental care relies on proactive assessment. Of course, an ongoing dental issue such as bruxism will cause major dental problems over time, but not as bad as if you decide to use your teeth as a tool.
