Bad Habits That Can Affect Your Oral Health

Good oral habits are essential to healthy teeth and gums. Habits such as smoking, chewing on ice, nail-biting, and grinding teeth can negatively affect our oral health. Here are some of the lifestyle factors and habits that can have a negative impact on your oral health.

Nail biting

Nail biting is a bad habit that not only looks bad but also affects your dental health. While it isn’t considered a major dental issue, it can lead to more serious oral problems if left untreated. Nail biting often occurs subconsciously and out of nervousness or stress, but it can become a serious compulsion and interfere with your daily life.

If you have a serious nail-biting problem that is affecting your life, seek professional help. Talk to your doctor about potential behavioral therapy to help alleviate the urge to bite nails.

Additionally, if you have damaged teeth due to nail biting, contact our office to schedule a consultation today. We can help you repair any damage you have caused and restore your smile to its original beauty.

Chewing ice cubes

Keep in mind that if you chew ice regularly, you can cause symptoms associated with TMJ disorder, like jaw pain, headaches, earaches, and more! In addition to being hard and bad for your teeth, chewing ice can crack a tooth or damage your dental restoration. So, refrain from chewing ice cubes. If this occurs, give us a call right away so we can repair the damage and save your tooth!

Teeth Grinding

Many patients grind their teeth at night while they sleep. This is a problem because, over time, grinding can wear down the teeth and cause jaw pain. To stop this habit, it’s important to wear a night guard to protect your teeth from the damage caused by grinding. Ask your dentist for more information about customized night guards and how they can help you.

Thumb-sucking

Thumb-sucking is a habit that many young children have. This can cause problems with the way that the teeth grow, which can lead to problems when the permanent teeth come in. It can also lead to shifting teeth, ear infections, or even bite issues like an overbite or underbite. Children should stop thumb-sucking by age four, but if they are still doing it after age 5, you may want to consider professional help for them to break the habit.

Biting and chewing foreign objects

Some people use their teeth as tools for cutting thread, opening packages, and much more. While this is a habit that can be stopped easily, it can lead to chipping, cracking, or even breaking your teeth. It can also affect your smile and cause problems with your jaw muscles.

Brushing too hard

While brushing your teeth and being thorough are important, it is also important not to brush too hard or too often. If you brush your teeth too aggressively, you can actually wear away the enamel of your tooth structure. This can cause tooth sensitivity and even tooth erosion over time.

In addition to causing tooth damage, aggressive brushing can also contribute to gum recession because the gums cannot grow back as quickly as the enamel on a tooth can erode. Gum recession is a big deal because exposed roots can become susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.

Louie Family Dentistry is dedicated to providing the best care for your health. To know more about ways to maintain good oral health, visit our office at 41268 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538. Please contact us at (510) 656-7778.