Like most of us, you probably think brushing your teeth and visiting the dentist regularly is enough to keep your smile healthy. However, bad habits can risk your teeth, such as eating too many sugary treats or avoiding regular checkups. If you want to keep your precious pearly whites in top condition, you must understand which bad habits could damage them and work towards eliminating them from your daily routine. This blog post covers some damaging dental behaviors that should be avoided if you want a healthy set of teeth! Read further to learn about some bad habits that could harm your teeth – and what you can do to fix them.

Do you take care of your teeth? It’s easy to fall into bad habits related to brushing, flossing, and other dental practices. Unfortunately, these can have detrimental effects on the health of your teeth and gums. Taking a few moments to revamp your oral hygiene routine could save you from potentially costly or painful problems down the road! 

Not taking good care of your teeth can lead to many negative consequences, including cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and loss of teeth. To keep your teeth healthy, the following are just some of the damaging dental behaviors that you should avoid. 

 

Biting your nails

Biting your nails is one such behavior. Not only does this practice risk the spread of bacteria from your fingertips to your mouth, but it also places unnecessary pressure on the enamel coating of your teeth, making them more prone to decay, chipping, or cracking.

 

Smoking

Smoking can also damage the health of your teeth. Smoking increases the risk of tooth discoloration, gum disease, and other infections in the mouth. Smoking also weakens your teeth and gums, leading to discoloration and potential tooth loss.
Smoking compromises the healthy flow of oxygen and nutrients to gum tissue, which can lead to periodontal diseases like gingivitis, as well as discoloration of teeth.

 

Excessive tea, coffee, or red wine

Similarly, excessive dark beverages such as coffee and black tea can lead to staining and discoloration. In addition, some of these beverages discolor your teeth over time because of their high tannin content.

Using your teeth to do jobs they weren’t meant for

Alternatively, using your teeth to open bottles or for other activities than chewing food is an easy way to damage enamel and weaken the strength of each tooth – increasing their susceptibility to breakage or decay.

Not keeping a good oral hygiene schedule

Having a proper oral hygiene routine for your teeth to stay healthy is also essential.

Brushing and flossing correctly is a good habit that will positively impact dental hygiene. In addition, brushing for two minutes twice a day with toothpaste containing fluoride is essential, which helps prevent cavities from forming.

It would be best if you flossed your teeth at least once per day to clean between the teeth where toothbrush bristles cannot reach.

Brushing your teeth twice a day and regularly flossing your teeth once a day will help prevent decay caused by plaque buildup.

 

Not eating a healthy diet

Eating a diet rich in nutrients will also ensure the body has everything it needs for the healthy gum tissue and strong enamel.

Foods rich in calcium help support strong bones and teeth, while foods high in nutrients like vitamin C help reduce inflammation in gums caused by plaque buildup around the gum line. Vitamin C is critical since it helps maintain strong connective tissue in the gums and mouth.

 

Visiting your dentist regularly

Finally, it’s essential to visit your dentist regularly to maintain healthy oral hygiene – even if you don’t have any apparent problems with your dental health. Regular visits will help ensure any potential issues with the health of your teeth are caught before they become severe enough to require invasive treatment such as fillings or root canals.

It’s crucial to visit the dentist regularly for preventive checkups and cleanings to keep up with optimal oral hygiene standards. In addition, regular visits allow dentists to detect any underlying issues before they become severe problems later on down the road, ensuring you have excellent dental health all year round!

Now that you know all the dental behaviors to avoid, it’s time to start practicing good oral hygiene! That means brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, eating healthy foods, avoiding sugary or energy drinks, avoiding tobacco use of any kind, avoiding hard candy, chewing on ice chips, and avoiding chewing on non-food items.

Of course, the best way to maintain optimal dental health and keep your smile looking its best is to book an appointment with us at Bloor West Smiles Dental! We’ll be happy to help get your teeth looking their best.

And if you’re looking for a great dental office in Toronto, look no further than Bloor Smile Dental; we are conveniently located on Bloor St. in the Bloor West Village, just East of Jane. We provide top-notch dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Our team at Bloor Smile Dental is committed to helping our patients achieve and maintain optimal oral health. We would love to help you too! So give us a call today or book an appointment online and let us show you how we can help keep your smile looking its best.