Everybody knows that there are certain behaviours that adversely affect dental health. Cigarette smoking, poor nutrition, missing dental appointments, and many other behaviours are commonly known to be bad for you.
But what about behaviours that might seem “good”, or behaviours that we don’t think about with respect to our dental health and hygiene?
The fact is that many things we routinely do have effects on our dental health, and at Smiles Nambour, we want to make you aware of as many of these behaviours as we can.
So, buckle in and check to see if you indulge in any of these potentially smile-threatening behaviours.
Potentially Dangerous Brushing Behaviours
- Brushing too hard – Brushing your teeth is a key aspect of proper dental care, but brushing too hard can cause damage to the enamel, gum irritation, tooth sensitivity, and cavities.
To prevent damage caused by brushing your teeth too hard, the ADA recommends a toothbrush that is ADA-approved, meaning it is firm enough to remove plaque but soft enough not to cause damage to the enamel. A soft-bristled toothbrush can help prevent gum damage and wear on the soft tooth dentin and root area.
- Brushing directly after meals – Brushing your teeth directly after a meal can be one of the worst things you can do. After eating highly acidic foods, your teeth are susceptible to damage. When you brush your teeth in this weakened state you are actually damaging your enamel and driving the acid deeper into your teeth.
Daily Habits
- Using teeth as tools – Many of us use our teeth for odd jobs – to tear off pieces of tape, open packets of crisps, uncap toothpaste, or even to open drink bottles. This can damage teeth or cause the edge of a weakened tooth to chip off or fracture. Don’t use your teeth – use scissors or pliers to do the manual labour and let your teeth concentrate on smiling and eating.
- Chewing on things – Your teeth aren’t designed to chew hard objects. Biting on pens, pencils, or other hard objects can cause your teeth to shift, fracture, and cause soft-tissue injury. Even something as innocent as ice, can be dangerous. The brittleness and cold temperatures of ice cubes can cause tooth fracture. Ice cubes can cause microscopic cracks in the surface of the enamel, which can lead to bigger dental issues in the future.
- Smokeless Tobacco. Many people think smokeless tobacco is relatively safe. But this is untrue. Smokeless tobacco contains a variety of toxins associated with cancer. This can produce disastrous consequences for your overall and dental health. Smokeless tobacco has been proven to cause cancer of the mouth, tongue, and lips, all of which are critical to keeping a healthy environment for your teeth.
Exercise Issues
- Swimming. If you regularly swim in a pool, you may be doing harm to your teeth. The chemicals in swimming pools, particularly chlorine, are linked to enamel erosion. The Canadian Dental Association reports that swimming in a pool with high chlorine content for just 34 weeks can cause dramatic increases in dental erosion and tooth sensitivity. Best to keep your mouth closed when you swim at a pool!
- Cardiovascular exercise. Science has proven that cardiovascular exercise is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately it can be dangerous to dental health. A study by German scientists discovered that those who participated in prolonged periods of cardio, had more tooth erosion than those who did not exercise.
Worse, the more time spent doing cardio a week, the more risk for cavities and decay. If cardio is so good for your health, why can it be so bad for your smile? Cardio decreases the amount of saliva produced. Saliva is crucial to fighting acid, and without it, the chance for cavities greatly increases. To counteract this, try chewing sugarless gum during workouts.
- Mouthguards and sports. Smiles Nambour is happy to congratulate Jeff Horn on winning the WBO Welterweight Championship! And we are particularly happy to see him smile after winning – the mouth-guard he word protected his pearly whites, and he could celebrate with a big smile. NEVER engage in any contact sports without first having visited your Smiles Nambour dentist to get a professionally fitted mouth-guard!
Your Trusted Dentist in Nambour
If you need a dental checkup or treatment, it’s critical to find a dentist who offers what you need and can assuage your anxiety. At Smiles Nambour we are happy to sit down with you and talk about any treatments you might want or need!
At Smiles Nambour, we provide top-quality dentistry with the help of cutting-edge instruments and caring staff!
A visit to Smiles Nambour is an investment in your dental health and attractive smile!
Call us today on (07) 5240 9410 or book appointment online.
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