Most of us are brought up with good oral care routines as we are taught to brush and floss regularly to avoid tooth decay. However, avoiding dental problems isn’t always that easy and there are some surprising habits that can damage dental health, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease. For example, how many people are aware that lip and tongue piercings can crack and even fracture teeth? Eating fruit is a healthy habit, but are you aware that dried fruit is packed with sugar? We’ve listed a few other ways that hidden habits could damage your dental health in Newcastle.

Brushing Your Teeth Too Hard

When you brush your teeth do you really scrub at them? You could be damaging your tooth enamel and gum tissue as brushing your teeth too hard will gradually wear them away. You don’t need to brush your teeth hard to clean them thoroughly as instead it’s all about using the right technique. Not sure of the correct technique to use? Ask us for a quick demonstration as we love working with patients to help improve their oral care routine at home.

Swimming in Chlorinated Pools

Swimming is excellent exercise, but the chlorine and chemicals in swimming pools can be corrosive for tooth enamel. You do need to have extensive exposure to chlorinated water in swimming pools for it to cause damage, but if you like to swim, make sure you keep your mouth shut, just in case! Also, be careful when you get out of the pool as a surprising number of accidents happen when people slip over near swimming pools.

Working out in the Gym

If you prefer working out to swimming, it can still negatively affect your dental health in Courtice. Doing lots of cardio where you tend to breathe through your mouth can make your mouth drier. When your mouth is too dry it increases the risk of cavities. Make sure you rehydrate with plain water frequently and ideally avoid sports drinks as they are usually high in tooth eroding sugars and acid.

Contact Sports

Lots of people love contact sports and playing them is an important part of their social life, but unfortunately, the risk of dental injury is potentially quite high. An unwanted blow to the mouth could damage your teeth or even knock one or two out entirely. Restorative dentistry in Clarington can be costly, and especially if you need dental implants. It’s far cheaper to make sure you are fitted with a custom-made mouthguard that provides the greatest level of protection for your teeth, gums and jaws. Our dentist here at West Bowmanville Family Dental can provide you with a durable and comfortable mouthguard.

Using Your Teeth as Tools

We’ve all been to parties where somebody decides it’s a great idea to try to open a bottle with their teeth, with the unwanted side-effects of chipping or cracking a tooth. However, even opening packets with your teeth can damage them so instead, spend the extra few seconds reaching for the proper tools and protect your pearly whites.

Crunching Ice Cubes

Crunching on ice cubes or other hard foods can damage your teeth. Also, crunching on very cold things like ice can cause your teeth to expand and contract slightly, potentially causing microcracks in tooth enamel. While the damage may not be immediate, eventually these cracks could worsen, causing a piece of tooth to break off. It’s also best to avoid chewing other things like pens and pencils. If you must you something, chew sugar-free gum as at least this stimulates saliva flow and helps to protect your teeth a little.