Are You Damaging Your Smile Without Even Knowing It?

You are brushing your teeth every day and nothing hurts, so you assume your teeth are fine and healthy. Not so fast. There are many oral health issues that can fester beneath the surface without producing noticeable symptoms at first. Enamel erosion is a perfect example. Many patients are engaging in everyday habits without knowing it is damaging this important outer layer of their teeth. It’s time to find out if you are guilty of these common but harmful dental habits.

Loading Up on Acidic Foods and Drinks
If you crave citrus fruits, you may be slowly wearing down your enamel with each orange or lemon that you put in your mouth. Acids are also found in some of your favorite beverages, such as coffee, orange juice and sports drinks. If you choose to bathe your teeth in these acids, try to at least rinse with water afterwards.

Brushing Too Soon or Too Hard
Yes, there are some rules for tooth brushing. For example, after you eat something acidic, you need to wait at least 30 min before you pick up your toothbrush. This gives the acids in your mouth a chance to rinse away and your enamel to remineralize before you start scrubbing the enamel of your teeth. Speaking of scrubbing, harder is not always better. In fact, you could wear down your tooth enamel and damage your gums if you apply too much force. Keep in mind that food debris, bacteria and even plaque can be easily removed without hard pressure from your toothbrush.

Only Drinking Bottled Water
Not everything that is healthy for your body is good for your teeth. While bottled water is not necessarily bad for your oral health, it is missing a key component that your teeth need to stay healthy – fluoride. Consider alternating your bottled water with some tap water to boost your smile health.

Grinding Your Teeth While You Sleep
Bruxism, or grinding and clenching your teeth, is one of the most harmful habits for your mouth. Stress is often the culprit. If you can’t find ways to relax and lower your daily stress, it may be time get a nightguard from your dentist to protect your teeth and jaw from this sleep habit.

Do you need to kick some of your daily habits that are compromising your smile? Contact Alora Dentistry for an appointment.