Biting your nails
You may be under stress, be anxious or have just picked up the bad habit over time, however nail biting is extremely damaging to your oral health. Frequently biting your nails increases the risk of chipping a tooth, removing an old filling, cracking your teeth and can over time wear down the protective layer (enamel) of your teeth. Doing any of the above things can be extremely uncomfortable, increase sensitivity and cause pain. Your finger nails are also the perfect place for bacteria to thrive. Biting and chewing your finger nails is not only impacting your oral health, it is also extremely unhygienic!
Brushing too hard
Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes is one of the best habits you can create to sustain and protect your oral health. However, brushing with a hard toothbrush, or even brushing too hard with a soft toothbrush has negative effects on the condition of your teeth and gums. Brushing with too much force and pressure can cause gums to recede. When gums recede harmful bacteria can grow, destroying enamel and leading to tooth decay and potentially infection. Unless directed by your dentist you should always use a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth.
Grinding your teeth
Similarly to biting your nails, many people do not notice if they grind of clench their teeth. In fact many people do not know they grind their teeth until a partner hears them at night. The force used to grind and clench your teeth is enough to wear down and eventually destroy your teeth’s enamel. Without any enamel your teeth can become extremely sensitive, discoloured and decay can occur. Experts believe that when grinding your teeth your jaw can exert 10 times the normal amount of force used when chewing. This being said, it is no surprised that people who grind their teeth often chip, crack and break their teeth regularly.
Visiting your dentist every 6 months is recommended to ensure the maintenance of your oral health.
If you have any concerns about your oral health and habits please call us today on 9158 6334!
Do you know that one in three people feel some sense of anxiety or trepidation before a visit to the dentist and one in every Read more
Wow, I tend to have this habit of biting my nails so all along I’ve been damaging my teeth without even knowing it. It’s truly important to get educated not just on the ways to upkeep healthy teeth but also the ways to avoid harming our pearly whites in the process. Who would have thought that dental problems can be caused by doing seemingly harmless activities? I never knew for sure until I got here so thanks for the info.