10 Dangerous Things That Can Ruin Your Oral Health

10 Dangerous Things That Can Ruin Your Oral Health

Good oral health is extremely important for good well-being. If your teeth or gums are damaged, it may be quite difficult to eat and speak. Moreover, there are a lot of oral issues that can contribute to the development of other conditions. For example, periodontitis is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. That’s why it is essential to avoid these 10 dangerous things that can ruin your oral health.

1. Poor Oral Hygiene

Despite the fact that most people know how to maintain proper oral hygiene, some of them still neglect it. This may result in extremely unpleasant consequences like bad breath, tartar, gum diseases, and even teeth loss.

If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you shouldn’t forget to brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. You can also use mouthwash and special toothpaste if you have some oral issues. Additionally, professional teeth cleaning and regular dental check-ups can also prevent many oral issues.

2. Acidic Drinks

Acids are extremely dangerous for your teeth since they can soften and remove your tooth enamel. As a result, your teeth may become sensitive and more prone to tooth decay.

That’s why you should reduce the consumption of wine, citrus juices, and other acidic drinks. You should also avoid teeth brushing right after drinking acidic beverages since you can easily scratch your tooth enamel with bristles.

3. Oral Piercing

Oral piercing is a quite popular decoration that is quite harmful to your oral health. Firstly, lip or tongue piercing that is made of metal can scratch or even chip your teeth. Secondly, the piercing itself can be traumatic and you can easily get inflammation. Thirdly, rings or other types of piercing can increase your risk of getting oral injuries (like tears or bruises).

4. Wooden Toothpicks

Many people tend to use wooden toothpicks to remove food particles and dental plaque that can stick between their teeth. However, the use of these toothpicks can do more harm than good.

Wooden toothpicks usually have a sharp tip that can easily puncture your gums and scratch your teeth. You can also protrude the food particles and plaque further and it would be harder to reach them. That’s why it is better to use dental floss or special floss picks.

5. Hard And Sticky Candies

Candies contain a significant amount of sugar that negatively affects your teeth. Hard and sticky candies are more dangerous. Hard candy they can scratch your teeth while sticky candy can stick between your teeth.

You should know that if sugar remains in your mouth for a long period of time, it contributes to tooth decay. Bacteria that inhabit your oral cavity consume sugar and produce acids that wear your tooth enamel. Try to avoid or at least minimize the consumption of candies to protect your teeth.

6. Tomato Sauces

Even though pasta with tomato sauce is extremely delicious, it can significantly damage your teeth. Tomato-based sauces contain acids and sugar. This dangerous combination wears out your tooth enamel and leads to the development of tooth decay. That’s цhy it is better to replace the tomato sauce with cheese or cream sauce that contains a lot of calcium.

7. Gnawing Ice Cubes

Gnawing ice cubes is a quite common habit that can have a lot of unpleasant consequences. When you chew an ice cube, you can break your tooth or injure your gums. Moreover, cold temperatures can make your teeth achy, especially if you have increased teeth sensitivity.

If you can’t live without ice cubes, try to keep them in your mouth instead of gnawing them. You can try to replace ice with healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, and crunchy vegetables.

8. Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding (bruxism) is a condition that mostly affects children but some adults also tend to clench their teeth. This bad habit can lead to enamel wear and jaw pain. Enamel wear can lead to teeth sensitivity.

There is no cure for bruxism but you can ask your dentist about night guards. These devices create a barrier between your teeth that prevents their clenching, relieve the tension, and give cushion to the muscles in the jaw.

9. Chewing Pencils

If you have noticed that your pencils are chewed, it’s high time to get rid of this harmful habit. The reality is that chewing pencils can hurt your teeth and gums. When you chew a pencil, tiny wood particles can break away and puncture your gums or stick between your teeth.

10. Smoking

Smoking is a dangerous habit that affects not only your oral condition but also impacts your overall health. When you constantly smoke, tobacco by-products tend to accumulate on your teeth and (along with dental plaque) contribute to the development of tartar.

In addition, people who smoke usually have bad breath and bleeding gums. Regular teeth cleaning and dental check-ups are essential for smokers since they are more prone to gum disease.

The Bottom Line

There are a lot of various conditions that can affect your oral health. Unfortunately, many of them develop asymptomatically and can be recognized only in the late stage. If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, visit your dentist regularly and avoid these dangerous things listed above.