The 8 Worst Habits for Teeth

ice cubes and lemonsSeeing your dentist in Lewisburg twice a year is one of the best ways you can protect your smile and keep your mouth healthy. Pair those visits with a good oral hygiene routine at home and your oral health is pretty well protected. Except when the things we do or the foods we eat counteract our hard work. In this blog, we cover some of the worst habits for your teeth.

  • Tobacco Use – Let’s start with a pretty well-known habit that’s dangerous to oral health. Using tobacco, whether it’s cigarettes or chewing tobacco, can cause tooth discoloration and increase the chance of gum disease and oral cancer.
  • Eating Lemons – Eating too much of any citrus fruit, including lemons, can be bad for teeth. Citrus fruits are loaded with acid that essentially erodes tooth enamel. Without the protective layer of enamel, teeth are exposed to bacteria and are more likely to get cavities.
  • Drinking Soda – Another commonly known culprit of cavities are soft drinks. These beverages are packed with sugar, and as we all know, sugar is bad for teeth. What makes soda particularly damaging is that when we drink it, it coats our mouths and teeth with sugar, essentially bathing them in sugar.  
  • Crunching on Ice Cubes – Chewing these frozen solid cubes can cause tiny little cracks in our teeth where bacteria can camp out and cause cavities. Eating ice can also cause large, serious chips and breaks.
  • Using Teeth as Tools – Using our teeth for anything other than chewing is a bad idea. Yet many people turn to their teeth to rip, saw, or cut open packages or to hold onto things when two hands aren’t enough. These are surefire ways to crack or chip teeth.  
  • Nail Biting – Not only are our nails loaded with bacteria, but they’re also really hard. Using our teeth to trim our nails can easily cause damage. Nail biting may also lead to jaw pain or TMD/TMJ.
  • Too Much Whitening – Getting a whiter smile is safe and possible with many teeth whitening products. However, using these products too often can cause sensitivity and erode enamel.
  • Brushing Too Hard – Brushing your teeth twice a day is one thing, a very good thing. But brushing your teeth twice a day when you’re scrubbing too hard isn’t so great. A rough brushing will do more harm than good by scratching up tooth enamel and damaging gums. Gums may even recede, leaving teeth sensitive.

When it comes to protecting your teeth and overall oral health, make sure you’re not only brushing twice a day and visiting our dental office in Lewisburg every six months, but that you’re also staying aware of all the things that can damage your smile. Do your best to avoid these dangers or at least enjoy them in moderation.

Welcoming patients from Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Williamsport, and nearby communities.

Quit Smoking for Better Oral Health

man smoking

The American Cancer Society sponsors an event every November to raise awareness for all the health problems associated with smoking and provide tips and tools on how to quit the habit. This year, the Great American Smokeout will fall on November 15, and our dental office in Lewisburg wants to do our part to help our neighbors put down the cigarettes once and for all. So this month we’re covering some of the top reasons to quit smoking.

Oral Cancer

One of the main reasons to quit smoking is to reduce your risk of cancer. Even though there are several types of cancer associated with tobacco use, oral cancer is one that your dentist in Lewisburg can help you diagnose and fight. When caught early, oral cancer treatments can be incredibly successful, but quitting smoking is one way to greatly reduce your risk of developing it in the first place. In fact, smokers are six times more likely to get oral cancer than non-smokers.

Yellow Teeth & Bad Breath

The ingredients found in tobacco products aren’t only dangerous to overall health, some of the most harmful ones can directly affect your mouth. Tar and nicotine, for example, can stick to plaque build-up on teeth, gums, and even the tongue making them difficult to remove. When these ingredients linger around too long or are introduced into the mouth repeatedly, they can cause tooth discoloration and chronic bad breath.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a serious oral health problem that can lead to other issues throughout the body including increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Research has shown that smokers are 50% more likely to get gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease may lead to tooth loss.

Dry Mouth

Smoking reduces saliva production in the mouth and leaves your teeth exposed to plaque, bacteria, and acid that can damage teeth. Without saliva around to help neutralize acids and wash away damaging bacteria, teeth are at an increased risk for cavities, decay, and the need for advanced dental treatment.

Make 2018 the year you finally become smoke-free. Our Lewisburg dental office is here to help you in any way we can. Talk to us about quitting and we can work together to find the tools and program best suited for you.

Welcoming patients from Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Williamsport, and surrounding communities.