Dentists share the things they would avoid doing their teeth at all costs

Brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly – we all know the pillars of good dental hygiene. But knowing them and maintaining them are two different things. Nearly 50% of people over 30 have signs of gum disease, and 26% of adults have untreated voids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is not uncommon to have problems with your teeth or gums, and dentists say that certain lifestyle factors can stand behind some of your oral health problems. In fact, overall behavior can cancel the benefits of good oral hygiene – and you are probably guilty of some of them.

Below we talked to dentists about the habits and behavior of the damage to the teeth they advise and would never do themselves:

1. They don’t chew ice.

“The first thing that came to my mind was chewing on ice,” says Dr. Natalie Peterson, a clinical associate professor of dental medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“Many people don’t think about it, but they chew the ice in their drink and they just don’t think about the damage it can do,” she said.

Ice can break your teeth because it is not only difficult but also cold, Peterson noted. This can be especially harmful to people with fillings. “The thought of chewing on ice just shudders,” she said.

2. They don’t bite their nails.

According to Dr. Jennifer Soncini, a clinical associate professor of children’s dentistry at Boston University, your nail bite can lead to dental problems. Plus, nail bites are often a habit, which means that your teeth have to deal with this action repeatedly.

As you bite your nails, you carry the enamel at the edges of your teeth, Sonchini explained. Enamel plays very important roles – it helps to protect your teeth from cavities, erosion, infection and sensitivity to cold, hot or sweet foods.

3. They do not open bags or bottles of teeth.

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Using your teeth to open a bag of chips or a bottle of water may look harmless, but dentists say it is not.

“The teeth are strong and very durable, but they are not intended to open the peaks of the bottles, tear packs or chew hard objects,” said Dr. Jeret Manning, a decent dentist and implant implant and owner of JLM Dental Studios in Georgia, told HUFPP.

It puts unnecessary stress on your teeth. “Using your teeth in this way can lead to pain, broken or cracked teeth, root canals, or even teeth that need to extract,” Manning added.

4. They avoid eating chewy candy.

The sticky candy such as chewing worms, chewing bears and peach rings are all the objects from which dentists deviate. Why? They can be stuck in your teeth channels and between your teeth, which can cause cavities, Sonchini said. They can also pop up fillings.

Beyond Gummy Candy, Peterson said he was specifically avoiding acidic Tires.

“Somehow I think about it as the bad trip of the bad. They are sticky, they are super sugar and really sour – that’s why they taste sour,” Peterson said.

5. They do not consume excessive amounts of alcohol.

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It is well known that drinking too much alcohol is not good for the health of your liver, the risk of cancer or the quality of your sleep. Manning said excessive alcohol consumption is also bad for your teeth.

“Alcohol leads to dry mouth and a decrease in saliva production, and since the role of saliva is to help clean the mouth, protect the teeth and neutralize acids, reduction of saliva can increase your risk of cavities,” Manning said.

6. They do not use toothbrush with too hard bristles.

Peterson said he recommended toothbrushes with soft bristles for several reasons.

Hard and medium toothbrushes “can be really abrasive for your gums, so they can cause more recession and it is difficult to adjust the recession after it happens,” she explained. Also, toothbrushes with hard or medium bristles can be abrasive for your teeth in general, she said.

7. They don’t smoke.

“I would never smoke or use tobacco,” Manning said. “Not only smoking can lead to serious health problems, but it can cause severe oral health problems, discoloration of the teeth and in extreme cases, oral cancer.”

Smoking is a difficult habit of giving up, but there are resources available to help you achieve this. If you do not smoke, do not start in the name of your oral health and then.

8. They do not miss their daily dental hygiene.

This probably won’t be surprising, but dentists say skipping brushes and flossing is a major no-no.

“Floating every day with the brush is the key to gum disease,” Manning said.

Soncini also said it was extremely important to brush your teeth at night.

“Never, never, never, never go to bed without brushing your teeth,” Sonchini explained. “You can spend all day without brushing, but if you don’t wash before you go to bed, this is the worst you can do on your mouth.”

Going with a clean mouth can prevent bacteria from raising overnight, Sonchini said.

9. They do not miss the dentist meetings.

“I also would never ignore my regular dental examinations,” Manning said. “Routine dental examinations are crucial to maintaining oral health and catching dental problems early.”

With regard to how often you should visit your dentist for routine examinations, it depends on your personal dental history and other problems.

“Regular examinations for patients should be adapted for each individual patient and their risk factors and their overall dental health,” Peterson said.

“Some people may only need to come once a year, they can be quite healthy; many people, twice a year is a good idea; and some people who have risk factors or dental problems may need to come three to four times a year,” Peterson continued.

Talk to your dentist and dental hygienist to find out what is the best frequency for you.This article originally appeared on Huffpost.

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