Author: PV Smiles Reem Kidess | Posted on with comments
Last week we discussed bad habits which damage teeth and oral health in the light of food and nutrition. This week we focus on stress, lifestyle and a couple other common habits.
Stress / Nervous Habits
- Bruxing/Grinding Teeth – Grinding your teeth, whether a nervous habit during the day or a subconscious one at night, can wear away at your teeth and can change your bite. Consider finding a way to reduce stress in your life, or talk to your dentist about other causes. Also consider purchasing a custom mouth guard.
- Nervous Chewing – Chewing on non-food items also cause undue wear on your teeth. Items like pencils and pens are hard and can crack or chip your teeth.
- Tobacco – Many people smoke or use tobacco products to reduce stress, but tobacco can cause gum disease or cancers of the lips, mouth and tongue.
Lifestyle, Etc.
- Playing Sports without a Mouth Guard – The purpose of a mouth guard is to protect your teeth from strong impact or trauma when playing aggressive sports. If a mouth guard is uncomfortable, consider seeing your dentist for custom mouth guards made just for you.
- Tongue or Other Oral Piercings – They might be unique, but having that metal clanking around against your teeth and gums can cause your teeth to crack or chip and your gums to become irritated.
- Opening Things with your Teeth – Using your teeth for things other than chewing food can lead to tooth damage, especially when it comes to metal bottle caps. Use scissors or a bottle opener.
Learning to recognize and address these bad habits which damage teeth and oral health can help you address them head-on. Protecting your teeth is important to your total well-being.
Previous Week: Bad Habits Which Damage Teeth and Oral Health: Food and Nutrition
