Habits that affect our teeth

There are many factors that can actually damage your teeth, but most of them can be prevented with proper oral hygiene and healthy eating habits.

Smoking is definitely one of the most harmful habits for the organism and especially for the oral cavity, since it causes inflammation and bleeding of the gums, bone loss, affects healing and produces bad breath.

Using the teeth as a tool is a very common habit, because they are used as a "jaw puller" to uncork bottles, to open medicine bottles, to open bags or cartons, causing fractures of the dental structure. Teeth are designed only to chew food, so we must take special care with them.

Consuming "chewy" sweets, the main drawback is that due to their sticky texture they get trapped between the pits and fissures on the surface of the teeth causing the sugar to remain for a long time, causing damage to the enamel and favoring the formation of dental caries.

Consuming acidic foods, mainly citrus fruits such as lemon, causes abrasion of the dental enamel producing progressive wear and extreme sensitivity for the patient. This damage in initial stages can be treated with desensitizing pastes and for more advanced processes with restorative treatments.

Use a hard toothbrush, contrary to popular belief, optimal brushing is done with a soft-bristled toothbrush, as it is ideal for removing plaque and food debris from the teeth because the soft bristles will drag more effectively, leaving the surface of the teeth cleaner.

We must take into account that these incorrect habits will cause dental damage gradually, so it is good if you become familiar with any of these habits to consult your dentist for a check-up, to rule out or treat any dental damage.