Your teeth are a complex system that you rely on extensively throughout the day. Be it flashing a pretty smile or enjoying a meal, you need healthy teeth. Taking care of your oral hygiene begins by keeping bacteria and plaque away from your mouth, preventing tooth enamel erosion.
Healthy habits build healthy teeth. Taking care of your tooth health requires care and attention. Certain food items are particularly prone to increasing potential tooth damage. They can cause plaque buildup, which can have serious health effects on your teeth.
Foods to avoid for healthy teeth: These include potato chips, alcohol, sugary food, citrus fruits, bread and dried fruits. After you eat a sugary meal or a snack, the sugar causes the bacteria to release acids that target tooth enamel. Once the enamel breaks down, cavities can form. Moreover, cavities give rise to problems such as chewing problems and tooth abscesses. If you don’t brush or floss your teeth, the plaque will gradually harden and progressively turn into tartar, which ultimately leads to an early stage of gum disease called gingivitis. Neglecting good dental care can allow bacteria to grow, leading to inflammation and various dental problems. If you want to enjoy a piece of candy corn with soda, suck on lemons, or eat and drink just about everything, you really need to learn how to take care of your teeth. Regular dental checkups and medication for dental issues are helpful in many ways.
Easy ways of dental care
Let’s look at a few manageable steps to avoid permanent damage to your teeth.
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- Avoid brushing immediately after meals
Avoid brushing your teeth right after eating or drinking something acidic, as it may cause the softening of the enamel. Give your teeth a rest for about an hour, or you’ll cause tooth wear.
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- Do not brush vigorously
As preachy as it sounds, brushing your teeth too vigorously is more harmful than you think. You might get tempted to brush hard and scrub away all the remnants of food you’ve consumed. But it will seriously weaken your tooth’s enamel. Moreover, according to the American Dental Association, using a hard-bristled toothbrush or pressing harshly while brushing can damage not only the teeth but also your gums. Prefer using a soft-bristled toothbrush and be gentle with your teeth while focusing on wide strokes.
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- Stop gritting and grinding your teeth
We all grit our teeth, especially when lifting something heavy or under stress. Some people grind their teeth while they sleep. Avoid teeth grinding as much as possible, as any tooth-to-tooth clenching can wear down the teeth.
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- Biting your nails
The American Dental Association states that biting nails can contribute to jaw dysfunction because it makes you hold your jaw in a protruded position for long periods. Moreover, this way, you can chip your teeth when chewing them. To avoid this, try applying nail paint on your nails.
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- Avoid tobacco
Whether it’s cigarettes or you are just chewing tobacco. All tobacco products are harmful to your teeth and gums. Tobacco use may increase your risk of gum disease, dry mouth, tooth decay, bad breath, and oral cancer. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about programs that help you quit tobacco.
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- Chewing hard or gummy candy
Candies also fall into the category of foods to avoid for healthy teeth. When you eat a candy, the sugars linger in your mouth, which increases the risk of tooth decay. Moreover, hard candy is associated with chipping or breaking your teeth. On the other hand, soft, gummy candies are equally harmful. These are packed full of sugar, and when you chew them, they stick to your teeth. If you, too, like to eat these hard or gummy candies, be sure to brush your teeth and floss immediately after eating them.
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- Using toothpicks
Many of you think that you are doing well for your teeth by picking up food debris from your teeth after having food. But this is not the truth, poking in or around your teeth with toothpicks or other non-dental equipment can cause damage to your gums. Rather, you can go for flossing or use a proper dental cleaning tool to remove food particles stuck between your teeth.
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- Sucking your thumb or fingers
If your baby is beyond the age of five and they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers, then it is time for you to make your baby quit this habit, as this habit may result in misaligned teeth. As the child grows older, this misalignment of teeth can contribute to serious dental conditions. If your child is five and older and continues to suck their thumb or finger, despite your efforts, you can consult the paediatrician during a regular checkup. They can advise on weaning children off thumb or finger sucking.
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- Misusing your teeth
Whenever you hold something hard in your teeth, bite or open a package, you are increasing the likelihood of a jaw injury or risking a cracked tooth. To avoid such injury, make sure you do not use your teeth as a pair of scissors or your third hand.
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- Chewing ice
After finishing your cool, refreshing drink, do you start chewing ice cubes? Well, you don’t want to risk a broken tooth. Drinking through a straw or taking your drinks without an ice cube can help kick the habit.
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- Avoid swimming in chlorinated pools often
The harsh chemicals and chlorine present in swimming pools contain a pH level that can cause enamel erosion to your teeth over time. If you still go swimming often, avoid taking the water into your mouth.
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- Refrain from acidic beverages
Try to eliminate your consumption of soda pops and carbonated soft drinks. Apart from being unhealthy, they contain large amounts of citric acid that can damage or discolour your teeth.
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- Avoid eating throughout the day
If you love eating all day long, you may be jeopardising your teeth. The food you consume should be low in acidity. Nuts and dairy foods are helpful balancers to acidic foods.
Verdict!
Healthy habits build healthy teeth. To maintain dental hygiene, you need to brush and floss daily to remove damaging acids. Rinse your mouth right away with water after eating or drinking anything. You could also consult an online chemist and use the right products to maintain strong and healthy teeth for a lifetime.
