Your teeth are very durable, yet not invincible. You may brush your teeth, floss them, rinse and regularly visit your dentist but still face tooth decay. Too many factors affect your teeth. Even some daily habits may increase the risk of oral disease. Here are some unexpected culprits of tooth diseases to avoid.
1. Brushing too hard
Some people believe that the harder they brush their teeth the cleaner they will be. But hard brushing only damages your teeth and makes you more vulnerable to tooth decay and sensitivity.
For healthy teeth, it is recommended to use a soft toothbrush and brush them for two minutes twice a day. If you use an electric toothbrush make sure you follow the rules from the instruction or ask your dentist for recommendations.
2. Beverages
Soda and sports drinks may have a pleasant taste and smell, but they actually dehydrate your body and promote dry mouth. These beverages are high in sugar and create an ideal environment for bacteria breeding in your mouth. So the risk of cavities and gum disease increases. It is also important to remember that acidic drinks can damage tooth enamel.
3. Stress
The life of a modern person is full of stress. Stress increases the risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other dangerous conditions. Chronic stress is also very detrimental to the health of our oral cavity. It promotes tooth decay, teeth grinding, painful cancer sores, and dry mouth.
Stress is associated with bruxism, teeth grinding at night. Teeth grinding over time will result in poor enamel and even may cause teeth to crack or break. Chronic stress also worsens the immune system and makes you vulnerable to infections. This increases the risk of gum disease.
4. Sport
Sport increases the risk of jaw-related injuries for both children and adults. This is doesn’t mean that you must stop doing sport, just try to be more careful. One of the best ways to protect your teeth while playing sports is to use a protective mouthguard.
A mouthguard is already recommended for sports like hockey, football, and wrestling. However, it is a great tool to prevent tooth damage in any recreational sport.
5. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of hormonal changes that affect the whole organism, including your oral cavity. Pregnant women often face such problems as sore, puffy, and bleeding gums. Monitor any changes in the state of your oral cavity and regularly visit your dentist. This will help you avoid teeth diseases during pregnancy.
6. Potato chips
Potato chips are loaded with starch. In our mouth starch becomes sugar. It sticks in and between your teeth and creates favorable conditions for bacteria breeding. Since you are likely to eat more than one chip and not brush your teeth immediately after, the effect of acids in chips lasts for a while.
It is recommended to floss and rinse the teeth after eating chips to avoid excess bacteria formation. This will also help you avoid cavities, gum disease, and other diseases associated with excess bacteria in the mouth.
7. Staining drinks
Drinks such as coffee and red wine can stain your teeth due to their dark color. In addition to dye, these drinks also contain acids. They weaken the enamel and make it porous. So your teeth become even vulnerable to dyes and stains as well. Over time, enamel damage may result in tooth decay and other teeth diseases. Drinking coffee through a straw may decrease its effect on your teeth.
8. White wine
If red wine stains your teeth, it may seem that drinking white wine instead is the best option. But this is not actually so. White wine contains acids that may weaken your teeth enamel. It makes your enamel porous and susceptible to stains from other drinks or foods. Moreover, teeth become more vulnerable to bacterias that cause caries.
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