When it comes to your oral health, everything you eat matters a lot. The wrong foods have the potential of causing a variety of dental problems, with some being so serious that may lead to the extraction of your tooth. This is why in addition to taking good care of your oral health, it is also important to watch very keenly what goes into your mouth. But other than foods, there are certain things people subject their teeth to which will ultimately end up hurting them. Such must be avoided if you desire to enjoy a good oral health and never think about losing a tooth unless it is a case of wisdom tooth removal.
Here is a look at some of the foods as well as the things you do which may spell doom to your teeth in the near future-:
Chewing ice
You should know that ice is for chilling and was never meant for chewing. Yes, ice is made of water and most people don’t see how it may be harmful to the teeth because it doesn’t have any sugars or additives. However, if you chew the ice, you expose your teeth to a variety of problems, including sensitivity issues, enamel damage and dental emergencies such as breaking the tooth. If you have the habit of chewing and not chilling ice, stop immediately and wait for it to turn into the water before you can take it into your mouth.
Using your teeth as a second hand
Many are the times when you have held certain small things with your teeth. For example, when dressing, you may decide to hold your hairpin as you work your hair. Biting items in this manner is not healthy to your teeth since they are a real danger to your enamel and may make you have an unnecessary dental emergency. Always remember that your mouth is never a second hand.
Too much citrus intake
Citrus fruits are good for your health because they are a rich source of vitamin C, but you have to watch out your intake if you care for your teeth. This is because citrus fruits are acidic and their continued exposure to the teeth may lead to the erosion of the enamel, thus exposing the inner cavities. If you have any sores in the mouth, citrus fruits and juices may also lead to irritation of the sore. When you take such fruits and juices, therefore, be sure to also take plenty of water to cancel out their effects on the teeth.
Drinking sugary drinks slowly
Sugar is already a threat to your teeth, and when drinking sugary drinks, it is a recommendation by the dentists that you should drink it quickly instead of sipping it slowly as this increases the exposure that your teeth will have to the sugars. If this happens for a long time, be sure that you will start to have problems with your teeth. Therefore, if it is sugary, be sure to gulp it down as fast as possible.
Be careful with the coffee
Coffee and tea are great healthy beverages in their natural forms. However, most people can’t stand taking them without adding sugars. Frequent taking of coffee may stain your teeth, and this is not to mention that coffee is also acidic and it may lead to the erosion of the enamel. If you have to take coffee regularly, avoid taking it with sugar and always follow it down with plenty of fresh water.
You are chewing too much gum
Sugary gums are bad news to your teeth. The prolonged exposure to the gum sugars will put you at risk of getting a variety of dental problems. Though dentists recommend chewing gums after a meal as a way of producing enough saliva for digestion, the recommended gum should be sugar-free so that your cavities are exposed to any danger.
Brushing your teeth immediately after meals
Brushing your teeth, after meals, is highly recommended a good oral hygiene practice. However, there are instances when you are discouraged from brushing immediately after a meal. A case in point is brushing immediately after drinking citrus juice, wine or coffee. As such, it is recommended that you should wait for at least 45 minutes before brushing. These drinks are acidic in nature and the time is to allow the pH levels of the mouth and the teeth regions to normalize first.
Using your teeth as a bottle opener
Your teeth were never meant to open soda bottles or to tear tough wrapping bags. If you expose your teeth to such odd tasks, you risk breaking or even extracting your teeth in the process. It could be so sad that you lose your teeth in this manner when you have never thought of a wisdom tooth removal, though you can feel them behind your gums. Always remember that your tooth is never a tool for opening stuff.
Be careful with crunchy foods
Everyone loves the satisfying crunch of potato crisps or most of the snacks you find at the convenience stores. In as much as they taste so nice, they can be very dangerous to your teeth. Most of these crunchy foods are made of starch and as you “crunch” on them, they do get trapped between your teeth, where, if not removed, they will encourage the propagation of harmful bacteria and the development of plaque, which may hurt your teeth in a number of ways. If you have to eat such snacks, be sure to floss on that very day so that you can remove all the particles they might have left trapped between your teeth.
Limit your intake of alcohol
Alcohol will cause dehydration, and make your mouth dry. If you drink a lot of alcohol, you will realize that your saliva flow has gone down considerably. With time, the continued lack of saliva may lead to tooth decay and other infections, including a variety of gum diseases. Additionally, drinking too much alcohol may put you on a collision course with mouth cancer. Therefore, if you care for your teeth, be sure to cut down your intake of alcohol.