Things We Do To Destroy Our Teeth

Okay, so you’ve been brushing your teeth since you were five years old. And you’ve probably been flossing fairly regularly since you were an adult. You know how to take care of your teeth. But what you may not realize is that even responsible adults do things every day that could be hurting their teeth.

And the damage you’re doing to your teeth could lead to cavities, sensitivity, and potentially expensive dental problems. Here are 5 of the most common mistakes you might be making:

1) Eating foods that could lead to cavities. Some of these foods include candy (hard and soft for different reasons), citrus fruits, and sodas. Acids and sugars the worst culprits for breaking down tooth enamel and leading to cavities.

Now, obviously you aren’t going to avoid eating these foods. But you can still treat your teeth well. Try to limit the amount of citric and highly sugary foods you eat. And, whenever possible, wash these foods down with water or brush your teeth after eating them.

2) Chewing gum. This is a tricky one because gum can have a positive effect on your teeth. Chewing gum produces extra saliva which washes away food particles that might otherwise hurt your teeth. However, the sugar in most gums can get caught in your teeth and leave them vulnerable.

3) Grinding your teeth. This one hardly needs an explanation. Teeth are bones and they don’t regrow. Plus, when you grind and clench your teeth, you can possibly damage or crack the enamel.

4) Using coffee, tea, tobacco, and wine. These cause a few problems. First of all, they can stain your teeth – forcing you to whiten your teeth or get veneers. But more than that, they, too, have the power to break down the enamel on your teeth.

5) Not taking care of digestive issues. If acid breaks down enamel, then you can imagine that acid from your stomach is just as dangerous as the acid from citric foods. So, if you suffer from acid reflux or an eating disorder, you could be doing some serious damage to your teeth.

6) Letting your mouth get too dry. As mentioned, saliva is important in helping you wash away food particles. Plus, saliva helps keep bacteria from forming in your mouth. If you sleep with your mouth open, are taking medications that lead to dry mouth, or just naturally produce less saliva, you could have a problem.

Basically, just brushing and flossing aren’t going to cut it. You’ve got to be conscious of everything you eat, abuse you might be causing your teeth, and how well you’re producing saliva.

Remember, you only have one set of teeth. Treat them well! And visit your dentist often. Do wait, contact us right now to schedule a visit with Dr. Roberts.