You try your best to keep your teeth healthy. Brushing twice a day, using the right toothpaste, and of course always flossing. You don’t want to fall victim to tooth decay, but did you know there are somethings that could damage your teeth without you even realizing? We’re teeth experts here at Cirocco, and we’ve put together a list of six of the surprising things that could be damaging your teeth.
Acidic and Sticky Food
Everyone knows that candy isn’t the best food for your teeth, but did you know that some of those healthy foods could be damaging your teeth too? Nowadays, a lot of people are juicing and the more popular fruit and veggie smoothies get, the more teeth are being damaged. Fruits and vegetables may be high in vitamins and minerals, but they are super acidic and sugary too!
If you’re a juicehead, and you can’t get enough, just be sure to drink plenty of plain water after. This will help to rinse out your mouth and get rid of any sugar that might be clinging to your teeth.
Another unsuspecting tooth bane is dried fruit. Look we’re not trying to tell you not to be healthy, we’re all for it, but we have to tell the truth. Dried fruit is sticky and that means it can hang onto your teeth and break down there. This forms acids that can harm your teeth rapidly. Make sure to rinse with water after eating dried fruits.
Biting Anything Other Than Food
Put that plastic packaging down! Your teeth are tough and sharp, sure, but they aren’t meant for chomping down on anything but food. We’re looking at your nail biters. Biting your nails can lead to gingivitis and tooth loss! It’s true that the tip of each tooth is sharp, but the tip is also the thinnest and weakest part of the tooth. If you’re biting on things that aren’t food you’re subjecting your teeth to chips or even breaks.
We know it’s hot out there, but don’t chew ice. It can be super tempting to chomp on that ice at the bottom of your water bottle but don’t! Ice is hard and it can harm tooth enamel or even cause a break!
Brushing Too Much
We know what you’re thinking, “Cirocco, seriously you don’t want me to eat healthy, and you want me to stop brushing my teeth?” No, we’re not saying you should stop brushing your teeth, but we are certainly saying that overdoing it can be damaging. Brushing to hard with a tough-bristled brush can wear away at the enamel and lead to receding gums.
Consider switching to a soft-bristled brush, and brush softly. You don’t have to press hard, gently go over your teeth. Remember you’re cleaning the surface.
Cut Down On Caffeine and Alcohol
Of course soda is bad for your teeth, that’s complement of the high sugar content and carbonation. But, did you know another reason it’s damaging is because of the caffeine. Caffeine can dry out the mouth, and a dry mouth is vulnerable to decay because saliva rinses your mouth. Without saliva rinsing away bacteria it can grow and harm your teeth.
Coffee and tea can have similar effects. You can help yourself by simply picking up the tea with less sugar or cutting back on the creamer. If you need your three sugars and cream, just make sure you drink some fresh water afterwards.
These damaging effects extend to alcohol too. We don’t mean to be a stereotypically strict dentist, but alcohol reduces the flow of saliva to your mouth, and you know what that means. Heavy drinking can also increase the risk of oral cancers.
Drink smart if you must, and of course, say it with us “drink fresh water afterwards!”
Drug Use
Okay, this one might not come as a surprise, but yeah you guessed it: drug use will lead to tooth loss and decay. The most famous culprit of course is methamphetamine. Meth causes the infamous “meth mouth.” This is because the drug seriously dries out your mouth, imagine your salivary glands becoming raisins. After your salivary glands turn to dust, your teeth will start to rot away from bacteria and eroding enamel. Did we just become a DARE organization? Seriously though, don’t do meth. It’s not just going to destroy your teeth it will destroy your life
Poor Hygiene and Neglect
Again, we know this isn’t really a surprise but we have to include, and, you know what, its inclusion in this blog is actually a surprise considering the title, so hey there’s that. Obviously, it’s good practice to take good care of your teeth, but the issue comes with neglect. If you know there is something wrong — a swollen gum or a sensitive tooth — but you never see a dentist that’s a recipe for dental disaster.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if something feels off check in with your dentist. Decay will only be compounded by neglect.
What might start as a small cavity can quickly spread to the tooth’s root. This will mean a root canal or even total tooth loss. Even if you don’t feel something, check. Look at your gums, if something doesn’t seem right make an appointment. Gum infections and disease are often left alone for too long resulting in serious damage.
Bonus – Not Seeing Your Dentist
The number one cause of dental health issues is failure to see your dentist on a regular basis. You need to come in for appointments throughout the year to ensure proper health and care of your precious teeth. Remember, you only get one set of teeth (we’re not counting baby teeth here)!
So, don’t delay, make an appointment with Cirocco dental today!
