Over time, people can develop bad habits of all sorts. Some of them are simply harmless or annoying; others can actually cause damage to your body. In particular, bad habits that center around your mouth can lead to serious oral health issues.
Here are five bad dental health habits that could be causing you problems if you’re guilty of these acts.
1. Crunching
Ice cubes, popcorn kernels, and lots of other hard substances aren’t meant to be consumed in their firmest forms, but that doesn’t stop many people from biting down on the bits.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a dentist who will approve of this behavior, however. The act of crunching down on hard substances puts undue stress on the teeth, which can cause them to crack or chip. If you do enough damage, you might find yourself looking for a Lasalle dentist who can provide you with dental implants!
2. Biting Your Nails
This is a nervous habit that many people don’t even realize they’re doing, but that doesn’t mean the impact to their teeth and jaws is any less substantial.
The position in which you put your jaw when you bite your nails causes it to be protruded for extended periods of time. This can cause stress to the tendons and jaw joint and may lead to pain or jaw dysfunction.
3. Thumb Sucking
Thumb sucking seems innocent enough, but it can actually cause damage to the bones in the thumb or fingers, as well as encouraging misalignment of the teeth.
Children who suck their thumbs often have crooked teeth or deformities in the roofs of their mouths.
4. Grinding Your Teeth
Another habit that often goes unnoticed, teeth grinding can cause damage to both your teeth and jaw, sometimes leading to TMJ dislocation and extreme pain. Many people who grind their teeth do so when they’re sleeping, so it’s not always easy to break this habit, but a high-quality night guard from a dentist’s office will help relieve pressure and protect the teeth from chips and breaks.
5. Smoking
Smoking has lots of bad effects. Where your teeth are concerned, it stains them yellow or brown and invites decay because it produces dry mouth.
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