Hygiene is the practice of looking after one’s self. It can range from body to oral hygiene and with the right habit and practices you are rewarded with a healthier and cleaner appearance. Good oral hygiene rewards oneself with clean fresh breath alongside sparkling white teeth. Conversely, poor oral hygiene can lead to problems such as cavities, gum diseases and even permanent damage or loss to your teeth. If you feel that your teeth haven’t been up to the task lately, consider setting an appointment with David B. Fisher D.D.S.
Let’s talk about red flags in dental habits and how you can start fixing them before it’s too late.
1. Not flossing
Brushing your teeth is an excellent way to keep them clean and healthy as it removes any plaque and leftover food while also preventing cavities. Regular brushing is very much a green flag in one’s habit but neglecting to add flossing to it might be a bit concerning.
Flossing promotes better hygiene as, like brushing your teeth, removes plaque and bits of food between your teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. It is best to floss before brushing as there would be less dental plaque and leftovers as the brushing sequence that comes after will clean the bits loosened from flossing earlier.
2. Using Hard-Bristled Toothbrush
Hard bristles toothbrush bristles are not recommended for everyday use as they can be too hard on the gums and teeth from the pressure applied when brushing. Soft bristles are generally a better choice as they’re easier on the teeth and gums. It also promotes improved blood flow across your gums.
3. Nail Biting
Biting your nails doesn’t come without its fair share of problems. For starters, biting your nail damages the skin around it,leaving it open to the risk of infections. Furthermore, as you use your hands throughout the day to interact with various things, making it a breeding ground for dirt, germs and bacteria. Biting your fingers allows these to enter your mouth allowing it to become a breeding place for bacteria.
4. Drinking hot drinks then a cool drink
When there’s a rapid change of temperature to anything it causes non-even contractions of materials eventually causing it to break. While this is unlikely to happen to your teeth, it causes the enamel in your teeth to weaken making cavities easier to form.
5. Using your teeth for tasks other than eating
Our teeth are primarily used to chew and digest food along with making us have our beautiful smiles. Numerous people rely on their teeth for several tasks such as opening junk food bags, uncapping a soft drink bottle or ripping things off that aren’t food. Using our teeth for these things aside from eating causes them to become blunt, chipped or even severely weakened.
Taking care of one’s teeth should always be a top priority as we only have one set of permanent teeth. One should always work towards better oral hygiene and breaking down while fixing our bad habits and red flags on our oral and overall hygiene. If you ever experience problems or concerns with your oral health, consider meeting a dentist.
