Did you know that 25% of Americans over the age of sixty-five have lost all of their teeth? Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to keep your teeth. Beyond brushing, flossing and visiting your dentist every six months, you’ll also need to be mindful of your lifestyle habits. In fact, there are some common everyday habits can that can negatively impact your oral health and put your smile at risk.
In order to protect your teeth, do you need to stop engaging in one of the following habits?
Sugar
Whether you call it a “sweet tooth” or a sugar addiction, it is no surprise that your taste buds can work against the health of your teeth. Oral bacteria loves to feed off sugar, which creates powerful acids that eat away at your tooth enamel. Sticky sugars like candy or gummies are especially harmful as they adhere to your tooth’s surface.
Soda, Sports and Energy Drinks
When it comes to hydrating, water is always best. However, if you prefer a flavored beverage, you should know the serious impact that some drinks can have on your teeth, especially sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks. These are beverages that may not only contain high amounts of sugar, but they are also very acidic. The combination of sugar and acids is a perfect recipe for enamel erosion, decay and other types of tooth damage.
Smoking
It is a simple, straightforward fact: smoking and chewing tobacco are bad for your dental health. Nicotine can not only yellow your teeth enamel, but it also doubles your risk for periodontal disease and oral cancer.
Contact Sports Without a Mouthguard
Mouthguards are becoming more of a mainstream piece of equipment for athletes of all sports. Don’t let a sudden mouth injury in basketball, soccer, football or lacrosse take out your smile for life.
A Stressful Bite
If you respond to stress by clenching or grinding your teeth or chewing on pencils/ice, you are putting your smile at risk. If you are unaware of your teeth grinding habit, consider a custom mouthguard to protect your teeth
If you have already experienced tooth loss, you can still save your smile. Fortunately, today there are many good options for patients with missing teeth. Gainesville Dental Group can help protect your teeth as well as provide modern tooth replacement methods if your oral habits have already caused tooth loss.
Posted on behalf of Gainesville Dental Group
