{"id":460,"date":"2017-09-26T10:40:40","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T17:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/?p=460"},"modified":"2025-10-13T08:10:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:10:33","slug":"five-habits-can-ruin-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/five-habits-can-ruin-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Habits that Can Ruin Your Teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes, regular brushing or flossing is just not enough to maintain the health of your teeth. Even those who religiously care for their pearly whites can encounter dental issues. In addition to twice-yearly checkups and cleanings, it\u2019s helpful to be aware of some daily habits that can damage your teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Five<\/p>\n

Over-brushing<\/b><\/h3>\n

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day for about two minutes remains a great way to take care of your mouth and gums. However, over-brushing (also known as \u201ctooth abrasion\u201d) can harm the protective outer surface of teeth. Brushing too hard or too long can wear away the enamel and can cause gums to recede, exposing the sensitive roots of teeth. Ask your dentist or hygienist to show you the best way to brush and use a soft-bristled toothbrush.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruxism<\/b><\/h3>\n

Grinding teeth excessively or clenching your jaw (\u201cbruxism\u201d) can have adverse effects on your overall oral health. Unfortunately, bruxism is an involuntary action so you may not be aware you\u2019re doing it while awake or asleep. Without the use of a mouthguard (or changing this habit), teeth can be ground down, cracked, or lost. Jaw disorders may also develop. If the damage is severe enough, it can change the shape of your face. Stress (one of the<\/span> most common causes of tooth grinding<\/b><\/a>), is something that can be managed. Getting enough sleep and reducing caffeine or alcohol intake can help you minimize tooth grinding. Talk to your dentist about getting a custom-made mouthguard to protect your teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chewing on Ice<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Five<\/p>\n

Some people assume it is safe to chew and\/or snack on ice. This is a risky assumption; it can cause a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth. Additionally, extreme temperatures \u2014 too hot or too cold \u2014 can cause pain and discomfort that can linger long after you\u2019ve finished snacking on frozen cubes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cutting or Holding Objects with Your Teeth<\/b><\/h3>\n

Most of us are guilty of performing actions like opening a package or cutting thread with our teeth. Also, biting on an object to hold it when your hands aren\u2019t free can also do damage. By putting foreign objects between our teeth, we run the risk of chipping them or ingesting something that has no place in the digestive tract. In short, you should only use your teeth for eating.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drinking Coffee<\/b><\/h3>\n

Many people appreciate a caffeine rush in the morning, or while experiencing some afternoon sluggishness. Unfortunately, the acidity and pigmentation of coffee can stain teeth. If removing coffee from your diet is near to impossible, try cutting back on consumption, and brush your teeth a half hour after you have a hot beverage. Also, you can ask your dentist about teeth whitening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Five<\/p>\n

Brushing teeth and flossing regularly is only effective if you\u2019re not undermining those efforts with bad habits. Get X-rays every couple of years and a twice-yearly examination and dental cleaning. If you\u2019re looking for a dentist in Sarnia, give <\/span>Lambton Family Dental<\/b><\/a> a call at (519) 344-5747.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes, regular brushing or flossing is just not enough to maintain the health of your teeth. Even those who religiously … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2115,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions\/2115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lambtonfamilydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}