From nail biting to chewing ice, we all have different habits that we do on a daily basis or that your kids do. We want to share some bad habits that can ruin your teeth or your kid’s teeth if we don’t get rid of some bad habits.
Keep track and see if you or your children are guilty of any of these bad habits.
1. Sucking Your Thumb
Hopefully this is just your kid but adults do this too. After permanent teeth come in, sucking may cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and alignment of the teeth. It can also cause changes in the roof of the mouth.
2. Nail Biting
Biting your nails doesn’t just harm the appearance of your hands, it can also damage your teeth and become an oral hygiene issue. It can actually impact your jaw because of the extended period of time its placed in a protruding position. It can also wear down the front teeth, leading to cracks or chips.
3. Having a Sweet Tooth
Too much snacking, especially foods that are high in sugar will increase your chance of cavities and tooth decay.
4. Craving Sugary Sodas and Juices
Sugar is in many foods and juices but there are good replacements for sugary food. Read 7 Tips to Lower Kids Sugar Intake
5. Using Your Teeth as a Tool
Teeth are meant for eating not to tear open a bag of potato chips, uncap a bottle, or rip a price tag off a piece of clothing.
6. Grinding or Clenching Your Teeth
Whether you do it when you’re nervous or something you do in your sleep, teeth grinding is a bad habit that can lead to loss of enamel and other problems. Grinding your teeth can lead headaches as well as teeth problems.
7. Chewing on Ice
It’s just frozen water… but it can be sharp and as hard as a rock. Chewing ice can lead to cracked or chipped teeth plus mess with preexisting fillings.
8. Skipping Your Oral Healthcare Routine
It’s easy to skip brushing once, or twice but it can become a habit that leads to many problems. For your kids, it’s a habit that starts young so Instilling Healthy Dental Habits at a Young Age is critical to their oral health.
Pat your self and your children on the back if you don’t have these bad habits. If you did have some, see if you can break them and challenge your children to do the same!
Ask us about these next time you come in for a visit.