We all have quirky habits. Most are benign, but some can be harmful. If you chronically bite your nails, chew ice, or use your teeth as a tool — three common bad oral habits — try these solutions to protect your teeth from potential damage and pain. Teeth as Tools: Our pearly whites are perfect for grinding our food and helping us speak, but that’s about as far as their usability as tools goes. Opening ketchup packages with your teeth or placing a few screws in your mouth as you hang a photo can be handy, but doing so could crack or damage your teeth. The Solution: Use actual tools! Open your condiment packets and other tricky containers with scissors. When doing home projects, use a tool belt or ask someone to hold your screws so you don’t choke or damage your teeth. Biting Your Nails: If this nervous habit is one of your vices, you’re not alone. About 20%–30% of the population succumbs to nail-biting, nearly half of whom are teenagers. Biting your nails can chip or crack your teeth, and the nail pieces can get stuck in your gum line and potentially cause infection. The Solution: The good news is that most people quit biting their nails after age 30, but don’t rely on your age to kick this habit. Try applying bitter-tasting polish or chewing sugar-free gum to deter you from nail- biting. Or if your nail-biting is stress-induced, try meditating to reduce your stress. Chewing on Ice: It’s a mindless habit, really. At the end of our glass of water — or tooth-decaying sugary soda — we chomp on the ice at the bottom of the glass. But the combination of the AND HOW TO KICK THEM 3 ORAL HEALTH HABITS THAT HARM YOUR TEETH
Hi everyone, Dr. Brooks here. Some parents aren’t super concerned with their kids’ baby teeth. They figure, “Well, the baby teeth are going to fall out anyway, right? We’ll worry about keeping their teeth clean once the adult teeth are in.” HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR CHILD’S TEETH, PART I
Unfortunately, this logic is HIGHLY flawed for a few reasons.
First, if you don’t help your child develop good brushing and flossing habits early, you decrease their changes of developing healthy habits later.
Second, if your child gets cavities when they are young and has to spend an unpleasant visit in the dental chair, there is a greater chance they won’t like going to the dentist when they are older. Third, while a child’s front teeth come out around the age of 6, their back teeth last until around the age of 10 or 11. These back teeth are highly prone to cavities — so, even though they will fall out, you really need to consider taking good care of them! Believe it or not, you should continue brushing your child’s teeth until they are 8 or 9 years old. Around age 8 or 9, children have fully developed the fine motor skills needed for brushing teeth. Although it might look like they can brush their own teeth sooner, they won’t be able to do it well. Are you thinking, “Does anyone actually do that?” We can answer “yes.” My wife and I brush and floss all of our kids’ teeth every night before bedtime. It’s time-consuming and not always pleasant for the kids or parents, but in the long run, it’s so worth it. What should you use? Manual or electric toothbrushes are both good. I understand flossing for your child can be uncomfortable and difficult, but it can be done by using flavored floss (like Coco Floss from Amazon) or floss picks. Wearing gloves may help too. While fluoride is almost always essential for the best oral health, opt for non-fluoridated toothpaste until your child knows not to swallow it and learns how to spit. When ingested in large amounts, fluoride may be linked with health issues, so you should also supervise the spitting and make sure no one eats straight from the toothpaste tube. You can usually switch to fluoridated toothpaste for kids around age 2 or 3. If you’re a parent and have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call our office. You can also learn more on our blog at ATownDental.com . Brush well out there!
hard ice and cold temperature can create small cracks along your tooth’s enamel, which increases the likelihood that your tooth will crack or chip.
The Solution: If you’re chewing as a way to occupy your mind, swap the ice with sugar-free gum! If you really want that ice-cold kick, drink cold water through a straw or suck on an ice cube instead.
Struggling with one of these habits? Let our team know at your next appointment! We can help you find solutions and develop good oral habits.
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