It’s pretty obvious, but let’s just restate it: if you have bad dental habits, it leads to relatively poor dental health. In order for you to have a winning smile and a healthy mouth, it’s important that you break your bad habits and be good to your teeth and gums. The team here at our Charleston, SC cosmetic dentistry office would like to cover just a few bad habits that can have a negative affect on your teeth.

Bad Brushing Habits

There are plenty of bad habits when it comes to brushing your teeth. One bad habit is not bushing long enough. Ideally, you should brush your teeth for two or three minutes. It’s also important that you do more than just move your toothbrush up and down or side to side. You should make circular motions with your toothbrush to really clean off your teeth. Also be sure that you aren’t brushing your teeth too hard. Be thorough but gentle.

Thumbsucking

This can be a big problem with children growing up. Sucking on fingers or thumbs can affect the way a child’s teeth come in. This may require braces and other orthodontic treatments to fix.

“Forgetting” to Floss

By “forgetting,” we really mean neglecting to floss. That’s usually the case when it comes to flossing. Remember, brushing your teeth is not enough on its own. You should be flossing every night to remove the food particles and plaque between your teeth.

Chewing Things You Shouldn’t Chew

Chewing on pens, chewing on pencils, and biting your fingernails can all lead to damage to your teeth and excess wear on your smile. Chew gum and chew food, but don’t chew on things you shouldn’t chew on.

Using Your Teeth for Non-Teeth Things

Related to chewing on things you shouldn’t chew on, your teeth shouldn’t be used like it’s a pair of scissors or a wrench or any other sort of tool or instrument. This can also cause major tooth damage if it persists.

“Forgetting” to Visit the Dentist

As with the section on “forgetting” to floss, we really mean avoiding the dentist or missing appointments. It’s important to visit your dentist twice a year to ensure optimal dental health.

If you would like to learn more about dental health concerns as well as Charleston, SC teeth whitening and other dental treatments, be sure to contact our Charleston, SC cosmetic dentistry office today.