There are several bad habits many people have that should be stopped whether you have braces or not! Lets take a look at some common bad oral habits…
Using your teeth as a tool
We’ve seen it all too often, teeth used to rip open bags of chips, tear tags off clothing, even uncap a bottle—just about anything you can think of! It’s easy to do things like this without thinking about it, but using your teeth as tools can be hard on them. It only takes one wrong move for a tooth to be traumatized, chipped, or even fractured.
Chewing on ice and other objects
Common habits like eating ice or chewing on your nails may seem harmless, but they actually have the potential to cause quite a bit of damage. The freezing temps and tough texture of ice can cause microscopic cracks in the surface of the enamel. Over time, this can lead to several other dental issues, up to and including fractured teeth! Similar problems can also come from biting down on things like popcorn kernels and fruit or berry pits. It’s best to think before you eat so you can avoid putting any unnecessary stress on your teeth.
Grinding Your Teeth
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, is defined as any involuntary grinding of the teeth outside of normal chewing, swallowing, or speaking movements. This is a common habit that’s often involuntary and has several possible causes.
Even if you’re not aware of it, bruxism can cause you problems. Several patients find that teeth grinding interrupts their sleep, gives them chronic headaches, or results in lingering jaw pain. Bruxism can also wear down the enamel of your teeth over time, eventually exposing the much softer dentin inside and increasing tooth sensitivity.