The most offensive is that the “whitening” pastes do not actually whiten the teeth, but only mechanically remove plaque – they are not able to change the natural yellowish shade of enamel. If you use this paste after you have drunk coffee, your teeth will really appear lighter. But if you drink coffee again – and the yellowish tint will return.
Bad habit number 1. Too often use whitening paste
If you use whitening toothpastes more often than indicated in the instructions, there is a risk of tooth damage. Such pastes have a very high abrasion index – they work like sandpaper, only for teeth.
Abrasive particles polish the enamel – the so-called hard shell, which protects teeth from germs, damage and gives them a beautiful shine. But if you overdo it, the abrasives damage it, exposing the dentin and making the teeth painfully sensitive.
How to
To really make your teeth whiter, use a gentle professional whitening agent based on hydrogen peroxide or urea, which is applied to the teeth and left for several minutes. Such funds are more expensive, but the effect of them lasts longer.
You need to understand that bleaching agents are not suitable for everyone (there are contraindications), in some cases they are ineffective. Therefore, if you are thinking about teeth whitening, consult your dentist for recommendations and, possibly, a professional whitening procedure.
Bad habit number 2. Nibble seeds, pens and pencils
If you gnaw seeds every day, you can quickly erase the tooth enamel. The result is increased sensitivity and an ugly shape of the front teeth: notches form on the cutting edge. So the seeds can be nibbled no more than once or twice a week, but it’s better to refuse it altogether.
If you gnaw on pencils or pens, there is also a risk of damaging your teeth, for example, breaking off a piece of enamel. Recovering a chip is then very difficult. In addition, there are many germs on pens and pencils, and not necessarily those that cause only dental diseases. If during a flu epidemic you put a pen in your mouth that fell into the sneezing zone of a sick colleague, you can easily catch the virus.
How to
Get a toy to relieve stress. Try to replace the habit of gnawing a pencil with another – for example, squeeze a stress-ball in your hands.
Bad habit number 3. To use toothpicks
Wooden toothpicks have a fibrous structure. Because of this, toothpicks often split, and they can injure the gums, so it is not recommended to use them for oral hygiene.
But even if the toothpick does not split and remains intact, instead of pulling out a piece of food stuck between the teeth, it can push it deeper into the gap. At the same time, there is a risk of damaging the gums and getting chronic inflammation near the tooth – local gingivitis.
How to
Apply dental floss. The main thing is to use this accessory correctly: place the floss in the gap between the teeth, pick up the jammed food with a loop and pull it out from the gum. Before using the thread, watch a video on how to do it correctly, or visit your dentist.
If you use flossing ineptly, you can injure the gums. The effect will be the same as from a toothpick.
Bad habit number 4. Snack threads
Moms and grandmothers, who forbade us to bite the thread, were completely right. Those who neglect this prohibition may develop an injury – a special tooth extraction.
This is ugly, and because of this, the bite is being rebuilt. You just think that the teeth are motionless. In fact, they are constantly in a barely noticeable movement – this is necessary so that chewing is more effective. If the habit of biting the floss lasts for years, the lower tooth can gradually move higher, adjusting to the upper tooth, which becomes shorter due to chronic injury. If in the future you decide to restore the tooth and return it to its former shape, there may no longer be a place for filling material.
In addition, because of the notch, dentin is exposed – a porous tissue of the tooth located under dense enamel. Because of this, the tooth becomes very sensitive and can hurt even if you just drink cold water.
How to
If sewing is your hobby, use scissors. Always keep the scissors on hand, over time it will become a habit and will cease to seem uncomfortable.
Bad habit number 5. To clench your teeth in a stressful situation
Sometimes it seems that if you grit your teeth hard, it will be easier to control yourself and restrain anger. However, if this method of self-control turns into a habit, this leads to overstrain of the jaw muscles and accelerates the process of tooth abrasion.
The habit of clenching your teeth can develop into night bruxism – a condition in which a person grinds his teeth in a dream, not realizing it. In the morning, such people have very tense jaw muscles.
How to
If you suspect you have bruxism or have many fillings, consult your dentist. The doctor will make a disconnecting mouthguard (also called a protective bus ) – a special “cover” for teeth made of silicone or polyurethane, which evens out pressure on the jaw and protects upper and lower teeth from friction. If you sleep in a mouthguard, you can remove the load from the jaw joints, prevent tooth decay and premature nasolabial folds.
Bad habit number 6. To abuse sweets
If you constantly snack on sweets or eat sweets at night, and then do not brush your teeth, plaque forms in the oral cavity. This leads immediately to two problems:
- chemical destruction of teeth. Sugar creates an acid pH in the mouth – in such an environment, fluorine, calcium and other minerals are washed out of enamel. As a result, gaps are formed in the enamel, into which the bacteria causing caries penetrate;
- breeding of bacteria. If you eat a piece of cake at night and do not brush your teeth, a sweet coating will lie on your teeth all night, creating a breeding ground for carious bacteria. Bacteria really like this plaque, and they actively multiply in it, increasing the risk of tooth decay.
Separate evil – butterscotch. These sweets constantly tear off fillings, and sometimes even crowns. People who often treat their teeth are better off giving toffee.
How to
If it is not possible to brush your teeth after a sweet meal, carry a special foam with you. This remedy is better than rinse aid. Most rinses contain aggressive antiseptics, so they can not be used often – the microflora of the oral cavity can suffer.
Hygienic foam is less aggressive, and after it you do not need to rinse your mouth with water. Enzymes that are contained in the foam destroy plaque and normalize the pH in the oral cavity. And also this remedy helps to get rid of an unpleasant smell – for example, the smell of onions.
Bad habit number 7. Drinking soda often
Soda is a weak acid that very quickly creates an acidic pH in the oral cavity that accelerates tooth decay. If the soda is sweet, the teeth break even faster.
How to
If you can’t refuse this drink, at least teach yourself to drink soda with water. Drinking a lot is not necessary – just take a sip. This will help reduce acid pH.
Bad habit number 8. Use chewing gum
In fact, chewing gum is both beneficial and harmful. If you chew gum without sugar for 2-5 minutes, it will make the oral pH less acidic, so it is even recommended as an additional means of oral hygiene.
But more often people chew for much longer, in tens of minutes or even hours. Chewing muscles get tired of this, the load on the jaw joint increases, tooth fillings wear out and cleave faster.
How to
Choose sugarless gum and chew it for no longer than 5 minutes. Chewing gum is useful if you just ate sweets, but you don’t have scum and the ability to brush your teeth.
Bad habit number 9. Wrong to brush your teeth
Teeth should be cleaned for 2 minutes 2 times a day. However, we often brush our teeth “for show”, so that even after all hygiene procedures, plaque remains on the teeth. Especially quickly it accumulates in hard-to-reach places – for example, between molars.
How to
Control the quality of brushing your teeth. Buy specialty plaque stains from your pharmacy. If you dissolve a tablet in water and rinse your mouth, you can see in which area a chronic coating accumulates: it will turn darker. It is to these places that special attention will need to be paid, otherwise caries will soon form there.
