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Avoiding bad habits and creating good habits for dental care is something you can easily do if you put some thought and practice into it. You probably already know about brushing, flossing and regular dental checkups. You can make a habit of avoiding certain things and making sure you do other things, and that’s part of good dental care.

Bad and Good Habits | Things to Do and Not Do for Good Dental Care

USA Today  published an article that pointed out good and bad habits for your teeth. Some ideas they covered include:

  • Avoid eating sugary foods. You should limit sugary snacks and desserts because sugar makes you more cavity prone.
  • Don’t chew ice. When getting drinks, many people have the habit of chewing the ice. The problem with ice is that it’s hard and can cause you to break teeth and fillings. In the long term, it can lead to jaw pain and tooth sensitivity.
  • Don’t bite your nails. When you bite your nails, your lower jaw protrudes which isn’t natural for it, and you also can remove enamel from your teeth.
  • Drink lots of water. By drinking a lot of water, you hydrate your mouth, which makes it harder for bacteria to form. Bacteria can lead to cavities and gum disease. Drinking water helps you fight tooth decay.
  • Avoid using your teeth as tools. Ripping open bags, tearing off bottle caps or opening containers with your teeth is not good for them. It can cause serious fractures and trauma to your teeth.
  • Brush gently. Aggressively brushing your teeth can wear the enamel off them and can also cause your gums to recede. It’s great to be conscientious about brushing, but in this case, less is more — less force in bearing down on your teeth.

You have two sets of teeth in your life — your baby teeth and your permanent teeth. With good dental care and habits, you can make your permanent teeth last.

Dr. Baker is always looking for ways to help his patients.