7 Bad Habits That Are Ruining Your Teeth Without You Knowing

It can be hard sometimes to be aware of habits that damage your teeth. Most people know to watch sugar intake and to make sure they are practicing good hygiene. A lot also know to make regular appointments to see the dentist. Some habits that threaten your teeth and your smile do not even involve cavities.

Damage done to your teeth over time can actually be the result of bad habits. Nail biting and chewing ice can damage your teeth. These are two habits that a lot of people do, but are oblivious to the damage they are causing. Biting packaging also damages teeth.

Teeth can, and do, break. Although it is true that they are strong and can stand a lot of pressure, they too are not invincible. Chewing ice, for example, over time can actually cause your tooth's outer shell enamel to erode and fractures to develop. It will also cause stress and strain to your jaw and gums.

The focus at Dental Aesthetics Lahore is treating more patients who are damaging their teeth more through their own bad habits instead of a bad disease. If you can make an effort to recognize bad habits and break them, then you can keep your teeth for a long time.

Why These Habits Are So Easy to Miss

Parafunctional habits are different from brushing or eating. These habits become involuntary; you might sit in a meeting and realize you've been chewing a pen, biting your nails while watching a movie, or grinding your teeth at night.

The causes of these habits include stress, anxiety, and even frustration. They culminate over time, becoming involuntary and habitual. The other difficult part is that over time, the damage is cumulative, and the result is not from a single episode. Tooth wear is not the result of grinding and chewing one single episode of grinding or chewing. Tooth wear is a cumulative, small, subtle change.

Many of us don't think about how our daily activities impact our dental health, but everyday habits can potentially cause dental damage. Breaking bad oral habits, such as the ones listed below, that can easily damage teeth, is what we want to help our patients with the most.

These habits could lead to symptoms like the following:

• Increased tooth sensitivity, especially in the biting surfaces

• Small chips

• Jaw discomfort

• Morning headaches

• Gum recession

• Cracked fillings

• Clicking jaw joints

If you are in any of these situations, you would benefit from seeing a doctor at Dental Aesthetics Lahore to see if these habits are causing your problems.

1. Nail Biting

Nail biting is one of the top bad habits that people engage in, and also is the most known as onychophagia. Nail biting is generally viewed as a cosmetic issue but considers the stress it puts on teeth and jaws. It is especially dangerous for your front teeth. They absorb the stress of nail biting without it being designed to.

How Nail Biting Teeth Damage Happens

“Does biting nails damage teeth?” is a very popular question. Biting nails damages teeth for the following reasons:

• Chipped tooth enamel

• Tooth fractures

• Irritated gums

• Strained jaws

• Worn teeth

• Sensitive teeth

Biting nails can worsen the meeting of your upper and lower jaws. Nail biting also damages your dental hygiene. That is because your nails are full of dirt and bacteria which you then introduce to your mouth.

The Link Between Nail Biting and Stress

Nail biting is commonly the result of:

• Anxiety

• Nervousness

• Frustration

• Boredom

• Loss of concentration

Nail biting is also often accompanied by teeth clenching, grinding, or bruxism. All of these habits causes a lot of stress on your teeth and jaws.

How to Stop Biting Nails

Below is a list of recommended nail biting remedies:

• Regularly trimming nails

• Applying bitter nail polish

• Managing stress

• Replacing the habit with gum

• Being mindful of what causes the habit

2. Chewing Ice

Teeth can often be restored to their previous state through bonding as a result of nail biting. You also shouldn’t chew ice. Ice is just frozen water, but also very damaging to your teeth. Ice is extremely tough. Chewing on ice causes severe microtrauma to your enamel. Since enamel is highly mineralized and not regenerative, it can lead to the gradual loss of the tooth.

Is Chewing Ice Bad for Your Teeth?

Yes! Patients have asked us:

• Is chewing ice bad for teeth?

• Is chewing ice damaging your teeth?

• Can chewing ice crack your teeth?

All of those things are true.

Common Problems Associated with Ice Chewing

Chewing ice is damaging for your teeth, especially for those with fillings, crowns, veneers, or poor enamel.

If you have a strong desire to chew ice constantly, a condition called pagophagia, you should see a doctor for possible nutritional deficiency.

3. Chewing Pens and Pencils

Chewing on your class material is also a popular habit. Most students and staff bite on their material to help them concentrate. Just like ice, the hard plastic aids in the dental problems seen from nail biting.

Why Chewing Class Materials is Bad for Teeth

The habit can lead to:

• Loss of enamel

• Fractures

• Sensitive teeth

• Strained jaw

• Poor occlusion

A lot of people are unaware they are chewing on their class materials until it is pointed out.

Hygiene Concerns

During the course of a day, pens and pencils make contact with hands and various public surfaces. They are also in contact with desks or bags. Should a pen or pencil be placed in the mouth, these surfaces and hands will have made contact with your oral environment.

For those who already have excessive jaw or teeth grinding, the habit of chewing on a pencil or pen will add further strain to the teeth.

4. Using Your Teeth as Tools

While teeth may be strong enough to enact some of the above behaviors, the real design of teeth is for the function of chewing. Using teeth to carry out these behaviors is bound to result in injury to the teeth.

Common Ways of Using your Teeth as Tools

Using your teeth to:

• Open Bottles

• Tear Packaging

• Cut String

• Hold Screws or Nails

• Open Plastic Packaging

Why Using Your Teeth For These Actions Is a Problem

Using your teeth to crack a bottle is one of the most common reasons for needing emergency dental care. If one tooth chips, it is very likely to lead to larger fractures if the damage is not repaired. If a tooth does break suddenly, patients can follow our guidelines for a broken tooth.

5. Grinding and Clenching Teeth (Bruxism)

Bruxism is one of the most destructive habits that people may not know they have. Grinding or clenching your teeth can be done when they are awake or asleep. Awake bruxism often includes tightening or grinding of the teeth during stressful situations or times of high concentration. Both bruxism types result in major dental damage.

Common Causes of Bruxism

Bruxism can have a number of causes, including:

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Sleep disturbances

• Bite irregularities

• Some medications

• Lifestyle factors

Signs of Teeth Grinding

The following are signs and explanations of teeth grinding:

Teeth Clenching at Night

Most people learn that they clench their teeth at night only after a partner hears grinding or a dentist discovers evidence of bruxism.

The result of bruxism may lead to:

• Severe enamel wear

• Cracked teeth

• Gum recession

• TMJ/TMD symptoms

• Chronic headaches

• Facial pain

Treatment Options

Treatment may consist of:

• Custom nightguards

• Methods of stress reduction

• Bite correction

• Coronoplasty

• Botox, in extreme cases

The most effective and common treatment is a nightguard to prevent further tooth damage.

6. Brushing Too Hard

It is common to think that hard brushing equals better cleaning. Aggressive brushing can be the most damaging and is one of the most common habits that damage teeth.

Brushing hard is not necessary to scrub plaque off teeth. Excessive pressure can lead to the gradual deterioration of enamel and can damage gums.

Signs of Too Much Brushing

• Sensitive teeth

• Gum recession

• Gum line notches

• Torn gum brushing

• Sore gums

Better Brushing Technique

Use:

• Soft-gum brush

• Brush gums in a circle

• Use fluoride toothpaste

• Apply pressure brushing

• Less scrubbing, but more thorough cleaning

Treatment for receded gums may be more complicated than just less brushing.

7. Hard Candies and Kernels

Every year, mashing down on hard candy and kernels causes more broken teeth. Even candy that is just hard to some may cause enough pressure when bit on. Hidden popcorn can break broken teeth, fillings, and crowns.

Why These Foods Cause Problems

• Pressure hitting candy

• Open fillings and crowns ruin

• Hidden popcorn kernels are difficult to predict

• Weak enamel from constantly biting on soft foods

Those who have broken or filled teeth need to be cautious. Small cracks in teeth may not cause immediate pain, but may extend beyond the gums and may need to be fixed.

What to Do If the Damage Is Already Done

The less than ideal news is most habit related dental issues can be done away with.

Common Treatment Options

How Dental Aesthetics Helps Break Bad Teeth Habits

At Dental Aesthetics Lahore, we want to help patients break their habits and repair the damage they've already done. Depending on what you need, we offer:

• Composite bonding

• Veneers

• Dental crowns

• Nightguards

• Gum therapy

• TMJ treatment

We also offer a composite bonding vs veneers guide to help you make a decision on your cosmetic repair options.

For prevention, we have our healthy teeth daily routine. This offers a few habits you can do throughout the day to strengthen your teeth and gums.

Conclusion

Many harmful dental habits feel harmless in the short term, and that's what makes them so destructive. Biting nails, chewing ice, and brushing with too much force put unnecessary, prolonged stress on your teeth.

As with most physical problems, the earlier the habit, the easier the fix. Our team at Dental Aesthetics Lahore, under the precision of Dr. Shahzad Mirza, provides a variety of restorative treatments to combat damage caused by dental habits. We can also provide cosmetic services, TMJ management, and preventative care. We want to defend your beautiful smile for the future.