Beyond Brushing: Daily Habits That Are Secretly Harming Your Teeth

But caring for your teeth is a lot more complex than just brushing twice a day, and there may be habits that could be doing more damage than you know. These habits can diminish the benefits of brushing, or they can put you at higher risk of dental damage.

In this guide, we’re looking at some of the innocuous habits that you might not know are causing damage to your teeth. We’ll also share tips on how to stop this damage, or adapt your behaviour so that it doesn’t have as much of an impact.

If you are struggling with any aspect of your oral health, our team is here to help. Book an appointment with our dentists or dental hygienists to learn more about caring for your teeth at home.

Neglecting to floss

You might have brushing all figured out, but you could be missing as much as 40% of the tooth surface if you aren’t flossing. It doesn’t matter if you floss before or after you brush; you just need to make sure you are doing it once a day.

Flossing is easy once you know how. Start with a length of dental floss or dental tape and wrap it around the first two fingers on each hand. You should have a length of around 3-4 inches between them.

Gently ease the dental floss into the gaps between each of your teeth, moving it down to the gumline and then back. If you notice bleeding the first time you floss, this isn’t a sign to stop, but rather a sign that you really need to keep doing this every day.

Rinsing with water

A common mistake that people will make when brushing their teeth is to use a protective toothpaste designed to stop sensitivity, and then rinse with water to get rid of all traces of this when they are done.

Ideally, you want to leave the toothpaste on your teeth and only spit out the excess. Scraping your tongue can help to get rid of any excess on your tongue that might be bothering you.

Alternatively, you could finish with an alcohol-free mouthwash. But, again, you want to make sure this is the last thing you use and you aren’t removing all of the benefits by rinsing with water.

Choosing “low fat” food options

In an effort to be more healthy, many of us will make healthy food swaps. One of the most popular swaps is to reach for “low fat” options. This could include yoghurt, breakfast cereals, salad dressing or coffee drinks.

While they might be low in fat, they are usually high in sugar. Rather than relying on the “low fat” sticker on a food item, get comfortable reading the entire nutrition label. If sugar is one of the most prominent ingredients, do your teeth a favour and leave it on the shelf.

Drinking sparkling water

Another common health hack is to switch to sparkling water instead of juice or soda. While switching to water is a great move, sparkling water could be causing damage to the enamel of your teeth.

Sparkling water is still slightly acidic, which can attack your teeth when you consume it. While this is far less severe then something like cola or lemonade, it’s best to save the sparkling water for occasional enjoyment and reach for plain water as your day-to-day drink of choice.

Chewing hard objects

This is a mindless habit that many of us are guilty of. Do you chew on pens or bite your nails when you are bored? Or perhaps you like to crunch on the ice cubes in your drink? Or maybe you like the challenge of crunching through a popcorn kernel.

These habits can weaken your teeth over time and might even chip your teeth eventually. Stick to only chewing things you are planning to eat, and leave the ice in your drink if you want to protect your teeth.

Snacking between meals

You don’t have to give up your favourite snacks completely, but the timing of your snacks will be significant. If you like to graze throughout the day, you could be increasing your risk of tooth decay.

This is because you will be eating snacks at a time when your mouth isn’t producing saliva. The release of saliva is usually at meal times when your body is actually hungry. Between meals, you can’t sustain saliva production all day. This can increase the risk that harmful food debris will stay stuck on your teeth.

If you’re eating salty snacks, you also increase the risk of making your mouth drier, which can contribute to the ideal conditions for bacteria to multiply. By saving your favourite treats for after a meal, you’re less likely to damage your teeth.

Using your teeth as a tool

If you need to open a package, do you look for scissors, or do you rip it open with your teeth? The same goes for cutting off a piece of sticky tape when you are wrapping a gift or parcel.

Using your teeth as a tool in this way can weaken the structure and put you at increased risk for chips and cracks. It might not happen every time, but using your teeth as a multi-tool will weaken the teeth and put you at increased risk for chips and cracks. If you have a dental restoration like veneers, you’ll also be at risk of this coming loose.

Ignoring bleeding or sensitivity

Sensitivity is not just a fact or life or something that people develop from time to time. It is nearly always the result of another issue, and it is vital that you get to the heart of this so you know the best way to treat it.

Sensitivity can be a sign of gum disease as it can occur when the gums recede. It could also be a sign that you have damage to your enamel, and this leaves you at risk of tooth decay. Ignoring the early signs of tooth sensitivity could leave you vulnerable to further issues down the road.

Skipping the dentist

Finally, another common way that individuals will sabotage their oral health is by skipping the dentist because they assume no pain means no problems. Many dental problems aren’t obvious to the patient until there are symptoms such as pain. By the time the symptoms have appeared, it’s already too late and the damage is done.

It might feel like a waste of time to visit the dentist when there is nothing wrong, but it’s not like going to a doctor, which you would probably only do when something is wrong. Your dentist can spot issues before they become more problematic, but the only way they can monitor your oral health is if you commit to regular checkups.

Ready to upgrade your dental care?

If you’re guilty of any of the habits on this list, book a checkup with our team to see how we can get your oral health back on track.