Habits that Can be Damaging to Your Teeth

We all know that eating a lot of sugar and skipping the teeth cleaning process are very harmful for the teeth. These are facts we learn at a very early age. However, there are other habits that can damage our smiles that many do not know about. Are you hurting your teeth without realizing it? Here are some common daily habits that can harm the teeth, and how our dentist recommends combating them.

Brushing right after eating

It is, of course, important to brush at least twice a day, but when you brush also matters. Brushing your teeth right after a meal actually does more harm than good. This is because the force of the bristles matched with the acids in some foods abrades the teeth. This causes diminishing dental enamel, which can in turn lead to many dental problems, including cavities and sensitive teeth.

Drinking fruit smoothies

Fruit is a good source of energy, vitamins, and great taste, but not always the best for your smile. Fruit breaks down into sugars, which form plaque that is hard to remove. If you are a big smoothie drinker, there are a few ways you can counter act this danger. Swishing water around your mouth after a smoothie break can eliminate some of the sugar that is hanging around. Brushing after about half an hour will also help.

Drinking wine

A glass of wine is good to maintain heart health, and may even add some years to your life, but can also severely stain the teeth. This is true of both red and white wine. Again, swishing water around the mouth after you are done drinking can help wash away the staining properties.

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