Using Your Teeth as Tools
Many people use their teeth to help them open packaging, tear off a piece of tape, or even to hold a paperclip. However, this can cause damage to your tooth enamel and may eventually cause your teeth to chip or break. Instead, try to use the proper tools for the job such as a pair of scissors, a plier or a tape dispenser.
Drinking Your Morning Coffee
For lots of workers, a cup of coffee in the morning has become something of a daily tradition. While it may seem like the perfect way to start the day, it can actually have some negative effects on your oral health. Drinking coffee can often lead to dry mouth, bad breath, and cavities. As such, it is probably a good idea to switch to a drink such as green tea for your caffeine boost in the morning.
Chewing on Stationery
When focused on a particularly challenging task, people often tend to subconsciously chew on the pens and pencils that are sitting on their desks. Though this might seem pretty harmless at first, it will eventually begin to wear down the edges of your teeth – potentially resulting in a toothache or even a fracture. If you simply must satiate this impulse, snacking on carrot sticks is a much healthier option.
Taking a Cigarette Break
Just about everybody understands that smoking is an unhealthy habit. However, many people still stop to take a cigarette break multiple times throughout the workday. In doing so, you are increasing your risk of oral cancer, tooth loss, gum disease, and even cavities. Considering the many dangers of smoking, it is certainly a good idea to consider quitting. Should you need assistance with this, your primary care physician should be able to offer some guidance.
It can often be pretty tough to break habits such as smoking, pen chewing, or drinking coffee. However, now that you know a little more about how these habits may be adversely impacting your oral health, it might be worth trying to change your ways.
About: Dr. Maria Luongpractices cosmetic and general dentistry in Florida and opened her practice, Serenity Dentistry Spa, to provide stellar treatment to rejuvenate patients’ smiles in a relaxing environment. From using the most modern, innovating technology, Dr. Luong achieves the highest standards in comprehensive care for her patients. Dr. Luong makes sure to live a balanced lifestyle, always finding time to spend with her family and friends.