If you’re vigilant about cleaning your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day, and if you make sure you visit us regularly at Leeds City Dentalcare then you might think you’re doing all you can to look after your teeth. However it’s all too easy to get into bad habits that may inadvertently harm your teeth and gums, so it’s well worth keeping an eye out for them and making sure you break these habits before they cause any harm. We’ve put together a list of the worst offenders.

Crunching on ice cubes is something a lot of us do without really thinking about it. It’s such an easy thing to do when you’ve finished a nice cold drink, and it seems relatively harmless. However ice is cold and brittle and can lead to fractures forming in your teeth. Initially these may be extremely difficult to detect as they will start off as microscopic cracks in your tooth enamel. Every time you bite down on food then these cracks will open up slightly, and you’ll probably notice your teeth are more sensitive towards hot and cold foods.. If you do have sensitivity to hot and cold foods it’s well worth mentioning it to Dr David Brown or your dentist next time you visit our Leeds surgery. They’ll be able to examine your teeth and determine the exact cause for this sensitivity. Fractures or crack may need treatment to prevent bacteria from entering the tooth.

Using your teeth as if they were a pair of scissors or a pair of pliers will also put a lot of undue strain on them. It’s all too easy to use your teeth to open a packet of food or to rip apart plastic tags. This bad habit can place your teeth under real stress, and may lead to a weakened tooth cracking or chipping. Reaching for a pair of scissors as opposed to using your teeth could save you a lot of pain and money in the future.

Teeth grinding is a slightly trickier issue, as many people are completely unaware they have this habit given that it tends to happen during the night. It’s something that can arise due to stress or anxiety, and it can cause substantial damage to your teeth and gums, as well as your jaw and the muscles in your face. If you frequently wake up with a sore painful jaw, or if you’ve noticed your teeth look more worn down than before then it’s worth making an appointment to see a dentist at Leeds City Dentalcare just in case you need treatment. If we think that you’re grinding your teeth then we will probably prescribe a mouthguard for you to wear at night. This can often be enough to break the habit, but if not there are plenty of other things that can be done to help you quit this habit.

Brushing your teeth too hard can cause quite a lot of damage to your teeth and gums, as can using a toothbrush with very hard bristles. You don’t need to brush very hard to thoroughly clean your teeth, and over brushing can lead to the tooth enamel becoming worn away, increasing the sensitivity of your gums and increasing the risk of tooth decay.

These issues are all relatively common, but resolving them may help improve your dental health, and that’s something we think is well worth doing.