We are all aware of the need for good dental hygiene. Brushing regularly, and flossing are the typical means to healthy and strong teeth. But it’s not just strong teeth that we’re worried about, but also it’s the appearance of our teeth that we are careful to protect. The common culprits for staining our teeth, we’ve been told about on more than one occasion. These are coffee, cigarettes, and wine to name a few. But the detriments to your teeth that we don’t often talk about are those bad habits that many of us have formed innocently.

Crunching on ice

This may seem harmless at first. After all, it’s only ice. But the repeated impact of crunching on ice can start to do damage to your teeth. The teeth are meant to be able to tear through meat and such things. They are not supposed to be used for that kind of resistance and pressure of crunching on ice on a consistent basis.

Brushing too hard

People often treat their teeth like they’re indestructible. And it’s true that enamel is strong, but it is susceptible to your rough handling with a toothbrush. Without being aware, people can wear down enamel and make gums more sensitive. Paying attention to the strength of bristles, and the vigor with which you’re brushing can avoid future problems.

Using teeth as a tool

This is one habit that people form out of necessity. They don’t have the proper means of opening something so they use their teeth. This works most of the time so people think it’s a good option. But using your teeth in place of tools like pliers, scissors, or hooks, can actually cause teeth to crack.

Biting on objects

Biting nails is a common habit that people develop, as well as biting on objects like pencils and eyeglasses. The results are pretty much the same. This can cause damage to your teeth by eventually realigning them. It happens very subtly over time with a chronic habit. The biting down can also get bad enough to crack or chip a tooth.