7 surprising ways you’re wrecking your teeth
Your oral heath may be at risk without your knowledge.
Keep your pearly whites safe and healthy by taking simple precautions. PHOTO: BP
KARACHI:
When it comes to cavities and dental issues, we tend to blame usual suspects, such as sodas, chocolates and careless brushing habits, however, they are not always at fault.
There are many unexpected dental culprits that are plausible causes for ruining your high-watt smile. As compiled by Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping and Men’s Health magazine, here are tips to protect your pearly whites from these startling dental wreckers.
1. Cardio
PHOTO: visualimpactcardio.com
You might be losing inches off your waist but long cardio workouts may take a heavy toll on your teeth, a German study found. Researchers compared the oral health of endurance athletes with non-exercisers and found that the athletes were more likely to have severe tooth erosion, which is a gradual wearing away of the enamel. Turns out the more time you spend training per week, the greater their risk of cavities. Exercise reduces your saliva, which is filled with minerals that nurture your teeth and neutralise acids that causes rot, says dentistry advisor Mark S. Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D. Don’t cut out your date with the treadmill but make sure to brush before you exercise and rinse your mouth with water after, recommends Wolff says. Chewing sugar-free gum when you work out can also boost saliva production, says study author Cornelia Frese, D.D.S., a senior dentist at University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany.
2. Weight lifting
PHOTO: Muscle Base
We have natural tendency to clench your jaw while lifting weights. It may even improve performance by increasing blood flow to parts of your brain associated with motor control, recent research finds. But all that force and stress on the jaw can wear down your pearly whites or even crack them, causing a constant pain in your jaw, dentists suggest. To fix the issue, next time you bite down hard when you exert yourself in the gym, consider wearing a mouthguard. Ask your dentist to make you a custom one, which will fit better, researchers suggest.
3. Medications
PHOTO: assistednursingcare.net
Meds for allergies, depression, heart health, and blood pressure actually cause dry mouth. That may not sound like a major side effect, but it can wreak mayhem on your teeth, since they need saliva to protect against acids that cause decay and erosion, says Edmond Hewlett, D.D.S., an American Dental Association advisor and professor at the University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry. "When you don't have an adequate saliva supply, your teeth can undergo catastrophic damage in a matter of months,” he says. Hewlett recommends you steer clear of sugary and acidic foods that encourage decay and erosion, he says. Eating that stuff will exacerbate the problem so make sure to avoid it and try to increase your water intake.
4. Heartburn
PHOTO: medicalnewstoday.com
Sure, the burning sensation in the chest is a real downer, but did you realise that acid reflux can do permanent damage to your teeth, too? When you overeat, the acid from your digestive system can end up in your mouth, dissolving your enamel just like the acid from soft drinks. This acid, however, can be even more potent. If your dentist finds erosion on the teeth located at the back of your mouth, acid reflux is most likely the culprit, Hewlett says. In that case make sure to decrease your portion sizes and banish late-night comfort foods that may be causing acid efflux while you sleep.
5. Meal-time brushing
PHOTO: bridgingthegap.com
Brushing right after consuming acidic foods, such as, juices, fruits, sports drinks, and soda—can deteriorate your enamel, dentists say. Also, instead of whitening and brightening your chewers, doing so may lead to yellowing and greater odds of wear and tear, cracking and chipping. An easy fix though is swishing with water to rinse away the acid and wait 40 minutes for the calcium in your saliva to remineralise the weakened and sensitive enamel areas. Then brush. The time window in between brushing will make sure your teeth don’t grind down because of acid.
6. Using your teeth as a tool
PHOTO: riversidedentalblog.com
I urge you to spend an extra five minutes searching for a bottle opener instead of using your teeth to uncap metal lids on bottles. Attempting to open a bag of chips with your pearly whites is also more detrimental than you could’ve ever thought. “Using your teeth to open bags, bite nails, and especially do things like open bottles is particularly damaging," says dentist Bill Kohn, vice president for dental science and policy of Delta Dental Plans Association. "Your teeth aren’t made for that kind of shearing action." As an adult, your teeth’s edges have worn over the years. That makes it easier to injure the edge of a tooth if you accidentally catch it incorrectly on a hard surface. Invest in a bottle opener and a pair of scissors to keep in sight today, if you haven’t already.
7. Eating hot pizza with a cold drink
PHOTO: jtrewards.com
When you bite into a delicious piece of stifling hot pizza, you're actually expanding your tooth enamel. “Then you take a big dose of cold cola in a glass and you’re going to cause contraction,” says dentist Richard H Price, advisor to the American Dental Association. That can create what’s called a “craze line” — a vertical, hair-thin crack in the enamel that can lead to breaks and stains. “It would be similar to what happens to a porcelain plate that goes from hot to cold,” says Price. “Teeth will contract or expand with changes in temperature,” says Paul Casamassimo, director of the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Centre for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “When that happens, if it’s done too quickly, it’s damaging.” One easy solution - eat hot pizza with a knife and fork and let it cool down and if you’re into super sizzling foods, make sure to use a straw for your cold drinks.
When it comes to cavities and dental issues, we tend to blame usual suspects, such as sodas, chocolates and careless brushing habits, however, they are not always at fault.
There are many unexpected dental culprits that are plausible causes for ruining your high-watt smile. As compiled by Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping and Men’s Health magazine, here are tips to protect your pearly whites from these startling dental wreckers.
1. Cardio
PHOTO: visualimpactcardio.com
You might be losing inches off your waist but long cardio workouts may take a heavy toll on your teeth, a German study found. Researchers compared the oral health of endurance athletes with non-exercisers and found that the athletes were more likely to have severe tooth erosion, which is a gradual wearing away of the enamel. Turns out the more time you spend training per week, the greater their risk of cavities. Exercise reduces your saliva, which is filled with minerals that nurture your teeth and neutralise acids that causes rot, says dentistry advisor Mark S. Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D. Don’t cut out your date with the treadmill but make sure to brush before you exercise and rinse your mouth with water after, recommends Wolff says. Chewing sugar-free gum when you work out can also boost saliva production, says study author Cornelia Frese, D.D.S., a senior dentist at University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany.
2. Weight lifting
PHOTO: Muscle Base
We have natural tendency to clench your jaw while lifting weights. It may even improve performance by increasing blood flow to parts of your brain associated with motor control, recent research finds. But all that force and stress on the jaw can wear down your pearly whites or even crack them, causing a constant pain in your jaw, dentists suggest. To fix the issue, next time you bite down hard when you exert yourself in the gym, consider wearing a mouthguard. Ask your dentist to make you a custom one, which will fit better, researchers suggest.
3. Medications
PHOTO: assistednursingcare.net
Meds for allergies, depression, heart health, and blood pressure actually cause dry mouth. That may not sound like a major side effect, but it can wreak mayhem on your teeth, since they need saliva to protect against acids that cause decay and erosion, says Edmond Hewlett, D.D.S., an American Dental Association advisor and professor at the University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry. "When you don't have an adequate saliva supply, your teeth can undergo catastrophic damage in a matter of months,” he says. Hewlett recommends you steer clear of sugary and acidic foods that encourage decay and erosion, he says. Eating that stuff will exacerbate the problem so make sure to avoid it and try to increase your water intake.
4. Heartburn
PHOTO: medicalnewstoday.com
Sure, the burning sensation in the chest is a real downer, but did you realise that acid reflux can do permanent damage to your teeth, too? When you overeat, the acid from your digestive system can end up in your mouth, dissolving your enamel just like the acid from soft drinks. This acid, however, can be even more potent. If your dentist finds erosion on the teeth located at the back of your mouth, acid reflux is most likely the culprit, Hewlett says. In that case make sure to decrease your portion sizes and banish late-night comfort foods that may be causing acid efflux while you sleep.
5. Meal-time brushing
PHOTO: bridgingthegap.com
Brushing right after consuming acidic foods, such as, juices, fruits, sports drinks, and soda—can deteriorate your enamel, dentists say. Also, instead of whitening and brightening your chewers, doing so may lead to yellowing and greater odds of wear and tear, cracking and chipping. An easy fix though is swishing with water to rinse away the acid and wait 40 minutes for the calcium in your saliva to remineralise the weakened and sensitive enamel areas. Then brush. The time window in between brushing will make sure your teeth don’t grind down because of acid.
6. Using your teeth as a tool
PHOTO: riversidedentalblog.com
I urge you to spend an extra five minutes searching for a bottle opener instead of using your teeth to uncap metal lids on bottles. Attempting to open a bag of chips with your pearly whites is also more detrimental than you could’ve ever thought. “Using your teeth to open bags, bite nails, and especially do things like open bottles is particularly damaging," says dentist Bill Kohn, vice president for dental science and policy of Delta Dental Plans Association. "Your teeth aren’t made for that kind of shearing action." As an adult, your teeth’s edges have worn over the years. That makes it easier to injure the edge of a tooth if you accidentally catch it incorrectly on a hard surface. Invest in a bottle opener and a pair of scissors to keep in sight today, if you haven’t already.
7. Eating hot pizza with a cold drink
PHOTO: jtrewards.com
When you bite into a delicious piece of stifling hot pizza, you're actually expanding your tooth enamel. “Then you take a big dose of cold cola in a glass and you’re going to cause contraction,” says dentist Richard H Price, advisor to the American Dental Association. That can create what’s called a “craze line” — a vertical, hair-thin crack in the enamel that can lead to breaks and stains. “It would be similar to what happens to a porcelain plate that goes from hot to cold,” says Price. “Teeth will contract or expand with changes in temperature,” says Paul Casamassimo, director of the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Centre for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “When that happens, if it’s done too quickly, it’s damaging.” One easy solution - eat hot pizza with a knife and fork and let it cool down and if you’re into super sizzling foods, make sure to use a straw for your cold drinks.