As we go about our busy lives we rarely consider all the negative choices we make each day that can affect our smiles. We do them without thinking, and suddenly our smile begins to look yellow, dingy, and unattractive. How did this happen, we wonder. A professional dentistry office can answer this question with some specifics.

Knowledge is power, so let’s shed some light on everyday negative lifestyle choices that affect your smile.

The Foods And Drinks We Consume

This is probably the most obvious culprit. Most of us are aware that sugary drinks and candy, especially the chewy or hard kind, can wreak havoc on our teeth. If we don’t remove the plaque they produce in a timely fashion, decay and cavities result. Get into the habit of drinking water after consuming these kinds of sweets. If you cannot brush immediately, the water will at least help flush some of the tell-tale remains.

Certain dark drinks like coffee, tea, wine, and pop can discolour our teeth over time. If these are staples in your life, then you should at least cut back some, or at the very least drink lots of water afterward or with. Then brush your teeth as soon as possible to remove the stains. That morning cup of joe might be necessary to start your day, but it doesn’t mean you have to live with stained teeth.

Smoking

One of the worst habits affecting our teeth is smoking. Any dentistry office will be able to explain in detail why this is such a no-no. It is addictive and a habit hard to break, but even cutting back on how many cigarettes you smoke a day can help.

The chemicals and nicotine poison your gums and even create a change in the composition of saliva. Someone with a serious habit ends up with decay and as we all know – yellow teeth. Not a good look.

Stress

Some of those reading right now may be surprised by this topic, but unmanageable stress can result in serious problems with your teeth and smile. We may not choose it, but it’s part of life.

Stress from daily life can cause many people to grind their teeth at night. Clenching and grinding teeth while sleeping is known as bruxism. It can lead to serious consequences like accelerating the wear on our teeth as well as erosion of the enamel.

Over time this can result in broken cracked teeth and fractures.

Find ways to reduce stress and unwind before you go to bed. Take a bath, listen to relaxing music, turn off the TV.

The dentistry office of Oakville Place Dental Office can fit you with an occlusal guard to wear at night to help control this problem.

Poor Oral Hygiene Habits

If you procrastinate or are less than vigilant about your daily oral hygiene, you set yourself up for problems which will eventually affect your smile.

If you find yourself relating to these negative lifestyle choices, now might be the time to make some changes.

Keep that beautiful smile.
Visit our dentistry office and let us show you how to keep your pearly whites as attractive as possible.