Are you one of the top 10 bad habits that damage your teeth?

Are your teeth okay? The most common dental problems are: loose teeth, periodontitis, missing teeth, cavities, yellow teeth, black teeth, etc.

The root cause of these dental diseases is your "tooth-destroying habits", which are eating away at your good teeth and causing you to lose all your teeth.

The editor has compiled 10 bad habits that can damage your teeth. Please change them immediately.

1. Too much whitening.

Dr. Richard Price, an advisor to the American Dental Association, said over-bleaching can weaken tooth enamel, making it easier for acids to corrode teeth and cause holes in the enamel.

Once the tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be restored, which can easily lead to exposure of the dental nerve and cause tooth sensitivity.

2. Eating too sour food.

Dr. Martha Giles, a dental expert at Duke Children's Hospital in the United States, said that in order to protect your teeth, you should avoid drinking large amounts of soda, orange juice, red wine, or eating acidic foods such as lemons. Eating too much acidic food can also damage tooth enamel.

3. Alternate between hot and cold.

Dr. Price says that foods that are too hot can cause tooth enamel to swell.

If you drink cold drinks in large gulps at this time, your tooth enamel will suddenly shrink due to the cold, creating hair-like cracks, which will make you prone to tooth decay over time.

4. Brush your teeth in a sawing motion.

Dr. Nuntia Kakanantadilok, a dental specialist at Mondefield Medical Center in New York, said that brushing too hard can aggravate the wear of the enamel on the surface of the teeth, causing tooth sensitivity and exposed pulp.

It is recommended to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush and use circular motions to avoid brushing vigorously. In addition, if the bristles of a toothbrush bend after 2 to 3 months of use, it is a clear sign that you are brushing too hard.

5. You chose the wrong type of toothpaste.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration uses "relative tooth wear" (RDA, also known as toothpaste abrasion value) to grade toothpaste.

The RDA of ordinary toothpaste is 70, that of whitening toothpaste is 100, and those above 150 are considered high abrasion grade. It is not recommended to use toothpaste with an RDA of over 200. Dr. Giles recommends that it is best to choose fluoride toothpaste. Although fluoride cannot regenerate tooth enamel, it can make teeth stronger.

6. Use teeth as tools.

Many people are accustomed to using their teeth to open beer bottles or tear open packaging bags.

Dr. Warren Brill, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, said that teeth are used to chew food, not tools such as bottle openers, and doing so frequently can easily lead to tooth breakage and displacement.

7. Brushing teeth for a short time.

Many people only brush their teeth once a day, and each time they brush their teeth they do it in a perfunctory manner. Dr. Giles said that brushing your teeth for too short a time, too infrequently, or carelessly will greatly increase the risk of dental plaque and caries.

It is recommended to brush your teeth at least twice a day, and each time should last at least 2 minutes. Also, floss between your teeth at least once a day.

8. Chewing gum all day long.

Chewing gum all day is equivalent to soaking your teeth in sugar water. It is recommended to choose sugar-free gum or xylitol gum.

In addition, gummy candies easily stick to teeth and form plaque; hard candies or throat lozenges are also not good for dental health.

9. Drink black tea and wine regularly.

Tooth enamel is particularly susceptible to being affected by dark-colored foods (such as miso, soy sauce, ketchup, curry, etc.), causing fine spots to appear.

White wine is highly acidic and can make teeth more susceptible to staining. Alcohol can also cause dryness in the mouth and reduce the protective effect of saliva on teeth. The tannic acid in black tea can also increase the risk of tooth staining.

Recommendation: Drink more water when eating dark foods and rinse your mouth frequently after eating. People who often drink colored drinks can choose whitening toothpaste, or drink green tea and herbal tea instead.

10. Brush your teeth immediately after eating sweets.

After eating sweets, the oral environment becomes acidic and the enamel becomes slightly softer. If you brush your teeth right away, the enamel can be damaged, causing your teeth to become sensitive. There should be at least half an hour interval.

Do not rinse your mouth with water after washing at night, because the fluoride in the toothpaste will provide protection for your teeth all night long.