{"id":2761,"date":"2020-06-03T16:32:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T20:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/?p=2761"},"modified":"2020-06-22T16:33:57","modified_gmt":"2020-06-22T20:33:57","slug":"5-bad-dental-habits-that-can-damage-your-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/5-bad-dental-habits-that-can-damage-your-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Bad Dental Habits That Can Damage Your Teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You\nonly have 30 minutes left. Despite your best efforts, you find yourself running\nlate due to standstill traffic on the freeway. As the minutes tick away, you\nrealize you\u2019ve been mindlessly biting your nails for the better part of an\nhour. \u201cWhat\u2019s the harm?\u201d you think to yourself, \u201cNothing\nbad has ever happened before.\u201d Just as the thought enters your\nhead, you feel a surge of pain and notice a deep crack in your tooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biting your nails is one of many behaviors that can harm\nyour teeth. To keep your teeth strong and avoid an emergency dentist<\/a>\nvisit, watch out for these five bad dental habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Smoking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Decades of research have shown the detrimental effects smoking has on your health. However, more recent studies\nhave revealed impressive statistics about the\nlink between smoking and gum disease. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control\nand Prevention reported that people who smoke run twice the risk of being\ndiagnosed with gum disease compared to their non-smoking counterparts. In\naddition, smoking inhibits your body\u2019s ability to fight infection and hinders\nyour gums from healing properly. Each of these consequences could lead to an emergency visit to the dentist,\nwhich can be stressful in a pandemic.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biting Your Nails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Experts estimate that about 30% of the population engages\nin nail-biting when faced with a stressful situation. Initially this habit may\nseem harmless, but it can actually lead to cracks, chips, and serious wear on\nyour teeth. While it can be difficult to quit such a deep-rooted habit, try\nchewing gum the next time you are feeling anxious to help you avoid a painful\ntoothache from a damaged tooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grinding Your Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This habit can be difficult to correct, as many people\naren\u2019t aware that they do it at all. However, if you are experiencing jaw pain\nand headaches, combined with noticeable wear on your teeth, then you may be\ngrinding your teeth in your sleep. To avoid these unpleasant side effects, as\nwell as the risk of a sudden cracked tooth, speak with your dentist about using\na mouthguard at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Your Teeth to Open Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When a bottle or package is being particularly stubborn,\nit isn\u2019t unusual for people to try using their teeth. Since they are strong,\nsharp, and deliver an immense amount of pressure, it often does the trick.\nNevertheless, this bad habit can lead to chipped, cracked teeth and a multitude\nof other dental emergencies. To avoid that headache, and a potentially\nexpensive bill, opt for the bottle opener or scissors instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Too Much Snacking on Sugar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sugar is deliciously sweet, but oh so dangerous for your\nhealthy, white smile. Much like smoking, frequently\nconsuming sugary foods and drinks can increase your risk of tooth decay\nand severely damage your strong enamel. Over time, prolonged exposure to sugar\nwill turn your teeth from pearly white to a deep yellow color. From there, the\nacid erodes the enamel and leaves you vulnerable to cavities and toothaches. Therefore, reserving the sugary\ntreats for special occasions can help you avoid an unexpected visit to the\ndentist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With a degree from the University of Tennessee School of\nDentistry and nearly four decades of experience under his belt, Dr. Pate provides\npersonalized general dentistry to the people of Atlanta. Between his extensive\nknowledge, helpful staff, and enthusiasm for taking care of his patients, even\nemergency visits can be a stress-free experience. For more information on what\nto do in a dental emergency and how to schedule a same-day visit, check out\ntheir website<\/a> or\ngive them a call at 404-266-9424.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You only have 30 minutes left. Despite your best efforts, you find yourself running late due to standstill traffic on the freeway. As the minutes tick away, you realize you\u2019ve been mindlessly biting your nails for the better part of an hour. \u201cWhat\u2019s the harm?\u201d you think to yourself, \u201cNothing bad has ever happened before.\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2761"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2761"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2765,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2761\/revisions\/2765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patedds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}