5 Bad Habits Hurting Your Teeth: Even If You Brush & Floss Every Day!

From an early age we are instructed that we must brush and floss our teeth daily for optimal dental hygiene. We want to keep those pearly whites looking beautiful and feeling healthy right? That is such an important habit to instill in the entire family, but do you know the habits that might be hurting your teeth despite your daily brushing and flossing? Here are 5 habits that my family has made a point to kick to the curb in order to achieve optimal oral health and keep our teeth in tip top shape!

 5 Habits to Avoid For Optimal Oral Health:

1. Sipping soda: We all know that soda (or pop, as we call it here in MN) is not good for your teeth but many of us choose to drink it anyway. Did you know that sipping your soda is particularly bad for you? You are much better off to drink the soda quickly than to sip on it. By sipping throughout the day you are continuously depositing sugar and acid on your teeth as opposed to just drinking it quickly and then being done with it. If you are going to indulge in that soda then drink it down quickly.  If you must sip your soda (or any sugary drink) then use a straw instead so it goes to the back of your mouth and bypasses hitting your teeth with each sip.
2. Chewing on ice: Chomping on pieces of ice can lead to tiny fractures in the enamel of your teeth and eventually lead to more serious damage. Similarly, chewing those half-popped popcorn kernels can do the same thing so avoid the urge to chew on them!
3. Using your teeth as scissors: How often have you bit a tag off clothes, used your teeth to open a package or for any other job other than eating? Using your teeth as tools can put undue stress on them leading to cracks, chips and breakage. Don’t weaken your teeth by doing this! Keep tools handy instead.
4. Using a toothbrush with hard bristles: Choose a brush with soft bristles to avoid irritating your gums. As we age our gums can recede or become sensitive and further gum loss, which can be caused by brushing with a hard bristled toothbrush, can lead to more tooth sensitivity.
5. Not flossing properly: You might be flossing but are you doing it correctly? Many dentists say people aren’t flossing correctly. At your next dental visit ask your dentist or your hygienist for a demonstration on how to properly floss. The American Dental Association also says antibacterial mouth rinses can reduce bacteria that can cause gum disease. We use LISTERINE Health White because it is gentle on teethe and whitens without the irritation. It helps prevent tooth decay and it restores enamel. For the kids we love the LISTERINE Smart Rinse. It provides 12-hour cavity protection and strengthens teeth 99% better than brushing alone so I know my kids have healthy mouths.

It is so important to instill healthy dental hygiene habits from a young age. Make it fun by picking up LISTERINE Smart Rinse in your child’s favorite character! Danika loves her Barbie rinse! I struggle with flossing so I really like the LISTERINE ULTRACLEAN ACCESS FLOSSER. It allows me to quickly and easily floss without having to feel like I’m sticking two fists in my mouth to do it! My husband loves to keep the LISTERINE POCKETPAKS in his lunch pail at work. They are the perfect way to freshen breath on the go and they kill 99% of bad breath germs.

You can find out more about our favorite LISTERINE products on their YouTube channel or find a store near you that carries these products using their store locator.

Are you doing any of these “bad” habits? Did you know they could harm your teethe?