Online Desk: With our lives being so busy all the time, it’s easy to overlook the little things that can make a big difference in maintaining a dazzling smile. So, before you brush off your oral care routine as ‘good enough,’ let’s dive into the top five no-no’s that might be doing a number on your teeth. Get ready to spit out the bad habits and brush up on the dos and don’ts for tip-top oral health. It’s not just about avoiding cavities; it’s about keeping that grin in winning form for the long haul!

Not brushing before bed

Perhaps the most important practice is to make it a habit of brushing before bed. Sometimes, one may feel tired and be tempted to go to bed without brushing. Many people only brush once a day; in the morning. But it’s imperative to remember that brushing twice a day is the healthiest practice. That being said, brushing before bed is a little bit more important than brushing in the morning. Not brushing at night allows the microbial activity to build up overnight.

Brushing too hard

Interestingly, while some people are reluctant to brush twice a day, there are those who not only brush twice a day, but also does it with quite some force. The rough use of a brush with so much pressure might seem like it’s necessary to clean your teeth, but the truth is that such rough use of a brush can damage your teeth and hurt your gums. Not only that, blows to the gum can easily lead to infection.

Smoking

Smoking has so many negative impacts on one’s health that it’s no surprise that it should be harmful for oral health as well. Smoking can discolour one’s teeth and increase chances of gum diseases. If someone already has gum disease, smoking will make it worse and slow down the recovery process. And of course, since smoking affects the immune system, any sort of infection will spread.

Using toothpicks too often

Every once in a while, using toothpicks is not such a bad idea. In fact, sometimes it can be annoying when a small piece of food is stuck between your teeth and you can’t get it out. Toothpicks can be useful in such cases but remember — toothpicks cannot reach all the difficult spots between your teeth. On top of that, the toothpicks are often sharp and while they may not directly damage your teeth, they can be hard on your gum. If you make a habit of using toothpicks regularly, your gums may be damaged.

Ignoring the tongue

As ironic as it sounds — please mind your tongue. Bacteria builds up on the surface of your tongue. If left uncleaned, bacteria buildup may cause your tongue to look white. Bacteria on the tongue give off a strong smell, also known as bad breath. Bad breath is not healthy, and uncleaned tongue can stimulate other oral health issues. On top of that, bad breath can be embarrassing and make people self-conscious. Taking the time to scrape your tongue daily, so you can save yourself from such issues.

There’s a saying — blessings are not valued till they are gone, which translates to: ‘Daath Thakte Dater Morjada Bujhe Na.’ And indeed, your teeth are a blessing. People take it for granted and do not realise the value of good oral health until they are forced to visit the dentist. That being said, it is a good idea to visit your dentist at least once a year even if you do not have any oral health issues.

Avoid the bad habits that are affecting your oral health because — “A HAPPY MOUTH IS …A Happy Body.”