Caring for the teeth isn’t just about brushing, flossing, and using an expensive mouthwash. Lifestyle habits can also affect one’s oral health. Certain bad habits inadvertently damage the teeth, causing them to become chipped or cracked. They also increase the risk of gum injuries, jaw and bone disorders, and bacterial infections that cause severe discomfort. From biting the nails to eating too much sugar, here are six bad habits that damage the teeth.

Biting the fingernails
Nail biting is a bad habit people develop unknowingly. Since the nails hold dirt and debris, it’s unhygienic. Biting the nails repeatedly can also cause weaker teeth to chip off. Further, the jaw assumes a protruded position while biting, which can lead to jaw disorders that are hard to rectify. The best way to avoid this habit is to trim the nails regularly.

Chewing, grinding, and clenching
Chewing hard foods can chip the teeth or erode their surface. Hence, experts recommend softening the foods with saliva before biting them down with brute force. Clenching and grinding are subconscious habits some develop at night. Dentists recommend wearing a mouth guard to prevent the upper and lower jaw from grinding excessively.

Using the teeth for unnecessary tasks
Using the teeth to cut open strips of sticky tape, packages, or hard substances can cause them to chip off and grind away. The teeth aren’t tools that can open stuff up. Doing so only damages the molars and increases the risk of gum injury.

Brushing irregularly and incorrectly
Irregular brushing speeds up tooth decay and leads to yellow stains, plaque, and cavity buildup. Similarly, using a hard-bristled toothbrush can prematurely erode the enamel (outer layer) and expose the dentin to infections.

Using toothpicks
Using toothpicks to eliminate tiny food particles in an improper manner increases the risk of gum injury and infection. Dentists recommend using floss instead to gently remove debris stuck in the crevices of healthy molars.

Consuming excess sugar
Sweets, baked goods, confectionaries, condiments, and flavored beverages or sodas contain copious amounts of refined sugar that feed the bacteria in the mouth and increase the risk of cavities. Hence, one should avoid them as far as possible.