Show #319 Airing Sunday, 11/19/05
Ok, admit it. I’ll bet you have at least one or two bad health habits. Now this will shock you, but even I have a couple of bad habits. I know, I know, it’s hard to believe. Well, our dental expert Dr. Steven Marsh is here to explain how bad dental habits can cause trouble, and how dentists deal with those dangers.
Question: There are some obviously bad dental habits that can cause problems.
Answer: Sure. Not flossing or brushing your teeth regularly can cause decay to develop in between teeth. The decay would need to be cleaned out and then the tooth would need to be filled.
Question: But today we’re going to talk about some non-obvious habits that might also lead to dental issues.
Answer: Nail biting, teeth grinding, smoking, and even overbrushing your teeth can also cause harmful conditions.
Question: Overbrushing? You can actually brush your teeth too hard?
Answer: Yes. Overbrushing can wear away the teeth’s enamel, causing the yellow denten to show through and therefore discoloration. It can also cause the gums to recede, which then exposes the root. The root is soft and can be brushed away, causing divots and sensitivity.
Here’s an example of the roots being exposed and the restoration.
Question: You mentioned nail biting?
Answer: Biting your nails can wear the teeth. This habit sometimes goes along with teeth grinding. Both may be caused by stress.
Example of nail biting, fixed by veneers.
Example of more excessive teeth grinding. This person ground away so much of his teeth that veneers could not be used to restore them. Veneers cover the remaining tooth. If not enough of the tooth is left, one needs the additional support of crowns, which you see here.
Question: Smoking can cause dental issues?
Answer: It can cause bad yellowing of the teeth. This can be corrected through Bright Smile or Zoom.
Question: Sometimes a combination of habits can wreak havoc on your teeth.
Answer: Yes. This person smoked and ground her teeth. Plus, she sewed a lot and held the needle in her mouth. That caused chipping in her teeth.
Question: And there’s one more habit—or hobby—that can cause dental dangers.
Answer: Sports. Here is an example of a patient who was hit in the mouth by a soccer ball. One tooth became discolored, which was fixed by one porcelain veneer.
Bad habits are hard to break. But at least new dental techniques can fix the damages. To learn more, try developing a new habit: Give Dr. Marsh a call.
