Terri Ramsey Beavers There are some things that you may currently be doing that may jeopardize your dental health without you even knowing. There are the usual culprits such as sweets and not brushing and flossing regularly but there are other things that you may be overlooking that could be adversely affecting your dental health as well.
If you have no idea what these are then it’s time for you to get informed so you can stop them before they destroy your teeth.
Stress Levels
Your stress levels can wreak havoc on your teeth if you’re not careful. Stress can manifest itself in things like jaw clenching and teeth grinding.
All of this can lead to wear and tear on your jaw and even headaches. The bottom line is that your teeth can take a beating when you are stressed in some cases. This can lead to dental issues that you never would have had if you had been more relaxed.
If you find that too much stress is causing the things described here to happen, you need to put a stop to it immediately and get help from a dentist if necessary.
Your Medications
You may be taking medication because you need to get rid of certain health issues. While the medications may be great for these health issues, they may be wreaking havoc on your teeth.
It is known that things like decongestants, and antidepressants can cause your mouth to go dry. Since saliva is so critical to helping to wash away food particles and neutralizing acid, once you start experiencing dry mouth your teeth are at risk.
The best way to alleviate this is to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and ask your dentist what you can do to stimulate saliva production.
Acid Reflux
Acid reflux can have an effect on your teeth as well. Acid reflux happens when your stomach acid starts flowing right back into your mouth. This can lead to your tooth enamel getting damaged by erosion.
It can also cause cavities to crop up as well. If you are experiencing this condition you will need to make lifestyle changes and make sure you’re taking the right medication to prevent it from happening. Whenever you feel the acid rising up through your mouth you need to rinse thoroughly.
You need to neutralize the acids as much as possible and keep your teeth safeguarded.
Being Diabetic
There are certain health conditions such as diabetes that can put you at risk for having gum disease. Getting something like this under control is a must because you want to protect your dental health as much as possible. The last thing you need is to have this issue on top of the health condition you already have.
There are many things outside of not brushing and flossing or eating too many sweets that can cause problems with your dental health. By being aware of them you can take measures to crack down on them before they start to deteriorate your teeth.