Can Bad Oral Habits Affect Your Smile?

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Harmful oral habits can certainly affect your smile. Many people have bad habits that can ruin even the best of smiles. This can occur because wear, spacing, chipping and fracture of tooth structure can result from these oral habits.

Although many people may not be aware of these harmful habits, since many begin at childhood, people should become conscious of some of these to help avoid costly and unnecessary dental treatment and help maintain that healthy, youthful smile.

Below are some oral habits that can alter a person’s smile and even make a youthful look appear aged

  • Grinding and Clenching Teeth
  • Fingernail biting
  • Thumb sucking
  • Chewing hard substances like ice cubes
  • Chewing pens and pencils
  • Cheek and/or lip biting
  • Continually holding objects with the teeth like keys, glasses, toothpicks, etc
  • Smoking( cigarettes, pipes, cigars and chewing tobacco)

There are many others that can be included in this list. The important thing to remember is to eliminate the bad oral habits to help maintain the health of the gums and teeth for a long lasting youthful smile.

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