Do you have a sweet tooth? Are you partial to a glass of red wine? While we aren’t saying you should stop enjoying life, the fact is, there are some things that are just bad for your teeth. Here are 7 bad habits that are ruining your teeth.

1. Eating candy

Both hard and soft candy are bad news for teeth. Both are full of sugar, and hard candy can crack a tooth!. Avoid overindulging in candy if you can, but if you must have it, brush your teeth straight after.

2. Smoking

As well as being terrible for your overall health, smoking is definitely up there on the list of bad habits for your teeth. It causes bad breath and teeth stains, and it reduces circulation to the gums which means problems like infections take far longer to heal.

3. Drinking wine and sodas

While having the occasional glass of wine or a soda is okay, remember that they are very acidic. Acidic drinks damage your tooth enamel over time, leading to sensitivity and tooth decay. The only safe drink for your teeth is water.

4. Drinking coffee

Coffee is well-known for causing teeth stains and is a major reason why people have their teeth whitened. If you add sugar to your coffee, it means double the trouble for your teeth. If you can’t give up your morning coffee, rinse your mouth with water immediately afterwards to prevent staining.

5. Not having a good oral health routine

According to a survey carried out by the Oral Health Foundation, 26% of British people only brush their teeth once per day. This is not enough if you want a truly healthy mouth. You need to brush twice daily and floss each day too. Using a good mouthwash can also help fight bacteria and germs in the mouth.

6. Not wearing a mouthguard when playing contact sports

Are you a boxing or martial arts devotee? If you play any sort of contact sport, a knock to the mouth can ruin your teeth and be very expensive to fix. Invest in a good mouthguard to protect your pearly-whites.

7. Using your teeth to open things

Own up, are you only of the many people who are guilty of this bad habit for teeth? Yes, we’re talking to you, who opens packages or bottles with their teeth! You can chip a tooth doing this, so next time, use scissors or ask someone else to open the bottle.

Is it time to rein in your bad oral health habits? Check out the rest of our blog for articles on how you can care for your teeth for a bright and healthy smile.