5 Not-So-Innocent Habits That Harm Your Mouth

Red wine can stain teeth, but did you know that white wine can actually damage your gums because it’s high in acidity? An easy solution is to make sure you rinse twice daily with mouthwash.

Whether it’s incessant foot-tapping or hand-wringing, many of us have stress-induced habits. If yours is a nail-biting habit, know that each time you bring your hand to your mouth and start chewing, you’re inviting all sorts of germs and grime lodged under nails to your mouth.

Being too busy or too tired doesn’t mean your oral care should be ignored. We’ve all had lapses in our oral-care routine, but the reality is that taking a laid-back approach to brushing, sporadic flossing and rinsing allows tartar to build up, which leads to tooth decay.

These tiny sticks, when used the correct way, can clean areas between your teeth. But toothpicks are often used in a way that is not beneficial and damages gum tissue. Your safest bet is to stick with brushing, flossing and rinsing to keep your gums healthy.

Lemons and other citrus fruits contain acid that harm gum tissue, and could irritate an already vulnerable mouth. Even though they pack the immunity-boosting vitamin C and are natural antimicrobials that kill bacteria, they should be kept to a minimum in your diet.