The Top Ten Ways to Ruin Your Smile

Mary Richards (aka Mary Tyler Moore) could turn the world on with her smile. But she wouldn't have flashed her pearly whites if she practiced some of these top ten ways to ruin your smile.

What Ruins Your Smile:

Skip the dentist Sure you can brush and floss your teeth regularly. But only the dentist can take an x-ray of your teeth to see if there are any problems lurking beyond your sight under the gums and at the roots.

Don't brush or floss every day

If you didn't brush or floss your teeth, whatever you ate or drank during the day would sit on and in between your your teeth, grow bacteria, and cause tooth decay.

Smoke

Tobacco stains your teeth and coats them in a filmy substance that can lead to bacterial growth and eventually gum damage and tooth decay. Also, smoking increases your chances of developing mouth and/or throat cancer.

Teeth grinding

If you grind your teeth at night, you're killing you smile. Forceful teeth grinding over time can chip your teeth and ruin the enamel which keeps your teeth shinny and helps fight against tooth decay.

Drink wine

Wine, especially red wine, not only stains your teeth but it is highly acidic and can eat away the enamel on your teeth.

Drink sports drinks

Sports drinks replenish your body with electrolytes and minerals lost after exercise. However, like wine, they can be very acidic.

Eat poorly

Brushing your teeth alone will not guarantee smile worthy teeth. Foods high in nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamins A-C-D all help fight against tooth decay.

Eat too much candy

When the Beatles said You'll have to have them all pulled out after the Savoy Truffle, they meant it. Sugar is a huge contributor to tooth decay because it erodes the enamel.

Get Old

As we age, tooth enamel thins, our teeth naturally turn a yellowish-gray color, gums recede, and we experience dry mouth more often.

Get pregnant

Pregnant women have an increased chance of developing periodontal disease because the jump in hormones affects the gums and increases their reaction to bacteria. Pregnant women frequently experience more gum bleeding when brushing their teeth.

Sources:

Kristen Koch, 20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile, Health.com (reprinted on MSN Health and Fitness)

Audrey Berman, Shirlee J Snyder, Barbara Kozier, Glenora Erb, Kozier and Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process, and Practice 8^th edition, Chapter 33 Hygiene, pp 763-768

Are Sports Drinks Bad For Your Teeth?, Dentistry.com