These habits are very bad for your teeth

If you follow a few well-known people on Instagram, you can't help but notice. It seems like everyone has a pearly white smile with intensely straight teeth. Some people honestly admit that they are veneers. Others pretend it’s due to a miracle product that has given them white teeth overnight. That makes no sense, of course. From toothpaste with charcoal, strips, mouthguards, to lamps. Anyone who has ever fallen for it knows that they are really not miracle cures. It is simply not possible to get such almost glowing white teeth from a simple tube of toothpaste. Some of those products claim to be good for your teeth because they are natural products. But a lot of those items are actually harmful to your teeth. Many people have these habits, but they are super bad for your teeth in the long run.

Brushing too hard
You'd better use a softer brush and not apply too much force. A tip from dentists: hold your toothbrush like it's a pen, then it's much harder to apply too much pressure. Most electric toothbrushes indicate when you are applying too much pressure, for example by a red light or even by stopping the brushing.

Drinking sugary drinks
Oh, oh... Calm down with the pumpkin spice latte, because flavored coffee is super bad for your teeth. It's even as bad as soda. It's not just about the sugar it contains. Coffee, soda, and energy drinks also contain acids that cause damage to your teeth. And damage, of course, leads to problems.

Using wooden toothpicks
Think you're doing well with your toothpick, but you're doing it wrong again. A wooden toothpick can cause wounds in your gums, which can lead to inflammation. Dentists recommend using toothpicks with those little brushes on them. They actually work better than floss, because floss can also cause irritation to your gums.

Using your teeth as tools
Opening that bottle with your teeth? No go. If your teeth are already damaged from all of the above, this can even cause pieces to break off. You definitely don't want that, because it hurts a lot and it's not exactly pretty. That will be another expensive trip to the dentist.

Brushing teeth with black toothpaste
Do your teeth get whiter from that black toothpaste? Yes, that can happen. But that's because it scrapes pieces off your teeth. In principle, you are gradually damaging your teeth a little more, which can cause problems in the long run. For example, you can get cavities, but your teeth can also discolor because of it.

So how do you do it right? An important tip is to rinse your mouth with water after eating. Brushing your teeth after every meal is also a good idea, but you should wait at least 30 minutes. In that half hour, your mouth first works on fighting the acids you just ingested, but afterwards it’s a good idea to help remove any remaining bacteria. It's also nice for your surroundings to brush your teeth at least twice a day. That way, your breath stays nice and fresh.