1. Enamel is the hardest surface in the body… and also one of the most easily broken.
It might sound surprising, but it probably shouldn’t be. Take a tap on your teeth… they’re pretty tough. Even your bones aren’t that hard! But since our teeth are exposed to all kinds of other hard surfaces, bacteria, and food reactions, it’s a lot easier to chip a tooth or invite tooth decay than it is to break a bone.
2. Chocolate is good for your teeth… but also bad.
Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. On the one hand, chocolate is made from a cocoa bean that possesses pro-tooth antibacterial properties. On the other, chocolate is also sticky and contains a lot of sugar, which clings to teeth and wears away at enamel. What’s a chocolate lover to do? (Well, other than brush, floss, and rinse… that helps!)
3. Braces cause cavities.
“Wait,” you’re thinking. “I thought my dentist wanted me to wear braces?” Well, your dentist may very well have referred you to an orthodontist, but while braces are important for many reasons, they actually encourage plaque growth. That’s because food particles build up around the metal, which blocks the tongue from tending to its natural tooth-cleaning duties.
4. Bleeding means more brushing.
If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, you might think that more brushing seems counterintuitive. But unless you bled from pressing too hard with your brush (something you should never do), bleeding gums are typically a sign of infection. To battle it, you need to see a dentist and step up your oral hygiene right away… and that begins with better brushing, twice a day.
