Many people want to have a healthy and beautiful smile. However, there are a lot of factors that can affect the condition of your teeth and gums. If you have bad habits that impact your oral health, it's high time to get rid of them. In this article, we have gathered six bad habits that can significantly worsen your smile.

1. Smoking

Smoking tends to be one of the most dangerous habits. If you smoke regularly, then you probably know how this bad habit affects your oral cavity. People who smoke often have bad breath, stained and dark teeth, increased tartar accumulation, and many other problems. 

Additionally, smokers are more likely to develop gum disease, a condition that can cause gum recession, pus between the teeth, and tooth loss. So if you want to improve your smile, it is better to quit smoking as soon as possible. 

2. Poor oral hygiene

It is important to understand that a gorgeous smile requires thorough care. If you don't maintain proper oral hygiene, it is not surprising that your smile can be far from perfect. 

Firstly, you need to brush your teeth twice a day, in the morning before meals and in the evening after meals. Secondly, don't forget to use dental floss at least once a day to remove food particles and dental plaque from your teeth. Thirdly, rinse your mouth with plain water or mouthwash to refresh your teeth and keep your teeth clean.

3.  Aggressive tooth brushing

There is a common misconception that the more force you apply with the toothbrush and the stiffer the bristles are, the cleaner your teeth will be. But the reality is that aggressive tooth brushing and the use of a toothbrush with stiff bristles can do more harm than good and remove your tooth enamel. 

This can result in increased tooth sensitivity and enamel wear. In some cases, the damage can be so severe that you may need to get a dental crown to cover the affected tooth. That's why you need to brush your teeth gently (but thoroughly) and use a toothbrush with soft bristles.

4. Chewing hard objects

Many people tend to chew and gnaw hard objects (like ice cubes, pens, pencils, etc. ) while studying, talking, or thinking. Indeed, you can do it subconsciously but it is essential to understand that this habit can significantly affect the condition of your teeth and gums. For example, you can easily fracture your tooth or injure your gums while chewing an ice cube. That's why it is important to control yourself and try to change this bad habit.

5. Insufficient water consumption

It is important to understand that water is essential for your health and wellness. If you don't drink enough water, it can lead to dehydration. In the oral cavity, insufficient water consumption can lead to the development of dry mouth. This condition causes bad breath, a changed sense of taste, and other symptoms. Additionally, drinking water helps remove debris from your mouth.

6. Skipping dental exams

There is a common misconception that you need to visit a dentist only if you have some obvious signs of oral issues. The problem is that many conditions that can affect your teeth and gums may develop asymptomatically. Regular dental checkups (at least twice a year) can help prevent the aggravation of these conditions. 

The bottom line

You should understand that a beautiful smile means strong and healthy teeth and gums. If you want to improve the look of your smile, you need to get rid of bad habits, maintain proper hygiene, eat healthy foods, and visit your dentist on a regular basis.

[I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

I can’t decide if this book taught me a lot, or if, all in all, it was all logical stuff and I already knew it without knowing it. I’d say, it’s both.

In hindsight, it makes a lot of sense and is definitely logical: of course starting with baby steps / tiny habits is much more manageable than gunning for some huge change (hello, New Year Resolutions that 99.5% of people never uphold past the first week, and are basically one huge permission we give ourselves to fail, which is why I’ve stopped making them for years). On the other hand, it all *sounds* easy, but if it *was* so easy, we’d all be doing it naturally in a snap of fingers. And it’s absolutely obvious by now that a lot of people, myself included, are pretty much rubbish at “naturally” starting this kind of thing.

All in all, for me, the book wasn’t ground-breaking in itself—the basic theory was more of a “duh!” moment than anything else. However, the author gives pointers and exercises that seem in general useful, and give ideas to start if the whole thing appears really overwhelming. It’s possibly even more useful for people who tend to approach things with an all-or-nothing mentality, since going “all” with a tiny habit (ex: flossing one tooth) is easy to achieve, leads without too much trouble to doing the rest while we’re at it, but sill consists in a success. (Although, for anyone who’s remotely like me, doing more than you planned for also easily leads to unconsciously viewing the “more” as the only possible way of succeeding, which defeats the purpose. But that’s not what the book tells us to do anyway—that’s a personal pitfall.)

Weight Loss: 21 Simple Weight Loss Healthy Habits to Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Enjoy A Healthy Life. (Weight Loss Motivation) by William Norton is an easy how to book to follow. I gave it three stars.

"Understand psychology and learn why being overweight is not your fault..."

Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Loss-Journal-simple-healthy/dp/1530043506

I initially knew about 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book in 2013. As I read about the habits, they just appeared to bode well. The books pounds home the purpose of undivided attention and really attempting to increase a comprehension of other's perspectives. I would prescribe it to those hoping to increase some nitty gritty understanding on a principled way to deal with viable living.

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Healthy as F*ck is hands-down the best health and wellness book I’ve ever read. Author Oonagh Duncan is funny, relatable, and smart in her approach to wellness. The secret to weight loss isn’t a magic pill or a quick fix or an extreme diet. It’s all about the habits you form, the small changes that will ultimately shape your behavior and help you lose weight. Ms. Duncan provides simple guidelines that are easy to follow, but before you get to those I highly recommend doing the very few exercises she asks you to do on finding your why. Trust me, it’s something I would normally roll my eyes at but it was a far more powerful motivator than I could have imagined.

Ms. Duncan’s approach is the most commonsense one I’ve seen in a long time. Her conversational writing style is also incredibly appealing – she talks like my friends and I do. I’ve read Healthy as F*ck twice already and her voice is what draws me in from the start, making me more at ease and open to her ideas. That being said, if cussing bothers you then you may have a hard time with this book. As for me, I loved everything about this book. It has been the most helpful book on getting healthy I’ve ever read and Ms. Duncan’s writing is a joy to read. So if you’re looking for an approachable, motivational, commonsense approach on how to meet your long-term health goals, you cannot go wrong with Healthy as F*ck.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.