Of all the pieces of wellness advice we absorb in life, taking care of our teeth is one of the earliest and most persistent. We’re told to brush twice a day, floss, not eat too much candy, and go to the dentist every six months. So, yes, most of us know that tooth health matters. But what many of us may not realize is that oral health is so much more than just keeping our teeth white, our breath fresh, and our dentist from gently shaming us twice a year.
According to board-certified functional dentist Staci Whitman, D.M.D., our mouths are intricately connected to the rest of our bodies. “The mouth is not a separate system—it is the front door to the gut, the airway, the cardiovascular system, and the immune system, and it is talking to all of them constantly,” she says.
While some factors that affect your teeth and gums are out of your hands, plenty of everyday habits can quietly chip away at your oral health over time, affecting enamel, gum tissue, saliva production, oral bacteria, and the delicate pH balance your teeth rely on to stay strong, explains Roderick Cooper, D.D.S., founder of Bella Cosmetic and Family Dentistry.
Ahead, dentists break down the daily habits that wreck teeth and gums and what to do instead.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Staci Whitman, D.M.D. is a board-certified functional dentist and founder of Doctor Staci. Dentist Dr. Roderick Cooper, D.D.S., is the founder of Bella Cosmetic and Family Dentistry. Lauren Becker, D.D.S., is a general and cosmetic dentist with a private practice in New York City.
1. Sipping Acidic Drinks All Day Long
Acidic drinks won’t do your teeth any favors. But good news: You don’t have to give up your morning coffee, kombucha, or lemon water. The goal is simply not to turn any acidic drink into an all-day event. “The damage is rarely from the drink itself, but rather the duration of exposure,” says Whitman. “Every time you drink something with sugar or acid, your enamel softens for about 30 to 60 minutes, so if you sip coffee all morning, your teeth never get a chance to recover.”
Meanwhile, if a beverage also contains sugar (think sweetened coffee, sports drinks, energy drinks, or some kombuchas), it gives oral bacteria more fuel for acids that can wear on enamel over time, explains Whitman.
Read More: 5 Key Nutrients for Oral Health, According to Dentists
Her recommendation? Drink coffee and other acidic beverages in one sitting instead of sipping them for hours, using a straw when it makes sense. Chase with plain water afterward to help neutralize acid and stimulate saliva. Then, hold off on toothbrushing for a bit. “Wait at least 30 to 60 minutes before brushing, because brushing softened enamel grinds it away,” she says.
2. Grazing Too Frequently
Just like sipping acidic drinks for hours, grazing all day can keep your teeth in a near-constant state of acid exposure, even if your snacks are healthy.
Every time you eat, oral bacteria produce acids that can wear on enamel, explains Cooper. Normally, saliva helps neutralize those acids and supports remineralization (AKA restoring minerals to enamel after it’s been weakened by acid). The catch: Saliva needs time between meals to do its thing. “Frequent snacking doesn’t give your saliva enough time to neutralize that acid, so your teeth stay in a prolonged state of demineralization,” he says.
Sticky snacks can be especially sneaky here. Dried fruit, granola bars, and gummy vitamins may seem harmless enough, but he warns that they can cling to teeth and actually extend sugar exposure.
The fix: Cooper recommends eating your snacks and meals during more defined periods of time rather than picking all day long. If you do snack, he suggests finishing in one sitting and following with water. While you’re at it, reach for lower-sugar options like nuts, cheese, or crunchy vegetables, he adds.
3. Brushing Aggressively
Many people assume that brushing harder means brushing better, but dentists say this can actually work against you. In fact, over time, aggressive brushing can wear down enamel and contribute to gum recession, exposing more sensitive root surfaces that are prone to sensitivity and decay, explains Cooper. And while irritated gums might calm down once you change your brushing habits, receded gum tissue doesn’t usually grow back on its own. The goal is to stop the recession from getting worse (and talk to your dentist about whether treatment is needed).
A telltale sign you might be overdoing it is if your toothbrush bristles look flattened or frayed way sooner than they should (i.e. before four months of use). “Think massage, not scrub,” says Cooper. He also recommends opting for a soft-bristled toothbrush, lightening your grip, and focusing on technique over force.
4. Skipping Floss
Brushing is essential, but it can’t do the whole job on its own. In fact, brushing alone only cleans about 60 percent of the tooth surface, which means the spaces between your teeth can become prime real estate for plaque buildup. Over time, that can contribute to gum inflammation, bleeding, and periodontal disease, warns Cooper.
Fortunately, while flossing really does matter, you don’t have to go old school to get the job done. If traditional floss feels like too much at the end of the day, Cooper suggests trying floss picks, interdental brushes, or a water flosser. “The best option is the one you’ll actually use,” he adds.
5. Using Harsh Mouthwash
That intense mouthwash burn can make you feel like you’re really doing something for your oral health, but Whitman warns that many conventional antimicrobial mouthwashes are a little too good at what they do. They don’t just target the bacteria you don’t want—they can also wipe out beneficial bacteria your mouth actually needs. This includes strains involved in the production of nitric oxide, which plays a role in blood pressure regulation. “You are not getting cleaner,” Whitman says. “You are sterilizing an ecosystem that needs to be balanced.”
If you like using a rinse, she recommends choosing a gentler option, like an alcohol-free mouthwash, hydroxyapatite rinse, or warm salt water. And if you’re using a medicated mouthwash for any reason, be sure to follow your dentist’s guidance.
6. Breathing Through Your Mouth at Night
Nighttime mouth breathing is easy to miss because, well, you’re probably asleep when it happens. But it can quietly sabotage oral health.
“When you breathe through your mouth, especially at night, you dry out your saliva,” Whitman says. And saliva is doing a lot more than you probably give it credit for. “Saliva is your mouth’s natural buffer and its delivery system for the minerals that repair enamel and keep the oral microbiome in a healthier balance.”
When saliva dries up, your mouth becomes a haven for the bacteria you don’t want. This can make you wake up with bad breath—or worse. It can also cause cavities at the gum line and inflamed gums, Whitman adds.
While you can’t immediately stop breathing through your mouth while you sleep, she recommends starting by paying attention to whether you breathe through your mouth during the day. Also, if you wake up with a dry mouth, bad breath, or a sticky feeling in the morning, you might be a mouth breather at night.
Mouth tape is a solution for some people. If you’re curious about trying it, Whitman suggests talking to your dentist, doctor, or an ENT first.
7. Not Drinking Enough Water
Hydration isn’t exactly the sexiest oral health tip, but it’s a big one. Water helps rinse away food particles and supports saliva production—and saliva is one of your mouth’s built-in defenses against decay, explains Cooper. “When your mouth is dry, bacteria and acids can hang around longer.” Dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath and that sticky, coated feeling no amount of gum seems to fix.
Read More: Are You Making These Common Hydration Mistakes?
Try keeping water nearby throughout the day and drinking it with meals. If you deal with ongoing dry mouth, Cooper recommends chewing sugar-free gum, which can help stimulate saliva. That matters for your teeth because the longer acids and food debris sit on enamel, the more opportunity they have to create erosion and cavities.
8. Ignoring Your Tongue
If you brush your teeth but never clean your tongue, you may be missing a major source of bacteria and bad breath.
“Most of the bacteria in your mouth are not living on your teeth,” says Whitman. “They live on your tongue, in your tonsils, and in your nasal passages.” That means a coated tongue, post-nasal drip, or chronic sinus congestion can all contribute to breath issues and oral inflammation that brushing alone may not fix.
She recommends adding tongue scraping to your morning routine.” It takes about 15 seconds and can help remove the film that builds up on the tongue,” she says. “If congestion or post-nasal drip is a regular issue, saline sprays or rinses may also help—and persistent symptoms are worth bringing up with a healthcare provider.”
9. Letting Blood Sugar Get Off Balance
Blood sugar swings may not be the first thing you think of when you think about your teeth, but metabolic health and oral health are closely connected. Cooper points to gum disease and type 2 diabetes as one clear example of this relationship: “Poor blood sugar control can worsen oral health, while oral inflammation can make metabolic health harder to manage,” he says. “Constantly reaching for sugary foods or drinks can also feed the bacteria that contribute to cavities.”
Read More: 4 Habits That Support Healthy Blood Sugar—No Monitor Needed
The best thing you can do for your blood sugar is to build meals and snacks that keep it steady—i.e. pairing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and healthy fats instead of eating them solo. Getting enough protein may be especially helpful, since it supports gum tissue repair and immune function, Whitman notes.
10. Smoking or Vaping
Of all the habits that wreck teeth, smoking is one of the most damaging, warns Lauren Becker, D.D.S., General and Cosmetic Dentist. “It can stain teeth, worsen breath, make it harder to maintain healthy gums, and increase the risk of oral cancer.”
While vaping may not be the same as smoking, dentists warn it’s far from harmless. “Even vaping, which has gained popularity instead of smoking, can put you at a greater risk for oral cancer,” says Cooper.
Quitting is the biggest oral health upgrade here. If you smoke or vape, Becker recommends talking with your doctor or dentist about cessation support. In the meantime, stay especially consistent with dental cleanings, brushing, and flossing, since tobacco use can make gum issues harder to manage.
The Bottom Line
Brushing and flossing absolutely matter, but tending to your teeth by the sink is only one part of the picture. How you snack, sip, and care for your body all play a role in shaping the environment inside your mouth. Over time, those small habits can add up to either protect your enamel and gums or wear them down.
The good news: Supporting your smile doesn’t have to mean overhauling your life. Drink more water, give your teeth breaks between snacks, go easy with your toothbrush, and build meals around foods that support saliva production and tissue repair, notes Cooper. None of these replace proper dental care, but if you’re dealing with frequent cavities, bleeding gums, dry mouth, or slow healing post-dental work, he recommends making an appointment with your dentist or healthcare provider to see what else might be going on.