Oral Habits That Can Affect Your Orthodontic Results

Straightening your teeth using orthodontic treatment is just half the battle. Certain practices that you might indulge in daily such as biting your nails, thrusting your tongue or chewing pens put added pressure on your teeth or might damage your orthodontics. And once treatment is over, your teeth can still shift over time if you don't maintain your results.

In this blog, we'll go over some common oral habits that can affect your orthodontic results and share simple ways to protect your smile and explain why wearing your retainer matters.

Everyday Habits That Can Work Against Your Orthodontic Results

Here are some common habits you may want to break while working toward a healthier, straighter smile.

Nail Biting

Nail biting is a pretty common habit — especially when you're stressed, bored, or deep in thought. But if you're undergoing orthodontic treatment, all that repeated biting can put extra pressure on your teeth and potentially affect their movement and alignment.

In reality, the British Journal of Orthodontics reported the results of research showing that the apical root resorption index of serious nail biters is higher compared to that of matched non-nail biters. In other words, nail biters had more evidence of root resorption, a process wherein the root of a tooth becomes progressively shorter due to tissue dissolution.

If you're wondering whether nail biting can also affect your teeth after braces, you can learn more in our guide: Can Nail Biting Move Teeth Back After Braces? | ClearClub

Tongue Thrusting

Tongue thrusting happens when your tongue repeatedly pushes forward against your teeth. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it's common in infants but can sometimes continue into childhood and adulthood. If the problem persists, the constant force that is put on the teeth might lead to some dental products, such as misalignment of the teeth.

Studies have shown that tongue thrusting affects development of teeth and the facial structures surrounding them. One study found that the habit may influence these structures and emphasized the importance of checking for tongue thrusting throughout orthodontic treatment. Since tongue position can affect tooth position and bite alignment, it's something to be mindful of during and after treatment.

Chewing on Pens, Pencils, or Other Objects

It is very important for people who wear braces to refrain from chewing on non-edible items such as pens and pencils. This will add additional pressure to your teeth as well as your braces, which may ultimately cause problems with your treatment process.

There's also some research suggesting that these habits may affect how your teeth line up. According to a research conducted on 434 children between the ages of 8 to 12 years in 2024, there is a relationship between nail biting, pen and pencil biting and malocclusion. Though this relationship cannot be used to claim that these habits cause the problem of malocclusion, it implies that continuous biting may have some connection with tooth misalignment.

Using Teeth as Tools

We've all been guilty of it at some point — using our teeth to tear, hold, or crack something open when the right tool isn't within reach. It may seem like a quick and handy solution, but your teeth can pay the price.

As warned by the American Dental Association, one should avoid using his or her teeth as tools because this may place unnecessary pressure on them leading to damage such as cracking, breaking, and other impairment. If one is wearing braces or any other orthodontic appliances, then extra care needs to be taken to avoid damaging them.

Why Retention Matters

Having your teeth straightened is not the end of the job. Once you get your braces off, you still need to wear a retainer because your teeth will move back into their original position.

A Cochrane review found that retention helps maintain tooth position and reduce unwanted movement after treatment. Influence from tongue, lip, and cheek pressure will also affect tooth placement, thus requiring retention to be consistent.

So, how often should you wear your retainer? There isn't one schedule that works for everyone. According to clinical guidelines, wear time of the removable retainer should be determined by various issues such as the course of your treatment and individual needs. Your orthodontist will let you know how often to wear yours and when you can switch to a different schedule.

But your retainer isn't the only thing that matters. Everyday habits can also affect your orthodontic results — so let's look at some simple ways to protect your smile.

Simple Ways to Protect Your Orthodontic Results

Aside from wearing your retainer, a few everyday changes can also help protect your teeth and support your orthodontic results.

• Deal with stress and look for substitutes for nervous behaviors. In case you feel stressed and tend to bite your nails or chew anything you get into your hands, try breathing deeply, exercising, or keeping your hands busy instead.
  
• Think about your behavior. Try to be aware of when you are doing something that harms your teeth and bite, and consciously stop this action.
  
• Brush and floss. Oral hygiene will help you take care of your teeth and gums.
  
• Visit your dentist or orthodontist regularly. Follow-ups will allow catching any issues at an early stage and checking how your teeth and bite development goes.
  
• Wear your retainer as prescribed by your orthodontist.

Maintain Your Alignment With a Retainer

Braces help get your teeth where you want them, but your retainer helps keep them there. With an effective and comfortable retainer in place, it would become easy to ensure that you stick to your regular schedule. With the ClearClub Retainer, it is possible to have a retainer that fits perfectly into your life and smile.

Want to make retainer care even easier? You can subscribe to our renewal plan and have replacement retainers delivered straight to your door. Experience ClearClub today.

 

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