Your teeth make an appearance every time you grin, help maintain the shape of your face and are key to the first step in the digestive process. Research has even shown oral health might be linked to cardiovascular health.
Still, it's easy to overlook, neglect and even abuse our teeth. And while a broken bone can heal over time, a damaged tooth can't.
CTVNews.ca spoke with a dentist and a professor of dentistry to find out which bad dental habits to avoid for a healthy smile.
Here are some of the things these experts would never do to their teeth.
You should never try out do-it-yourself dentistry trends without first talking to your dental team, no matter how popular they are on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, Dr. Les Kalman and Dr. Uche Odiatu agree.
Kalman is an assistant professor of dentistry at the University of Western Ontario, who also holds a doctor of dental surgery degree, and Odiatu is a practicing dentist and health lecturer based in Toronto.
Kalman and Odiatu have seen everything from DIY whitening recipes and guides to 3D printing aligners, to instructions for filling cavities at home.
"A lot of these highlights on social media can be very dangerous, and they can cause significantly more damage than you would expect," Kalman said. "The damage, if you want to correct it, can be expensive. It can take a long time to correct, and it can be dangerous to your health."
Instead, Odiatu said to leave dental procedures and diagnosis to your dentist or dental hygienist.
"You do need to visit a professional at least twice a year to have them examine it and use the appropriate, professional products to restore your teeth to optimal health," he said. "Don't do it yourself."
Kalman warns the consequences of playing contact sports without wearing a professionally fabricated sports guard over your teeth can be severe.
Team Canada's Meghan Agosta-Marciano holds up her mask to show-off her patriotic mouthguard as she walks to practice at the Sochi Winter Olympics Tuesday February 4, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
"I remember a young female that was playing baseball in full braces, and she took a baseball to the mouth," he said. That patient was not wearing a mouth guard, which Kalman said would have dissipated the impact of the ball and protected her teeth.
"We had broken teeth, we had displaced teeth, we had lacerations," he said. "That's significant time and investment of money to fix. So a simple, professionally fitted sports guard would prevent that."
It can be tempting to use your teeth to open packages and grip twist-off bottle caps, but Kalman and Odiatu have treated enough patients who mistook their teeth for tools to say they'll never do it themselves.
"I can't tell you how many fillings, root canals and crowns we've placed on teeth that have tried to open this, that or the other thing," Kalman said.
Odiatu recalls one patient who knew better than to tear into plastic packaging with her teeth, but did it anyway.
"One of my patients, about five years ago at age 50, she had these beautiful veneers done...and she went to open up some dog food, thinking in her mind, 'I shouldn't do it,'" he said. "And then she ended up in my office the next day, (and) I was repairing one of her beautiful veneers."
Kalman warns patients should never wear over-the-counter appliances that go in your mouth, such night guard or sports guards, without first checking with your dental team.
"We actually had a patient that was wearing a particular device and it caused their teeth to shift, and they shifted permanently," he said. "So if you wanted to undo that shift, it would be a lot of time and a lot of money in full orthodontics."
Medical tourism — travelling out of the country for cosmetic or dental procedures — is a popular option among people looking to save money on elective treatments not covered by medical insurance.
However, Kalman warns the standard of care might be different than many Canadians are used to, depending on the destination and the legitimacy of the care provider. Many dental procedures that involve cutting or drilling into the hard and soft tissues of the mouth are considered surgery, according to the Canadian Dental Association and Health Canada.
"Never have dentistry performed out of the country without knowing the standard of care," he said. "You want to understand how things are sterilized. You want to see what procedures they're doing."
Are you in the habit of brushing your teeth after every meal? You might want to hold off after consuming acidic food and drinks, Odiatu suggests. That's because the acids in certain foods have a temporary softening effect on the protective enamel layer of our teeth.
The Spicy Pickle Lemonade, left and the Mac and Cheese Lemonade from Real Fruit Drinks, photographed during the media preview event for the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
"If you go in and scrub your teeth very hard with a manual brush, or clean up with a power brush, what happens is you actually lose a couple of microns (of enamel) every day," Odiatu said, "and you could actually lose almost a millimetre in a year by scrubbing too hard."
Instead, Otiadu said you should wait at least 45 minutes after eating or drinking something acidic before you brush your teeth.
There is plenty of societal pressure to have straight, white teeth, but our teeth and gums do much more for us than just look good. For that reason, Odiatu says you should never take them for granted.
"Everything we are, everything from our liver, our brain, our heart, our muscles, our skin, our organs – it all comes in the food we eat," he said, joking that the healthiest foods are the ones that need to be "crunched and bitten down on."
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale on Election Day as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Homeowners in France have discovered a skeleton in the attic of an outbuilding while undertaking renovation work.
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
North Korean troops recently deployed to help Russia in its war with Ukraine have come under Ukrainian fire, a Kyiv official said Tuesday.
Police arrested a 23-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a botched art heist at a gallery in the southern Netherlands targeting four valuable Andy Warhol screenprints.
Restaurant Brands missed estimates for quarterly revenue on Tuesday due to weak demand across key businesses such as Tim Hortons, Burger King and international markets including China and the Middle East.
Canada Post and the union representing its workers are commenting on how weekend talks for a new contract went, with the employer calling them less productive than they'd hoped and the union claiming their employer is focused on flexibility to deliver parcels at the lowest possible cost.
Francisco Murgui went out to try to salvage his motorbike when the water started to rise.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
As Americans head to the polls for a presidential election Tuesday, their compatriots and Canadian neighbours north of the border will be watching the results with hope and anxiety.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
A British Columbia senior who drove his pickup truck into a march for Indigenous residential school survivors will avoid jail time after he was sentenced Monday to nine months of house arrest.
Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard is asking an Ontario court to review a decision to deny him bail as he appeals his sexual assault convictions and sentence.
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale on Election Day as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday she raised allegations with her Indian counterpart that India has targeted Sikh activists in Canada.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
Police arrested a 23-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a botched art heist at a gallery in the southern Netherlands targeting four valuable Andy Warhol screenprints.
North Korea on Tuesday fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, the South Korean military said, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations hours before the U.S. presidential election.
A French court found 18 people guilty Tuesday in a major migrant-smuggling trial that shed light on the lucrative but often deadly clandestine business of transporting people on flimsy boats across the perilous sea from France to the U.K.
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
Some Lebanese-Canadians are pressuring the federal government to implement emergency measures that would allow Lebanese nationals' family members a less restrictive gateway to Canada, citing more 'flexible' policies for Ukrainians.
Murray Sinclair, who was born when Indigenous people did not yet have the right to vote, grew up to become one of the most decorated and influential people to work in Indigenous justice and advocacy.
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
New research from the University of Oregon finds the annual practice of ‘springing forward’ into daylight time affects productivity more than previously thought.
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Monday after a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station, part of China's effort to be a global leader in space exploration.
Talented though they may be, monkeys will never type out the complete works of William Shakespeare, or even a short book, a new study suggests.
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Hundreds of Oasis fans are looking back in anger after falling victim to a 'landslide' of ticket selling scams.
After decades in romantic comedies, Hugh Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) did not buy back any of its own shares in the third quarter, ending a six-year-long streak of stock buybacks, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
The federal finance minister has been taking every opportunity to remind frustrated Canadians that after a bumpy pandemic recovery, the nation's economy is actually doing a lot better.
Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in the tropics or subtropics, you get to enjoy them year-round.
For tourists returning from vacation, a camera roll full of photos and a suitcase bursting with souvenirs are usually the closest they can come to bringing a piece of their holiday destination home with them.
A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state's decision to seize and euthanize the animal 'won't go unheard.'
After going without a shutout for just the second time in his career last season, Jake Allen already has two for the New Jersey Devils in just five starts this year.
Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce apologized during ESPN's pregame show Monday night after grabbing the phone of an unruly fan and spiking it to the ground before the Ohio State-Penn State game last weekend.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is preparing a proposal to add 3-on-3 hockey to the Winter Olympics as soon as 2030 in the French Alps, following the same expansion that basketball has had over the past two Summer Games.
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Several Ford vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to issues with braking systems, steering and child car seat tethers.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
British Columbia's election agency says it has discovered that a ballot box containing 861 votes wasn't counted in the recent provincial election, as well as other mistakes, including 14 votes going unreported in a crucial riding narrowly won by the NDP.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
Two people have been transported to hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Vaughan late Monday night.
Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in Ontario is expected to increase over the next several days as COVID-19 transmission decreases, a new report shows.
Calgary police say they've arrested two people in connection with a series of carjackings on Monday.
As expected a moisture-laden low pressure system entered Alberta late Monday bringing first rain, then snow as the temperature fell.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Ottawa firefighters were called in the early hours of the morning to a fire that caused serious damage to three single-family homes in Orléans.
On Tuesday, several pubs and bars across Ottawa will be offering a place to gather and watch the much-anticipated results of the U.S. election that will see either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris be elected president.
A Kingston, Ont. mother who was accused of negligence and abandonment in the death of one of her children earlier this year is now facing a murder charge.
Hydro-Québec announced the launch of the first phase of development and reinforcement work on its power transmission network – the high-voltage lines that carry large quantities of electricity from where it is generated to the substations that redistribute it to clients.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
A child around 10-years-old was severely injured after being struck by a truck in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
We have some light snow, accumulating mainly on rooftops and grassy areas in the Edmonton region this morning.
The Alberta government has introduced legislation that will, if passed, enable provincially regulated banks to offer halal home financing products.
After going without a shutout for just the second time in his career last season, Jake Allen already has two for the New Jersey Devils in just five starts this year.
A research team has confirmed a pair of tornadoes touched down in central New Brunswick last week.
The RCMP says it is investigating the sudden deaths of two people in Cole Harbour, N.S.
Details and recommendations surrounding the 2022 death of a 13-year-old New Brunswick girl are expected to come to light over a three-day coroner’s inquest this week.
A six-vehicle crash on Tuesday morning has closed a section of the Perimeter Highway to traffic.
It’s the last call at the Cambridge Hotel. The 86-year-old hotel on Pembina Highway is set to close its doors Tuesday.
Natalie Anderson remembers the last time she saw nine-month old Xavia Butler in person.
A rebate on the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on new home builds was an election promise from the Saskatchewan Party. However, the federal Conservatives have gone one step further – calling for the GST on the builds to be axed nationwide.
The only candidate with experience on city council, with the exception of the incumbent, Lori Bresciani is promising to prioritize fiscal responsibility, community engagement and safety if she is elected to serve as Regina's next mayor.
A resident of Regina for over 25 years, Chad Bachynski is running for the city's highest office with the promise to bring a technical and calculated approach to city council.
Emergency services responded to the area of Weber Street North and Schaefer Street in Waterloo around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a collision.
Two schools are closed for the day due to an outage caused by an early morning single motor vehicle collision in the Weber Street North and Albert Street area.
Veterans and current full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces will soon be able to ride GO Transit for free.
Residents of an apartment in downtown Saskatoon were left without water this weekend.
New details of a 2023 fatal stabbing — where the victim walked into Boston Pizza to get help — emerged at Saskatoon Provincial Court, during a sentencing hearing on Monday.
Saskatoon Transit wants riders to know about a fraudulent social media account selling fake fare passes.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
One person has been arrested and provincial police in the Temiskaming area of northern Ontario are asking the public to stay away from two separate areas as the investigation continues.
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
There is no word yet on how the crash happened, how many vehicles were involved, or if any charges will be laid. An updated is expected some time on Tuesday.
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Police have closed Hwy 400 northbound and southbound ramps after a pedestrian was struck by a train nearby.
A mother who was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the street in south Barrie last week is lucky to be alive and thankful to those who came to her aid.
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a woman they believe may have perpetrated a fraud.
Windsor police are investigating an incident in the downtown area Monday night.
They City of Windsor is taking legal action against the federal government.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
The calendar may have just flipped to November, but Christmas is already on many people's minds.
Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter said a vote later this month is looking to hear from residents to determine if they want to see the coal industry come back to the region.
The Hurricanes weathered an early storm Saturday but eventually fell, losing 5-4 to the Rebels in a game played in Red Deer.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
A fraud investigation involving the cashing of cheques in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., that began in August 2021, has resulted in the arrest of a 63-year-old woman at the border.
Police are looking for a man who is currently serving time for manslaughter for a fatal stabbing in Thunder Bay and is now accused of breaching his statutory release.
School staff are being struck more often, students are fighting more frequently, and police are increasingly being called to school grounds, according to data compiled and released this week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
Police in Newfoundland and Labrador have charged an off-duty RCMP officer for allegedly driving while impaired, following a crash on Sunday.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
