Do you know that watching TV/Movies may affect your teeth negatively? Even if you use a bamboo toothbrush and floss daily, your teeth may still become prone to some oral conditions if you spend a huge chunk of your time watching your favorite movies and TV shows.
At this point, you are likely wondering how watching TV can impact your oral health. This article is going to shed light on how our TV-watching habits affect our teeth. The article is also going to unveil some common treats and drinks that may be damaging your teeth.
What you do while watching TV/Movies may affect your teeth
After conducting several studies, researchers found out that there is a strong correlation between the time spent watching TV and our oral health. Note that the things we do while watching TV are what affect our teeth, not the act of watching television. If you are like most people, you have a habit of eating snacks while watching movies. The more time the spend watching TV, the more snacks you are likely to consume.
Research suggests that watching TV and snacking on unhealthy foods for more than 90 minutes can increase the odds of one developing oral conditions like tooth decay and dental caries.
Common food and drinks that may affect your oral health while watching TV
Popcorn
Do you enjoy eating popcorn while watching your favorite movies and TV shows? If yes, you are not alone. Most people love eating popcorn while in the theater or at home watching TV.
The problem with popcorn is that it can easily get stuck under your gum. It may also get stuck between your teeth. If you don’t brush and floss after eating popcorn, you may become prone to some oral conditions.
Red wine
Studies have shown that our brain produces a chemical known as dopamine, which makes us feel good when we consume wine. Of course, there is nothing wrong with drinking a small amount of wine every now and then. However, consuming several glasses of wine while watching movies can put our oral health at risk. You see, wine contains a strong acid that can break down our enamel and stain our teeth. If you must drink wine, be sure to brush your teeth or use mouthwash afterward.
Soda
As you likely know, sodas are loaded with sugar, which can promote bacterial growth and damage the enamel. Instead of drinking soda while watching TV, you should opt for a nonsugary substitute.
Take out
A 2019 study found that a lot of people opt for take-outs instead of preparing their own meals. The problem with takeouts is that they are loaded with refined sugars. Note that you may consume more while watching TV as you aren’t really paying attention to what you are eating.
To improve your general and oral health and to save a few bucks you should consider preparing your own food.
Watching TV/Movies may affect your teeth
What you watch on TV can affect your oral health. You see, if you watch loads of commercials for unhealthy foods, you are likely going to try them out someday. A recent survey shows that many TV channels bombard viewers with hundreds of hours of ads on highly processed and unhealthy foods.
Final note
Being mindful of what you eat and watch on TV can go a long way to improving your oral health. Note that the more time you spend watching TV, the more unhealthy foods you are likely to consume. As mentioned above, unhealthy foods and drinks like popcorn, soda, and wine can damage the enamel. If you must consume these foods, you should ensure that you brush your teeth and floss afterward.