{"id":12,"date":"2020-03-23T21:20:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-23T21:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/?p=12"},"modified":"2020-04-23T21:23:14","modified_gmt":"2020-04-23T21:23:14","slug":"dentist-chesterton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/23\/dentist-chesterton\/","title":{"rendered":"Stressed During COVID-19? Avoid These Bad Dental Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re self-quarantining to prevent the spread of COVID-19 like most of the country, you may be dealing with stress or anxiety about the situation. These feelings are completely normal, but they can cause you to employ certain coping mechanisms like nail biting, constant snacking, and smoking. Keep reading to learn why these habits can actually be damaging to your smile as well as some healthy alternatives from your dentist in Chesterton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Say No to Nail Biting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nail biting is a habit that you may have picked up as a kid,\nand it can get especially frequent during stressful events. This nasty habit is\nnot only bad for your hands\/nails, but it can damage your smile. Your nails are\nstrong, which can often cause teeth to break or crack\u2014the last thing you want\nduring quarantine. Additionally, the bacteria and germs caught in your nails\ncan get in your mouth when biting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid Tobacco Use<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the worst habits you could pick up during this time\nis smoking. This is not only dangerous to your lungs, but it also dries out\nyour mouth, promoting the growth of bacteria. Plus, the chemicals in cigarettes\nand tobacco products make it harder for your gums to heal if they\u2019re damaged,\nand they cause tooth discoloration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give Your Mouth a Break<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A not so obvious habit you may have gotten into is consistent\ngrazing throughout the day. Who could blame you? You\u2019re at home all day with\nyour quarantine snacks! However, it\u2019s important to allow your mouth some time\nto recover in between meals. Your mouth naturally creates saliva to wash away\nplaque and food debris, and when you\u2019re constantly eating, you\u2019re not giving it\na chance to clean itself. This can lead to higher risks of tooth decay and gum\ndisease, which is why you should try to eat 3 separate meals throughout the day\nwith 1 or 2 snacks in between. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthy Stress Relievers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kicking these habits is easier said than done, but your\ndentist has some ideas of alternative ways for dealing with stress during this\ntime. Primarily, try to go outside and exercise (alone of course). This will\nloosen your muscles and clear your mind. Plus, it\u2019s good for your body and the\nsunlight can boost your happiness! Additionally, you can try meditating to calm\nyourself. Lastly, you can pick up a new hobby. Whether it\u2019s cooking, knitting,\nor reorganizing your garage, finding healthy activities that take your mind off\nof COVID-19 can help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know about some bad habits to avoid, you can\nkeep your smile\nhealthy<\/a> and your stress low during this uncertain time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Danny Hayes and Dr. Stephen Koveck have closed their\npractice during COVID-19 to help prevent it\u2019s spread, but they are able to\ntreat dental emergencies if one does occur. They want you and the entire\nChesterton community to know that they are here in your time of need. For any\nquestions, they can be reached through their website<\/a> or by phone at\n(219) 926-7595. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re self-quarantining to prevent the spread of COVID-19 like most of the country, you may be dealing with stress or anxiety about the situation. These feelings are completely normal, but they can cause you to employ certain coping mechanisms like nail biting, constant snacking, and smoking. Keep reading to learn why these habits can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions\/14"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adcchesterton.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}