Downing a tub of popcorn and drinking beer don't just expand your waistline, they're also detrimental to the health of your pearly whites. But these aren't the only factors that contribute to you having a smile like Miranda Kerr. Read our list below, and prevent doing more damage to your teeth!

Drinking too much bottled water
The best daily defense for teeth comes from water which is fluoridated, according to several experts. Fluoride protects your teeth from the harmful acids you take in every day. Unfortunately, bottled water usually contains little to no fluoride. It's better to mix it up and drink bottled water and fluoridated water.

Using your teeth as a can opener
It might look cool but here's something you should know: Your teeth are not meant to open bottles. Frequently doing so weakens teeth or, worse, can lead to chipping. Let bottle openers do their job.

Eating popcorn
Long before the movie is over, the acids from your popcorn has already started its dirty work on your teeth. The trouble doubles when un-popped kernels get stuck in between your teeth. These may cause swelling, damage to nearby tissue, and cavities.

Chewing ice
We know it's fun to munch on ice cubes after finishing your soda, but it isn't for your teeth. Frequently crushing loads of ice can lead to cracks on the surface of your teeth, which then weakens its structure in the long run.

Downing sports drinks
Sports drinks contain sugars, acidic components, and other chemicals that can weaken enamel (one of the key materials that make up our teeth), creating openings for bacteria to sneak in. If you need to drink sports or energy drinks, speed it up. Drinking it little by little just exposes your teeth to its teeth-weakening ingredients longer. Same goes for soda and beer.

Putting something hard between your teeth
Biting down on something inedible, like a pencil or the tip of your glasses, helps some of us concentrate better. Too bad it can also damage your kutitap smile. The resulting pressure can cause your teeth to shift, or even crack.

Nail biting
Frequent nail biting can cause your teeth to shift. Moreover, you might need to burn cash on braces if you don't kick the habit.

Rinsing after brushing
Surprisingly, we've been brushing our teeth wrong our whole life. "Rinsing washes away the protective fluoride coating left by the toothpaste, which would otherwise add hours of protection," says dentist Phil Stemmer of The Fresh Breath Centre in London. Just spit out the excess toothpaste and ditch vigorous rinsing.

This story originally appeared on

* Minor edits have been made by the editors.

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PHOTO: Pixabay

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