At Lifetime Family Dentistry, in Collinsville CT, we provide a full range of dental care services and treatments. Our services include: children's, cosmetic, family, general, implant, preventive and restorative dentistry.
If you have had dental check-ups at regular intervals but learn at a new appointment that you have a large cavity, you may be wondering how it became so big so fast. Most likely the cavity was there before but wasn't noticeable on X-rays or with visual examination. 
The habit: This nervous habit can chip teeth and impact your jaw. “Placing your jaw for long periods of time in a protruding position can place pressure on it, which is associated with jaw dysfunction,” says Dr. Ruchi Sahota.
The habit: Brushing for two minutes twice a day is one of the best habits you can get into. Just make sure you’re not trying too hard. “Brushing with a hard toothbrush, or brushing too hard, can damage teeth and irritate gums,” says Dr. Matthew Messina.
We emphasize that keeping your teeth clean is important to overall health. Regular brushing does not always clean hard-to-reach places, especially in the back teeth. When plaque hardens into tartar, only a professional cleaning can remove this from the surface of your teeth. It is important to have this removed at regular intervals to avoid developing gum disease. Gum disease has been linked to more serious health conditions like diabetes and heart problems, so please make an appointment to keep your teeth their cleanest!
The habit: “This can cause chipping or cracking of the teeth, as well as muscle tenderness or joint pain,” Dr. Messina says. “You might also feel like you can’t open your mouth wide or chew with pain.”