With the internet and world at your fingertips, sometimes it’s difficult to drag yourself away from a screen to take care of other things in your life, especially in the time of COVID-19. While you’re cooped up in your home, putting on your favorite shows can help pass the time by without allowing you to dwell on how long it’s been since you’ve left your apartment. Unfortunately, the lack of routine and frequent stream of entertainment could impact your oral health. Read on to learn how binge-watching can keep you from taking care of your smile if you’re not mindful.
Throw You Off Your Routine
It’s safe to say that a basic schedule includes waking up, brushing your teeth, going to work, coming home and eating dinner, doing something you enjoy, and then brushing and flossing before bed. When you get caught in an endless stream of your favorite show, this can throw your entire schedule out the window. This will likely result in you forgetting to brush, floss, and take care of daily hygiene tasks that keep you healthy due to the warped sense of time.
Tempt You To Snack Throughout The Marathon
Instead of sitting down for proper meals, binge-watching will likely encourage you to snack throughout the day on processed, carb and sugar-filled goodies. Because your saliva will never have a chance to clear the food debris from your mouth, because it’s constantly being exposed throughout the day, you’ll be at an increased risk of cavities and gum disease due to the accumulation of harmful bacteria. Paired with forgetting to brush twice a day and floss, this could be a recipe for disaster.
Encourage Sipping On Acidic Beverages
Acidic and carbonated beverages, such as red wine, sparkling water, and soda, may be delicious to sip on throughout your Netflix marathon, but they’re all bad news for your smile. Acidic beverages like red wine are known to erode the protective enamel on your teeth, while carbonated beverages soften it. This allows it to wear away when you brush your teeth too soon after consuming one of these drinks. Without strong enamel, you’ll likely experience uncomfortable sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages, dental staining, and an increased risk of oral health issues.
Keep You From Getting a Proper Night of Rest
A good night of rest goes a long way for your entire body, including your mouth. Poor sleep affects your short-term and long-term health by impacting your immune system. Without a strong defense mechanism to fight off all of the extra harmful oral bacteria in your mouth that have accumulated during your Netflix marathon, you’ll likely find yourself at a higher risk of developing oral infections.
Binge-watching isn’t a bad activity. Quite frankly, for many people, it’s one of the few ways to occupy time during the COVID-19 crisis. However, it’s important to keep in mind how you’re neglecting your oral health while doing it. By being mindful of what you eat and drink while marathoning Netflix shows, and making sure that you get enough rest, you’ll be able to take care of your needs while passing time by.
About the Author
Dr. Jeffrey Skupny is passionate about helping his patients maintain healthy and beautiful smiles. He focuses on tackling small oral problems before they have a chance to progress, preventing discomfort and an unplanned trip to the emergency dentist. He is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the Academy of General Dentistry, which keep him up-to-date with the latest advancements in his field. For questions or to make sure that binge-watching hasn’t impacted the health of your smile, visit Island Coast Dentistry’s website or call 239-261-5566.