Top 10 Bad Habits That Are Killing You

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Many bad habits that seem innocent and maybe mildly disgusting can actually kill us. Unfortunately, many people don’t know that and continue to do these bad habits. These bad habits can range from simple personal cleaning habits to eating out with friends. Check out the list below for the top 10 bad habits that are killing you.

#10: Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears!

Cleaning your ears with a Q-tip can be quite satisfying. It both feels great to get those golden nuggets from your ear and it also feels great. However, this is in fact one of the worst bad habits as it can actually kill you.

Quebec coroner Dr. Jacques Ramsay goes so far as to say “that all boxes of cotton swabs should come with a big red ‘X’ on them, or something similar to how cigarettes are currently marked, because of how dangerous they are.” However, unlike cigarettes, just one q-tip is enough to kill you. In fact, in 2007, Daniel St-Pierre had a nagging ear pain due to a bacterial ear infection. He used a q-tip to try and relieve the pain, but accidentally pierced his ear drum. This allowed the bacteria to enter his brain and eventually kill him.^[1]CBC – A cotton swab in the ear can kill, Quebec coroner says

#9: Don’t pop your pimples!

The danger zone on people’s faces forms a roughly a triangular area right in the middle of the face. The top of the triangle is at the bridge of the nose and the two bottom corners are at the edges of the upper lip. This area is very important and potentially dangerous because the blood vessels of the face drain back through your nose and lead directly to the brain. In addition, there are no mechanism that prevent blood flow from this area to the brain. Therefore, it is important to be careful when popping a pimple in this area as it is possible to accidentally break a blood vessel.

A pimple is a breeding ground for infection and bacteria. If the infected pimple’s contents entire the blood stream, it can go directly to your brain. This can cause infections which can cause loss of eyesight, permanent paralysis, and even death.^[2]NCBI – INFECTIONS OF THE DANGEROUS AREAS OF THE FACE THEIR PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT

#8: Don’t bite your nails!

Many people bit their nails as a nervous habit. In addition, everyone knows to clean your hands often to help prevent the spread of bacteria and germs. However, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2011 discovered in a study that when doctors cleaned their hands a lot of bacteria still remained. In fact, the researchers found that underneath the nail, in the subungual region, was the area were the most bacteria stayed. in addition, a study from 1988, by School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania showed that the hand has hundreds of thousands of bacteria, however, just one fingertip has just as many.^[3]American Society for Microbiology – Composition and density of microflora in the subungual space of the hand. A few of the bacteria include, Salmonella and E. coli. Both of these bacteria can cause food poisoning and diarrhea, and even death.

#7: Maybe sharing isn’t caring

Next time you invite friends over to eat, think twice about sharing food especially if it is dipped food such as vegetables and chips. In act, double dipping is not just a gross habit, but could also potentially kill you as bacteria can last up to 15 minutes in food you are sharing.^[4]Mirror – Are you a sharing snacker? Double dippers could be passing germs through their gross habits

#6: Think twice before chewing gum

Most people don’t think chewing gum is inherently gross. However, the act of spitting it out or sticking it under a table is. In countries such as Singapore, gum is actually illegal because they do not want people throwing chewed gum on the ground. While Singapore might have taking it to an extreme they might have actually been on to something because studies show that chewing gum could actually be killing you. This is especially true for people with dental fillings. The act of chewing gum releases the deadly combination of mercury, silver, and tin from the dental fillings into your body.^[5]abc News – 6 Gross Side Effects Of Chewing Gum High exposure to these elements can result in headaches, kidney failure, muscle atrophy, tremors, respiratory failure, and even death.

#5: Smoking cigarettes is one of the worst bad habits

Many people smoke cigarettes in order to try to fit in or relieve some stress. While smoking is not as cool as it used to be, there are still many people who do it. Many studies have shown that this disgusting habit results in cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases.^[6]Brantley – BAD HABIT YOU MUST ELIMINATE FROM YOUR DAILY ROUTINE In addition, cigarettes are extremely expensive and cause bad breath. Many people chew some gum in order to hide the smell, and as previously described that is probably killing you as well.

#4: Be careful of your cellphone!

Smart phones have become an essential part of daily life. In fact, in 2017, the number of mobile phone users is around 4.77 billion people and rising. People take their cell phones everywhere with them from work, to the gym, to bed, and even to the toilet. This last place is one of the worst bad habits. In a 2013 study by British microbiologist James Francis, it was found that cell phones had Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause food poisoning and even death.^[7]Which? – How clean is your iPad? – a Which? hygiene investigation

Most people consider the bathroom to be inherently dirty. As such, they tend to make sure to clean it often. However, the study found we do not clean our cell phones as often. Therefore, our cellphones end up becoming a cesspool of bacteria. Therefore, if you really can’t avoid bringing your smart phone to the restroom, don’t forget to regularly clean it as well.

#3: Make sure to wash your hands!

Not washing your hands regularly is one of the worst bad habits. This is especially important before eating or touching your face because several dangerous diseases that can kill you are passed through physical touch. A few of the worst diseases include Giardiasis, hand foot mouth disease, Hepatitis A, and  Shigellosis.^[8]LIVESTRONG – Hand Washing After Using Bathroom Vs. Sanitizer Not all of these diseases will kill you, but their symptoms are not pleasant. Therefore, do us all a favor and regularly wash your hands with both water and soap.

#2: Do not pee in the pool!

Many people pee in the pool. In fact, even Michael Phelps, the famous American Olympic swimmer admits to this bad habit. For many competitive swimmers peeing in the pool is in fact very common. The misconception comes from people thinking that pee is just water and the pool’s chlorine will kill anything bad. However, this is far from the truth.

A research study in Environmental Science & Technology from the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta Canada showed that urine reacts with the chlorine in the pool to create cyanogen chloride and tricholoramine.^[9]ACS Publications – Sweetened Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs These toxic chemicals harm your central nervous system, heart, and lungs. In large enough quantities and over long periods of time, they can kill you. Therefore, the next time you are in the pool and need to pee, go to the restroom.

#1: Don’t forget to brush your teeth!

Not brushing your teeth or using dental floss is is one of the worst bad habits. First, everyone else has to endure your bad breath. Second, we also have to observe the horror show that is your mouth. However, we are not the only ones who suffer from these bad habits. In fact, bad dental hygiene could actually be killing you. In 2010 the Hitkarini Dental College and Hospital conducted a study which showed gum disease is linked with cardiovascular issues such as strokes and heart attacks.^[10]NCBI -The link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease: How far we have come in last two decades ?