Myths About Dentists Busted

Myths About Dentists Busted

Most people agree that the one physical feature that stays the most attractive as we age is our smile. With this in mind, you would suppose that people would take the time to visit their family dentist more often. But that’s not the case. In fact, people believe many myths about the dentist that may be working against them. Today, we are going to bust those myths for healthier teeth and beautiful smiles.

1. The harder you brush the cleaner your teeth: In reality, brushing too hard or using an abrasive toothbrush can actually harm your teeth. This kind of brushing abrades your enamel, which is the layer that protects the inside of your tooth from a cavity. It is understandable why people would think that this would make their teeth cleaner, but besides wearing your enamel, it also hurts your gums. When your enamel wears out, you become susceptible to a cavity, which could lead to more severe problems requiring more complex treatment.

2. You only go to the dentist because your teeth hurt: This is one of the most common myths about the dentist. Since you were a child, you have learned that prevention is the best cure. When the health of your teeth is involved, you realize that regular dental visit leads to an easier and cost-effective solution than dealing with a crisis tooth problem. Usually, your body notifies you that something is seriously wrong when you feel pain. So, don’t wait to experience dental pain to rush in for dental care. Instead, have regular checks to keep your teeth healthy and increase the chances of your teeth being saved at a later date.

3. Luckily, it’s only a baby tooth: I am sure you have heard this one from parents many times. What parents need to know is that baby teeth play an important role in proper development of a child. These neglected little teeth provide the necessary space permanent teeth will line up in underneath the gum for proper growth. A dentist will tell you that cavities in baby teeth may cause loss of teeth much easier resulting in unnecessary spaces. When this happens, a dentist has to create an artificial space maintainer where the permanent teeth will grow. Your child needs to maintain healthy teeth, the same way you do, and the best way to do it is to brush and floss their teeth every day.

4. It does not matter what time of day I brush as long as I do it: Dentists have recommended when we should brush our teeth for a long time, but we need to explain why this is vital. When you are asleep, your saliva glands produce less saliva. During the day, production is higher, and this saliva creates a cleansing effect for our mouth and washes away food particles. When we neglect our teeth before we go to bed, the food particles sit on our teeth, which invites bacteria that cause tooth decay.  Brushing our teeth in the morning helps us fight bad breath and decay. This makes brushing at night, in the morning and after consuming foods and drinks high in sugar critical to our maintaining healthy teeth.

5. If your gums bleed when you floss, leave them alone: Healthy gums don’t bleed. Let’s say that again: healthy gums don’t bleed.  Bleeding gums is a sign of an underlying problem. It means that your gums have inflammation that happens when bacteria and plague get stuck between your teeth. This is generally the tight spaces where bristles can’t reach. If you don’t floss regularly, you are likely to notice your gums bleed.

To have healthy teeth, you need to stop believing these myths about the dentist. Be proactive about it and stop snoozing your dental check-up appointments. Invest a little time each day and save yourself countless hours treating tooth problems that could have been avoided easily.