Oral Health Myths?
Brushing and flossing may seem like simple tasks, but when it comes to you and your child’s oral health, we want you to do it right and know facts. Taking care of your teeth can keep your body healthier in the long run! Here are a handful of oral health myths and the real answers behind the fables:
- Myth: If I go to the dentist twice a year, my teeth will be in great oral health.Truth: While it is important to visit the dentist, it is also very important to take care of your teeth every single day by brushing, flossing, and eating healthy foods. Also, some people need to visit the dentist more regularly depending on their state of dental health.
- Myth: My child doesn’t eat much sugar, so I’m not worried about finding cavities.Truth: Surprise! Starchy foods actually convert into sugars in your mouth. This is just as bad as eating sugar, if not worse! Whether your child eats sugar and starches or not, it is VERY important that they have great oral hygiene to combat plaque and tartar. Check-ups with your dentist will also make sure that cavities aren’t hiding.
- Myth: Baby teeth are not important.Truth: Holy moly wrong! Baby teeth are VERY important because they help your child eat and guide the adult teeth into place. Take care of those baby teeth daily.
- Myth: My parents had lost many of their adult teeth, so I will lose mine too.Truth: Just because you are growing older does not always mean that you are going to lose lots of teeth. Genetics has some influence on your oral health, but your dental hygiene and what you eat will greatly make a difference on whether or not you will have a beautiful smile or gapped grin.
- Myth: If I brush hard, my teeth will be extra clean.Truth: Not even close. In fact, using overly firm bristles and rough brushing can hurt your gums! Consistent and gentle brushing and flossing are the best ways to have clean teeth.
- Myth: Having gaps between your teeth leads to more cavities.Truth: It is actually easier to clean between teeth with gaps, so decay is less likely if you keep those gaps and teeth sparkling. If the gaps are rather tiny, then you may have a harder time getting in between teeth to get out food and bacteria. Flossing should do the trick.
- Myth: Sugar may lead to cavities, but diet sodas don’t have sugar, so they are not bad for you.Truth: Actually, because diet soda is highly acidic, your enamel may be weakened, which can lead to cavities and tooth decay! Yuck. Water is the best drink for you.
- Myth: Spit and chewing tobacco is safer than smoking tobacco.Truth: No! Smokeless tobacco often leads to oral cancer. We encourage you to teach your children that all forms of tobacco are extremely harmful to the mouth and body.
- Myth: My teeth are white, so they must be healthy!Truth: Teeth come in a wide range of natural shades. Each person has a different shade of white, though your teeth should not be dark or dingy. This may mean tooth decay, dead nerves, etc.
- Myth: If my gums are bleeding, I should stop flossing.Truth: Not necessarily. If you bleed during/after flossing, you are either being too
rough or definitely are not flossing regularly. The more often you correctly floss, the less often your gums will bleed.
And the oral health myth list goes on! Don’t buy into these when sticking to good health this year. Are you looking for some hands-on, fun oral health education for you and your child? Take a peak at these four free oral health apps to pop on your phone or a tablet. This year – know the facts and bust the myths. Also, don’t forget to request an appointment with us at Snodgrass-King Dental Associates. It is a new year and perfect time to check those teeth!
