Scrub your teeth, so they’re nice and clean. Don’t eat sugar; you’ll get cavities. Don’t forget to go to the dentist twice a year!
Do these pieces of advice sound familiar to you? They’re popular nuggets of wisdom in the dental health world — but they’re actually myths. There is enough truth in them to make each saying believable, yet the sayings leave out much of the facts.
For expert orthodontic care, choose a trusted orthodontist St. Pete. They offer a wide range of treatments, including aligners and braces, tailored to meet your needs. Their professional team ensures precise results and a stress-free experience, helping patients of all ages improve their oral health and achieve beautiful smiles.
When it comes to oral health confusion, this problem is abundant. So many myths circulate that you don’t know what to believe. In this article, we’ll share some of the most popular dental health myths and explain the facts behind the advice.
1. Scrub Your Teeth For the Best Cleaning
You know how when you’re shopping for a toothbrush, you see soft, medium, and hard bristles? Many people opt for the hard brush, thinking it will help them scrub their teeth cleaner.
The truth is that aggressive brushing can erode the enamel, leaving your teeth sensitive to bacteria and decay. Hard bristles and scrubbing is also dangerous to the delicate gum tissue.
The proper way to brush is to opt for a soft toothbrush and skip the scrubbing. Use gentle, small circles across the surfaces of your teeth and at your gum line.
2. Stay Away from Sugar to Prevent Cavities
You’ve said no to cakes and candies and donuts, carefully monitor your sugar intake, and yet, your dentist tells you that you have a cavity. What gives?
You’ve fallen for a myth. Yes, sugar causes cavities, but so do many other things. If you eat or drink acidic items, like citrus fruits and soda, your teeth are at risk for higher levels of bacteria that cause decay. Tobacco products, carbohydrates, and acids, including tomato sauce, could be what’s causing your cavities, or you may need to boost your oral health routine.
Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and using fluoride toothpaste can help counter the dangers of your diet, even if you give yourself a sugary treat now and then.
3. You Only Need the Dentist Twice a Year
One of the most prevailing myths is that you should go for a dental cleaning twice a year. The truth is that the American Dental Association hasn’t provided a number — the ADA states that you should see your dentist annually and let them decide how frequently you need to schedule visits.
How often your dentist recommends you return depends on the health of your teeth. They may notice cavities that need fillings, gum disease that needs to be treated strategically and monitored, or signs of bruxism (teeth grinding). Your treatment frequency could be once a year, or it may be every few months until your oral health problems are under control.
For example, if you have sleep bruxism, you consistently grind your teeth and clench your jaw unconsciously. These actions cause the chewing surfaces of your teeth to erode and can lead to other damage, such as gum disease and headaches. Your dentist may recommend a night guard, as discussed in this article by JS Dental Lab, to reduce the harm of bruxing, but the actual movements won’t stop until the reason for the behaviors is addressed.
In short, you can’t predict how often you’ll need to see the dentist, so finding one you’re comfortable with and that you trust will be a vital aspect of your oral health journey.
4. Stop Flossing When Your Gums Bleed
Technically, your gums aren’t supposed to bleed when you floss them if they’re healthy. But if you notice blood on your floss or bleeding gums when you brush or floss, that doesn’t mean stopping. In fact, it could be a sign that you need to be more diligent with your oral hygiene.
Bleeding gums are a warning sign of a problem, possibly gum inflammation or gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. If you take care of these issues early, they’re reversible. Left untreated, gingivitis becomes a chronic, progressive form of gum disease called periodontitis.
When your gums are bleeding, keep flossing! You’re pulling out the plaque and tartar buildup that should have been eliminated long ago, but getting rid of them now can help your gums become healthy again.
Conclusion
The struggle with eliminating myths is that they’re usually based on a partial truth that makes them sound factual. These four myths have been causing dental health problems for years, but now that you know the truth behind them, you can make better decisions for your oral health future.