Five Myths You Probably Believe About Oral Care

There can be a lot of stress and anxiety surrounding dental health, and this has given birth to a hell lot of myths which increase our dental woes. Unlike conditions such as heart diseases, ALS, cancer and Type 2 diabetes which grab the headlines, the relationship between oral health and overall health is often forgotten by most people. In fact oral health is the most neglected part of our health and that’s why we don’t see too many headlines due to problems regarding teeth.

If you believe in the myths associated with oral care, you will probably not be able to take the right steps to take care of your teeth. That’s why this column is dedicated to clarifying facts so that you can start taking care of your teeth based on science, not on myths.

Myth #1: White teeth always means healthy teeth

Fact: False. Your teeth may be white as pearls but that doesn’t show whether or not there’s infection or cavities in between your teeth. Hence pearly white teeth can’t be assumed to be healthy teeth. People with healthy teeth may have darker teeth color than the other person—they can always be bleached. But tooth decay and erosion aren’t limited to people with dark or yellow teeth.

Myth #2: Table sugar, candy and soda are the only things that causes cavities

Fact: False. While it is true that bacteria that cause tooth decay love candy and sugar as fuel, they are not always the main culprits in tooth decay.   Any carbohydrate that you eat can start off this same process and this may include sugar and even other foods like potatoes, rice, fruits, bread and vegetables.  That’s one of the main reasons to brush after meals—to remove some of the bacteria, and also to remove some of the food particles that bacteria love to transform into their acidic tooth-destroying by-product.  A corn flake gets wrapped around one of your molars and it's PARTY TIME for your oral bacteria.

Myth #3: Bleaching can have a detrimental impact on your teeth

Fact: False. Bleaching has emerged as one of the most popular service which is being used by people who are craving for whiter smiles in a safer and faster method. Before 1990, the materials that were used in bleaching your teeth were truly acidic which could break down the enamel of your tooth. But nowadays, the bleach materials are PH neutral and they don’t cause any harm to the root or enamel of your tooth.

Myth #4: Gum disease is not very common

Fact: False.  This is a big myth, as gum diseases are just too common nowadays. As per a study by the CDC or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 50% of adults above the age of 30 and more have some kind of gum disease. With age, people become more and more vulnerable to infections including those that cause decay in the gums. 65% of adults above the age of 65 and more have some moderate or severe type of gum disease. Hence, you can well understand how much common gum diseases are.

Myth #5: Placing an aspirin on your tooth can reduce toothache

Fact: False.  You can’t cure a toothache by putting an aspirin on it.  In fact, if you hold aspirin against a tooth long enough, it can damage your gums and other soft tissues inside of your mouth.  Aspirin is able to damage the tissues in your mouth because it is an acid – acetylsalicylic acid to be exact.   Like most acids, it will damage your bodily tissues if you give it enough time.  If you’ve ever used an acidic bathroom cleaner without gloves on, you probably discovered that acids can burn your skin. Patients often can be their own worst enemies.  The array of chemicals that have been placed within the mouth in an attempt to resolve oral problems is amazing.  Aspirin, sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide, gasoline, turpentine, rubbing alcohol, and battery acid are just a few of the more interesting examples.

So, if you’re a health conscious person, you should pay more attention to your teeth as they are often the neglected part of our body.  And forget about the myths and home-remedies.  They’re likely to get you into worse trouble.

Keep Smiling,

 

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association.