Top 10 Myths About the Dentist
Top 10 myths
1. Placing aspirin next to a toothache helps with the pain.
Wrong.
Swallowing aspirin can help to reduce toothache. However, placing an aspirin next to the tooth may burn your cheek and gums because it is acidic which will only add to your discomfort.
2. You should always rinse after brushing your teeth.
This is a complete myth.
Rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash after brushing actually reduces the beneficial effects of your toothpaste. In doing so you are actually diluting or washing away the fluoride, which protects the enamel coating of your teeth from tooth decay. If you do use a mouthwash, always use it at separate time to brushing. Most mouthwashes may say otherwise, but even if it contains fluoride it is not as effective as your toothpaste. So after brushing, simply spit out the bubbles and avoid rinsing.
3. I should brush my teeth straight after eating.
This is a common misconception. The sugars contained in the food you eat turns to acid within about three minutes. This acid then begins to soften the hard protective enamel coating of your teeth. The enamel will normally re-mineralize in about 40 minutes. However, if you decide to brush your teeth within this time you will be brushing away the enamel tissue whilst it is still soft, resulting in visible tooth wear and increased sensitivity to hot and cold.
4. I don’t need to floss if I use mouthwash.
Defiantly not true! Some mouthwashes can help to control bacterial growth and some do kill bacteria; but they can’t get it all. Nothing beats mechanically removing that plaque.
5. If my gums bleed when am brushing I should stop.
This is a complete Myth. Bleeding gums is a sign that you should see your dentist as soon as possible. In most cases, if there are areas that bleed when you brush your teeth you should take it as a sign that you need to clean them more efficiently. It is definitely worth having bleeding gums checked, as it may also be a sign of gum disease. It’s also worth asking your dentist to check that you are brushing your teeth correctly. In some cases, brushing an unhealthy area correctly will cause it to bleed initially. However, by careful brushing it will become healthier as the offending plaque is removed, and the bleeding will stop.
6. After a filling there will be no need for further treatment.
Not necessarily true. In a lot of cases this may be true, but it cannot be guaranteed. If the decay in the tooth goes very deep, sometimes the nerve of the tooth may not recover and could still need root canal treatment in order to save the tooth. If this is not possible the tooth may have to be extracted. Good oral hygiene is also very important to ensure there is no reoccurrence of decay. Bad oral hygiene may reduce the lifespan of a filling.
7. I will know if I need a filling.
Usually, if you experience pain from a tooth the decay is more advanced resulting in trauma to the nerve of the tooth. This normally makes it much harder to save the tooth and could lead to it being extracted. Small cavities can be symptomless. For this reason it is always important to have regular visits with you dentist. Early detection and treatment greatly increases the chances of saving your tooth.
8. As long as my teeth feel ok I don’t need to go to the dentist.
This is one of the worst myths! Regular checkups are very important. Early tooth decay can be symptomless.
More importantly, problems such as periodontal disease (gum disease), leading to bone loss from around the roots of your teeth (resulting in the teeth becoming loose and falling out) can have a slow onset and you may not be aware of a problem until your teeth become mobile. Your dentist is trained to spot the early signs of gum disease and as a result treatment is much easier and less painful; it can also be a lot kinder on your piggy bank!
9. Teeth whitening is harmful to your teeth.
Modern tooth whitening procedures have minimal harmful effects when carried out by a qualified dental professional. If done incorrectly, tooth whitening can result to increased tooth sensitivity and/ or damage to the gum tissues. In some cases it is not appropriate for some patients to have tooth whitening e.g. in cases involving sensitive teeth, enamel problems etc. It is always worth checking with you dentist first before undergoing any tooth whitening procedure.
10. It is ok to brush with sodium bicarbonate.
It is defiantly not ok to brush with sodium bicarbonate! It can be very destructive to your teeth as it is very abrasive. Brushing with sodium bicarbonate can cause severe loss of tooth tissue and hypersensitivity. If staining is the problem you could try whitening toothpaste, although I usually do not recommend them as they are still more abrasive they are still better than sodium bicarbonate; if you really want the staining removed effectively see your dentist, dental therapist or hygienist.
