Dental Myths We Hope You Don’t Fall For

When it comes to dentistry, there have been countless myths throughout history that are often believed by patients. In fact, even in recent months dental myths have been brought mainstream and believed by a lot of the American public. However, we hear to make sure that our patients don’t fall for these dental related myths!

Brushing Before A Dental Appointment Will Keep The Dentist From Knowing That You
Don’t Brush Regularly!

This is one that many patients hope is factual, rather than myth. Unfortunately for those who are fooled, this myth is completely untrue. In fact, if you’ve eaten at all the day of your visit, there is probably a little food residue hiding somewhere, that’s natural and not necessarily a sign that you have bad brushing habits. However, swollen and bleeding gums, symptoms of periodontitis, are signs that your brushing habits need some improvement. Since you can’t instantaneously cure periodontal disease, the last minute brush won’t hide your lack of dental hygiene. We know that it’s easy to forget now and then, as well as the difficulty patients with depression can have with maintaining daily routines. This is why we meet our patients where they are at and offer our assistance in helping them reach their oral health goals. Don’t be embarrassed about your teeth; our passion is to help patients achieve the smile of their dreams.

Flossing Isn’t Necessary; I Read It In an Article on Facebook.

It is true that last year there was a bit of a commotion around the United States about whether or not flossing was necessary for good oral health. What many patients missed was the back story that created this misconception. False news reports were developed from the misunderstand of why flossing had been removed from the 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Ironically, this change was a marketing decision rather than a change in the stance of flossing’s importance. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) even announced that the removal was due to a deliberate decision to focus its outreach efforts on food and nutrient intake. Flossing is vital to your oral health, despite what you may have read in the news last year. Without flossing, you will miss cleaning about 35% of your tooth’s surface, including the areas most vulnerable to cavity development.

Sugar Is The Main Cause of Tooth Decay!

Despite the fact that most Americans believe this myth full-heartedly, it is as false as they come. Yes, sugar is a contributing factor to the build up of cavity causing tartar and plaque. However, it’s surprisingly not the main culprit in most scenarios. In fact, the primary source of food for the bacteria that causes cavities is carbohydrates! That’s right; we’re talking bread, potatoes, pasta, quinoa, and their other starchy cousins. This is why it is so important to brush your teeth twice per day. Leaving bits of this food lying around is exactly how patients get cavities over time!

Dental myths pose a threat to many of our patients’ dental health. The truth is that there are a lot
of non-reliable sources that try to pass on information to us. Many times these sources seem
legitimate, even though they are not. This is one of the reasons we believe it is so important to
remind our patients about the importance of know which dental tips you receive are facts and
which are myths! To learn more about dental myths many patients believe or to schedule an
appointment without of out dentists, please feel free to contact us today.