5 Myths About Oral Health

Having the right oral health hygiene is one of the keys to having a healthy and sound body. If you have poor oral hygiene, the probability of developing severe health problems is high. Some serious illnesses related to unhealthy oral health are heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, or preterm labor. There are a lot of myths about oral health out there, but to ward off disease, you must practice proper oral health care.

When you have healthy mouth, gums, and teeth, then you are far from having bad breath, gum disease, or tooth decay. However, there are a lot of factors that can prevent you from having a healthy mouth.

Check out some of the most common myths about oral health:

1. White Teeth Are Healthy, and Bleaching Is Harmful

They say that white teeth mean you have a healthy mouth and bleaching your teeth white is not safe. However, the color of teeth varies especially when you age, so white is not a standard color to measure the health of your teeth.

On the other hand, here are some facts about teeth whitening:

• Modern teeth whitening is safe when done by professionals such as dentists in Smiles that Rock.
• Whitening gel works by pushing stains out through the pores.
• Teeth become sensitive for 12-36 hours after the whitening process.
• Whitening takes time depending on the gravity of the stains in your teeth.
• Bleaching products don’t make your teeth white; it only removes the stains accumulated for years.

2.  Dental Check-up Is Only For Severe Oral Health Problems

The myth is that you don’t need to see a dentist when your teeth are white and fine. However, a regular appointment for your children with a children’s dentist Phoenix, or with your local family dentist for yourself, can save you from severe oral health issues. 

As a dentist, you should make your services available online with the help of theseodentist.com/dental-marketing that offers online dental marketing so you can reach out to more people needing oral health care.

Also, the following are reasons why regular dental checkups are a must:

• Your dentist can detect signs of oral cancer and prevent it from progressing.
• Professional dental cleanings prevent cavities that can only be shown when your teeth ache.
• Regular dental cleanings are cheaper than dental fillers.
• Your dentist can fix oral damage caused by bad habits like grinding your teeth, drinking coffee, smoking, clenching your jaw, etc. that you may not notice.
• Swelling or lumps on your neck, jaw, and lymph nodes will also be checked by a dentist that can help prevent serious diseases such as cancer.

3. Sugar Is The Main Reason For Tooth Decay

There is a belief that sugar consumption is the only cause of tooth decay. However, sugar alone is not the primary perpetrator for tooth decay.

Here are some of the contributing factors for tooth decay:

• Poor oral hygiene or not brushing regularly causes plaque buildup that attacks the tooth enamel and when enamel is softened, tooth decay occurs.
• Having a dry mouth since saliva is important to help wash the plaque from your teeth. Plaque build ups more quickly with a dry mouth.
• Acid that causes wear to the enamel leading to cavities.
• Naturally-occurring oral bacteria that causes plaque formation.
• Medical health issues like bulimia’s frequent vomiting makes stomach acid to flow back to your mouth.

3. Brushing Makes Bleeding Gums Worse

The myth is that brushing your bleeding gums can make it worse. The truth is, regular brushing can decrease chances of having bleeding gums.

Here are some of the causes of bleeding gums:

• Medical conditions and blood thinning medications such as anticoagulants and antiplatelets can reduce the ability of blood to clot which results to bleeding.
• Gingivitis, which is a gum disease caused by plaques that aren’t brushed breeds bacteria that makes your gums swell and tender, so it easily bleeds.
• Extreme stress causes bleeding gums. When you’re too stressed, your immune system is compromised thereby making you prone to gum diseases.
• Pregnancy Gingivitis because the hormonal changes during pregnancy can alter how the body responds to the bacteria that cause gingivitis.

4. Flossing Causes Bleeding

They say that daily flossing can cause your gums to bleed. However, flossing is effective in preventing plaque buildup that brushing cannot reach.

Here are some of the reasons why you need to floss daily:

• Flossing prevents tartar, gingivitis, and cavities when combined with brushing since the former removes plaque that builds up around the gums.
• You can save money when you floss. Dental flosses are way cheaper than having dental care treatment.
• Flossing can eliminate bad breath since it can dislodge food particles that settle in gum tissues where the bacteria can age causing bad breaths.

Conclusion:

Regardless of your age, it is vital that you educate yourself on facts about your oral health instead of blindly relying on myths. Following misleading information can lead to improper oral hygiene. When you’re in doubt, it is always best to ask your dentist so you can adequately take care of your oral health.