Myths about dental care have always existed. They were often passed on by word of mouth, with some passing down from generation to generation, even when they were no longer relevant at all. The fact that a lot of people express concern about their dental visits, with some being so afraid that they simply don\u2019t go, is bad enough, but with the added \u2018threat\u2019 of some of these myths, the likelihood is that the number of people not receiving the oral care that they need is only likely to increase.<\/p>\n
As always, if you are afraid of seeing a dentist, whether due to the myths that we examine below or for other reasons, the dentists at the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre are always happy to talk to you to find a way to help you receive the oral health care that you need.<\/p>\n
Let us take a look then, at some of the myths that you may have heard of.<\/p>\n
Especially if we are looking for a reason not to visit the dentist, the fact that, to us anyway, our teeth look fine and we are not experiencing any discomfort might give cause for us to cancel an appointment that we had previously booked. Unfortunately, just because your teeth feel fine doesn\u2019t mean that they are and there may be early signs of tooth decay that you can\u2019t see or feel at the moment. By cancelling an appointment, this will only worsen until one day you may wake up with a severe toothache. Preventative dental care<\/a> is important and helps you avoid the need for more invasive treatment such as root canal surgery.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While brushing your teeth regularly and correctly is essential for avoiding decay and gum disease, it is a myth that if you \u2018scrub\u2019 them really well, this will help to improve their health even further. In fact, it is very likely to cause problems. Brushing your teeth too hard over a period of time makes it more likely that you will wear down and damage the protective enamel on the outside of the tooth and allow opportunities for bacteria to enter more easily. Using an electric tooth with a pressure sensor will help you to avoid doing this.<\/p>\n While some people do find it tricky initially, using dental floss really isn\u2019t hard to do after a little practice. It is also the best way for cleaning between your teeth where food and bacteria often becomes trapped.Decay is fairly common in this area for those that don\u2019t floss as brushing often doesn\u2019t reach there. If you find it difficult to do, ask one of our dentists or hygienists to demonstrate how to use floss correctly.<\/p>\n Our first teeth, or \u2018baby teeth\u2019 as they are also sometimes called, only last for a few years before falling out, to be replaced by our permanent adult teeth. Because of this, some people believe that they are not worth looking after. This is wrong thinking as not only should you not want to see your young child in pain with a toothache, but these act as placeholders for our adult teeth and premature loss can cause teeth to come through crooked. All teeth need to be looked after including our temporary first teeth.<\/p>\nBrushing your teeth more firmly helps to avoid problems<\/h3>\n
Flossing is hard to do and a waste of time<\/h3>\n
First teeth don\u2019t matter<\/h3>\n
A bit of blood after brushing is normal<\/h3>\n