Myth 1: Dental health doesn't affect my overall health.
Fact: Oral health is a good indicator of overall health, and poor oral hygiene can increase your risk for disease in other parts of your body. Moderate to advanced gum disease increases the risk of heart disease and is more prevalent among people with diabetes. Bacteria and other germs can spread from the mouth to other areas of the body via blood flow. Bacteria that spread to the heart can cause damage and inflammation.
Myth 2: I can wait to see the dentist until there is a pain or it's an emergency.
Fact: With dental health, prevention is vital. Keeping your dental hygiene appointments and check-ups allow your dentist to spot and treat issues before they become emergencies. As discussed above, don't wait until your dental health affects your overall health.
Myth 3: Dental cleaning can cause sensitivity.
Fact: Dental cleaning or scaling is a non-invasive procedure, required in cases of accumulation of plaque (sticky colourless bacterial deposits on the surface of the tooth) and calculus (hardening of plaque) on teeth. Calculus or tartar on teeth forces the gums to recede. Scaling exposes areas of the teeth that were previously covered with tartar, thus exposing the tooth roots. This might cause temporary sensitivity which resolves in a day or two. Sensitivity toothpaste containing potassium nitrate can help to reduce sensitivity.
Myth 4: Cavities in baby teeth / milky teeth aren't as serious as cavities in adult teeth.
Fact: Oral health in children is essential, even if they lose their baby teeth later on. Tooth decay and cavities can impact formation of adult teeth under the gums. In addition, early loss of milky teeth because of cavities may lead to crooked teeth or mal-aligned teeth. Also, if kids don't learn how to take care of their teeth while they still have their baby teeth, they will be unlikely to keep good habits once they are older. So, encourage and teach your children to brush and floss daily according to a dental professional's recommendation.
Myth 5: Cleaning teeth involves the removal of enamel (the upper layer of teeth).
Fact: Professional teeth cleaning or dental scaling is done with the help of an ultrasonic scaler. Ultrasonic scaling involves mechanical vibration of the scaling tips, which are blunt, along with continuous irrigation with water. It is used to remove hard calculus safely from the surface of the tooth and does not affect the enamel or any oral tissue.
Myth 6: Dental cleaning can lead to tooth mobility.
Fact: Scaling does not lead to mobility of the tooth. Regular dental check-ups and scaling every six months can help in preventing periodontitis – Gum disease. Mobility of teeth or a tooth is result of periodontitis (a serious gum disease that damages the gum and bone supporting the tooth).
Myth 7: Removing wisdom teeth affects the brain.
Fact: Wisdom teeth are the third and last molars on each side of both jaws. They can erupt between the age of 18 to 26 years. Since they usually appear much later than the other teeth, at an age where people are probably "wiser", they are called wisdom teeth. Removal of wisdom teeth does not have any effect on the brain.
Myth 8: Do not brush your teeth if your gums bleed.
Fact: Bleeding gums is a classic sign of inflammation of gums, clinically known as gingivitis. Bleeding is caused due to deposits of plaque in the gums surrounding the tooth. Dental scaling followed by regular brushing is recommended in gingivitis. Otherwise it can lead to periodontitis - next stage of gum disease.
Myth 9: Removing a tooth from the upper jaw can hamper your eyesight.
Fact: No, removing a tooth from the upper jaw does not affect the eyes at all. The nerves associated with eyes are the optic nerve, the oculomotor nerve, the abducent nerve and the trochlear nerve whereas nerves related to the upper jaw are the posterior superior alveolar nerve, the greater palatine nerve, the nasopalatine nerve and the infraorbital nerve. The nerves of the upper jaw are totally unrelated to the nerves of the eye.
Myth 10: Brushing for children is not necessary until they turn 4 or 5.
Fact: Brushing should be encouraged immediately after the eruption of milky teeth in the oral cavity of children (6-8 months onwards). Brushing of teeth (without toothpaste) is necessary after bottle-feeding because bacteria in the oral cavity thrive on the sugar present in the milk and make acids that attack the teeth. It can lead to Nursing Bottle caries in milk teeth which are a form of tooth decay.
Myth 11: Flossing is not important if you brush twice a day.
Fact: Regular flossing along with proper brushing can prevent the accumulation of calculus on teeth. Flossing helps in the removal of food particles that get stuck between two teeth. If not cleaned it can potentially lead to cavities.
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