Common Dental Hygiene myths; Clarifying Misconceptions from Truths

Nothing makes a smile more pleasant than a clean set of healthy, white teeth. Save the charm associated with a beautiful smile, having good dental hygiene positively affects your overall health. Therefore, you must pay great attention and care to your dental hygiene.

There is a tonne of information available online on dental health and hygiene. Unfortunately, some of them are false or misleading and could lead to unexpected results. Similarly, this false information is also passed on generations before, through word of the mouth. This article contains some of the common misconceptions about dental health to help you separate the myths from the facts.

Myth1: Sugary Food cause Cavities

Sugar-containing food is conceived to be the lead cause of cavities. However, the sugar itself doesn't technically cause tooth decay, how long it remains in your mouth after consumption does. Sugar ingested breaks down into simple acids after some time. The growth of cavity-causing bacteria thrives in the presence of these acids. With the conditions for growth right, these bacterias multiply rapidly making your teeth more susceptible to cavities.  Ensure to brush or rinse your mouth properly after consuming sugary food to prevent the buildup of these bacteria.

Myth2: The Harder you Brush the Cleaner your Teeth

There's a common misconception that brushing alone equals good oral health. To this end, some people believe brushing vigorously would keep teeth clean. Although brushing regularly is a healthy oral hygiene habit, it won't make your teeth whiter or cleaner when you brush harder. You only end up causing damage to the enamel layer of your teeth, therefore, putting your teeth at risk of cavities or sensitivity problems.

Myth3: Only Visit your Dentist when you have a toothache:

Quick question. When was the last time you saw a dentist?... If your answer falls within the lines of “don't know, can’t remember ” you need to fix up. Here’s why

People who don't routinely visit a reliable dental office suffer consequences for their dental health. Even if everything appears to be in order, you should nevertheless schedule routine dental checkups to avoid oral health conditions. Some issues with oral health won't be seen right away. For instance, you won't experience discomfort right away if cavities are only beginning to form. The greatest approach to keep your mouth healthy is to have dental checkups every six months since you may catch problems early in that manner.

Myth4: White teeth equal healthy teeth

Contrary to popular belief, having white teeth doesn't always equal healthy teeth. Many factors can cause discoloration of the teeth even if good oral practices are observed. Therefore, using pearly white teeth as a basis for judging good oral hygiene isn't credible. A more reasonable indicator of healthy teeth is the absence of cavities or sensitivity issues.

Myth5: Braces are for kids only

Although more commonly worn by kids, braces can also be used by adults. They help people get the smile they deserve by straightening crooked teeth which can be gotten at any age. Adults are beginning to recognize the advantages of wearing braces more frequently.

Myth6: Using Charcoal Based Toothpaste results in Healthy Teeth

Charcoal as a natural absorbent is used as an active ingredient in some toothpaste. These toothpaste are sold for their teeth whitening abilities. As mentioned earlier, white teeth don't always equal healthy teeth. Charcoal-based toothpaste work against protective agents meant to keep your teeth healthy and strong. Hence, the notion that charcoal-based toothpaste makes teeth healthy is untrue.

Myth7: Brush your teeth immediately after eating:

Contrary to popular belief, brushing immediately after eating doesn't improve your oral health in any way. This practice is detrimental to your teeth. It weakens the enamel layer of your teeth which results in them becoming very  sensitive.  Instead, chew sugar-free gum to increase saliva production, remove food particles from the mouth, and balance plaque acids. Make it a habit to brush your teeth twice daily as this contributes immensely to your oral health.