Do you know, some statements generally believed by people about dental health and care are only myths? Well, below, there are some dental myths and misconceptions widely believed in our society that you need to make them right. What they?
1. Pulling Upper Teeth Causing Eye Problems
Many people even believe that pulling the upper teeth can cause blindness. Sure, that’s not true as the nerves of the upper teeth and nerves of the eyes don’t link each other. An infection of the gum can spread to the cheeks and even the eyes. However, the eye problems are not related to pulling the teeth at all.
2.Finger Sucking by Children Not Influencing Their Teeth’s Growth
Parents should stop their children sucking their fingers. Based on some research, this habit causes loss of the front teeth. Particularly, it is if the habit goes on from newborn to around 48 months.
3.Teeth Filling is Not for Deciduous Teeth
Many parents think that a cavity on a deciduous tooth doesn’t need to be filled because later, it will be replaced by permanent teeth. Of course, it is a bad decision as the cavity can be enlarged if it is not cured immediately. Even consequently, the replacement from the deciduous tooth to the permanent one may be obstructed.
4.It is better to Brush Teeth Stronger
Brushing teeth strongly doesn’t make them cleaner. Instead, it brings side effects like the enamel eroded, particularly in the area next to the gum. This condition is namely abrasion. To make it worse, the gum may also recede, known as the gum recession. Sure, it may make the teeth area feel painful and uncomfortable.
5.You Must Immediately Brush Your Teeth After Eating
This is another cause of the enamel’s damage. Out mouth cavities including teeth tend to be acidic just after eating. Therefore, brushing them immediately simply erodes the enamel. The better solution is to wait for 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth.
6.Pulling Teeth is the Only Solution for Toothache
Pulling teeth is the last alternative for toothache caused by cavities. It is even better to keep your teeth as long as possible when the condition is not that bad. If you lose even only one tooth, it may affect the others. Furthermore, there are also some other possible side effects such as difficulties in eating and talking.
7.Nothing to Worry About Gum Bleeding
Well, gum bleeding is a problem, not something normal. It is a kind of inflammation, as a sign of gum damage. Make sure to go to the dentist immediately when experiencing this symptom. The worst effect is that the teeth on the gum are shaken and even pulled out.
8.Dentists are Only for Teeth with Problems
Even if your teeth are very healthy, is recommended to visit the dentist at least once in six months. Yes, healthy teeth don’t mean they have no problems at all. It is just the problem having not been found yet. By visiting the dentist regularly, any problem with your teeth can just be detected earlier. Of course, they will be solved earlier as well.
9.It is Enough to Have Only Analgesic for Toothache
After consuming analgesics or other painkillers, your teeth may not feel pain anymore. But is only temporary. Later, you may experience the same pain. So, once you have realized that there is caries on your teeth, you need to go to the dentist for further treatments. Don’t worry, as long as the caries have not reached the nerve yet, the solution is tooth filling, not pulling it out.
10.Tooth with Cavity Doesn’t Need to Be Pulled Out When It is Not Painful
Many people tend to ignore their teeth with cavities when it is no longer painful. It is a wrong move for sure as the cavity can get bigger and spread to other teeth. Besides, there is also a risk of gum infection coming from the remains of the teeth. So, even if you have not felt the pain yet, make sure to go to the dentist to get the best solution.
11.Bad Breath Has No Relation with the Teeth
Based on much research, 85% of cases of mouth odor come from the mouth and teeth. Usually, it is because of the tooth cavity that has been infected by bacteria. Meanwhile, the remaining 15% are because of other factors such as food consumption and gastric problems.
12.Using Mouthwash Only Can Eliminate Bad Breath
Using mouthwash indeed can eliminate bad breath but only for a few hours. Even, it no longer helps you with the odor after more than 12 hours. You also need to be careful in choosing the mouthwash product. If it has too much amount of alcohol, mouthwash can even damage your teeth and cause bad breath to get worse.
13.Women Cannot Pull Out the Teeth in Their Period
Undeniably, hormonal changes during menstruation influence the condition inside the mouth cavity. Yes, the increase in estrogen and progesterone levels makes gum prone to inflammation. However, it doesn’t disturb the process of pulling out the teeth from the gum. So, a woman can still undergo this treatment during her period as long as she doesn’t have other teeth problems.
14.Mouth ulcers only occur because of Accidental Bites
There are many factors why someone can suffer from a mouth ulcer. Bites from your teeth are only one of many reasons. These include the decrease of the immune system, stress, lack of nutrition, and side effects of certain drugs.
15.Tooth Scaling at Home is Possible
You can clean dental plaque yourself but not with the tartar. Sure, dental plaque is soft as it is new dirt coming from the meal you eat meanwhile, tartar is the dry and hard one as the dirt has been on the teeth for a long time. To solve the tartar problem, you need help from the dentist with a tooth scaling treatment. The scaling treatment requires a special tool namely the ultrasonic scaler. Of course, common people rarely have it at home.
16.You Can Whiten Your Teeth with Baking Soda
Some people think they can naturally whiten their teeth using ingredients like baking soda. Well, they are not. Such ingredients even increase the risk of some problems like brittle and yellowish teeth. People with sensitive teeth are also not allowed to add other things to their daily dental treatments except toothpaste. Because the sensitivity of the teeth may increase and they may experience the feeling of pain more often.
17.Chewing Bubblegum = Cleaning Teeth
Chewing bubblegum indeed increases saliva production. Saliva itself is a natural substance produced by our body to clean the teeth. However, it is not enough to clean your teeth thoroughly using Bubblegum. You still need to brush your teeth properly for sure. Moreover, the sugar contained in the Bubblegum may cause a new problem like cavity formation.
18.Babies and Toddlers Don’t Need to Brush Their Teeth
Activities of cleaning teeth regularly must be applied as soon as possible on babies and toddlers. Aside from educating them a good habit, brushing their teeth also prevents bacteria from growing and multiplying inside the baby’s mouth cavity. Choose a toothbrush specially designed for babies to prevent any injuries in the mouth caused by the toothbrush’s friction.
19.Dental Floss Enlarge Gaps Between 2 Teeth
Dental floss is a special tool used to clean narrow gaps between 2 teeth. While this method is effective, some people worry about flossing to enlarge those gaps. Don’t worry, the dental floss is designed in such a way as to keep the gaps tight and dense.
20.Dental and Body’s Health Have No Relation
Dental health has a very important role in the body’s health as a whole. Once your dental nerves are infected by bacteria, those bacteria can simply go inside your blood vessels. Besides, food that is not chewed well by your teeth can irritate the gastric.
Those are some myths and misconceptions about dental health and care. If you have a problem related to the dental health, make sure to go and get the best services from BIMC Nusa Dua.
