There are many dental myths floating around today, but Smile Warehouse is here to help you separate fact from fiction so that you can ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth.

The Story: Only the sugar from sweets and desserts are bad for my teeth.

Fact: Natural sugars can be found in most foods. However, both natural and processed sugars can cause tooth decay if they stay on teeth too long. That’s why it is important to limit the amount of sweets you have and that you brush and floss tat least twice a day.

The Story: You don’t have to brush baby teeth; they will just fall out anyways.

Fact: Even though your child will lose all of their baby teeth, they still need to be brushed and flossed daily. By brushing and flossing daily it will establish good habits early on in life. Daily brushing and flossing also helps prevent cavities or tooth decay. Studies have found that cavities in baby teeth can affect the development of the permanent teeth. It is even possible for cavities found in baby teeth to need fillings, root canals, and even crowns.

The Story: Everybody will have false teeth or dentures when they get older.

Fact: Like in every other field we are continuously learning. With daily brushing, flossing and regular professional dental cleanings, examinations and treatment, we have found that it is possible to keep your natural teeth throughout your lifetime.

The Story: You only have bad breath if you don’t brush or floss.

Fact: While part of this is true, poor brushing and flossing leads to gum disease there are other causes of bad breath which include smoking, certain foods, and dental infections or abscesses.

The Story: Whitening toothpastes actually whiten teeth or bleach my teeth.

Fact: Over the counter products are not as effective for whitening teeth or bleaching teeth because they lack the strength and power contained in dentist-prescribed products.

The Story: There is no difference between hard and soft bristled toothbrushes.

Fact: Studies show that soft bristled toothbrushes clean and do not damage the teeth or the gums during brushing. Hard bristled toothbrushes can cause gum tissue to shrink away and can wear away tooth structure.

The Story: I only have to brush to keep my teeth clean.

Fact: Brushing is an important part of keeping teeth clean but flossing is equally important. Flossing removes the plaque and food debris between your teeth, where a toothbrush is unable to reach.

The Story: You only have to bleach or whiten your teeth once then it will never need to be done again.

Fact: Teeth whitening is not permanent. The amount of time between touch ups depends on the amount of food or beverage consumed that would stain a white t-shirt. Smoking will also increase the need for touch ups.

The Story: Tooth-colored fillings, veneers and crowns will get lighter when I bleach my teeth.

Fact: Teeth whitening only affects natural the tooth structure. Any tooth-colored filling materials, veneers, crowns, bridges and partials will NOT change color with tooth whitening or tooth bleaching.

The Story: Chewing gum after a meal is a great substitute for brushing.

Fact: Chewing gum after a meal, especially sugar free gum, will only freshen your breath and is NO substitute for brushing and flossing.

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 10:53 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.