“Diet sodas are okay because they don’t have sugar.”
“Flossing causes your teeth to develop gaps.”
“Baby teeth don’t matter.”
“My tooth has no pain, so I must be fine.”
How many of you reading this are too proud to admit you’ve believed one of the above lies about dental health before? If you have, there’s nothing to be ashamed about—you’re not alone.
Many people have fallen for these lies that have spread due to misinformed patients, deceptive product marketing over the years (we’re looking at you big tobacco) and plain old self-diagnosing. Often believing these ill-informed lies can end up putting your oral health in jeopardy and making for a costly visit to a dentist in Corpus Christi.
Keep reading to see some of the most popular dental lies and why they’re just not right. Remember, knowing the truth about dental care and practicing healthy dental habits is what keeps your mouth healthy.
1. “If Your Teeth Don’t Hurt, You Don’t Need To Visit The Dentist.”
This couldn’t be further from the truth. You don’t wait for your car engine to seize up before you change the oil, do you? The same principle goes with dental health; you go to the dentist regularly so that your teeth don’t end up hurting from a cavity, gum infection or similar conditions.
When you catch and cure a problem with your teeth in an early stage, it is so much more affordable and easier to correct versus waiting till it’s already advanced. That can get expensive, not to mention painful.
Routine dental care is an essential part of any active dental care regiment. Find a dentist in Corpus Christi that you are comfortable with and develop a relationship with that dentist. They will get to know your teeth and your situations, and it makes maintaining your regular exams and cleanings that much easier when you know your dentist.
Some dental issues don’t even show significant symptoms until they are advanced quite far. This is why exams and routine imaging is important in the early detection of burgeoning problems. This gives the dentist a better chance to save your teeth as well if the condition is something that threatens the health of a tooth or multiple teeth. The bottom line is— a little bit of prevention is a lot less expensive than a whole lot of cure.
2. “Flossing Causes Your Teeth To Space Out.”
This is just absurd, but sometimes the more significant the lie or myth, the more believable it is if it circulates enough. Flossing does no such thing; there’s not a dentist in Corpus Christi though that hasn’t heard this from at least one patient at some point. Flossing helps prevent tooth decay by removing food debris lodged in between teeth that can decay and create harmful bacteria. That bacteria can lead to tooth decay which ironically
WILL end up causing a gap in your teeth when they fall out.
The first time you floss, you will likely get a little blood from the gums, but don’t worry this is normal. Your gums are not used to the contact and have to build up a tiny bit of tolerance to the floss. After a few weeks, the bleeding should subside significantly. If for some reason the bleeding doesn’t stop, then you should find a dentist in Corpus Christi that can look at that for you and make sure you don’t have early-stage gum disease.
Sometimes even flossing isn’t enough to get around built-up plaque and tartar between and behind the teeth and a professional debridement might be necessary. Once you get that done your hygienist can show you proper flossing techniques.
3. “It’s Ok, It’s Just A Baby Tooth.”
It’s not ok! Baby teeth are vital to your child’s dental health. They are the perfect placeholders that allow ample space for permanent teeth to develop and line up beneath the gums until they are ready to come in. Cavities or dental trauma in baby teeth, if not taken care of immediately, can cause tooth loss well before the permanent tooth is ready. This can lead to misalignment, over/underbites, crooked teeth, and gaps in the teeth as well.
It’s important to pay close attention to your child’s dental development and get them started early on proper dental care and healthy habits. If they aren’t brushing their teeth in the morning and at night before bed, they will likely carry on those habits into adulthood.
So the bottom line, it’s A LOT more than just a baby tooth.
4. “Diet Sodas Don’t Hurt My Teeth Because They Don’t Have Sugar.”
Of course, the soda companies want you to believe that just because their diet versions of their soda lack sugar that they are healthy and safe for you. This isn’t the case. Soda, both diet and regular is still highly acidic. Acidic foods are a bacteria favorite not to mention the acid can eat away at the protective enamel of your teeth. This can cause tooth sensitivity and microscopic holes in your teeth that will cause them to crumble.
Every sip you take of diet soda, your mouth takes 20 minutes to neutralize the acid back to a healthy level. Each time you take a sip the clock resets, so naturally, your teeth are getting exposed to one hellacious acid bath.
While soda isn’t the only acidic beverage that can be counterproductive to your dental health, we highlight it because it also has no nutritional value. Orange juice, while acidic for example, at least provides vitamins and minerals essential to bodily functions and overall health. Sodas are empty beverages with dangerous acid levels on top of that. Drink more water. It’s better for you and all natural!
You Want The Number One Tooth Truth?
Pardon our pun because this is a serious take away from this that we want to emphasize, but if you’re going to combat all the dental myths and lies out there, you need to know this one truth about your teeth:
YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT DENTAL CARE!
At Vela Dental we encourage you to take steps to improve your dental care routine and practice healthy habits that prolong the life of your teeth and give you the best smile possible. One of the ways to do that is to visit a dentist in Corpus Christi such as Vela—at least twice a year for a bi-annual exam and routine cleaning.
This not only leaves you with a clean and fresh smile but allows the dentist
to catch any problems early on, so it doesn’t sneak up on you later and cost more money and cause more pain.
Contact us today to get on top of your dental hygiene, and we’ll steer you down the path of adequate dental care to keep your smile looking its best.
