Do You Believe Any of These Common Oral Health Myths?
At California Dental Group, we’re always happy to help our patients stay informed on oral health issues. We’ve provided a page on our website that outlines proper home oral health care, we discuss all of these needs during exams and cleanings, and we’re here to answer questions for those who have them.
That said, it’s not uncommon for a patient to come to us believing something about their teeth that simply isn’t true. Sometimes they’ve been hearing it for so long that they’ve never even questioned it. In other cases, they may have actually heart it from a trusted source. Whatever the situation, we believe it’s important for you to know the truth. Keep reading to learn the facts behind several myths. Then call us at (800) 407-0161 if it’s time for your cleaning or exam.
Myth: All sugar can damage your teeth to the same extent
This one simply isn’t true. What is true is that the more sugar a person eats, the more likely they are to experience too decay. That said, there are some sugars that are much more of a problem than others. The easiest way to remember it is to remember that the longer sugar is on your teeth, the more dangerous it is.
For example, if a person sat down and ate a candy bar, they’d likely only have sugar on their teeth for a short period of time. Then compare that to sucking on a sugary lollipop, letting a mint dissolve in their mouth, or slowly sipping on a sugary soda. All of these examples would keep sugar in the mouth much longer, which makes it more dangerous to the teeth.
Myth: Baby teeth aren’t anything to worry about because they’ll eventually fall out
If baby teeth weren’t important and necessary, then a child wouldn’t get them – they’d simply start out with adult teeth when they were older. Baby teeth help young children eat. They help them learn to speak correctly. They keep their adult teeth spaced well. Remember that children need confidence and self-esteem too, and a healthy, happy smile is part of that.
Even if none of the above was true, consider that simply letting baby teeth decay is painful. You’ve likely had a toothache before and it’s also likely you wouldn’t want your child to experience that.
Myth: It’s better to just get a tooth pulled rather than getting a root canal
In virtually every case, saving a natural tooth is the best option for you. While California Dental Group does have a number of options to replace lost teeth, nothing is as good as the natural thing. Some artificial teeth options limit what you can eat. Others don’t look as good. If you can possibly save your teeth then we recommend you do.
These are just a few of the myths that many people end up believing about oral health. Have you believed any of these at some point? Make sure when you call California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to make an appointment, you note any questions you may have about dental myths versus dental facts.
