Top 5 Dental Myths Busted!!

To help you to take better care of your teeth, we’re looking at some of the most popular myths we’ve heard about dental health, so you can learn to tell the difference between facts and fiction.

In this month’s blog, the team at Benfleet Dental Centre look to dispel some of these myths. We’re sharing some of the most common myths we hear from patients, and why they can be so damaging for your oral health.

If you’ve fallen for any of these in the past, don’t worry, as many people do. As you learn more about how to care for your teeth, you’ll feel more confident making decisions about your oral health. Remember that you can always ask your dentist for advice if you’re unsure about something you have heard.

Now, on to the most popular dental myths we hear in the practice…

Myth 1 – The harder you brush the cleaner your teeth will be

It makes sense that scrubbing harder will result in cleaner teeth – but you need to remember that your teeth aren’t like your bathroom tiles. While scrubbing your bathroom harder is likely to result in better results, cleaning your teeth too aggressively can actually damage the tooth.

Brushing too hard or using a toothbrush with hard bristles can damage your oral health by eroding the enamel that protects teeth and causing the gums to start to recede.

Here at Benfleet Dental Centre, we advise that you always use either a soft or medium bristled toothbrush or an electric toothbrush to help protect your teeth and gums from toothbrush abrasion.

Brush your teeth in a back and forth and circular motion, making sure that you cover the front, back and top of each tooth. If you’re not sure about your brushing technique, book an appointment with a dentist or dental hygienist for personalised support. They can tell you from looking at your teeth if you are missing areas, or if you are brushing too hard.

Myth 2 – Interdental cleaning isn’t necessary

Flossing is something that only people obsessed with their oral health do, right? Actually, this isn’t the case. Cleaning between your teeth is essential to help protect your teeth from bacteria build up.

Brushing alone only reaches around 60% of tooth surfaces. Using interdental cleaning aids such as floss, floss picks or interdental brushes, helps to reach those surfaces in between teeth that brushing alone misses.

Food and bacteria left between teeth, can give off a bad odour, causing bad breath and if the bacteria is left to multiply can cause gum disease and tooth decay. Make sure you use interdental cleaning aids daily to keep your smile looking its best.

Myth 3 – If your gums bleed, stay clear

A lot of people think that their gums bleeding is caused by brushing too much or too hard, so they ease back or start to skip cleaning their teeth so they don’t irritate their gums.

The reason that your gums bleed when brushing is inflammation, caused by a buildup of plaque or bacteria. It’s a sign that you really need to be cleaning your teeth more, not less.

If you notice any bleeding when you brush or floss it is important that you are even more thorough with your oral hygiene routine to help remove the build-up of plaque or bacteria. Over time with careful cleaning the gums will become healthier and the bleeding will stop.

Myth 4 – It is important to rinse your mouth after brushing

After you’ve finished brushing your teeth, the temptation is always to remove all remaining toothpaste from your mouth by rinsing with water. But in fact, it’s important to spit, not rinse after brushing.

This enables the fluoride in your toothpaste to continue working on your teeth promoting enamel mineralisation. Fluoride promotes the formation of a compound called fluorapatite, which is very close to compounds that occur naturally in your teeth.

Fluorapatite incorporates itself into the enamel, strengthening your teeth against cavities. Rinsing your mouth immediately can remove helpful fluoride. If you dislike the taste of toothpaste on your tongue, you can rinse with water, but try to avoid swishing it between your teeth and just focus on removing the toothpaste from your tongue.

Myth 5 – You don’t need a dental check-up if you’re not in pain

For lots of patients,visiting the dentist every 6 months – even when they aren’t facing any dental issues – can seem excessive. With many dental issues, you don’t necessarily feel pain right away.

If you leave going to the dentist until you start to notice symptoms, it will require much more complex treatment to rectify them. If you wait until a cavity hurts, you could end up needing a root canal or extraction but with regular check-ups the problem could be fixed with a simple filling.

By attending regular routine dental appointments, your dentist is able to spot and monitor issues before they become problematic. Regular dental checkups where you are told there is nothing wrong are actually a good thing, and not a waste of time. This is the best possible preventative care you can enjoy.

Final thoughts on dental myths

How many of these dental myths did you already believe? If we’ve helped you to challenge just one mistaken belief about your oral health, then this could have a significant impact on your health in the future.

Be sure to share these with your friends and family who might be unaware of the damage they could be doing to their teeth by believing these common dental myths.

If you would like to find out more about how common misconceptions could be damaging your dental health, do not hesitate to contact Benfleet Dental Centre online or call 01702 557766 to book a consultation appointment today!