Dental myths exposed
Richard Schechtman, D.D.S recently wrote a great article in Huffpost Dental Living about some dental myths and facts. Here's a summary of the article.
Myth 1
"Place an aspirin next to a tooth with toothache to take the pain away."
Reality - Don't do this. It will burn your gum and have no affect on your toothache.
Myth 2
"Toothbrushes with hard bristles are best at removing plaque."
Reality - Wrong. All toothbrushes will remove plaque just fine if used properly. Hard bristles are more likely to cause gum abrasion if the toothbrush is used incorrectly.
Myth 3
"There's no need to take care of baby teeth as they all fall out eventually."
Reality - If not maintained properly with good dental hygiene habits baby teeth can become infected, painful and cause serious long term problems related to their permanent teeth. Treat baby teeth as is if they'll always be there. Your baby and their second teeth will thank you for it.
Myth 4
"Natural fruit juices aren't as bad for teeth as soda and cordial based drinks."
Reality - Any drinks containing even mild levels of artificial or natural sugars can cause tooth decay if not cleaned soon after consumption or if consumed regularly. The only drink that won't cause or contribute towards tooth decay is water.
Myth 5
"My child doesn't need to see the orthodontist until all of their adult teeth have come through."
Reality - Wrong. Waiting until all teeth have come through can result in the need to extract teeth due to overcrowding.The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist at age 7.
Myth 6
"My child's teeth aren't straight now but they'll grow out of it with age."
Reality - The majority of orthodontic problems do not self-correct themselves.