Oral care has always been important, but in the past, many people overlooked it. However, as more and more people want healthy, beautiful smiles, people might have a hard time distinguishing the truth from myths. If you want to better care for your teeth and gums, check out these four common myths about oral care.
1. Sugar Causes Cavities
Sugar doesn't cause cavities, but it can increase your risk of cavities. However, many substances can increase your risk of cavities, such as starchy foods. The truth is that bacteria causes cavities. When you eat, bacteria starts to eat the leftover food particles, which creates plaque. Since bacteria loves sugar, sugary foods can lead to lots of plaque and decay.
Some foods are more prone to causing plaque. Sticky foods, for example, are hard for your saliva to naturally remove, so the particles remain on the teeth for longer. Other causes of cavities include heartburn, a high acidic diet, and a lack of fluoride. All these can weaken your enamel even without the help of bacteria. Ideally, avoid cavities by avoiding food that leaves plaque on teeth and implementing good oral cleaning.
2. You Should Always Brush Immediately After Eating
While brushing is important, you should not always brush your teeth immediately after eating. If you just ate a bit of candy, brushing right away is a good way to remove the plaque and bacteria. However, if you ate or drank anything that has high levels of acid (citrus fruits, soda, coffee, or wine), you should wait about 30 minutes before brushing.
This is because acid softens your enamel for a short time. That's how it is able to destroy your enamel over time and lead to cavities. If you brush your teeth right after consuming something acidic, you could scratch off some of your enamel while it is still soft. Similarly, don't brush your teeth immediately after vomiting due to stomach acid. You can and should, however, rinse out your mouth with water until you can brush.
3. Gum Disease Is Part of Normal Aging
Many older Americans have gum disease, which has led many people to believe gum disease is part of the aging process. However, gum disease is avoidable at any age. It is more common in older people because they have had more time to cause wear and tear to their teeth and gums.
You can typically prevent gum disease with consistent good oral hygiene. This means brushing and flossing, as well as avoiding cavity-causing and enamel-destroying foods and beverages. Speak with your dentist early about gum disease because the first stage (gingivitis) often goes unnoticed as little to no symptoms may appear.
Treatment for gum disease involves controlling bacteria, but other procedures may be necessary. For example, if gum disease has caused excessive gum recession, even after treating the gum disease, your teeth are still prone to decay due to exposed roots. In this case, you may also need a gum graft to protect the teeth.
4. Regular Visits Aren't Necessary if You Have Healthy Teeth
If your teeth are healthy, you still need to see the dentist on a regular basis. First, you may have started slacking on your oral care, such as not brushing enough, brushing too hard, or not flossing. When this happens, problems can slowly start to arise, but if you make sure to visit your dentist regularly, they can spot the problem before it becomes an expensive cavity or infection.
However, even if you do take immaculate care of your teeth, decay and gum disease aren't your only concerns. During exams, your dentist also checks for signs of oral cancer. They may also notice conditions that you can't avoid like impacted teeth or cysts.
Your oral health is incredibly important, but it is easy to overlook, especially when you don't have the right information. By better understanding the truth about oral health, you can improve your chances of a healthy, beautiful smile. For more information or for a consultation,
contact us
at Advanced Dental Care today.
