Are you well-educated on all things related to your oral health? Being educated about your oral health is one of the first steps you can take to achieving a healthy smile. Our Gainesville dental implant patients know first-hand how important it is to take the extra steps to care for your oral health. Although good oral health can be boiled down to regular dental checkups and a strict oral hygiene routine, there is plenty of false information that can be harming your pearly whites.
Being informed about these dental myths can help boost the health of your teeth and gums. There are so many myths that have been perpetuated by word of mouth or been passed along through our culture that it can become difficult to decide if it’s true or not. Following untrue information can end up significantly impacting your oral health, resulting in problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and even eventual tooth loss. In the case of tooth loss, we offer high-quality dental implants to restore your smile. However, we believe preventative measures and proper education can eliminate this potential risk, to begin with. With that being said, Gainesville dental implant provider, Dr. Gary Altschuler sheds light on the most common dental myths we hear from our patients here at Altschuler Periodontic and Implant Center.
Top Six Dental Myths
How knowledgeable are you about your oral health? Test your knowledge as Dr. Altschuler gives you a brief look at the six most common dental myths from our patients here in Gainesville:
Whiter Teeth Indicate Good Oral Health: Just because your teeth appear to be white, doesn’t mean that you have great oral health. In many instances, you can suffer from gum disease or tooth decay although your teeth appear white. The color of teeth varies from person to person and is also dependent on their consumption of teeth-staining beverages and foods.
You Shouldn’t Brush Bleeding Gums: Contrary to what you might first expect, you should actually brush more if your gums are bleeding. Swollen, bleeding gums typically indicate gum disease, which is the result of poor hygiene. Increasing your brushing will help to remove plaque and bacteria that cause inflammation in the first place.
Flossing Isn’t Important: Flossing is an absolute essential to the health of your smile. If you’re only merely brushing, you’re still missing a large portion of the tooth where bacteria and plaque can hide away. Flossing only adds a few minutes on to your oral hygiene routine and can save you quite a bit of pain and medical bills in the future.
Sugar is The Cause of Cavities: Although the association of sugar to tooth decay isn’t incorrect, it’s actually the mixture of sugar and bacteria that causes problems for your teeth. Bacteria already present in your mouth will use sugar as fuel to create an acidic substance. This acid will then wear away at your teeth and cause them to decay.
Only Visit The Dentist When You Feel Pain: The American Dental Association recommends individuals visit the dentist at least twice a year for regular cleanings. During this routine check-up, your dentist can spot problems early and treat them as soon as possible. Only going to the dentist when you feel pain allows for the problem to escalate instead of stopping it before it becomes severe.
Brushing Harder is More Effective: Brushing harder doesn’t improve your ability to remove plaque from your teeth. In fact, it will likely harm your oral health and scrape away at the protective layer of enamel. Using gentle circular motions will help to remove plaque without causing any damage to your teeth of the sensitive gum tissue around.
Contact our Office in Gainesville
We’ve heard another common misconception from our patients about tooth loss. Many patients feel as though they will never be able to confidently smile and that simply isn’t true. Dental implants not only give patients a natural-looking smile, but they also feel as stable as your natural teeth would. With the proper care, you can expect to enjoy your dental implants for years to come. To get started on your dental implant treatment, contact our office and schedule your no-obligation consultation with Dr. Altschuler today!
