There are many myths circulating about how you should take care of your teeth and gums. While some of them are harmless and humorous even, many of them can interfere with your oral health if you use them as a basis for your dental care routine. Here are some of the most common myths of which you should be aware.

There is No Need to Take Care of Baby Teeth

Some people may think this is true because baby teeth will eventually fall out. However, if you allow your child’s baby teeth to develop cavities, there is a risk that they will not only affect their permanent teeth but their gums as well. Decaying teeth can also be very painful and cause your child to experience unnecessary stress.

Teeth Whitening Will Damage Your Enamel

If you use over-the-counter teeth whitening products according to their instructions or have your dentist administer a professional teeth-whitening procedure, there is little chance that you will harm your enamel. Damage to tooth enamel from teeth whitening typically occurs if the products you purchase from the store are used incorrectly or too often.

Brushing Right after a Meal is Must

This depends primarily on what you eat. You typically do not want to give bacteria enough time to start forming so that it can damage your teeth or gums. This is why it is important you give your mouth a thorough brushing after enjoying food and drink contain large amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. However, if your lunch consisted of foods and drinks that were highly acidic, you can damage and weaken the enamel on your teeth by brushing too soon afterward. Protect your teeth by brushing before eating highly acidic foods, and then drink some water afterward to help clear away some of the acids.

Getting a Root Canal is Painful

Contrary to popular belief, this dental procedure is painless, thanks to very effective local anesthetics. In fact, in some cases, the dentist will use sedation so that the patient is unconscious during the procedure. However, the pain of the tooth infection that is the reason the root canal has to be performed can difficult to bear.

Sugar Causes Tooth Decay

While sugar is a contributing factor to tooth decay, it is not the only one. The bacteria that cause cavities and tooth decay feed off all types of carbohydrates, which can come from almost anything you consume, including fruit, bread, pasta, soda, and vegetables. The carbohydrates create an acid that mixes with your saliva. The resulting plaque can coat your teeth and gums, causing damage. You can lessen the effects of carbohydrates by brushing after your meals.

Don’t let a dental myth prevent you from having good dental hygiene.  Contact us at Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for an appointment and let our dental expertise and services debunk the misconceptions that may have compromised your oral health.