Dental Myths

Just like everywhere else in health and wellness, the dental world has seen its fair amount of myths surrounding teeth and gums. Generally, these myths involve misinformation about tooth cleanliness and dental procedures. As someone who cares about your teeth, consider acquainting yourself with these myths so you know which ways of thinking you should avoid when it comes to oral health.

Teeth Whitening Is Unhealthy

One common dental myth is that whitening your teeth is unhealthy for them and may damage the tooth enamel, which is the hardest part of your teeth. In fact, teeth whitening and bleaching is becoming much safer to the point that many whitening procedures are harmless. The best whitening programs are ones recommended by your dentist. Talk to him or her if you’re considering a whitening procedure. Remember that the over-the-counter products actually can sometimes damage your teeth, though that is rare.

Chewing Gum Ruins Teeth

While chewing gum can become a habit, gum itself isn’t generally bad for your teeth, especially sugar-free gum. Sugar-free gum helps you clean your teeth after a meal, though you should never substitute that for brushing them. Gum with sugar can foster bacteria in the mouth, however, so sticking with the sugar-free variety is best.

Fluoride Is Dangerous

Our toothpaste bottles warn us on the label that ingesting too much fluoride is bad for you. That leads some people to think that fluoride is dangerous overall, but nothing could be farther from the truth! Fluoride in our toothpaste greatly improves dental health, and the small amount of fluoride in our drinking water has also improved our tooth cleanliness overall. It’s still a bad idea to try to eat a bunch of toothpaste, so don’t do it, but don’t be afraid of fluoride when you’re regularly brushing.

Don’t Brush Bleeding Gums

Another myth is that brushing your teeth and causing your gums to bleed is unhealthy. Actually, your gums are bleeding because you’re not flossing enough, and they may be swollen or have gingivitis. It’s true that deliberately causing your gums to bleed isn’t recommended, but gently flossing your gums every day will soon fix the bleeding problem. You’ll bleed in the meantime, but that’s not necessarily bad for your oral health.

Next time you go to the dentist or buy a pack of gum, remember these myths. Most of all, remember to keep brushing and flossing every day!