Popular Dental Myths

Some things you may have heard about oral health, may not necessarily be so….

Over time, if something is repeated often enough, some of us tend to believe it, even if there is little basis in fact. As you can probably imagine, as dentists, we hear a number of these ‘myths’ concerning oral health issues during our conversations with patients at the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre. As such we thought we’d address some of those here, so you can separate the fact from the fiction!

“Check Ups don’t need to be every six months”

It is almost written in stone that you should see a dentist every six months in order to have healthy teeth. Whilst some people with strong dental genes and a good diet, could, with a bit of luck, go for significantly longer and experience no problems at all, this is a highly risky strategy and not one we recommend. Many oral health issues appear gradually and may not be noticeable to the patient until it is very obvious, such as when a toothache strikes.

These problems can be avoided with regular professional dental care which usually is advised to be every six months. In some cases, we may even suggest three monthly check ups if you are in a high risk group such as diabetics.

“Discoloured teeth are not healthy”

This is not true, and whilst they might be more attractive, white teeth are just as susceptible to decay and other dental problems as discoloured teeth. The fact is that, whatever our lifestyle and oral health habits, most of us will find that our teeth become more yellow as we get older. This can be corrected with a tooth whitening procedure. This will not improve the health of your teeth but will certainly help to give you a great smile.

Mouthwash

Perhaps, because of the effectiveness of advertising, we have seen patients who genuinely believe that using a mouthwash alone is sufficient to ensure good oral health. We can assure our Derbyshire dental patients that this is simply not true. Whilst there are benefits to be had from using some mouthwashes, this should never be seen as the “be all” for oral health. Using a toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste, and flossing between the teeth, along with professional dental checks, is still the best way to go to maintain your teeth and gums.

Failure to do so can result in many dental problems, not least gum disease, which is increasingly becoming the leading cause of tooth loss and the need to seek replacement teeth with techniques such as dental implants.

We are always pleased to offer advice to our patients, and to answer any questions that they may have. The best way to do this is to arrange a consultation at the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre by calling us on 01332 550933.

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