Fact Over Fiction: Oral Health Myths Revealed
September 8, 2014
by Signature Dental
Dental health, Dental hygiene, Oral health, Teeth cleaning
0 comments
The Good, Bad and, the Ugly About Oral Health
There are many misconceptions about oral health that can prevent us from seeking treatment when needed, or scare of unnecessarily. As the saying goes, knowledge is power, so with the help of AAP below you will find the most common misinformation below, please put it to good use!
According to the AAP, some of the most common misconceptions about oral health are:
- The primary reason for tooth brushing is to remove food debris.
FACT: Daily brushing and flossing will also keep the formation of plaque to a minimum. If not removed every 26 hours, plaque will irritate gums, which can lead to periodontal disease. - Bleeding gums are normal.
FACT: Bleeding gums are one of the eight signs of gum disease. Think of gum tissue as the skin on your hand. If your hands bled every time you washed them, you would know something is wrong. - Oral health doesn’t affect overall health.
FACT: When the gums are infected, periodontal bacterial byproducts can enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs and set off other problems. Research suggests this may contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death; increase the risk of stroke; increase a woman’s risk of having a pre-term, low birth weight baby; and pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases or osteoporosis. - Bad breath is caused by a lack of oral hygiene.
FACT: Excellent oral hygiene doesn’t necessarily relieve bad breath. There are certain kinds of bacteria in the mouth that produce volatile sulfur compounds. If these sulfur compounds build up enough, the result can be clinical bad breath. In addition to brushing and flossing, brushing the tongue (where the sulfur resides) can help eliminate bad breath. - Cavities are the number one cause of tooth loss.
FACT: Together, periodontal disease and cavities are the primary cause of tooth loss. - Pregnant women should skip professional dental checkups.
FACT: Periodontal health can affect unborn babies’ health. Studies have shown an infection during pregnancy, including periodontal disease, is cause for concern and may increase the risk of delivering a premature, low birth weight baby. - Stress does not cause problems in the mouth.
FACT: High levels of financial stress and poor coping abilities increase the likelihood of developing periodontal disease. Researchers found people who dealt with a financial strain in an active and practical way (problem-focused) rather than with avoidance techniques (emotion-focused) had no more risk of severe periodontal disease than those without money problems.
Related Posts
Why You Should Switch to an Electric Toothbrush
May 1, 2015
How many of us take the time to diligently brush each and every tooth, twice a...
Fact Over Fiction: Oral Health Myths Revealed
September 8, 2014
The Good, Bad and, the Ugly About Oral Health There are many misconceptions...
Teeth Whitening – More Than Just an Aesthetic Fix
March 4, 2015
We all want to improve ourselves on some level. No one is perfect, and no one...
Oil Pulling: The Latest Trend in Oral Health
August 23, 2014
Any time spent recently on the internet has probably led you to some article on...