Your oral health is incredibly important, but unless you have a cavity, you might easily ignore your teeth and gums. For this reason, many oral health misconceptions still run rampant. Some of these misconceptions can drastically increase the risk of damage to your teeth. If you would like to know more, check out these four oral health misconceptions.
1. Baby Teeth Don't Matter
As your baby gets older, their primary teeth begin to erupt. However, the time won't be long before permanent adult teeth all replace a baby's first set of teeth. For this reason, you might assume the baby teeth aren't important. However, they play three major roles.
First, they help your child learn how to speak properly. Missing teeth from decay can lead to a speech impediment, which could also trigger self-esteem issues. In addition, as with adult teeth, primary teeth help grind and mash food for easy digestion.
Most importantly, however, if your child loses their primary teeth too early, this can impact how the permanent teeth grow. When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth move to fill in the gap. If this happens with baby teeth, this skews how the permanent teeth grow. Since your child has more permanent teeth than baby teeth, this can easily lead to overcrowding or crookedness.
2. You Have No Right Way to Brush
Many people brush their teeth regularly, but they can do it wrong, leading to complications. Some people forget to fully clean every portion of their teeth, including the back and chewing surface. Others may forget to brush their tongue. Forgetting to floss can also lead to possible complications, especially between teeth.
In many cases, however, you may be too zealous about brushing your teeth. If you scrub your teeth too hard or brush them when the enamel is soft (such as after eating acidic foods), you could scratch off the enamel. Thinning enamel makes cavities easier to happen.
3. Only Sugary Foods and Beverages Cause Problems
Sugar is a huge problem for your teeth. It is the perfect food for bacteria and can lead to decay. However, sugar is not the only culprit. Some people think diet sodas are a great alternative to sugary drinks, but these contain lots of acid. The acid can erode the enamel or soften it. Similarly, coffee and wine are acidic enough to erode enamel.
Some foods are hard enough to scratch enamel or chip teeth. This includes ice and hard candies. Similarly, hard and chewy candies can get stuck between teeth for long periods of time because your saliva can't naturally wash these candies away. Finally, foods high in simple carbohydrates are just as bad as sugary foods because the carbohydrates break down into sugar.
4. Your Oral Health Has Nothing to Do With Overall Health
Your oral health and overall health are heavily connected. In fact, problems in the mouth can affect other parts of the body, and certain health conditions can increase the risk of oral problems, especially gum disease.
If you have bad bacteria in your mouth, it might travel to another part of your body. If it reaches your heart, it can cause endocarditis or cardiovascular disease. Inhaling some of the bacteria could cause pneumonia.
In addition, if you struggle with a condition that affects your body's immune system and ability to health itself, such as diabetes or HIV, your body may have a tough time fighting infection, which naturally increases your risk of gum disease.
Pay attention to your oral health. Even when you don't have pain or concerns, see your dentist regularly. With good at-home care and regular visits, you can keep your smile healthy. For more information,
contact us at Eastland Dental Center & Professional Dental Care.
