5 Dental Myths Busted | Dental Facts and Myths by Dr. Kanupriya Kajaria

As a practicing dentist for over ten years, I get to hear a lot of myths revolving around dentistry and Dental procedures which have been passed on through generations. Let’s take a look at the most common truth behind Dental Myths.

1. Scaling weakens the tooth

So, you might have heard from your mother or grandmother that they went for a cleaning and how their teeth started shaking after that or how they saw spaces between the teeth after scaling. The truth is, Scaling is significant for maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. Depending on your oral hygiene practices, you may require scaling every six months or later. You might feel spaces have come up between your teeth post scaling because of the removal of all the deposits that were present in the natural spaces between your teeth. These are healthy and natural spaces which had been blocked and probably widened because of these deposits. Thus removing them will only make your gums healthy and not weaken them.

2. Extraction weakens eyesight

This is another common myth.

The fact is that in most cases, by the time a person lost their tooth, the person was quite old and probably also required a cataract surgery around the same time. Hence this myth came into being that extraction weakens the eyesight, and it does not hold.

3. Hard toothbrush cleans teeth better

A lot of people believe that using a hard toothbrush cleans teeth better, and some also think that brushing multiple times a day for long durations will keep their teeth healthy and shiny and white.

The truth, however, is that we should use a soft toothbrush to gently clean our teeth, twice a day for 2 minutes each time. Flossing is not to be missed and should be done once every day.

4. Flossing causes bleeding and create spaces between teeth

Flossing should be done once every day.

You should learn the correct method of flossing from your dentist to avoid injury to your gums. Bleeding while flossing is caused due to pre-existing gum infection and not flossing perse and bleeding should reduce after a professional cleaning and regular flossing.

Also, flossing does not create space between teeth. Having said that, it is to be done once a day (preferably at bedtime) and not overzealously.

5. You should use mouthwash every day?

A lot of people use mouthwash every day because it gives them the desired freshness of breath.

However, most mouthwashes are alcohol-based and tend to cause drying of the mouth with extended periods of use. It would help if you used a mouthwash only under the direction and supervision of your dentist.

If you have any more questions regarding oral health and Dental procedures, kindly put them down in the comment section.

Article Credit: 

Dr. Kanupriya Kajaria, Prosthodontist, Dentist in Sawasdee Dental Clinic, Alipore, Kolkata

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Instagram: @drkanupriya85  Website: www.drkanupriya.in

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