Being one of the most popular dentists in Houston, Dr.Hanna at The Comprehensive Dental Group Of Houston has heard a lot of lousy misinformation patients have quoted as their reason for not visiting the dentist as often as they should. Many patients have listened to and even believed many dental myths to be gospel. The sad truth is, most of them are more than just bad advice, they can be downright detrimental to your dental health.

Check this list of the most prominent dental myths straight the chair from many dentists in Houston. Make sure you educate yourself in the truth and importance of good dental care.

Top 4 Dental Myths From Patients To Dentists

1. “You Only Need To Visit The Dentist If Your Teeth Hurt.”

Listen, if your tooth hurts, it’s better to be safe than sorry. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Does that sound familiar? The best advice when it comes to anything medical and especially your teeth and heart, which coincidentally are very intertwined. When you have a toothache, it can be a sign of tooth decay or gum disease both of which can lead to heart problems if left untreated for too long.

Even without experiencing tooth pain, you can ask all the dentists in Houston how often you should see a dentist, and they will tell you at least twice a year. You can never be too careful with your dental health. Your teeth perform many vital tasks that many often take for granted.

We can’t help but also mention how much more expensive the cure is than the prevention. For example, if you have some minor tooth pain and you go in early on, you may find you have a cavity, and it can just be filled. Let that pain persist, and you could be looking at extraction and an implant—a lot more expensive just because you brushed it off. Bottom line, prevention saves you from added pain and expense in the long run.

2. “Flossing Can Create Gaps Between Your Teeth.”

This one is just flat out silly. Flossing does not create gaps between your teeth. It helps prevent big gaps between your teeth. In other words, it helps avoid decay, so you don’t end up missing a tooth—THAT is a gap between teeth you don’t want when you floss your removing food debris that otherwise would be sitting on your gums and around your teeth decaying and releasing harmful bacteria into your gums and eventually your bloodstream.

A healthy flossing routine when first started, might cause minor gum bleeding—don’t panic, this is normal. After a few weeks of routine flossing the bleeding subsides, your gums get used to the routine and benefit significantly from the flossing. One word of caution, however, if the bleeding continues after a couple of weeks of daily flossing, it could be a sign of severe gum disease. If this is the case, your next move is an immediate visit to the dentist for corrective measures.

3. “It’s Just A Baby Tooth, No Big Deal.”

The importance of baby tooth is one of the most overlooked dental facts by patients of all dentists in Houston. The point is, baby teeth give you the necessary space for permanent teeth to develop in place properly and grow. Cavities in baby teeth, if not taken care of immediately can cause prolonged spaces between teeth as the baby tooth falls out before the permanent tooth is ready. Sure, a dentist can make an artificial spacer, but it’s no comparison to a baby tooth as a natural spacer.

Children’s dental health is especially crucial as it an excellent dental care routine not only helps them have healthy strong smiles, but it also establishes good dental habits they will carry on into adolescence and adulthood. So yeah, it is a lot more than a baby tooth!

4. “It Doesn’t Matter What Time I Brush My Teeth.”

We always recommend brushing twice a day, but did you know there is a reason why we specify the times when you should brush your teeth? It may seem arbitrary, but when you look at the science behind the importance of a structured brushing routine, you will understand it in a different light.

At night as we sleep, our salivary glands produce far less saliva than during the day when we are awake, you might realize this next time you wake up with dry mouth. During the day, however, our salivary glands kick into high gear and give a cleaning effect we don’t get at night. Those who have chronic dry mouth for various reasons, have it worse as they produce even less saliva during the day.

All this is to say that if you brush before you go to bed, you are giving your teeth a helping hand. In the morning when you brush, it cleanses your mouth of all the bacteria that’s built up overnight and helps fight bad breath.

Stay Vigilant About Your Dental Care

Above all the best way to prolong your teeth and smile is to be vigilant about dental care. If you have tooth pain, go to the dentist. If it’s been more than six months since your last visit, go to the dentist. It can’t be stressed enough—prevention is a lot less expensive than a cure. So, contact us today to schedule your routine exam or if you have any dental issue bothering you right now. The sooner you catch a problem, the better we can treat it.