Many of us have heard some myths about dentistry and oral care. We hear them quite often right in our office. We thought it might be beneficial to address some common dental myths.
Myth Number One: If your gums are bleeding, you should not brush too much or floss them.
Just the opposite is true! Plaque buildup is what usually makes your gums bleed. This happens when teeth are not being regularly brushed and, more likely, not flossed. Flossing will help to increase the overall health of your gums and actually keep your gums from bleeding. It may take a while, but if you keep up with your brushing and flossing routine, eventually your gums with become healthier and stronger and stop bleeding.
Myth Number Two: The more you brush, the healthier your teeth will be.
This is actually not true. If you over-brush your teeth, you could wear your teeth down, especially if you use a whitening toothbrush. You really only need to brush your teeth twice a day. It is a good idea, however, to rinse your teeth after meals or chew sugar free gum as the friction of the gum rubbing against your teeth is actually cleansing.
Myth Number Three: Children do not need to be taken to the dentist until they have a few teeth.
This is also not true. Children should be taken to the dentist usually around the age of one year old or when their very first tooth surfaces. At this time, your pediatric dentist can evaluate your child’s overall oral health and help parents know what steps should be taken when caring for baby’s first teeth.
Myth Number Four: Whiter teeth mean healthier teeth.
Although whiter teeth may look better and we all want that beautiful, camera ready smile, this is not a good indicator if teeth are healthy. The whitest tooth may have a cavity or may be sitting in gum tissues that are inflamed or irritated.
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About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
