3 Common Dental Myths To Be Aware Of

People often believe things that are simply not true, and this occurs in the field of dentistry quite often. In fact, there are a lot of different dental myths going around that are not true, and here are three common ones you might believe.

Flossing causes more harm than good

There are quite a few people who truly believe that flossing their teeth causes more harm than good, and this is one of the most common myths in dentistry. Flossing your teeth can be a bad thing if you do it too much and do not do it the right way, but when you floss properly and do it daily, it is a good thing for your teeth.

Some people believe this myth is true because they think that flossing cuts the gums open, leaving them vulnerable to infections and receding of the gums. Other people feel like flossing opens up the areas between teeth, allowing bacteria and food to stick there more. These are not true, though. Flossing your teeth removes the bacteria and plaque buildup in these areas, and this is the only way to remove these things from these areas.

Cavities on baby teeth do not matter

A second myth that many people believe that is decay on baby teeth is not something to be concerned with. After all, the baby teeth will fall out, and permanent teeth will replace them. The problem with this is that decay does not simply stay in the place it is. It spreads over a tooth and into a tooth, and decay on a baby tooth could spread to the permanent tooth under the baby tooth. Decay on baby teeth is something you should be concerned with, as it could affect the child's permanent teeth.

You should only visit a dentist if you have a problem

The other myth many people believe is that they really only need to visit a dentist when there is a problem. People who believe this do not understand that dentistry is designed for preventative purposes too. Visiting a dentist when you have no problems is the best way to prevent developing problems in the future.

If you currently believe any of these myths, you should realize that they are not true. Taking care of your teeth is important if you want to keep them, and you should aim to visit a dentist twice a year for help with your teeth. To learn more, contact a dentist today.