Dental Wives’ Tales vs Dental Truths

A wise person once noted that our perception of truth is often based on tradition. And this is very true of dentistry.

Since the beginning of time dental treatments have been needed, but since the beginning of time we have also had a tendency to believe stories that have been handed down from person to person.

In this post your friends at Prevent Dental Suite will share with you some erroneous dental beliefs and treatments that have been passed down through various eras, as well as some interesting dental facts to balance things out.

Dental Myths

Dental myths are not new. Ancient people had all kinds of bizarre beliefs. Take mouthwash, for instance.

There are mentions of mouthwash in Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, and Roman literature. But the most clearly documented use of mouthwash comes from Rome, in A.D. 1. The Romans bought Portuguese urine and use that as mouthwash. Imported urine became so popular that Nero imposed taxes on it. Strangely, urine remained a common mouthwash ingredient until the 1700s.

People have used weird mixes– not featuring urine – as mouthwash. Tortoise blood was used to disinfect mouths and clean teeth, and mixtures of mint leaves, berries, and wine or vinegar have also been used as mouthwash.

But these kinds of myths are not just found in ancient times.

Mouthwash with alcohol cleans your mouth. In fact, burning sensation you feel destroys both good and bad bacteria. Some studies point to a relationship between mouthwash with alcohol and oral cancer, although it has not been proven. What you need to know is that it destroys good bacteria that can lead to other oral health problems.

A harder toothbrush will clean more effectively than a soft toothbrush. Very hard toothbrushes can actually damage your teeth. They can cause abrasion and removal of some of your teeth’s surface area. A soft brush cleans just as well and does not harm teeth.

If you don’t see (or feel) anything wrong, you don’t need to go to the dentist. Dental care should primarily be preventative care. Regular visits are key to catching problems before they grow. By the time you can see a problem or feel pain, you probably have a problem that could end up costing you more to fix. If you have specific dental concerns, you should schedule a dental visit immediately. Even if no problem is apparent, you should visit your dentist bi-annually.

Getting a dental crown offers protection from cavities. It would be nice if this were true, but there is still a tooth underneath a dental crown or cap and it is just as prone to decay and cavities as any other tooth. This is why it’s critical to take the time to properly brush even teeth that have a crown.

You can “wait out” a toothache. This is NOT true unless you leave the tooth untreated until it has to be extracted! Dental decay or infection simply don’t go away on without intervention. So, if you have a toothache, don’t delay! Call your Prevent Dental Suite dentist to uncover the reason for the toothache and have it properly treated!

Interesting Dental Facts

Toothpaste can shine chrome! Cleaning chrome is achieved by products offering a small amount of abrasiveness mixed with polishing agents. And toothpaste offers that! Use toothpaste on dingy chrome and polish it with a soft, clean cloth.

Tools for teeth. It is incredibly dangerous to use teeth as tools, but rugby players in Argentina took it to a whole new level. It is not unusual for rugby players to need replacement teeth – what was unusual was when a beer company gave some players the opportunity for “improved” replacements for teeth knocked out during games.

The “improved” implants were specially made, silver, tooth-shaped implants that doubled as bottle openers. The implant was also branded with the beer company’s name and became the subject of an amusing commercial.

The political tooth. In Sri Lanka, the Temple of the Tooth is home to one of Buddha’s teeth. After Buddha’s death, this tooth became a symbol of power –whoever owned the tooth had the right to rule the country. The tooth was passed down from leader to leader for generations as a symbol of power and authority to govern.

High-quality Dental Care at Prevent Dental Suite

Prevent Dental Suite is comprised of dedicated dental professionals who provide gentle and patient-oriented care to offer the best-quality dental service from the moment patients enter into our office. Dr. Shilpa Gupta is the resident dentist at our Kallangur dental practice, and combines many years’ experience with personable service.

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