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Practical Dental Myth and Realities
Continued....
An
old adage says that older people are "long in the tooth".
While it's an interesting concept, our teeth don't grow as we
age. Actually, what we're noticing is receding gums due to bad oral hygiene,
trauma etc.
People with no cavities do not have to worry about
losing their teeth
This is not true. In adults, cavities or tooth decay is not the
primary cause of tooth loss. This honor belongs to periodontal (gum)
disease. Periodontal disease attacks the gums and bone that support the
teeth. Over time the teeth become loose and gum abscesses develop if the
disease is not treated early by your dentist.
Once a decayed tooth is treated the dental problem
is over
Dental decay is treated by use of various filling materials.
However, the artificial material usually will not completely match the tooth
in strength, colour, smoothness, and other qualities. In addition, if the
patient does not maintain good hygiene, decay can start again around
fillings. Hence, whenever a tooth is filled or replaced it requires use of
additional cleaning methods like flossing, interdental brushes, etc, in
addition to regular tooth brushing. In addition dental check up once a year
becomes all the more important when you have a treated tooth.
Dental treatment should be avoided during pregnancy
The above notion is not true. Many a times dental treatment is
provided even during late pregnancy. Routine dental procedures can be
carried out without any fear. However, major surgical procedure may require
medical opinion before treatment. Dental X-rays are to be avoided during the
first three months of pregnancy.
When the gums bleed, it is better not to brush the
teeth
Bleeding of gums is a sign that they are inflamed and are not
healthy. This usually is a result of plaque and food particles accumulating
around the teeth. Until this collection is removed, the gums continue to
bleed. This is an indication that the individual needs to visit a dentist
for opinion and treatment. Brushing the teeth with a soft toothbrush by the
proper technique removes the plaque and helps the gums recover. Initial
bleeding seen during brushing gradually reduces over a period of time.
An artificial set of teeth or complete denture that
is made once is forever
While it is true that the patient uses well fitting dentures for
many years, it is a myth that it can be retained forever. The oral tissues
that lie below the dentures change over a period of time. But the dentures
are made of stiff materials that do not adapt according to the changing
contours of the oral tissues. Thus even a well fitting denture may not fit
well after a few years. If an ill-fitting denture is continued to be worn,
it can cause damage to the underlying tissues. Thus most dentists advice
changing of the dentures once in at least 5 years.
Dental procedures are always painful
Most dental procedures are carried out under local anesthesia,
which makes the procedures totally painless. In addition the modern day
high-speed drills cause less vibrations and are more comfortable for the
patients.
Filling in deciduous (baby) teeth, in future can
cause obstruction in permanent teeth
One of the prime functions of the deciduous tooth is to maintain
space for the development of permanent tooth. Therefore cavities in the
deciduous teeth should be filled immediately to prevent early and untimely
removal of the deciduous teeth. The permanent tooth will develop in its own
pace whether the deciduous tooth is filled or not .
"Baby teeth do not need to be filled, because they
will come out in a few years anyway."
Baby teeth are very important. It starts developing at the age of
6 month and starts falling off at the age of 6 years. They hold the space
for the permanent teeth and allow the child's face and jaws to grow
properly. Healthy teeth and gums cannot be attributed to luck. They require
a proper daily oral hygiene program and regular examination by a dentist.
A Hard toothbrush is the best
Most dentists prefer toothbrushes with soft bristles. These are
less likely to injure the gums and teeth. Hard toothbrushes are more likely
to cause the gums to pull away from the teeth and to abrade away tooth
structure at the neck of the teeth causing tooth sensitivity.
The primary reason for brushing is to remove food
debris
Although brushing does aid the removal of food debris, its main
goal is to remove plaque, the true villain in tooth decay. Plaque is a
sticky, colorless layer of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth and gums.
It also contributes to the cause of gum disease. Brushing and flossing at
least twice a day will help prevent dental disease by removing the plaque.
It also helps gum massage.
Acrylic teeth used in artificial dentures are
either animal's teeth or death people's teeth
Acrylic (plastic) teeth are made of acrylic and have nothing to
do with animal’s teeth or dead peoples teeth.
Brushing leads to more bleeding from gums.
No. Bleeding from gums is because of gum disease. Brushing when
the gum is inflamed leads to gum bleeding.
Tooth cavity is filled with melted silver (black
filling)
In silver filling (black filling) silver alloy (which contains
more of silver and less of other elements like zinc, copper, tin, palladium
etc.) is mixed with mercury in a right proportion and filled in a cavity,
not the melted silver metal.
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