Busted: Common Dental Care Myths

Admit it or not but for most of us our dental health remains fairly dismissed. Every morning while we're busy planning our day, brushing our teeth becomes a mere formality which we may mostly skip at night. Recently, oral hygiene experts at TePe conducted a survey which resulted in shocking findings. Almost 20% of the participants admitted to not brushing twice a day and about 45% had never known of dental care routines such as flossing or using inter-dental brushes. Clearly, there is a need to know a lot about dental care and dental health. (More: Food items that may damage teeth)Experts are of the opinion that there is widespread ignorance amongst people as far as dental health and hygiene is concerned. Here are some of the most common myths associated with dental care and the truth behind them. (More: Eat your way to whiter teeth)Myth 1: There is no harm in sharing toothbrushes.Fact: It is always best to keep to your own toothbrush because your unique bacteria does remain on the brush and some bacteria simply should not be shared in this way.
Myth 2: Eating fruit before you go to bed cleans your teeth.Fact: While containing necessary nutrients, a lot of fruits contain sugary substances that are not good for your teeth before bed. Eating fruit before bed provides sugary and acidic conditions for plaque bacteria to thrive. Coupled with the reduction in the protective saliva flow that occurs naturally at night, eating fruit before bed puts teeth at risk of damage.
Myth 3: Brushing your teeth harder than normal is a better way to keep them clean.Fact: To maintain a healthy mouth, it is recommended that we brush for two minutes, twice a day with a soft to medium toothbrush, using a gentle circular brushing motion with fluoridated toothpaste and cleaning the spaces in between the teeth with floss or an interdental brush.
Myth 4: All mouthwashes do the same job.Fact: Mouthwashes, like toothpaste, contain different ingredients that are included to achieve different results. Some of the ingredients are not suitable for all individuals. People with a dry mouth, who suffer with mouth ulcers or who have sensitivity should avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Inputs from IANS and femalefirst.co.uk.