10 Common Dental Myths revealed!

Some common dental myths uncovered:

1st – No one uses NHS dentists anymore

Fact:  Around 30 Million people saw an NHS dentist between 2009 and 2011, showing an increase of more than a million since March 2006.

2nd – Children today have terrible teeth

Fact:  There is an improvement with the dental health of British School Children. 6 out of 10 children start school with no tooth decay. It is vital however to introduce young children to a good health regime from early on.

3rd – White Teeth are healthier teeth

Fact:  Aesthetically we might think they look better but teeth are not meant to be pure white. We can keep our teeth whiter for longer by ensuring regular brushing using fluoride toothpaste and flossing. Avoiding food and drinks that can stain teeth will help keep the teeth whiter. Drinks like this include tea, coffee and red wine.

4th – I have to see a dentist every 6 months

Fact:  Your dentist will tell you how often you should come in for a dental check-up. If you have very good oral health this visit could be no more than once every 2 years, but your dentist will advise this.

5th – There is fluoride in our water supply

Fact:  Only about 10% of the UK has enough fluoride in their water supply to benefit their dental health. It’s simple to find out if you have fluoride in your water from your water supplier. 

6th – Baby toothpaste is better for young children

Fact:  Some of the baby toothpaste brands do not have enough fluoride in them to help prevent tooth decay. It is best to check the packaging.

7th – Only the sugar in sweets, cakes, fizzy drinks and chocolate is bad for my teeth

Fact:  Although yes all these foods are not good for our teeth or general health, other foods with natural sugars like dried fruit, fruit juice and honey can cause tooth decay. Limit the consumption and quantity if these foods and avoid having them between meals alongside brushing teeth twice a day.

8th – There’s no need to brush milk teeth

Fact:  Even though children loose their milk teeth they still must be brushed. When we teeth these good habits to children from a young age it helps to ensure life-long dental health. The same rule of brushing twice a day applies to babies from the time their first tooth cuts through.

9th – I’ll need false teeth when I’m older

Fact:  There have been improvements in dental hygiene meaning more of us keep our natural teeth into older age. The figures from 1968 show 37% of adults had no natural teeth. By 1998 this fell to 12%!

10th – Bad breath is only caused by not brushing your teeth properly

Fact:  Up to 9/10 cases of ‘halitosis’ (bad breath) are caused by lack of oral hygiene. This means regular brushing, flossing, eating and drinking healthily and exercise are the best ways to avoid bad breath.

Ask our dentist and/or hygienist here at our Bexleyheath practice on ways to improve the overall oral hygiene of you and your family.

Call us on 0208 303 3838 to book in for a check up or your routine exam.