EDUCATION
“Trust me, I’m a dentist” – common dental misconceptions debunked Ridah Hasan, United Kingdom
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our mouth is the gateway to your body – literally. Maintaining good oral hygiene isn’t just important for your teeth and gums but can also improve your health holistically. Sadly, there are many misconceptions that can have a detrimental effect on the way people may choose to look after their oral health. This article aims to set the record straight on the different dental myths commonly parroted by patients. This inexhaustive list has been compiled through experiences in dental school, though after reading below, you can debunk the misconceptions yourself, wherever and whenever you come across them.
teeth in adulthood. They quote nine factors that contribute to crowding which range from anterior remodelling and growth of the mandible in adulthood, to soft tissue maturation and even evolutionary causes such as the difference in the rate of reduction of tooth and jaw size. This paper highlights that the association between impacted wisdom teeth and crowding of the front teeth is not significant and therefore does not indicate that the wisdom teeth should be extracted. The best way to reduce any anterior crowding would be through orthodontic treatment, with the additional possibility of interproximal reduction or extraction of teeth to create space.
Misconception 1: Wisdom teeth cause crowding
Misconception 2: The harder you brush your teeth, the cleaner they get
This complete myth is worthy of starting with, considering the fact that it is widely prevalent and – at least on the surface – logically credible. It might make sense that wisdom teeth erupting at the back of the mouth push the rest of the teeth forwards and therefore lead to crowding of the incisors. However, an article in the British Journal of Orthodontics (1991) by Vasir and Robinsons explains the multifactorial aetiology responsible for the crowding of anterior
Using a hard toothbrush or brushing your teeth with a lot of pressure does not lead to you removing plaque or food more effectively – instead, the abrasive action of the toothbrush can cause tooth surface loss, with healthy enamel and cementum worn away. Subsequently, this may trigger tooth sensitivity as a result of the dentinal tubules being exposed and becoming directly in contact with various stimuli.
Seeking oral health education from a dentist or dental hygienist can help prevent abrasive toothbrushing. It is recommended to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth and to replace your toothbrush when the bristles begin to wear out. Some modern electric toothbrushes also come with a pressure sensor which lights up when the head is pressed too firmly.
Misconception 3: A healthy mouth has white teeth
In an era where tooth whitening adverts come up every time you log onto any social media platform, it is easy to misconstrue what a healthy mouth actually is. There are cases where teeth are discoloured due to the pathological presence of a disease but on the other hand, it is possible to have shiny, white teeth but also have gum disease or caries. A paper in the British Dental Journal by Watts and Addy (2001) explains the aetiology of tooth staining and how important it is for dentists to correctly diagnose the dentition and identify the nature of the condition. Teeth can discolour for a number of reasons – if teeth are stained because of the prolonged use of chlorhexidine mouthwashes
Spring 2021
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