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Common Dental Myths · Talking FACS

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  Welcome to Talking Facts and thank you for tuning in to Kentucky Smiles on Talking Facts,
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  a podcast collaboration between the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and the UK College of Agriculture,
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  Food and Environment Cooperative Extension Service.
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  Kentucky Smiles offers listeners information on maintaining oral health advancements in dental treatments,
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  research and more.
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  Hello and welcome to Kentucky Smiles on Talking Facts.
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  This is your host,
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  Doctor Jennifer Hunter,
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  Assistant Director for Family Consumer Sciences Extension at the University of Kentucky.
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  Today.
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  I'm pleased to be joined by Doctor Sierra Nunn,
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  a team leader in the UK College of Dentistry.
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  Welcome,
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  Doctor Nunn.
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  Thank you.
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  Thank you for having me.
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  I'm excited to be on.
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  Oh,
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  well,
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  I love today's topic that we're gonna talk about common dental myths and I think there's so many things that we hear,
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  you know,
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  from childhood on up.
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  Oh,
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  you need to do this or you shouldn't do this or this is good for your teeth or this is bad for your teeth.
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  And today you are going to clear all of that up and um help us protect our,
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  our beautiful smiles and you're gonna answer all of our oral health questions.
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  So I am going to give you the myths and you are going to explain why they are a myth.
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  So we're gonna get started with brushing with a hard toothbrush or brushing forcefully gets teeth cleaner.
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  Yes.
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  So this is a huge myth.
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  Actually,
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  this is probably one of our most common myths that we have as a dentist.
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  Um People think that the harder you brush or the harder,
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  more abrasive,
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  the toothbrush,
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  the more dirt and bacteria and gunk and plaque that they're getting off their teeth,
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  but actually brushing too hard or using a toothbrush that's has too hard of bristles erodes away some of the healthy tooth structure that helps prevent cavities.
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  So when you erode that healthy tooth structure off,
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  you're actually exposing the soft tooth structure underneath and that can a like one thing it can do is create a area that's like a plaque trap.
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  And so bacteria and decay can kind of start in that area.
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  In addition to that,
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  it can actually just take away all the hard tissue and then cause really bad sensitivity in teeth.
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  So all of us dentists will always recommend you use a soft bristle toothbrush.
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  In addition to that,
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  I'm also a big fan of like the electric toothbrushes that have the sensors that kind of stop you if you get fresh too hard.
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  Either of those are actually super helpful in kind of combating this myth of brushing too hard.
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  Yeah.
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  I often wonder why they even sell hard toothbrushes because I just think they hurt.
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  I know.
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  So I'm like,
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  why I don't know anymore.
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  Maybe cleaning you can use them to clean.
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  True.
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  True.
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  To get your bathtub.
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  You clean your OK.
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  OK.
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  Our next myth,
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  cavities are only caused by sugar.
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  So if you just avoid sugar,
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  you're going to avoid cavities.
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  Not also a myth.
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  Not true.
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  Actually,
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  I am a great example of this.
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  So as a child,
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  I had a lot of teeth issues,
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  a lot of cavities,
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  lots of fillings done.
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  It's actually what got me interested in becoming a dentist and my family was really big on oral health.
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  So I saw the dentist every six months,
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  I drank mainly water,
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  not didn't really have a lot of sugar,
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  beverages,
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  nothing like that.
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  But I just had really bad genetics.
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  We have a genetic predisposition to cavities.
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  So certain people are more likely to have cavity that other people in addition to that,
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  it's not only sugar but actually acid in certain types of bacteria that cause cavities.
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  So it's kind of a multifactorial issue.
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  Even people that drink like sugar free soda,
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  like diet soda,
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  just the straight acidity of the soda can damage their teeth.
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  So as long as you're brushing and flossing and seeing your dentist every six months,
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  those are the main things we can do to reduce the whole issue of developing cavities.
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  But obviously avoiding sugar is a big one too.
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  If sugar is something you are consuming all day long,
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  like if you're sipping on soda or juice or sweet tea or something like that all day,
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  that creates the perfect environment for cavities.
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  But avoiding sugar is not the only way to prevent cavities.
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  So kind of a,
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  a true and false myth.
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  It's not the only way,
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  but it definitely is a contributing factor to it.
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  Yeah,
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  I know.
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  Um I'll just tell a real quick story um as a,
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  as a parent.
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  So my dad does not have good teeth.
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  I don't have great teeth.
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  And so,
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  you know,
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  I know it's,
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  I know it's genetic.
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  I have an older son and his teeth have been great and I'm like,
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  oh good.
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  I didn't pass it on and we have a little girl and I don't know,
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  she was probably five or six and her teeth had been fine up to that point and we take her to the dentist and she had several cavities and I was almost in tears because we do practice really good oral health because I know that we have this genetic predisposition.
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  You,
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  you know,
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  and I was just devastated and um her dentist looked at me and he said she's just got some craters.
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  This is nothing you have done.
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  He's like,
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  it's the way her teeth were made.
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  Yeah.
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  So it's ok.
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  I have three kiddos too.
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  One is barely getting teeth.
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  He's one but the other two is kind of the same way.
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  My seven year old,
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  he has perfect teeth has never had a cavity,
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  like gets cleanings regularly.
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  Everything looks good.
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  My four year old is actually missing some front teeth because of cavities and it was not,
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  you know,
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  we brushed her teeth from the time they came in and that sort of thing,
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  but it's genetic,
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  she has kind of a genetic predisposition to just have more of that bacteria in her mouth.
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  And,
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  you know,
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  I'm a dentist so I'm definitely brushing their teeth every night and every morning and watching what they're eating.
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  And so it's one of those things that you,
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  you just really can't control every factor of it.
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  Yeah,
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  I,
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  I did,
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  I felt like I had failed and I think he just must have seen the look on my face like,
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  ok,
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  let's talk through this.
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  Ok.
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  Our next myth and I think this is a really big one and my kids will tell me this too.
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  I'd love to use this one.
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  Yeah.
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  That chewing gum or using mouth mouth wash is just as good as brushing or,
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  and,
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  or flossing their teeth.
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  Oh,
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  gosh.
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  Yeah,
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  I hear that all the time.
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  Especially the mouthwash.
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  People think that mouthwash will,
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  you know,
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  it definitely helps your breath and the overall oil environment,
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  but it's not cleaning the surfaces of your teeth and it's definitely not cleaning in between your teeth.
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  Like floss brushing is so important to get all the,
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  the surfaces of your teeth.
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  But flossing to get those surfaces in between,
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  there's not a single replacement for it.
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  A lot of people like to use like the water picks and stuff and they're great.
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  They do help but,
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  but good old floss is still the best way to aid your oral health,
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  especially on this in between your teeth.
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  Chewing gum is helpful to you,
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  especially if it's a sugar free gum.
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  If it's a gum that has sugar in it,
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  it's really only hurting you.
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  But a sugar free gum is helpful but definitely not a replacement for brushing and flossing.
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  Yeah.
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  So kids listen,
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  that's what the dentist said.
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  Not a replacement.
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  I don't even know that my kids listen to me on that one.
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  But yeah,
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  so this is one that my husband and I first got married.
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  We had to have a lot of conversations about because he grew up very different than what I did.
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  And he also has really good teeth.
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  But so myth,
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  you only need to visit the dentist if you have a problem.
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  Oh,
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  yes,
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  I hear this one every single day from our patients.
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  There's is this idea that the only time you need fillings or the only time you need a cleaning or the only time you need anything at the dentist's office is if something hurts the thing that makes this such a bad myth and such a bad a bad idea to hold is that prevention is key in dentistry to save you both time and money and pain.
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  Obviously,
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  if we're waiting until something hurts,
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  it's likely so deep into the tooth that it's into the nerves and blood tissue.
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  And once it gets to that point,
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  it's way big of an issue to way larger of an issue to fix than if we take care of it at that preventative point.
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  So,
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  you know,
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  if you're coming in frequently and we're finding little areas of decay and we can do small fillings here and there to kind of keep your teeth healthy,
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  then you're gonna be in a much better place in the long run than if you are only coming in when something hurts.
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  By the time something hurts,
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  you're either gonna lose the tooth or you're gonna end up with a root canal or you're gonna end up with a crown or something that's gonna cost you a ton of money and it's gonna cost you a lot of time,
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  a dental chair and it's,
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  it's just a lot harder to take care of your mouth if we are only seeing you,
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  you know,
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  every so many years,
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  because you can't find these things unless you're having regular x-rays or clinical exams by a dentist or things like that.
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  So,
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  regular visits,
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  I recommend every six months depending on your oral health.
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  Obviously,
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  if you're having some more issues,
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  maybe sooner,
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  sometimes we can go out to the ear market even with kids and things like that.
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  But having those regular visits and checking in with your dentist is getting,
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  save you so much time and money over the years with.
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  I have my husband on track now every six months.
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  He understands now.
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  Ok.
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  So here's,
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  here's one and I do think that this is something we hear pretty often is that my teeth are unhealthy because I'm getting older and losing teeth is just a normal part of aging.
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  There's not anything I can do about it,
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  right.
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  That is definitely a myth too.
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  So getting older doesn't automatically mean you are gonna lose all your teeth.
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  It doesn't mean you're gonna get dentures,
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  oral hygiene is so important,
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  especially as we get older,
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  especially if we start taking more medications,
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  making sure to brush and floss throughout your whole life helps you keep those teeth.
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  I can speak kind of a little side story on this.
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  So my grandma is actually getting ready to be 80.
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  She'll be 80 in December and she has every single tooth in her mouth still.
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  Um,
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  she's not lost a single tooth and she has been a stickler my whole life on brushing and flossing and getting to the dentist every six months.
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  And so while some of it is genetic,
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  like we talked about earlier,
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  you know,
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  some of it is genetic and sometimes you do lose teeth for other reasons.
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  Sometimes there's trauma and things like that.
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  If you are on top of oral hygiene and prevention and you're cleaning your teeth regularly and coming and seeing your dentist regularly,
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  you can definitely keep all of your teeth well in old age.
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  Yeah,
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  this is something that I always has blown my mind.
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  But my grandmother was 87 when she passed away.
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  She never had a cavity.
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  Like,
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  just,
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  you know,
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  like her teeth were just amazing shape.
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  Those are not the ones that I inherited the jeans.
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  We wish we had.
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  Yeah,
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  those are the ones I wish we had.
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  Ok.
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  So this is a good one too.
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  White teeth are healthy teeth.
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  So tooth color can indicate issues with decay and that sort of thing.
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  So having white teeth can mean that you're breast brushing and flossing and taking care of them normally,
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  but you can also bleach teeth that are not healthy.
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  So you can have teeth that have cavities or really bad gum issues like periodontal disease and that sort of thing if you're not seeing your dentist regularly for cleanings and they can be white as can be,
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  but they can be hiding those issues.
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  So white don't always equal healthy teeth in the same regard.
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  Healthy teeth are not always perfectly white,
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  just depending on what we're eating and drinking and that sort of thing.
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  So this one's definitely a myth color has nothing to do with the health of your teeth,
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  ok?
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  Avoid brushing and flossing if your gums are bleeding.
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  Hm.
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  Also a myth.
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  So,
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  bleeding gums mean inflammation,
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  inflammation means gum disease,
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  gingivitis,
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  something that's being caused by either poor oral hygiene,
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  not having a cleaning in a long time for women.
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  Pregnancy and nursing can cause inflammation in your gums,
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  any of those things.
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  But it's very important to continue brushing and flossing.
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  Actually,
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  I would recommend the opposite.
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  If your gums are bleeding,
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  you should be brushing and flossing more to try and rid the area of the inflammation and bacteria so that your tissue can heal and and become healthy.
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  Again,
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  obviously,
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  if it is extensive,
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  if you're seeing blood every time you brush or floss,
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  you probably need to see your dentist because there could be something else going on and systemically,
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  we could have an issue that's causing inflammation in your gum.
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  So definitely a good idea to get into your dentist if,
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  if that condition is happening or gets worse over time.
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  Ok.
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  Our last one and this is one that I hope our listeners know is a myth because we did an entire podcast on just this one topic,
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  but dental health issues do not impact overall health.
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  Yes,
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  huge myth.
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  We have people patients all the time that we see in clinic that don't want give us their full health history because we are just a dentist.
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  Um And so to them,
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  our main focus should just be teeth,
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  which it is our main focus but our,
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  our overall focus and training,
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  we,
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  we have the same early training as the medical students.
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  And so we know that everything in the body is connected and we know that or any kind of oral health issue increases risk for a ton of other diseases in other parts of the body.
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  In the same way,
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  an issue in another part of the body can oftentimes present themselves in the mouth.
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  And so regular screenings and stuff can,
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  can show signs of like cancer and you know,
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  infections and that sort of thing in other parts of the body.
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  Also,
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  like significant bacteria in the mouth can create infections and sepsis in other areas of the body because it's all all connected.
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  And so all of it works together.
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  And so that's why we ask for your full health history.
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  That's why sometimes we'll recommend you go see a doctor after you see us if we see something that concerns us and we think your um primary care provider needs to take a look at it or draw some blood work or something like that.
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  So a dentist really is a an integral part of the whole whole body health team.
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  And I think that myth is one that's kind of changing.
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  Hopefully,
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  I think UK has done a great job in kind of presenting this issue from multiple areas.
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  You know,
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  we work with the medical students and P A students and stuff pretty closely now as dental students.
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  And I think that's helping improve this myth that definitely your dental health is impacting your overall health and your overall health impacts your dental health both ways.
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  Yeah,
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  I will agree that I do,
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  I do think there's greater understanding just in the general populace about the link between dental health and overall health.
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  I noticed last time when I went to get my annual physical that my doctor Ford always said,
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  you know,
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  well,
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  have you been to see the dermatologist and,
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  and those type things?
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  But they also have started asking about,
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  well,
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  when was the last time you went to see the dentist?
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  I love that so that they're,
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  that they're making a point to reinforce that you really need to,
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  to take care of your,
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  of your teeth as as well.
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  Doctor Nunn.
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  Thank you so much for um joining us today and busting um these common myths and helping share the truth.
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  Yeah.
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  Thank you so much for having me.
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  It was a good time.
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  Thank you for listening to Kentucky.
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  Our goal is to provide you with knowledge,
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  to support your oral health needs.
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  please message us on the UK College of Dentistry.
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