With the vast variety of oral health issues, people have made some misconceptions regarding oral health and the dental treatments.
Dr. Ritu Gupta
Dr. Ritu Gupta has done her graduation from Chhattisgarh dental college and Research Institute Rajnandgaon in the year 2007. She started her practice in 2009 in Bilaspur Chhattisgarh and in 2011 in Raipur Chhattisgarh. She is a certified cosmetologist from Germany and Moscow and has certificates on cosmetic dentistry and cosmetology from various prestigious institutions including Manipal university.
Dr. Ritu is an expert cosmetic dental surgeon specialized in smile makeover and aesthetic dental treatments. She is also a laser expert for many dental treatments and aesthetic cases. Dr. Ritu has been invited in many state and national conferences to deliver lectures and conduct workshops for other dental students and professionals. She has been known for dental photography as being the first female dental photography mentor of India and is recognized internationally for her skills. In her free time and holidays Dr. Ritu Gupta spends time with her family, travels solo and enjoys doing photography of water drops newborn kids and nature.
+91 88710- 63343
Email : drritu2013@gmail.com
Dental health is of utmost important for our general health. The oral cavity is a passage of various micro-organisms causing many pathologies in our body so to keep your body healthy, your oral cavity should be healthy as well.
With the vast variety of oral health issues, people have made some misconceptions regarding oral health and the dental treatments. Some of them have developed their own concepts, which makes it difficult to explain their problem and hence the treatment. Its not their fault, they have been hearing and carrying forward misleading information. And this leads to many myths and misconceptions regarding dental health and dental treatments.
The myths vs facts
Here are the most common myths people have in their mind related to dental health and treatments with the explanation of why it is wrong.
Tooth removal weakens eye sight : No, any tooth removal never causes any harm to eyes. The nerve supply to eyes (ophthalmic nerve) and teeth (mandibular and maxillary branches of trigeminal nerve) are different. Pain from tooth though can radiate towards eyes or neck but doesn’t cause any harm to these parts.
Bleeding gums are normal : No, bleeding while brushing or flossing or otherwise is never normal but the sign of inflammation which may lead to gum disease if not treated. Most commonly it happens due to plaque buidup around the teeth resulting in inflammation of gums.
Only sugar causes cavities : No , its not just sugar which causes cavities. Cavities are caused by the acid produced when bacteria in your mouth break down various types of carbohydrates, not just sugar. Foods and drinks that are acidic, such as citrus fruits and soda, can also contribute to tooth enamel erosion, leading to decay of teeth.
Brushing harder cleans better : No, brushing your teeth too hard can damage tooth enamel and irritate the gums, potentially leading to gum recession and tooth sensitivity. The key to effective brushing lies not in the force applied but in using the right technique and tools.
Chewing gum brushes your teeth : No, chewing gum can never replace brushing as a method of cleaning teeth. While it might seem like a convenient shortcut to fresh breath and a clean mouth, the fact is that gum chewing is no substitute for the comprehensive cleaning that brushing and flossing provide. Though Sugar-free chewing gums can be a good supplement, but not a substitute for brushing and flossing. Sugar-free gum stimulates saliva production, which helps neutralize acids in the mouth, reduces dry mouth, and can help dislodge food particles from between teeth.
Flossing is not important : No, flossing teeth is as important as brushing your teeth. How hard we brush our teeth , it is impossible to clean the surfaces between the two adjacent teeth especially if there is a tight contact between those. To clean that surface we do need to floss.
Kids don’t need to brush baby teeth : No, Baby teeth play a crucial role in a child’s development, and neglecting them can lead to problems later on. Baby teeth help children learn to speak and eat properly and serve as placeholders for adult teeth. If baby teeth are lost too early due to decay or injury, it can lead to problems with speech, eating, and the development of adult teeth.
Professional teeth cleaning damages the teeth : No, professional cleaning called as scaling will prevent your teeth and bones. The equipment used to clean the teeth is not that strong that it can harm the enamel. And enamel is the hardest part of our body. One should get cleaning done every six months to protect the teeth and gums from various diseases.
No pain means no oral health problem : No, if there is no pain, it doesn’t mean there is no problem. Most of the times in the initial stages there is no pain but later the disease comes up with severe pain so it’s better to get a dental checkup every six months inspite of having no issues.
Only kids can get braces : No, earlier the fixed braces used to be only for kids but now we have adult places which can still be used to fix malaligned teeth
Pregnant women should avoid dentist : No, during pregnancy there are a lot of changes in the body including hormonal changes and there are different microorganisms present in the body especially in oral cavity, which might lead to gum and periodontal diseases. So pregnant women should always visit dentist to keep their oral cavity healthy.
Diet soda is healthy for teeth : No, A common misconception is that sugar-free sodas are not harmful to your teeth. However, even without sugar, the acidity of soda can still be very damaging to your tooth enamel.
The average pH level of water sits at 7, which is neutral on the scale of acids and bases. However, diet sodas sit around a level of 2 or 3, which is still incredibly acidic to your teeth. For reference, the pH level of battery acid sits at a 1.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY THE PATIENTS ABOUT DENTAL TREATMENTS
What are the option to replace a missing tooth?
The most common and trending option to replace a missing tooth is dental implant. From a single tooth to complete dentition, implant can be used. But if for some reason dental implant cannot be used a FIXED bridge can be done In case of one or more teeth missing whereas a removable complete denture can be given to a completely edentulous patient.
What is better for dental filling , cement or silver filling?
Dental fillings are done with the teeth having cavities. These cavities have not yet reached the pulp. From ages silver filling has been used as the dental filling material but with the more studies and research it has been found that the mercury present in the dental silver filling can cause poisoning from prolonged use. So dental cement and composites are now being used mostly for cavity filling. If the filling has to be done in the front teeth we recommend composite filling, which is of the tooth color. And for the posterior teeth a cement can be used.
Metal or zirconia, which one is better for crowns or bridges?
Metal has its own property of good strength and it is economically but there are some limitations for example we cannot use metal in front teeth. Zirconia on the other hand is a strong material having good strength strength which is now being used in most of the cases of crowns and bridges. The best part about zirconia or ceramic is that they matches the exact tooth shade.
What are veneers? Do I need it?
Veneers are a thin covering over the tooth structure. These are specifically used for aesthetic treatment. A thin layer of the natural tooth structure is removed and these veneers are fixed. Veneers are best treatments for front teeth which are not aesthetic For example discoloured teeth, chipped teeth, irregular tooth surface, improper tooth shape and size etc. A lot of celebrities have perfect teeth because of veneer.
How often Should I visit a dentist?
We recommend to visit a dentist every six months. During these visits a dentist will check all your teeth, fill up initial cavities, clean your teeth and check for any other issues. In this way no problem leads to any disease or serious conditions. And you can maintain a healthy oral cavity throughout.
What is root canal treatment? when do I need it?
When a cavity is not treated at its earlier stage, the infection goes down to the pulp of the tooth. Once the infection reaches the pulp, we need to do root canal treatment in which we remove the infected pulp, clean the root canals and fill it up with root canal material. In this way the infection is removed and the tooth is now prevented from any further infection.
Why do I need a crown after root canal treatment?
After a root canal treatment, the pulp has been removed. The pulp of a tooth is a blood and nerve supply to the tooth and once it is taken out, tooth is no more vital. A vital tooth is a strong structure which can bear all kind of forces but a non vital tooth has lost its strength and becomes brittle. These state can be fractured by any abnormal force. So to prevent such fracture it is recommended to get a crown or a cap over a root canal treated tooth.
What are laser dental treatments?
A soft tissue lasers are used for many dental treatments including root canal treatment, teeth whitening, gum surgeries, shaping gums, lip depigmentation, gum depigmentation, oral surgical interventions and much more. These lasers are safe, are minimally invasive, with no bleeding and pain. Gum depigmentation and lip depigmentation along with gum shaping are aesthetic treatments done by laser.
