Dental Care Debunked

Did you hear the one about how swallowing a watermelon seed would cause a watermelon to grow in your stomach? Most kids above the age of six can tell that's a whopper a mile away. Urban legends are fun to tell and are generally a great source of entertainment. Most of the time, these modern day scary stories are easy to spot and as such, easy to debunk. Unfortunately, sometimes an urban legend can sound pretty convincing. With so many stories going around the internet and social media, it's not always so easy to tell if something you hear is true or not - especially when it comes to our bodies and our health. For example, you may have heard that muscle turns into fat if you don't exercise. It's actually not true, thank goodness! Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue, and one can't morph into the other. However, adults begin to lose muscle mass after the age of 30 and fat tends to expand into places muscle once was so it can feel like it's true. When it comes to myths, teeth and dental care have their fair share. Read on to sort out fact from fiction about your dentition.

• Babies can't get cavities. Fiction. Where there are teeth, there can be cavities - even in primary or, "baby," teeth. Even worse, if left untreated a cavity in one tooth can spread to others, so be sure to take care of those pearly whites as soon as they arrive.
• Children get more cavities than adults. Fiction. Fluoride in drinking water has gone a long way toward reducing the instance of childhood cavities. Additionally, cavities are becoming more common in senior citizens because of dry mouth caused by certain medications.
• Acidic foods cause tooth decay. Fact. Acidic foods can erode tooth enamel, making teeth more prone to decay. The bacteria that causes tooth decay produces acids, so eating acidic foods such as soda and juice accelerates the process.
• Only sugar causes tooth decay. Fiction. As mentioned above, it's the acid produced by bacteria that causes cavities. While sugar does indeed cause decay, it's because sugar is a carbohydrate, and it's the carbs that start the process of decay. Any carb including rice, bread, fruits or potatoes can cause decay.
• All fillings eventually need to be replaced. Fiction. While it's true that fillings don't last forever, factors such as tooth wear and oral hygiene go a long way toward determining just how long those fillings will last.
• Putting aspirin next to a tooth will relieve toothache. Fiction. Aspirin tablets are not designed for topical use. In fact, not only will aspirin not help your tooth feel better, it can actually make matters worse. Aspirin is acidic, so placing it directly on your teeth and gums can cause abscess and decay. The only way aspirin will ease your toothache is if you swallow it.
• Grinding and clenching your teeth will cause cavities. Fiction - mostly. It's the acid-producing bacteria that cause tooth decay, not grinding and clenching. However, grinding and clenching can put enough strain and pressure on your teeth to eventually cause fractures and cracks, which does speed up tooth decay.
• Cracks in teeth lead to tooth decay. Fact. Bacteria loves to hide in chips and cracks in teeth because brushing can't clean those hard to reach places. Use a fluoride rinse to help keep those cracks clean.
• Cavities are more common between teeth. Fact. Much like chips and cracks, the areas between your teeth are hard to reach and thus, are a favorite place for bacteria to hide and breed. As suggested above, use a fluoride rinse to help clean places brushing and flossing can't reach.

When in doubt, contacting a provider with experienced dental services can answer any questions and help put your mind at ease.

About the Author: Beth A. Stevens is an oral care expert and contributing writer who enjoys helping educate people on proper oral care and hygiene.