4 of the Biggest Dental Myths !
There are some deep seated beliefs about your dental health that are hard to let go, but completely false. Below are some of the most common ones, debunked:
1.Sparkling water is good for me/my teeth.
Oh we wish it were true. While LaCroix and other sparkling water options are certainly better for your body as a whole than soda, dentally they have much the same damaging effect. Carbonated beverages are, by their nature, quite acidic, especially when citrus flavors are added to the beverages. The carbonic acid in combination with the acid from citrus will erode the enamel and lead to serious decay. We’re not going to say don’t indulge, but to limit the damage, use a straw, drink quickly and rinse with water afterward!
2.Radiation from dental x-rays is dangerous.
It’s understandably unnerving, coming that close to something the sole purpose of which is to aim radiation at you. But when you learn more about the technology, you begin to see that the radiation involved in dental x-rays is little more than what you get on the average flight. Unless you are under specific orders from your physician, there is no reason at all to fear x-rays. Taken yearly, they pose very little risk, and the benefit of that diagnostic information is priceless!
3.Fluoride is dangerous.
For fluoride to be lethal, you would need to ingest 5-10 g. To put that in context, the recommended level of fluoride in water is .7 to 1.2 parts per million – a very diluted dose! A person would need to really try to ingest too much fluoride, and in small doses, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
4.Everyone has to have their wisdom teeth taken out.
Wisdom teeth only need to be removed if they are causing a problem in the mouth – i.e. they’re painful, crowding or misaligning the other teeth, or impacted. Now, these problems are very common with wisdom teeth, which is probably why the myth exists! But as long as they aren’t affecting your dentition and you’re able to effectively keep them clean and healthy, there’s no need to remove them.
As with any field, dentistry has its own complexities. If you ever have questions or are wondering if something is true, don’t hesitate to ask your dentist!