Dental health is an important and often overlooked part of your health. Here are some surprising myths and facts on your oral health.
1) Are whitening toothpastes good for your teeth? FICTION
This is a controversial area right now. Tooth enamel is the hard surface on the outside of the teeth. It is responsible for protecting your teeth from decay. The enamel can be stained on the surface from things like coffee and wine.
These surface stains can be removed with toothpaste and the whitening materials (e.g. whitening strips). Deeper stains within the enamel can also occur. The charcoal and whitening toothpastes work by being abrasive, using materials like silica which scrape away the enamel and try to get at the deeper stains.
Unfortunately, the enamel is also what protects the tooth from decay, so using these harsh abrasive toothpastes can actually be bad for your teeth. There is some disagreement in the dental community on what is too harsh.
Look for the lowest abrasive whitening toothpastes if you want to use one at all. Sensodyne makes one that is lower on the abrasive scale.
2) Sharing utensils with your infant and toddler spreads bacteria and increases their risk of early gum disease? FACT
The bacteria we have in our mouths cause cavities and gum disease. Bacteria and other sticky particles cling to our teeth, build up and create plaque.
This is removed by brushing and flossing. Plaque that is not removed hardens and becomes tartar which has be removed by a dentist. As bacteria builds up, it can cause a mild inflammation, called gingivitis, and make the gums sore and easily bleed.
As the inflammation increases, the gums recede, and pockets of space are created. This is periodontal or gum disease. By sharing utensils with our kids, we take all the bacteria from our mouth and transfer it to our children’s mouth. This can increase the number of bacteria in their mouth and contribute to early gum disease.
3) Poor dental health is linked with a higher chance of heart disease? FACT
Researchers have found an association with people who have poor dental hygiene with gum disease and an increase in heart disease. Although there is not enough data to say gum disease causes heart disease, there is a link between the two.
This may be due to the bacteria in the mouth traveling to other parts of the body such as the heart and causing inflammation which can lead to plaque buildup in the heart arteries (atherosclerosis) and ultimately heart disease.
There are other factors such as smoking, age and diabetes can also increase the likelihood of both gum disease and heart disease. So, modify as many risk factors as you can and keep up with the brushing twice a day, and flossing once a day if possible.
Special thank you to Drs. Daren and Nikki Mairs with Mairs Family Dentistry on their input for this segment.
