Dental Myths to Avoid | Plano TX Dental Office

With the age of internet, today’s dental patients are more educated than ever. Unfortunately, you can also find a ton of bad information on the internet. When you veer off the path of searching .org or .govs or dentist’s official website, you might run into some bad information. Having been a Plano dentist for many years, it’s my mission to provide great dental advice and debunk any dental myths that I hear about.

Today I have a special blog for you that you need to read. I also encourage you to share this with your friends and loved ones. It’s that important. Here are the five dental myths that you need to avoid at all costs. If not, you may pay for it big-time down the road.

My teeth do not hurt, so I do not have cavities. MYTH. It’s true that cavities can be painful, but cavities often do not start out that way. If a cavity is painful, it’s likely the infection has reached the dentin of the tooth — where the nerves reside — or even the root. We can repair most cavities with our high-strength fillings, but sometimes the decay has taken too much of a toll, and we’ll need to perform a root canal to properly clean out the infection. To avoid this problem, make sure you maintain regular visits. During those exams, we check your mouth for signs of tooth decay. The earlier we can stop decay, the better.
Root canals are harmful to my body. MYTH. This myth was created almost 100 years ago. It’s interesting to me that people still cling to this myth — even some doctors — although it has been debunk many times over. Researchers have never found that a root canal or the filling material used for root canal therapy are harmful to your body. The truth is that a root canal is used as a last resort to save the tooth. Root canals are about 98 percent successful and can keep your tooth functional for years to come — if not the rest of your life.
Dentures are my only option for missing teeth. MYTH. Having missing teeth can be a huge physical and emotional problem. Unfortunately, some patients believe there is no help for their missing teeth other than uncomfortable removable dentures. That’s far from the case. We can craft permanent bridges or use dental implants. Our implants merge with the jawbone and can be restored with crowns, bridges, and dentures. Here’s a fact you need to consider when deciding between implants and dentures: Dentures can provide about 25 to 50 percent of the biting power of natural teeth while dental implants can give you about 90 percent of the biting power of natural teeth.
Tooth decay is the leading cause of tooth loss. MYTH. We dentists talk a great deal about tooth decay, so it’s easy to see where this myth came from. The truth is that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth decay. Gum disease is enemy number one to dentists. It can ravage a mouth and lead to painful dental procedures.
My oral care and overall health are not connected. MYTH. This is become more untrue on a yearly basis. We now know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss — which can drastically reduce your food options and overall health. Gum disease and problems like sleep apnea also have been linked to serious problems like diabetes and heart disease. You also need to consider your mental health and confidence. When you have bad teeth, you may feel self-conscious or withdrawn in social situations.

These are just five myths that you need to avoid in your journey to great oral health. We take the time to work with every patient who visits our office. We find out your dental needs, dental concerns, and then develop a personalized treatment plan.

Our office loves treating families and building healthy, beautiful mouths for our patients. To become one of our dedicated patients, call our office today at 972-380-8105 or use the online form to schedule an appointment.