Common dental myths explained!
‘I had my teeth cleaned and the dentist damaged them!’
‘Before I went to the dentist my teeth felt fine!’
‘After I had treatment, my teeth are sensitive all the time!’
‘Dentists take X-rays all the time because that’s how they make money!’
‘One dentist said I needed 10 fillings, and another said I only needed 2!’
In this post, I’m going to answer some of the most common ‘dental myths’ we hear every day!
- Having your teeth professionally cleaned at the dentist damages your teeth, causes decay in your teeth.
In order to debunk this myth, it’s important to explain HOW professional cleaning methods work. First up, there’s that water-spraying buzzing instrument (commonly known as an ultrasonic scaler). This works by using sound waves higher than what we can hear (hence ultrasonic) to vibrate hardened bacteria deposits (commonly known as calculus or tartar). The water that sprays out simply acts as a coolant to stop the instrument (and your tooth) from overheating. Because the deposits are being vibrated off your teeth, provided the instrument is being used appropriately, it shouldn’t damage the enamel of your teeth.
It’s important to remember that enamel is the hardest substance in the body. Which leads me to the next commonly used instrument in dental cleaning. Often patients refer to it as the ‘scraper’. These are hand instruments with a special sharper edge which are used to remove calculus or tartar. These are made from a stainless steel alloy. If used correctly, it simply isn’t hard enough to damage enamel.
2. My teeth felt fine before I had treatment, now they are sensitive all the time and hurt too.
When dental treatment is performed, it is common to feel some sensitivity. Something has been done to your teeth or gums, and as such it is a biological response that things will feel ‘different’. This is of course, distinct from feeling actual pain. If you are feeling pain, I would strongly suggest you visit your dentist as soon as you can.
If you’ve had a filling done recently, sometimes the tooth may be sensitive because the nerve inside of the tooth will have been irritated slightly. Most of the time this is very minor and goes away after a few days. If you have sensitivity that lasts more than 2 weeks, I would again recommend you go back to your dentist as soon as possible.
The same thing tends to happen when you have your teeth cleaned. The good news it this mostly goes away by itself after a few days.
3. My teeth feel fine and I have no pain. Doesn’t that mean my teeth are healthy and I don’t need any fillings?
If only it was that simple! Unfortunately lack of pain does not necessarily mean there isn’t anything wrong! We recommend routine examinations twice a year for this very reason! Not all tooth decay will necessarily cause pain, and if there is pain, the decay has probably gotten very deep and close to the nerve. If this is the case, the nerve inside the tooth may be infected, and a filling may not get rid of the pain. You may need an extraction or root canal treatment.
4. Why is the dentist always making me have x-rays? Am I simply helping my dentist to buy their next Ferrari?
Xrays are an important diagnostic tool. Your dentist should generally recommend your X-rays to be updated at least every 18-24 months (again, this depends on the condition of your mouth). X-rays help us to diagnose tooth decay in between the teeth, as these areas are very difficult to see. Sometimes, having looked closely at the teeth, they appear fine, but the x-rays may show otherwise.
5. I saw one dentist, and they said I needed 5 fillings. I then saw a different dentist, who told me I needed 2 fillings.
Dentists are individuals, and as such sometimes they will have different opinions. Some dentists will choose to do fillings on all five teeth because there is decay in those teeth, regardless of the size. Another dentist may choose to do only two fillings (the larger ones), and then keep an eye on the other three teeth to see if they need filling later on.
DISCLAIMER:
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
