During Dental Health Week (August 5-11, 2024), the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is here to bust those myths about oral health and get everyone’s mouth healthy!
Okay, so, let’s talk teeth.
Not the hottest topic, right? But your mouth is way more important than you think. It’s the gateway to your body. So, during Dental Health Week (August 5-11), the Australian Dental Association is on a mission to spill the tea on all those weird oral health myths you’ve been believing. Because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of misinformation out there!
Busting common oral health myths from the Australian Dental Association
1. Myth: what goes on in my mouth won’t affect the rest of my body.
Truth: Dental researchers have found mountains of evidence showing how oral health affects the rest of your body, particularly in relation to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke, asthma and low birthweight babies. Gum disease is not only a risk factor for these conditions but also a factor in causing them.
For example, research has shown that people with untreated gum disease (also known as periodontitis) have a 2.5 times increased risk of having a heart attack compared to the same group of people without untreated gum disease.
2. Myth: It doesn’t matter what toothpaste you use, so long as you brush.
Truth: A whole industry of wellness products fills supermarket shelves, but toothpaste without fluoride may not provide optimum protection. There’s a very large body of evidence showing that fluoride toothpastes prevent more tooth decay than non-fluoride toothpastes.
It’s in our water, too, and Australian studies show that this reduces tooth decay in children by 26% to 44% and 27% in adults. Tooth decay is a largely preventable disease, and the addition of fluoride to 89% of Australian water is a substantial help in preventing decay.
3. Myth: The longer you brush, the cleaner your teeth will be.
Truth: If you’ve done it correctly, two minutes will do the job. Brushing beyond that time isn’t needed if you’ve done a thorough job during the recommended two-minute period.
4. Myth: Brushing once a day is enough.
Truth: This is not the case. One study showed that, on average, less than half of dental plaque was removed when brushing with a manual toothbrush for 2 minutes. With so little plaque removed and it building up again throughout the day, brushing teeth twice a day is recommended to control plaque levels.
5. Myth: Charcoal toothpaste is healthy for teeth.
Truth: This is not the case for all toothpastes or powders containing charcoal. A report in the British Dental Journal showed that for people with gum disease, charcoal particles could collect under the gums and cause the gum tissue to appear grey/black in colour, build up in the grooves of the teeth or cause surface defects on white fillings. Needless to say, if this happens at the front of your mouth, it will show!
The report also found that most charcoal toothpastes in the study didn’t contain fluoride and that the charcoal may cause wear of the tooth surface.
6. Myth: Brushing alone will keep teeth and gums healthy.
Truth: Studies show brushing removes only 60% of detritus and plaque on the teeth. You need to also clean between your teeth every day, in addition to twice-daily brushing, which can’t reach these areas no matter how well you do it. Cleaning between the teeth with interdental brushes or floss helps keep gums healthy. Gums are hugely important as they’re a part of the foundation that holds the teeth in place.
7. Myth: I can eat something sweet so long as I brush straight after.
Truth: After eating or drinking something containing sugar, only rinse your mouth with water straight after, as it can take at least an hour for your teeth to recover from acid attacks caused by sugar. So wait 60 minutes before brushing as doing it any sooner may damage the tooth enamel softened by sugar.
From the Australian Dental Association
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