Boise Dental Myths & Misconceptions

At Summit Dental Group, our Boise dentists love helping patients from around the Treasure Valley achieve healthier, brighter smiles. Whether you need preventative dental care or a best mouth restoration, you can trust us to provide you with the most advanced dentistry options.

We are always accepting new patients. In fact, we love sitting down with you to discuss your smile goals and provide you with the best oral health care tips. The more information you have about your smile, the better your chances are of maintaining healthy teeth and gums. That’s why we’d like to provide you with a list of dental myths we’ve debunked that may be hurting your oral health.

Dental Myths Debunked

Flossing isn’t important, and if your gums bleed, you should avoid it.  Brushing your teeth on a regular basis is a no-brainer, however, if you don’t floss you’ll miss those hard-to-reach areas that brushing fails to clean. Flossing helps to remove unwanted food particles in between teeth and build up plaque — which can often lead to gum disease. If your gums tend to bleed after brushing and flossing, it’s usually a sign that you need to be more diligent about your home dental care. Although it may seem best to avoid flossing, doing so will actually increase your risk of developing gum disease and tooth decay.

It’s better to use a hard toothbrush vs a soft one.  People often think a hard-bristled toothbrush will clean their mouth better. However, a hard-bristled toothbrush can actually wear down your enamel or cause damage to your gums. Instead, you should always use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth. It’s also important not to brush in a hard or aggressive way. Plaque doesn’t require a hard-bristled toothbrush to be removed and hard brushing can damage your gums, causing them to recede. In truth, people often forget to replace their toothbrush as often as they should. At Summit Dental group, our Boise dentists recommend getting a new toothbrush every 3-4 months (or when the bristles become worn). We also recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Boise teeth whitening treatments can be harmful. There is some truth to the dangers of many over-the-counter, and DIY teeth whitening treatments because they have the potential of causing damage to your teeth and gums. This is because many of these products or home remedies have different ingredients and come in a variety of strengths. There’s also room for human error when trying to whiten your smile on your own. However, a professional Boise teeth whitening treatment at Summit Dental won’t hurt your teeth or cause gum damage. However, there may be a little sensitivity afterward but it won’t cause any prolonged harm. Our Boise dentists would never suggest a treatment that would compromise the health and integrity of your smile.

Sugar causes tooth decay. While excessive sugar consumption is never recommended for your oral or overall health, it’s not the direct cause of tooth decay. In fact, it’s actually the acids left behind by sugar that are to blame. Sugar and carbohydrates produce acids. When those acids combine with the saliva in your mouth, plaque is formed. Preventative dental care includes brushing or rinsing your mouth with water after eating sugary foods. Keep in mind, however, that if you don’t tend to eat a lot of sugar, you can still develop tooth decay if you don’t practice good oral hygiene.

Everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed.  Think of wisdom teeth like your appendix or tonsils. They don’t currently serve much of a purpose like they once did at one point in our existence. In fact, most dentists agree that not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. However, wisdom teeth can become a problem if they erupt or start to decay inside your mouth. These problems can severely impact nearby healthy teeth causing pain or lead to jaw infections and cysts. If your wisdom teeth are causing you problems or pain, it’s important to seek out the professional advice of your Boise dentist as soon as possible to have them examined or removed.

Summit Dental Group

Anytime you hear something new or what is good or bad for your smile, it’s best to bring it up to your Boise dentist at your next exam and teeth cleaning. We can provide you with the best and most accurate information to help you maintain optimal dental health. Not only are we concerned about the beauty of our patient’s smile, we are also concerned about the overall health of our patients. If you would like more information or want to schedule an appointment, contact Summit Dental Group at (208) 314-2275 today.