Setting the Record Straight on Dental Urban Legends

While some urban legends are meant to scare and haunt us in our sleep, other legends can actually affect your health. Some of these legends revolve around the world of dentistry and at my dental office in Saint Louis, we want to set the record straight on some common misconceptions to let all of our patients know the truth and to relieve any potential fears.

Dental Cleanings Cause Tooth Sensitivity

One of the most bothersome legends is that dental cleanings cause tooth sensitivity because the “scraping” is too hard and it’s done too often. The team at my Saint Louis dental office not only wants to make sure that this myth is debunked, we also want to explain the importance of regular cleanings and how sensitivity actually happens.

Regular cleanings with your dentist in Saint Louis are extremely important to your oral health. They make sure dangerous plaque is removed, that your gums and smile are healthy, and that there are no problems lurking in your mouth. They most definitely do not cause sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is most commonly caused by gum disease (which can be avoided and treated with regular cleanings), brushing too hard, or eating too many acidic foods.

Root Canals are Extremely Painful

In fact, root canals often relieve extreme pain, not cause it. Root canals are needed when a tooth becomes infected or badly decayed – two things that can cause a whole lot of pain. The truth is, many people who have had a root canal experience little or no pain. The discomfort that’s often experienced with a root canal is the pain before the procedure is actually done, not the root canal itself.

Coca-Cola Dissolves Teeth

This legend states that a cup of Cola will dissolve a tooth overnight. While coca-cola can be bad for your teeth due to its acidity, it won’t completely dissolve a tooth overnight. Coca-Cola and other sodas are full of sugars and acid and can absolutely cause damage and discoloration to the tooth enamel. For this reason, at my dental office in Saint Louis, we always encourage our patients to drink more water.

With so many urban legends out there, the best thing we can do is research what we hear before jumping to any conclusions. There are plenty more dental urban legends than we have talked about here, so if you hear anything that doesn’t sound quite right, just call my Saint Louis dental office. We’ll be sure to explain the truth to you and get you smiling again.

Serving patients in Saint Louis, Affton and Webster Grove.