Commonly Held Myths about Dentistry | Facts that Challenge these Myths |
As we age our gums recede.
We get long in the tooth
| Undue forces of a poor bite can cause bone loss |
If my gums are receding I must be brushing too hard
| Bone and gums recede in response to bite forces (soft tooth brushes can't do this) |
I inherited bad teeth from my parents (or bad gums)
| Balancing of forces in the mouth prevents degeneration |
I grind my teeth because I am stressed out
| Stress in people with balanced bites does not cause grinding |
| Worn teeth are a symptom of age |
Worn teeth occur as a result of poor function or para-function (again a result of bite forces out of balance)
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| My bone loss is because I didn't take better care of my teeth |
Bone loss can be because of bacteria but in most cases results mainly from the undue forces of an imbalance in the bite
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| Orthodontics cured me of a poor bite when I was young |
Orthodontics of the last 50 years was all about lining up smiles (not aligning chewing to true joint centered bites). The results of poor bites start to show up in midlife
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| My jaw being misaligned is just something I have to live with |
After careful diagnosis it is often not difficult to align the bite so that it is self protective
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The fact that my dentistry has worn out is normal
| In a properly aligned and self protective bite dentistry will last much longer |
My night guard protects my teeth and jaw joints
| Most night guards cushion the teeth from each other but actually increase the muscle activity and can damage the joint |
My dentist should decide what is best for my mouth
| We believe that a co-created treatment plan provides the basis of a trusting and long term relationship. Please see the Health Discovery Visit |