ORAL CARE

1 min read

Debunking Dental Care Myths with Dr. Mark Hughes

2018-10-26

Celebrity dentist clears online dental care fake news.

Dr. Mark Hughes, the founder of Harley Street Dental Studio, helped us dismantle five of the most popular dental care myths that have made the online rounds. As one of the leading UK dentists, Dr. Hughes has impeccable credentials and has traveled the world to further his education in dentistry, most prominently in the USA. 

Dr Mark Hughes, Harley Street Oral Care Dentist

Dr. Mark Hughes

Myth #1: Brushing Teeth Will Prevent Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is caused by the sugars in your food being converted by the plaque in your mouth into an acid, so the most important thing to prevent tooth decay is to control your diet and reduce sugar.

Myth #2: Oil Pulling as A Substitute for Brushing

Oil pulling is not a substitute for brushing your teeth or cleaning in between them. There's no scientific basis behind it. Some people do it and forget that they actually need to brush their teeth, floss their teeth or clean between their teeth as well. It has such a small effect, if any, that would you really spend 20 minutes a day twice a day swishing oil around your mouth?

Myth #3: Charcoal Paste is Better at Cleaning and Whitening

So far there's no science to prove that. There is an anecdotal effect because the toothpaste is black in color so that when you then rinse them off it appears that your teeth have suddenly and miraculously become whiter whereas, in fact, they've just been black for two minutes.

Myth #4: Flossing Is More Effective Before Brushing

You should brush your teeth first to remove the larger load of bacteria from the mouth before flossing or cleaning between your teeth. That's simply because it's a more effective way of doing it.

Myth #5: Tongue Brushing is Useless

If you think of the tongue like a carpet with fronds where bacteria and food debris can live in, it's very important to keep it clean to help reduce bad breath, keep your mouth healthy. Scraping with the tongue scraper or brushing of the toothbrush is a great idea. The great thing about the ISSA 2 is that it has the tongue scraper very cleverly built into the head and then if you add the pulsation effect then it's going to clean an awful lot more and a lot deeper and that's a really clever feature. So yes, you should brush your tongue!   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB8AWn7lzGE[/embed]  

Leave a comment

More articles
33 articles
Young girl holding her teeth
ORAL CARE

Tooth Be Told: Tooth Fairy Myths From Around the World

International tales of lost teeth! Second only to Santa Claus and perhaps the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy is one of the most beloved lies children are told. Despite the somewhat strange concept of an unknown being entering children’s bedroom under the cover of night and buying their kiddie bones
ORAL CARE

Don’t Let Poor Oral Hygiene Stop You from Eating Ice Cream

Did you know that poor oral hygiene can be linked with heart disease, diabetes and cancer? Luckily, with the proper oral care, you can prevent common dental problems such as gum disease - cavities, gingivitis, and tooth sensitivity.  You should take care of your oral health not just because of
girl dancing
ORAL CARE

5 Summer Jams to Help You Brush Your Teeth for the Recommended 2 Minutes

Dance your way to pearly whites. With a sparkling new ISSA mini 2 in my hand, I was on a mission to get my recommended two minute brushing routine on. Besides the fact that the toothbrush has a satisfying smiley face indicator that lights up when you reach two minutes, I’m also positive I’ve nev
Mysa placeholder image
ORAL CARE

Top 5 Tips to Keep Kids Brushing

From the teething stage to tooth fairy visits, kids’ dental care is important.     Keeping those baby teeth healthy will help your child bite, chew, and speak properly. But preventing toddler tooth decay is often easier said than done, because kids can find brushing uncomfortable or eve