Apples: A Dental Hygienist’s Best Friend

Regardless of the health field, there are always a host of outlandish myths that crop up as a result of ancient tradition, bad science, and outright fear. From “rubbing dirt on it” to drinking the blood of a chicken to cure stomach aches (not an actual one, but representative of the craziness of these myths), many of these myths are just downright false, and pretty nuts. But, every once in a while, a myth comes a long that contains more than just a kernel of truth, and actually turns out to be quite accurate. This article is dedicated to these “less than false” myths out there, and to the testament that if you through enough darts blindfolded, you’re bound to hit the target sooner or later.

1. The “Myth”: An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor Away

Throughout popular culture, and throughout most of our lives, this saying always finds its way to the surface. And it makes sense, too! Apples are healthy, and a great source of natural sugars and energy that won’t make you gain weight. It’s also well-documented that eating fruit can make you, on the whole, healthier, lending credence to the idea that eating apples can keep you healthy. But, the way the myth is often played out, the apple is often painted as a super food that can keep away all harm. As in, “oops, I ate an entire pie, but I ate an apple so it’s okay”, or “I won’t ever get sick if I eat an apple everyday”. These scenarios, obviously, are completely false. Aren’t they?

Well, they aren’t completely false.

You see, apples are nature’s toothbrushes, dissolving and scraping off plaque while helping those who eat a healthy diet of them avoid gum diseases. Not only does the texture of the apple help keep teeth strong and clean, the acid within the juices is a bacteria and plaque killer, eliminating the bad things that cause bad breath, weak teeth, andgum diseases. In this sense, apples really are a super food that can keep your mouth—and, by extent, you—healthy, even if you don’t brush quite as much as you should.

2. The “Myth”: Bad Oral Hygiene Leads to Other Problems

This one isn’t as prominent; however, when people hear it, subtle murmurs of “bulls****” are often heard. After all, how much sense does it really make? It’s your mouth, not your heart or your liver! And why, in a world where we’d have to invent ways to keep our mouths clean, would an unclean mouth cause health problems outside of your mouth?

Unfortunately, this is a myth that is very true. Deadly true, some might say. Many studies have already been completed linking tooth decay and poor dental hygiene to some of the worst diseases imaginable, such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. In fact, if you do not keep up with your dental hygiene, you have a much higher chance of catching one of these diseases, thus lowering your life expectancy. Who know that scrubbing our teeth would have such a big effect on our lives?

3. The “Myth”: You can Brush Too Much

This myth looks downright ridiculous. I mean, dentists everywhere recommend brushing 2-3 times a day, but how can it hurt to get them “extra” clean? All you’re doing is scrubbing them to make them nice and shiny, right?

Wrong. As another myth to add to the pantheon of “true” myths, you should actually heed this one. Brushing too much can wear down the enamel on your teeth, weakening their integrity, and making you more prone to broken teeth. So, this would seem to be a Goldilock’s situation; don’t brush too much, or too little. Brush just right and your pearly whites will be much better off!

Tyler Fleck is a blogger who loves talking about dental hygiene, and he is writing this post on the behalf of Dunn Orthodontics. Check out their site for more information about orthodontics, or to schedule an appointment.