You have to brush your teeth twice a day
FACT: Perhaps, unsurprisingly, this is a fact! You need to brush first thing in the morning and last thing before bed to remove plaque and bacteria, preventing decay and gum disease.
Bad teeth are inherited
FACT: Gum disease is partly genetic, but it can be affected by environmental factors such as smoking, diet and oral hygiene. If you don’t have gum disease in the family and you look after your teeth, you should be able to avoid it.
Yellow teeth are unhealthy
MYTH: Teeth come in all different sizes and colours, and this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re unhealthy. Having white teeth is trendy but yellow teeth can be just as healthy.
You can’t brush your teeth until 30 minutes after eating
FACT: This is a really important fact. You must allow time for your teeth to recover after you’ve eaten, especially if the food was something sugary. Brushing your teeth at this time can cause damage, so try rinsing with mouthwash or chew sugar-free gum after meals to bring the PH balance (the amount of acid) in your saliva down.
Diet drinks don’t damage your teeth
MYTH: Drinks marketed as ‘sugar-free’ can still damage your teeth. Fizzy drinks are all carbonated, which causes erosion, so stick with fizz-free.
Rinsing or swilling mouthwash after brushing is bad
FACT: After you’ve brushed your teeth, don’t rinse with anything. Let that lovely fluoride do its job!