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6 Common Dental Mistakes

The Huffington Post   Catherine Pearson   First Posted: 02/23/2012 6:47 am   Updated: 03/ 5/2012 11:30 am

Dental health is relatively simple, right? You brush, you floss, you repeat.

Well, yes and no.

While the general guidelines are indeed pretty simple, there actually are some subtleties involved in properly caring for your teeth and gums. And in some cases, the things you're doing in the name of pearly whites can actually do more harm than good, which is why we've rounded-up a list of six of the most common dental mistakes people make when caring for their smiles. Are there any you regularly make?

'Snapping' Your Floss
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So you're flossing, which is a good thing (according to the American Dental Association, you should be doing it daily), but how you floss matters, too.

As the American Dental Hygienists' Association reports (in big bold letters no less!), you should never snap the floss between your teeth. Instead, you should "gently guide" it between your chompers using a "zig-zag motion." Pulling the floss down too hard or too quickly could harm your delicate gums.



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Dental health is relatively simple, right? You brush, you floss, you repeat. Well, yes and no. While the general guidelines are indeed pretty simple, there actually are some subtleties involved ...
Dental health is relatively simple, right? You brush, you floss, you repeat. Well, yes and no. While the general guidelines are indeed pretty simple, there actually are some subtleties involved ...
 
 
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02:48 AM on 05/29/2012
Yes, it is must do flossing daily, But it matters depend on people, do flossing by their own convenient way. Dentist can also suggest proper way & guide you hoe it matters for health.
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Tanya OaksBrooks
Sarcastic, left-wing, science-loving rocker chick
02:47 AM on 03/06/2012
Rinsing well with antiseptic mouthwash can make a HUGE difference in dental health. It's not pleasant, but well worth it.
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psandysdad
The older you get, the more excuses you have.
03:12 PM on 03/05/2012
It's the age of dentures for me, so I can only offer one 'bit' of advice: don't eat nuts of any kind. Hurts like a (expletive) if a piece gets underneath.
Sweet Grace
it is what it is...
02:32 PM on 03/05/2012
I'd rather give birth to a baby then go to the dentist. But I do go...I just hate it. My dentist gives me Valium for my anxiety and it helps.
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jburner09
02:29 PM on 03/05/2012
I was 24 til i knew how to properly floss. The only reason i found out is because my wife is a dental assistant.
02:17 PM on 03/05/2012
I'm convinced that it's primarily late-middle-aged people (like me) who still harbor residual fear of dentists. The profession has made such huge advances that young people nowadays think nothing of it.
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jburner09
02:30 PM on 03/05/2012
The needles do not hurt at all, except for when you have to get a needle in the roof of your mouth. There is no numbing gel that will numb it, trust me. It will make you eyes water.
09:24 PM on 03/08/2012
I agree with you. Dentists in the past tortured people or at least the one I went to did.
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bill5557
01:43 PM on 03/05/2012
I will say this: Dentists really bug me. I have had various problems for years. However, since I started using a battery operated toothbrush I have been having excellent results at the Dentist.
01:02 PM on 03/05/2012
Tomorrow, flossing will be good for you. Junk science!
10:51 AM on 03/05/2012
If you Dentist doesn't wear gloves, don't go to him/her. Your dentist can prenumb you before giving the shot. it's only a pin prick then. He should inject you very slow. Most of the pain comes from the dentist being in to much of a hurry and inject to fast. If your dentist schedules new patient every 15 minutes and has 2-3 operatories, go to another dentist. Talk to the women that are dental workers, they know who the good and bad ones are. The number of bad dentists outnumber the good. my freind who became a Doctor said at Columbia they made the dental students sit in the back of the class as they were only there for the money, nuff said.
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bill5557
02:14 PM on 03/05/2012
Why else would they be there...to do favors for people?
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wiseuppeople
can I post on here or not ?
09:40 AM on 03/05/2012
My Grandma got a pair of dentures once and had to take them back ,because they had a dent in them
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wiseuppeople
can I post on here or not ?
09:38 AM on 03/05/2012
My Dad used to use arm and hammer baking soda to clean his teeth, , it gave him that apple pie smile. I knew a guy who tried to make his own baking soda. He set the oven for 375 drgrees and put in some Canada Dry Ginger Ale and let it bake for 20 minutes. Then when he opened the oven he opened his mouth and let the steam from the soda get his mouth damp so he could brush them. Then he bought the Brooklyn bridge
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wiseuppeople
can I post on here or not ?
09:31 AM on 03/05/2012
I always get a chuckle out of products that say ,"new and improved" What ?, were they bad to begin with ? Are they going to have to improve them again in another few months, because they are still not that good now ?
09:02 AM on 03/05/2012
Rather than brush my teeth right after eating, I rinse my mouth out with water to help prevent any damage from sugars and such.
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jburner09
02:33 PM on 03/05/2012
Thats thee best thing you can do, i do the same if i remember too.
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Tanya OaksBrooks
Sarcastic, left-wing, science-loving rocker chick
02:46 AM on 03/06/2012
Rinsing is one of the best things we can do, even between meals. A dry mouth is a great breeding ground for bacteria.
11:05 PM on 03/06/2012
Didn't know dry mouth breeds bacteria. Thanks for the info!
08:01 AM on 02/26/2012
Thanks for the basic advice, but if you want to take your dental health a step beyond then you should read the book the Teeth Whitening Cure: http://www.amazon.com/Teeth-Whitening-Cure-Lester-Sawicki/dp/0984370617/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327864872&sr=8-1
08:28 PM on 02/25/2012
Wht is it that dental is not considered as a part of health care?
11:36 AM on 03/05/2012
cause it is so damn expensive!
12:56 PM on 03/05/2012
Is that why people on welfare can get free dental care, but seniors on Medicare can't.
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bill5557
01:45 PM on 03/05/2012
It sure is...ridiculous!