Although we have become cogently modernized in the past few years, yet there are certain beliefs which cling to us strong, irrespective of whether they are scientifically proven or not. Today, I will be sharing with you few of those very common myths about children’s teeth. These ideas have been implanted so well, that I still hear them from some parents of my little patients.
Why there are myths about children’s teeth?
Before science, people relied on hearsay, rumors, and folklore to help explain anything to the world. Myths fostered a sense of community, created unity of purpose and taught lessons. There is no wonder there were even myths about children’s teeth.
As improving knowledge and technology has rendered dental care more useful, predictable and comfortable, much of the traditional folklore has fallen away. Yet it has not disappeared altogether.
The old myths about children’s teeth have not been replaced by science very much. Rather they are substituted by new myths generated through advertising, popular periodicals and the news or through urban legends circulating by word of mouth.
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Folklore about your little one’s teeth
Here goes the list of some popular myths about children’s teeth.
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A diastema(gap between a person’s two upper front teeth) foreshadowed a talent for singing.
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Broad teeth promised bravery.
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Large teeth meant long life.
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Small teeth were deemed as a sign of honesty, while pointed teeth were looked as a sign of dishonesty.
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Crowded teeth, on the other hand, augured a long life at home with mother.
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While spaces in a person’s teeth today may just mean braces in order, they were once seen as indications of the owner’s destiny to travel.
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Ancient folk prescriptions for toothache included garlic, olive oil and honey.
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Modern myths such as the persistent notion that a baby’s early teething predicts a new pregnancy for its mother (“soon teeth, soon toes”), seem harmless enough.
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The tooth fairy, for instance, helps children cope with those gap–toothed smiles.
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Braces are just for children. It’s normal for gums to bleed.
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Root canals generate infections in other parts of the body.
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A hard toothbrush cleans best.
So these are the top 12 myths about children’s teeth that still some of you believe. It’s high time you should set aside those folklore and consult with your little one’s dentist to establish a good oral hygiene in your kid.
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Image credits : Josh Liba via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND