PULL QUOTE: ‘It is true that you may fool all people some of the time; you can even fool some people all of the time; but you cannot fool all of the people all the time’ 

— Abraham Lincoln

HAVE you been fooled lately? Take the following quiz, and find out how much you believe in advertising.

Respond whether the statements are True or False:

1. Chewing gum will help clean your teeth. _____
2. Eating apples, or any other food, will remove plaque from your teeth _____
3. Mouthwash freshens your breath, but you may be harmful to your teeth. _____
4. Mouthwash and toothpaste treat symptoms of gum disease. _____
5. Mouth odors can be cured by over-the-counter mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, and breath mints. _____
6. Water is the most important mouthwash. _____
7. You must load your toothbrush with as much toothpaste as the beautiful people in the television commercial use. _____
8. Baking soda is an effective tool in keeping your teeth healthy. _____
9. Television commercials for toothbrushes that claim they can eliminate tartar and gum disease are deceitful. _____
10. Toothbrushes that are shaped differently from the classic straight toothbrush are just as effective, if used properly. _____
11. Hard and medium bristle toothbrushes are effective as soft bristle toothbrushes. _____
12. Electric toothbrushes are superior to conventional toothbrushes. _____
13. The natural color of all teeth is white. _____
14. Tooth whiteners will not damage the enamel on your teeth. _____
15. The only active ingredient in toothpaste is fluoride. _____
16. Brushing your teeth in the morning freshens your breath and reduces cavities and gum disease. _____

If you answered ‘False’ to numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16, and ‘True’ to the others, you are incredibly brilliant, and probably won’t be cheated by advertising in the future, unless they get better at it. If you missed an answer, you need to become less trusting, and ask more questions.

The following is the truth about the statements above:
1. False. Chewing gum does not clean your teeth.
2. False. There is no food you can eat that will clean your teeth.
3. True. High alcohol levels in some mouthwashes can be detrimental to the enamel on your teeth. Constant use of any mouthwash can upset the normal balance of bacteria and chemicals in your mouth.
4. False. Mouthwash and toothpaste do not treat any symptoms of gum disease.
5. False. Mouth odors cannot always be cured by over-the-counter mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, or breath mints. Some mouth odors are caused by poor oral conditions. Bad breath can be a sign that something is wrong with your oral health. Diligent dental care, periodontal therapy, and educated home care are the best ways to protect your oral health.
6. True. Water is the most important mouthwash. Rinse after every brushing and after every snack, if possible, to help rid your mouth of food debris.
7. False. You don’t have to cover the length of your toothbrush with toothpaste. You only need a dot of toothpaste to do the job.
8. False. Baking soda can be abrasive and ruin the enamel of your teeth.
9. True. Television commercials for toothbrushes that claim they can help eliminate tartar and gum disease are deceitful. It is not the toothbrush that makes a difference in our oral health. Any combination of toothbrush and toothpaste will eliminate tartar at and under the gum line if they are used properly.
10. True. Toothbrushes are shaped differently from the classic straight toothbrush are just as effective if used properly.
11. False. Hard and medium bristle toothbrushes are abrasive, can leave indentations on your teeth, can cause tooth sensitivity, and may cause your gums to recede. Dental professionals recommend soft bristle toothbrushes.
12. False. Electric toothbrushes are not superior to conventional toothbrushes. Any toothbrush can be effective if it is used properly.
13. False. The natural color of all teeth is not white (unless you live in Hollywood). Toothpaste that claims to whiten teeth does not contain enough hydrogen peroxide to have an effect on the color of your teeth. Whitening toothpastes can be abrasive and cause your teeth to become sensitive.
14. False. Some tooth whiteners can damage the enamel on your teeth.
15. True. The only active ingredient in toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride in drinking water has helped control cavities in the general population.
16. False. Brushing your teeth in the morning freshens your breath, but will not reduce cavities or gum disease. Brushing and flossing after meals and snacks rids your mouth of food residue, reduces plaque, and increases oral health.
We have been bombarded with advertising since the first ornament was bartered for, and the selling trade has flourished ever since. Call it advertising, marketing, media hype, promotion, publicity, or the dissemination of information, many advertisements are myths, and work against the public so big businesses can sell the most expensive prescription drugs, cigarettes, mouthwash, toothpaste, dental tools, and a myriad of other products.
If it’s bigger, better, brighter, in a different colour, and sold by someone attractive, we think we need it. Is it any wonder the worldwide public audience has been inculcated to believe everything it reads in print, or hears and sees on radio or television? In this way, we, the public, have become gullible, susceptible, and exploited by branding, packaging, psychological lures, and trademarks. I humbly advise that you visit, call or e-mail me (Bertrand_stuart@yahoo.com) for any doubts you may have in relation to oral health.