Beware the evil tooth worm, who has rooted itself in the deep, dark cavities of your tooth. This bone-chilling, bloodcurdling monster is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet its presence will create considerable damage and cause you great pain. Once it gets under your gums, your teeth will never be the same again!”

Luckily, it’s not related to the tapeworm. In fact, tooth worms doesn’t exist at all. An urban legend of its time, “evil” tooth worms date back as far as 5000 BC, long before modern dentists were trained to diagnose and treat tooth pain.

THE LEGEND OF THE TOOTH WORM

Before anyone understood the reasons behind tooth decay, tooth worms were considered to be the cause. In ancient times, there was no scientific explanation for tooth ailments or the unsightly appearance that tooth decay left in its wake. Nor were there dental offices, dental schools or the standard oral hygiene practices that we have today. So without any way to rationalize how these “holes” were created in teeth, the legend of the tooth worm was born!

WE’VE COME A LONG WAY

Luckily, we live in an age where science has given us reasonable explanations for our ailments. We now know it is bacteria, not worms, that eat away at our tooth and cause tooth decay. And dental treatments have improved, too! Thanks to modern dentistry, dental cavities and other dental problems can be easily diagnosed and treated with little or no discomfort.

DOCTOR’S CONCLUSION

No one wants to experience a toothache! If you don’t want a visit from the tooth worm, practice excellent oral hygiene, and make sure to have regular dental visits.