Stories handed down vocally were powerful history records in ancient times. Even medicinal plant knowledge was held secret and told by the traditional healers to those specifically chosen to become healers. No wonder such oral reports are respected and believed as the be all and end all for continuation of life as it was known. After all, humans did prevail and are here to tell the tale. In some instances, these stories or myths can bar the uneducated/illiterate person from preventive care or reduction of harmful substance abuse. Dentistry has no lack of myths and beliefs shared with them by their patients. But there is a scarcity of rigorous studies in this field, possible due to the fact that the nidus for such resides in rural, under developed countries. Although not a comprehensive study of available articles, this paper attempts to present some of the myths unearthed from the literature. Much work remains to be accomplished to support the practice of prevention of diseases rather than the more costly treatment of disease in the large populations of developing countries.

Non-surgical periodontal therapy remains the gold standard for resolution of dental plaque biofilm induced oral disease. This therapy involves patient oral home care on a daily basis for success. In incidents of NSPT failure, more than just patient compliance should be considered. Periodontal disease is a multi-factorial disease and needs to be considered in multi-modal therapeutic regimens. Practitioner's deliberations around failures after NSPT ought to evaluate the very nature of disease, the biology inherent in tooth to gum interactions, and the rather limited means of addressing such factors.

This case study paper is written to raise awareness of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the right knee following periodontal debridement. The author understands that antibiotic prophylaxis for patients after the two-year post-operative milestone has been a topic of debate for over three decades. However, it is not like winning a lottery when a patient is in the small 2% of the knee prosthetic surgical population which develops a PJI. When prophylactic antibiotics and resistance to them are compared to the actual incidence of the PJI itself, costs cannot be restricted to the healthcare system, the source of income, and lack of mobility during recuperation, but should consider the patient’s quality of life and the state of mind during recuperation.