Comming from a diffrent place, I actually was taught to keep my strings adjusted high above the fretboard so i could bend under them. I makes the bent sting less likely to buzz up against the adjoining strings next to it. I now also mute the adjointing strings with another fretting hand finger or the heel of my strumming hand palm. But I still use that approach to bending.
I must admit that I don't play much accoustic guitar any more. My old fingers complain too much when I do so.
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