Read more about the article Managing and Preventing Dental Emergencies

Managing and Preventing Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies happen all the time. Dentists deal with emergency dental care, like broken teeth, severely painful mouth injuries, lost dental crowns, etc. every day. In such emergency cases, there are some important things that you can do for immediate dental attention. When dental emergencies happen, a quick prevention and response from your end might make a big difference. During dental emergencies, it is obvious that the first person to call will be your family dentist.

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Read more about the article How to Find The Right Dentist For Your Family?

How to Find The Right Dentist For Your Family?

Trying to find the right dentist for you and your family is never an easy task; it becomes an overwhelming process to find the right kind of dentist for maintaining your oral health. It makes more sense and important to partner with a dentist who sticks with you and your family for the long-term, to ensure lifelong dental care. You can make the best decision for yourself based on the needs of your own and your family when you are looking out for the dentist that is suitable for your dental needs.

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Read more about the article How to Cope With Dental Anxiety?

How to Cope With Dental Anxiety?

Dental anxiety is one of the most common phobias that we come across. The phobia is so strong at times that people actually, completely avoid visiting a dentist, even if the problem amplifies. If the fear persists and one absolutely ignores their dental issues due to the anxiety, it really can turn out to be detrimental for your oral hygiene as it is also an incredibly important part of your health. Therefore, it becomes more than necessary to overcome your dental anxiety through certain psychological methods.

You can use the following tips to help cope with your dental phobia.

  • Talking to your family and friends

You can talk about your dental fear with your family and friends. Talking to them might help in bringing in some support and subsiding the fear for the good.

  • Have a word with your dentist

Who else will make you better understand about your problem and the stages to cure it! Talking to your dentist may help as he/she is the one going to be dealing with your oral care. He/she should understand the precise anxiousness and try to work with you to make you feel comfortable.

  • Relaxation techniques

It is very important to control your anxious emotions and bring yourself at ease. Use relaxation and breathing techniques, relax your body and mind by listening to music, having conversations with your dentist, or anything else that can relax and distract you from the anxiety.

If your dental anxiety is too severe and is deep rooted psychological phobia, then you have other potential ways to cope with it.

  • Counseling

You can go through counseling to mitigate your dental phobia. This will be helpful to you as it will try to detect the root cause of your phobia and the counselor will try to work along with you to make you calm and quell your fear.

  • Dental Support Groups

As, dental phobia is a very common type of phobia, you also have dental anxiety websites available. You have various websites, forums where you can discuss how to overcome your phobia and get support through groups or dentists.

Dental phobia shouldn’t be ignored. The practice of the few above mentioned techniques might bring some relief to your phobia. Contact our team at Expressions Dental Clinic in Calgary to discus options available to deal with your anxiety.

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Read more about the article Remedies for Teeth Sensitivity

Remedies for Teeth Sensitivity

Teeth sensitivity is a tingly feeling or a flash pinch of pain affecting either all teeth or one or more teeth. The pain associated with tooth sensitivity may occur constantly or intermittently. Intermittent tooth sensitivity can occur while ingesting hot or cold food or beverages, or when cold air hits the teeth.

Remedies

  • Desensitizing toothpaste – There are several brands of toothpaste for sensitive teeth available. Your dentist may recommend one or you may have to try different brands until you find the product that works for you. Be sure to use fluoridated toothpaste for sensitive teeth, not whitening toothpaste. Try spreading a thin layer of the desensitizing toothpaste on the exposed tooth roots before bed.
  • Use a soft-bristled toothbrush
  • Avoid highly acidic foods
  • Use a fluoridated mouthwash
  • Avoid teeth grinding

The Dental Visit

It is always best to see a dentist about sensitive teeth to determine the true nature of the sensitivity. During the consultation, your general dentist will ask you questions about the nature of sensitivity. Xrays and tests may be performed

Once it is determined that the cause does not require dental restorative treatment, your general dentist may apply an in-office desensitizer, which acts as protective coating designed to thwart any hypersensitivity.

The following are some dental procedures that may reduce tooth sensitivity:

  • Bonding, dental crowns or inlays – These may fix a tooth flaw or decay that is causing sensitivity.
  • Fluoride gel or varnish
  • Surgical gum graft – This will protect the root and reduce sensitivity if the gum tissue has eroded from the root.
  • Root canal Treatment – This is a last-resort treatment for severe tooth sensitivity that has not been helped by other methods.

So if you’ve been suffering with painful sensitivity that keeps you from eating the foods you love, make an appointment with your general dentist.

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Read more about the article Managing Burning Mouth Syndrome

Managing Burning Mouth Syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome, or BMS, is a chronic dental condition that is often described as a burning sensation felt on the tongue, cheeks, lips or entire mouth.

The most common symptom associated with burning mouth syndrome is severe burning. Generally, symptoms will begin in the morning and continue throughout the entire day, before reaching an elevated level of intensity in the evening.

Causes

BMS is often associated with an issue related to an individual’s sensory nerves or central nervous system. It could also be caused by an underlying medical condition, such as a nutritional deficiency or endocrine disorder, such as diabetes. Additionally, adverse reactions to some oral medications, food allergies and depression can cause the burning syndrome.

Psychological dysfunction

Personality and mood changes (especially anxiety and depression) have been consistently demonstrated in patients with BMS and have been used to suggest that the disorder is a psychogenic problem.

Treatment

The dental professional will generally prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, for people with secondary burning mouth syndrome, the underlying condition is generally treated first. This is done in hopes of relieving any affects the BMS has on the individual.

In case of psychological problem, behavioural techniques in the treatment of burning mouth syndrome may be used to bring improvement in pain-coping strategies than to a “cure” of the disorder.

In addition to visiting a dental health provider for treatment, there are a few things you can do on your own to help relieve symptoms, including chewing sugarless gum, sucking on ice chips and avoiding alcohol and tobacco products. Additionally, keeping water handy to sip on throughout the day, as well as being mindful of your intake of irritating substances, such as spicy foods or products high in acid, can also help ease the discomfort associated with this condition.

The other treatment options may include:

  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Oral supplementation
  • High fluid intake
  • Local desensitization

Because BMS is a chronic problem, non-pharmacologic approaches like stress management/reduction, meditation, yoga, exercise, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, regular counselling etc. may help to reduce symptoms and keep drug dosages low. With any therapy for BMS, it may take several weeks or even months before maximum benefits are achieved.

Ref: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/Topics/Burning/BurningMouthSyndrome.htm

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Read more about the article Habits That Can Wreck Your Teeth

Habits That Can Wreck Your Teeth

There are many common habits that wreck your teeth. Avoiding or limiting these unhealthy habits in the long run can save you on future dental and orthodontic care, and keep your smile healthy.

  • Chewing on ice – Chewing ice is a seemingly harmless, unconscious habit but can cause permanent damage to our teeth with small cracks. These cracks can grow larger over time and ultimately cause a tooth to fracture. Chewing ice can also chip teeth.
  • Playing sports with no mouth guard – Going out on the playing field without something to protect your teeth is dangerous. Your teeth are vulnerable to being knocked out or damaged from high impact sports such as basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. A sports mouth guard helps cushion hard blows to the teeth and jaw.
  • Bed time bottles for babies – Bottles of milk at bedtime increase the risk of early dental decay in your baby’s mouth. Prolonged exposure of the sugar in milk works with mouth bacteria to break down tooth enamel and results in decay.
  • Teeth grinding – It puts pressure on teeth, jaw muscles, and the jaw joint and can cause pain. Wearing a custom-made mouth guard at night may help prevent damage and reduce pressure on teeth and surrounding structures. Other methods such as biofeedback and relaxation techniques might help.
  • Opening stuff with teeth – Teeth are meant for eating, speaking properly, and smiling. Anything else can be unhealthy and this most certainly includes using them as tools. Despite the convenience, opening potato chip bags, bobby pins, or even bottle caps with teeth can cause teeth to chip or fracture.
  • Constant snacking – Constant snacking throughout the day means food debris and plaque sit on your teeth for a prolonged amount of time. Also, consider snacking on cleansing-type foods such as apples, carrots, and celery that minimize plaque build-up.
  • Chewing on pencils – These things put pressures on teeth can cause teeth to chip or fracture. Chewing sugarless gum can be one way to prevent damage and it also stimulates saliva production and helps to cleanse our teeth in the process.
  • Smoking – Tobacco use dries out the mouth and increases the amount of plaque build-up around our teeth. Smokers are more likely to lose teeth compared to non-smokers due to gum disease. Additionally, tobacco use is a big risk factor for oral cancer.
  • Nail biting – In addition to endangering your health by introducing germs and viruses, nail biting can cause your teeth to move out of place and can cause the splintering of tooth enamel.
  • Improper brushing – Some people brush too vigorously. This can lead to worn down enamel and gum irritation. It is better to brush deliberately and gently, with a soft-bristle brush.
  • Drinking red/white wine – The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining. Swishing with water after drinking can fight the staining effects of red and white wines.

It’s also important to brush twice a day for two minutes, floss once a day and visit your general dentist regularly.

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Read more about the article Beyond Teeth: What’s Inside Your Mouth?

Beyond Teeth: What’s Inside Your Mouth?

The mouth, or oral cavity, is made up of numerous components that work together so that you can breathe, speak, eat and digest food. Following are the parts of your mouth:

  • Upper and lower lips and cheeks – Lips let air into your mouth for breathing and, together with cheeks, help you speak. They also keep food and saliva in your mouth while chewing.
  • Hard palate – Located at the front of the roof of the mouth
  • Soft palate – In the back of the roof of the mouth
  • Gums and Tongue
  • The uvula – The soft tissues that hangs from the soft palate
  • Tonsils – The balls of tissue on each side of the throat
  • Retromolar trigone – The connective tissues that join the upper and lower jaws
  • Underside of the tongue and the floor of the mouth
  • Oral mucosa – The mucus lining that coats and protects the inside of the mouth
  • Salivary glands – Organs that produce an enzyme that helps break down food and protects the mouth
  • Frenulum linguae – The flap that connects the tongue and the floor of the mouth
  • Teeth – The different kinds of teeth are incisors, canines, molars, premolars and wisdom teeth.

Keeping your mouth healthy

The moment you know your mouth well enough you will be in a better position to understand the way it works and take better care of it. The oral cavity needs special care and attention.

An oral hygiene routine that keeps all parts of the mouth healthy consists in brushing your teeth twice a day, using fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth with dental floss. To keep those taste buds sharp, brush your tongue regularly as well.

It’s important to schedule regular dental appointments and professional cleanings, which remove the tartar and plaque your toothbrush can’t reach.

Although having a pretty smile is important to a lot of people, a healthy mouth is much more important. Keeping all the parts of your mouth in good working order won’t just ensure good dental health, but a healthy body too.

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Read more about the article Relationship between Oral Health and General Health

Relationship between Oral Health and General Health

Oral health is essential to general health and well-being at every stage of life. Oral conditions have an impact on overall health and disease. Bacteria from the mouth can cause infection in other parts of the body when the immune system has been compromised by disease or medical treatments.

Diabetes
Researchers have found a link a between type 2 diabetes and periodontitis, or gum disease. One reason could be that when infections in your mouth get bad enough, they can lead to low-grade inflammation throughout your body, which in turn lowers your sugar-processing abilities.

Ref: American Diabetes Association, Diabetic Forecast Mar 2016

Heart Disease
As with diabetes, the connection between poor oral health and cardiovascular conditions has been recognized – the two are often found together. Small amounts of bacteria enter your bloodstream while you’re chewing. “Bad” bacteria from an infected mouth may lodge itself inside blood vessels, ultimately causing dangerous blockages.

Ref: American Heart Association: “Dental Health and Heart Health”.

Pregnancy complications
For many pregnant women, gum infections stem from the fluctuating hormone levels that come with pregnancy. Scientists believe that gum disease or inflammation in the mouth possibly triggers an increase in a chemical compound called prostaglandin, which induces early labour. Research has also found a relationship between periodontal disease and low birth weight.

Ref: Saini R, Saini S, Saini S. Periodontitis: A Risk for delivery of premature labor and low birth weight infants; J Nat Sci Biol Med 2010 July-Dec;1(1):40-42.

Pneumonia
A study of elderly participants found that the number who developed pneumonia was higher in patients with periodontal infection than in those free from it. Even in a healthy mouth there are lots of bacteria, but bacteria in a not-healthy mouth can get aspirated into the lungs, causing pneumonia or aggravating COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. An improvement in oral health can lead to a reduction in respiratory infection.

Ref: J Can Den Assoc 2002; 68(6):340-5

Osteoporosis
Researchers have suggested that a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw. Studies suggest that osteoporosis may lead to tooth loss because the density of the bone that supports the teeth may be decreased, which means the teeth no longer have a solid foundation. Ref: Dentistryiq.com
Therefore, oral health can no longer be ignored in designing overall national health strategies. It is essential to protect natural teeth from decay and periodontal disease, and focus on early detection and prevention of these conditions.

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Read more about the article Energy and Sports Drinks Damage Teeth
Teenagers (14-16) resting with drinks after football game

Energy and Sports Drinks Damage Teeth

There is an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents. It is causing irreversible damage to teeth – specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth. Young athletes consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels. Most of them are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.

Damage caused to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities, and more likely to decay.

Sports drinks were made to keep your body hydrated and energized during intense exercise. While they may be beneficial during a good workout, these drinks should never take the place of water and should not be consumed casually or on a daily basis.

Tips to protect your teeth if you drink energy/sports drink:

  • Don’t make it a daily habit. Drink sports drinks only during high intensity workouts, not on a regular basis, and minimize the amount of energy drinks you consume.
  • Drink it all at once instead of sipping throughout the day.
  • Chew sugar-free gum or rinse the mouth with water following consumption of the drinks. Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal.
  • Wait at least an hour to brush your teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks. Otherwise, you will be increasing the erosive action.

If you have more questions about sports or energy drinks, call us or visit us. We’re happy to hear from our patients.

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