Dental Hygiene

Read more about the article Tips for Healthy Mouth

Tips for Healthy Mouth

Taking care of your health and your mouth one of the most important things to do keep your smile healthy. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and having regular check-ups with a dentist can help keep your teeth healthy. Also, don’t forget to floss daily.

Following simple tips may help you save your valuable time, money and energy from combating dental problems.

  • Maintain healthy diet – What you eat and drink can cause tooth decay, so a healthy diet is important for your teeth. A healthy, balanced diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta (choose wholegrain versions and eat potatoes with their skin where possible). You should also eat sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or other non-dairy sources of protein, and some milk and dairy foods (ideally lower fat options).
  • Reduce sugar from your diet – Limiting the amount of sugar you eat and drink is important to prevent tooth decay. A lot of the sugars we eat and drink are in food and drinks such as sweets, chocolates, sugary drinks, juices, syrups etc. When fruit is juiced or blended, as in smoothies, the sugars are released from the structure of the fruit. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth, especially if you drink fruit juice frequently.
  • Quit smoking – Smoking can stain your teeth yellow, cause bad breath, and increases your risk of gum disease, breathing problems, lung cancer and mouth cancer. Giving up smoking is important if you want to look and feel better.
  • Limit alcohol consumption – Alcohol misuse has been linked to an increased risk of developing mouth cancer. The most important risk factors for mouth cancers are the combined effect of smoking and drinking alcohol. (ref: oracancerfoundation.org)
  • Eat right – Some other substances such as wine, tea or coffee can stain your teeth. Keep them to a minimum to stop your teeth becoming stained.
  • Use mouthwash – Using a good mouthwash will not only keep your breath fresh, it can help keep harmful bacteria away.
  • Drink lots of water
  • Rinse your mouth after every meal.

Take care of your teeth and gums with proper daily routine of brushing and flossing.  If your diet has impacted your oral health with severe tooth decay or tooth loss, call us at Expressions Dental to know your treatment options.

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Read more about the article Oral Prophylaxis

Oral Prophylaxis

Our Dental hygienist Mel, explains oral prophylaxis cleaning of the teeth, including removal of plaque, materia alba, calculus, and extrinsic stains; done as a preventive measure for control of gingivitis.

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Read more about the article Does Diabetes Affect Oral Health?

Does Diabetes Affect Oral Health?

Diabetes and Oral Hygiene:

When you have diabetes, high blood sugar can take a toll on your entire body — including your teeth and gums. Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar level is key. The higher your blood sugar level, the higher your risk of following dental problems:

  • Tooth decay (cavities) – Your mouth naturally contains many types of bacteria. When starches and sugars in food and beverages interact with these bacteria, a sticky film known as plaque forms on your teeth. The acids in plaque attack the surfaces of your teeth (enamel and dentin). This can lead to cavities. The higher your blood sugar level, the greater the supply of sugars and starches and the more acid wearing away at your teeth.
  • Gum disease – Diabetes reduces your ability to fight bacteria. If you don’t remove plaque with regular brushing and flossing, it will harden under your gum line into a substance called tartar. The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more they irritate the part of your gums around the base of your teeth. In time, your gums become swollen and bleed easily. This is gingivitis.
  • Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) – Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious infection called periodontitis, which destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. Eventually, periodontitis causes your gums and jawbone to pull away from your teeth, which in turn causes your teeth to loosen and possibly fall out. Periodontitis tends to be more severe among people who have diabetes because diabetes lowers the ability to resist infection and slows healing. An infection such as periodontitis may also cause your blood sugar level to rise, which in turn makes your diabetes more difficult to control. Preventing and treating periodontitis can help improve blood sugar control.

To help prevent damage to your teeth and gums, take diabetes and dental care seriously:

  • Make a commitment to manage your diabetes.
  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
  • Floss your teeth at least once a day.
  • Schedule regular dental visits.
  • Make sure your dentist knows you have diabetes.
  • Look for early signs of gum disease.
  • Don’t smoke.

Ref: American Diabetes Association, Diabetic Forecast Mar 2016

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Read more about the article Bad Habits That Destroy Smile

Bad Habits That Destroy Smile

Maintenance of your teeth is a lifelong process. And if you add some bad habits into this equation, it can make the whole process even more difficult. You should eliminate the following habits from your life if you want to maintain a healthy smile.

  • Consumption of soda – Too much consumption of soda leaves a constant coating of sugar and acids on your teeth throughout the day. This then slowly build up over time and starts eating away at your teeth. Regardless of whether it is regular or diet soda, it is best to stay away from these fizzy drinks if you want to prevent cavities.
  • Chewing ice – Chewing ice is considered to be one of the biggest causes of chipped or cracked teeth in people.
  • Teeth grinding – Teeth grinding will eventually wear down your teeth. If you have the habit of grinding your teeth at night, try putting on a mouth guard and then going to sleep.
  • Hard candy – These sugary substances tend to coat your teeth. It then combines with the plaque to form an acid which then slowly eats away your teeth.
  • Not flossing – Not flossing your teeth is also considered to be a bad oral habit. Daily flossing helps to clear the plaque in between your teeth which can then prevent gum diseases.
  • Sports drinks – Sports drinks tend to have as much sugar as sodas. So even if the advertising says they are healthy, they are actually not. So just like sodas, try to limit your consumption of sports drinks.
  • Opening things with your teeth – If you open things like bottle caps with your teeth, they will eventually lead to your teeth being chipped or cracked.
  • Brushing too soon after eating – Brushing your teeth too soon after eating or drinking beverages such as soda or wine, can cause damage, because you are essentially rubbing softened enamel away. Instead, you should rinse your mouth with water after consuming acidic beverages and then brush after 30 minutes.
  • Failure to replace toothbrush in time – Older toothbrushes lose the majority of their effectiveness, and tend to harbor infectious bacterial growth over time. It’s recommended that toothbrushes be replaced at every 3 months. It’s also important to dispose and replace your toothbrush after any sickness or cold.
  • Use of hard-bristled toothbrush – A stiff or hard-bristled toothbrush may cause damage to your gums, especially when paired with aggressive brushing habits.

Get in touch with a dental hygienist to know more about dental care.

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Read more about the article Diabetes and Periodontitis

Diabetes and Periodontitis

Diabetes and Oral Hygiene

When you have diabetes, high blood sugar can take a toll on your entire body — including your teeth and gums. Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar level is key. The higher your blood sugar level, the higher your risk of following dental problems:

  • Tooth decay (cavities) – Your mouth naturally contains many types of bacteria. When starches and sugars in food and beverages interact with these bacteria, a sticky film known as plaque forms on your teeth. The acids in plaque attack the surfaces of your teeth (enamel and dentin). This can lead to cavities. The higher your blood sugar level, the greater the supply of sugars and starches and the more acid wearing away at your teeth.
  • Gum disease – Diabetes reduces your ability to fight bacteria. If you don’t remove plaque with regular brushing and flossing, it will harden under your gum line into a substance called tartar. The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more they irritate the part of your gums around the base of your teeth. In time, your gums become swollen and bleed easily. This is gingivitis.
  • Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) – Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious infection called periodontitis, which destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. Eventually, periodontitis causes your gums and jawbone to pull away from your teeth, which in turn causes your teeth to loosen and possibly fall out. Periodontitis tends to be more severe among people who have diabetes because diabetes lowers the ability to resist infection and slows healing. An infection such as periodontitis may also cause your blood sugar level to rise, which in turn makes your diabetes more difficult to control. Preventing and treating periodontitis can help improve blood sugar control.

To help prevent damage to your teeth and gums, take diabetes and dental care seriously:

  • Make a commitment to manage your diabetes.
  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
  • Floss your teeth at least once a day.
  • Schedule regular dental visits.
  • Make sure your dentist knows you have diabetes.
  • Look for early signs of gum disease.
  • Don’t smoke.

Ref: American Diabetes Association, Diabetic Forecast Mar 2016

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http://www.expressionsdental.ca
Call: +1 (403) 252 7733

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Read more about the article Bad Breath Causes, Treatment

Bad Breath Causes, Treatment

Our Dental hygienist Mel, explains bad breath causes and treatments.

Bad breath is a common condition caused by sulphur-producing bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and in the throat. Its treatment will depend on the underlying cause. Smoking, dry mouth, dental infections and nasal or sinus infections can cause bad breath. Good oral hygiene, including brushing flossing and tongue cleaning, is important. Other treatments may include mouthwashes, nasal spray or antibiotics.
Oral malodor (bad breath) can be divided into two distinctive catego­ries—transitory and chronic. Transitory refers to food-related malodor that can last as long as 72 hours. Virtually everyone suffers from this condition at one time or another. The second category, chronic, is generally related to oral or general medical problems.

There is no one treatment for bad breath. The treatment will depend on what is causing the problem. Avoiding dehydration and good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing, are important. Some mouthwashes, lozenges and toothpastes can assist in fighting bad breath.

Gentle but effective tongue cleaning may also be required. A variety of tongue brushes and scrapers have been produced in recent years. The tongue should be brushed in a gentle but thorough manner, from the back towards the front of the tongue, keeping in mind that the hardest to reach back portion smells the worst.

Just as important to oral health and fresh breath is oral health care delivered by a qualified professional. Regular oral health care appointments, which include teeth cleaning above and below the gum line is essential to maintaining good oral health and fresh breath, so visit your dental hygienist every six months, or as often as recommended.
For more information about proper oral health care, as well as brushing and flossing instructions, please talk to your dental hygienist.

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Emergency Dental Care in Calgary NW
http://www.expressionsdental.ca
Call: +1 (403) 252 7733

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Read more about the article Tips to Prevent Tartar Buildup

Tips to Prevent Tartar Buildup

Tartar, sometimes called calculus, is plaque that has hardened on your teeth. Tartar can also form at and underneath the gum line and can irritate gum tissues. Bad oral hygiene habits cause dental plaque to build up and dental tartar to eventually collect above your gum line, which provides more sticky surfaces for dental plaque to grow on that again collect dental tartar. It’s a vicious cycle. This leads to more serious conditions, such as cavities and gum disease.

Tips to Prevent Tartar Buildup:

  • Having your teeth cleaned professionally every 6 months, or more frequently as recommended by your dentist or hygienist
  • Proper brushing and flossing are necessary to reduce plaque and tartar buildup.
  • Preventive debridement or dental scaling atleast twice a year is recommended if your teeth tend to accumulate tartar.
  • Using tartar control toothpastes
  • Using non-alcoholic anti-bacterial mouthwashes
  • Munching fruits and vegetables like apples, carrot or celery sticks is recommended. They help remove food particles, plaque or tartar on your teeth.
  • Avoid smoking.
  • Drink sufficient amount of water after each meal to wash out any food particles in the mouth.

Once tartar has formed, only your dentist or hygienist can remove it. The process for removing tartar is called scaling. During a scaling, the dentist or hygienist uses special instruments to remove tartar from your teeth above and below the gum line.

If you have been affected by tartar, Visit Expressions Dental Clinic in Calgary and seek dental help.

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