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Time sure flies by. Kids have been back in school for a while now, the cool weather has brought us our first snowfall, and at the end of the upcoming week, most will celebrate Thanksgiving by gathering and feasting with family and friends.
Thanksgiving traditionally celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year. In Canada, it has been recognized as a National public holiday since November 6th, 1879. It originally started through a formal ceremony, which was held by Martin Frobisher, who was the English explorer who discovered the land that later became known as Canada. He was giving thanks for surviving the long journey. Turkeys, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and various displays of food are used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day. Over the years, other traditions have emerged that relate to everyone’s personal experiences but the main theme is to gather with loved ones to share the past year’s memories, both good and bad. As with most events involving family and friends, the traditions evolve and get past down from generation to generation, blended and nurtured as different cultural backgrounds come together. The joy of children learning the various traditions and making them their own in their own environment makes for a stronger bond across the range of ages, both young to old, and old to young. An example of a fond memory for me, is when my son, who is attending University, brought home all of his plastic storage containers, then raided the fridge for all of the Thanksgiving leftovers to take back to school with him. All of his favorites, including the gravy (made from a secret family recipe) were gone in an instant. The pumpkin pie never had a chance! At Braeside Dental, the sense of family is a relevant theme that enables our staff to provide dental care with a special purpose in mind. We want you to feel that your family will be part of our family the minute you walk in the door. Every visit is a step and part of our commitment to each of you in achieving your optimal dental health goals. Our mission statement reads as follows: To strive for excellence while treating our diverse community with compassion, fairness and dignity. Our friendly team is dedicated in fostering lasting relationships in a trustworthy atmosphere. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to say that we are very thankful that you have chosen us and trust us to provide you and your loved ones with your dental care. As always, be kind. -Jody Braeside Dental Centre
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It’s that time of year again, when the most common topic of conversation is the dreaded forthcoming snow. I have yet to fully understand this hatred for snow, however. Yes, it’s a pain to drive in and makes traffic horrendous some days, but what about all the other amazing things it brings with it?
The sun sparkling off of the snow like diamonds and the trees made into ghosts by the snow are such a wonderful sites that everyone should have the pleasure of seeing. We as Calgarians are so spoiled to live close and have such easy access to so many beautiful places that allow us to fully enjoy what winter has to offer. Why not love winter? There is so much to do once it snows. Just to list a few, there is: skiing downhill and cross-country, snowboarding, snowshoeing, tobogganing , snowmobiling, skating, ice fishing and curling. Then there is always the comfy, cozy feeling of warming up by the fire place with a nice warm cup of tea and big blanket. So, get out there and give winter a chance! Invest in some good quality layers and outerwear and GO EXPLORE. We are all stuck living in a winter wonderland for 6 + months of the year, why not learn to love it. I look forward to hearing about your winter adventures at your next hygiene appointment. -Tiffany Braeside Dental Centre We all have important reasons for caring for our teeth. Displaying confidence at work, sharing a laugh with friends, enjoying a delicious meal, or the simple act of speaking are enhanced by a healthy mouth. As there are many reasons for taking care of our teeth, there are also many barriers to getting the care we want. Fear, time, cost, confusion around making your best choice, and lack of trust are some of the most common causes that we hear. At Braeside Dental Centre, we are committed to helping you remove the barriers between you and the healthy smile you desire.
We can help you come up with a plan to have the treatment you want done and only the treatment you want done. We try to use easy to understand language and to let you know what to expect if you choose to do treatment or, alternatively, to do nothing. That way, you can be confident that you are making the right choice for you. We respect that you need to know how much treatment is going to cost. We understand that these goals may change over time and “not now” doesn’t always mean not ever. We will work with you to keep your options open, rather than limiting them wherever possible. Our team wants you to know how your dental insurance can help you. We also know that the insurance purchased for you by your employer, may not always match your unique needs. We can help you with that. We have found that one of the best ways to alleviate fear is by building trust. Trust is about care and commitment over time; Building relationships take time. By listening to you and understanding the experiences behind fear, we learn how best to support you -this may be bringing a friend in the room, watching T.V., listening to music, or using one of our many sedation options. Tell us what you need in order to feel safe and secure, as all experiences are valid and held with respect. Dr. Jost Braeside Dental Centre What exactly is a leader? Is a leader someone that can instinctually provide the needs of safety, approval, belonging, control and certainty to people around them? What are the attributes of a successful leader? Are they able to be a calming influence in an anxious environment? How can a leader become more influential in their environment? What is it about a leader that allows others to be influenced by them? I have often asked myself, in this world of unpredictability, uncertainty, and lack of clarity, how we can not only generate more leaders that can positively influence others, but develop the essential characteristics of leadership in ourselves, as leaders are the building blocks of society, guiding families, friends, and their community. While it is impossible to reduce the accolade of “leader” to one distinct set of specific attributes, it is my belief that a quality leader is one that has clarity of vision, has conviction in such vision, and has the ability to make that vision resonate with others.
Recently, I have been reading: Resilient Leadership by Bob Duggan and Bridgette Theurer, as it is my intent to work on my own leadership skills and style. In this book, certain attributes of resilient leaders are brought to the table. The authors indicate that a leader has the ability to do all that I have mentioned and more: They are able to observe the emotional systems of reactivity and anxiety while having a calming influence, care for themselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and sustain leadership efforts over time. Leaders, as described in the text, are able to reduce the chronic and acute anxiety of the people they are interacting with by diminishing their own reactive behaviors. Essentially, they stop and reflect prior to acting. Effective leaders are able to step back and observe how they are interacting and influencing those around them (with relatively objective extro- and introspective perception). They are also able to find the fine balance between over-functioning and under-functioning. I believe that we are all leaders in our own sphere of influence, whether we are parents, coaches, teachers, entrepreneurs, colleagues, managers or professionals. As I continue to learn how to better my own leadership ability, I would like to wish you all great success in being that leader for your own families, friends, and community. -Dr. Goel Braeside Dental Centre When it comes to kick-starting the day, many of us rely on a cup of joe. But what does it do to our teeth? Coffee lovers take note -Your morning routine might be affecting your dental health. This rule of thumb is unfortunately true about coffee: If it can stain your clothes, it can stain your teeth. Coffee contains ingredients called tannins. Tannins are a type of polyphenol that break down in water, and they are also found in beverages like wine or tea. Tannins cause color compounds to more readily stick to your teeth. When these compounds stick, they can leave an unwanted yellow hue behind.
It only takes one cup of coffee a day to cause stained teeth. So how can you avoid tooth discoloration without giving up your favorite morning drink? Start by avoiding creamer and sugar, dentists say, as these only speed up the growth of discoloring bacteria. Drink your coffee in one sitting to prevent bacteria build up throughout the day. Lastly, after you’re finished with your morning mug, brush your teeth. Getting Rid of Stains. If you’re a coffee lover, there’s no need to panic. Your dentist can usually get rid of coffee stains during your (periodontal therapy) cleaning. Coffee’s Other Pitfalls Like any drink that isn’t water, coffee helps the bacteria in your mouth create acids that can lead to tooth and enamel erosion. This can cause your teeth to become thin and brittle. Coffee can also cause bad breath, or halitosis, because it sticks to the tongue. To avoid these coffee problems, eat food before you drink coffee and use a tongue scraper and toothbrush after you finish drinking. You can still drink coffee and maintain a white, healthy smile. To enjoy coffee and avoid oral damage, drink in moderation. Dentists suggest no more than two cups a day, plus regular brushing and visits to Braeside Dental. -Bonnie Braeside Dental Centre Summer is undoubtedly the best season in the world. You’ve had three beautiful months of warm weather, sun and perhaps a bit of beach time. Everyone has their own way of celebrating summer. But you didn’t think this could last forever, did you? Those delicious summer days where you could wake up whenever you wanted on your vacation days, see your friends back home, and maybe, do absolutely nothing at all. But considering it’s nearly the end of August, no matter what your preference, summer is quickly coming to an end – whether you like it or not.
We all know summer is a great season. But here are some reasons you should be happy summer is almost over:
Remember to have fun in the last few weeks of summer, but don’t be sad that summer is almost over! Now is the time to break out the oversize sweatshirts, enjoy pumpkin spice-EVERYTHING, and bask in a world exploding with colour –the leaves only stay a beautiful red, orange, yellow, and green for so long… Jennifer Braeside Dental Centre As summer comes to an end, I have found myself having many conversations with my young adult patients about their school plans for the fall. I always find it interesting to hear about the career paths they are exploring. Personally, I can remember my own post-secondary journey and the many options that I encountered. As many people have asked me over the years about whether I would recommend a career in dentistry, it got me thinking that maybe some of you could also be wondering if becoming a dental professional would be right for you. If that applies to you, I thought it might be beneficial to know what the different professions are that make up the clinical team and the many benefits of a career in Dentistry. I have had the opportunity to work as both an assistant and a hygienist during my dental career, and I can tell you that both are rewarding positions if a career in health care is of interest to you.
Depending on the amount of schooling you want to undertake and the type of work you find most interesting, you may find becoming a Dental Assistant, a Dental Hygienist or a Dentist a rewarding career choice. Where the confusion can sometimes lie, is knowing the difference between a Hygienist and an Assistant. When considering a career in either of these two professions, it is valuable to know what the roles and responsibilities of each are. Both professions are great if you enjoy working in a team atmosphere, enjoy a health focused profession, like working closely with people, and enjoy continual learning. Here is a brief overview: Dental Assisting:
Dental Hygienist:
I would recommend either of these two professions. Overall, I think dentistry is an excellent choice. There are many different options for schooling and lots of job opportunities. Here are a few benefits of working in the Dental field: Benefits of a Career in Dentistry:
I hope that this helps answer some questions (if you have been considering a career in the Dental field) or even sparked your interest (if you have been trying to think of a career that you’d like to pursue). If you ever have questions or want to know more, any one of us would be happy to talk to you about our experience working as a Dental Professional, giving you some more insight as to whether this is the right career choice for you. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Kahla Braeside Dental Centre Last month I was gifted the opportunity to experience an alternate role than my usual at Braeside Dental: a dental administrator while one of our team members was on holidays. It was an extremely rewarding experience. My fellow co-workers bent over backwards to assist me, always had a kind word of encouragement, and were always ready to lend a helping hand. In fact, many patients were also very supportive and encouraging once I told them this was my first few days working this position. A sincerest thank you to you all.
It was also wonderful to be able to interact with all of our patients at Braeside Dental Centre. I met patients that have been coming in for over 20 years and welcomed new patients to our dental family. I have to say, it was a valuable experience and my conversations/interactions with each and every patient were the highlights of my day. I also was very proud of our team, as all our patients had so many kind things to say about our Dentists, Hygienists and Assistants. The common theme of each patient’s comments were how gentle, kind, and compassionate each and every member of our team was throughout their visit. These kind words mean so much to each of them as they are all so passionate about their craft. Thank you. All the best! Maninee Braeside Dental Centre Got bad breath? Did you know persistent bad breath could be caused by more than just inconsistent oral hygiene care?
Often times, people believe that bad breath is solely caused by poor oral hygiene or neglecting regular dental visits. Although gum disease and poor oral hygiene is one of the leading causes, there are several other conditions that contribute to chronic bad breath.
If you suffer from chronic bad breath, it is important not to jump to any conclusions about your health. Improving your oral hygiene regime to include brushing and flossing after meals, as well as drinking more water throughout the day, may be the first steps to solving your bad breath blues. If after a few weeks your problem hasn’t cleared up, then seeking the help of your local dentist or general physician may be warranted. -Zoë Braeside Dental Centre You may have come into the office with a sore tooth that kept you up all night, and you and your dentist may have decided that a Root Canal is the best treatment for you to get. At this moment in time, you might be wondering what to expect.
Before going through an outline of the procedure, I thought I would describe exactly what a root canal is: Root canal therapy is a way to preserve your tooth rather than pulling it out of your mouth. This involves removing the infected nerve from your tooth and filling the canals to seal and protect them from further infection. Once it has been decided to go the route of saving your tooth, here is what you would likely expect from the appointment: Other than consciously knowing that you are having a root canal, it won’t be much different to you than having a really long appointment to get a filling done. The area will be frozen and a rubber dam will be inserted to isolate the area we are working on. This is extremely important, as we cannot let any bacteria from your saliva get into the tooth we are cleaning. It also prevents unwanted materials and solutions we use from going into your mouth. X-rays are taken periodically as we clean to ensure that the instruments are getting all the way to the end of the root, and that everything has been cleaned out and sealed off with a temporary filling. Your root canal may be done in two appointments. The steps above would be part of the first appointment, called the Open and Drain appointment, which involves cleaning everything out, getting the canals shaped, and then providing an opportunity to let the medicine sit in your tooth for about two weeks to be sure that all the infection is gone. The second appointment would be two weeks later. In this appointment, we fill the canals with material, packing it tightly so that infection cannot occur again in this tooth. The tooth will be sealed off again with another temporary filling. After another few weeks, you will come back to prep the tooth for a crown. It is very important not to keep the temporary in longer than required, because the temporary filling is not meant to last for a year and will start to leak, causing the root canal to fail. A crown is a necessary step because once your tooth has had a root canal, it will become weak, dry and brittle. A crown will cover the tooth, holding it together and making it possible for you to keep your tooth and prevent future breaks. There are a lot of myths about root canals which are not true. If you would like to have more information, please let us know! We are happy to FILL you in. To patients, it shouldn’t feel any different than getting a filling done, so let us worry about the hard work. -Emma Braeside Dental Centre |
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