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Medicinal marijuana is often recommended for pain management, insomnia and a variety of other ailments as a natural alternative to painkillers and pharmaceuticals whose list of side effects can often be long and dramatic. The active compounds found in cannabis, THC, CBD, terpenes, etc., can produce highly effective results for those fighting cancer and chronic pain. However, there are concerns about the negative aspects of smoking cannabis versus ingesting it in the form of an edible.
You might be familiar with the impact smoking cigarettes can have on your teeth and gums, but what do you know about what’s going on in your mouth when you smoke cannabis? Ever had that cotton-mouth feeling when smoking pot? A dry mouth means a lack of saliva, but a lack of saliva can cause a whole range of problems in our mouth. Saliva is very important to your mouth as it washes away plaque and food particles while also neutralizing the acids that lead to erosion of tooth enamel. If you mouth isn’t producing enough saliva, the enamel on the surface of your teeth becomes damaged and teeth can appear worn and shorter. They can feel increasingly sensitive as they lack protective coating they once had. Smoking pot can also cause the soft-tissue in your mouth to become inflamed and eventually lead to it breaking down. This means painful damage can be done to lips, cheeks, tongue and the roof of the mouth with severe damage to the gums possibly leading to teeth falling out. Cannabis use is also associated with severe gingivitis. Cannabis stomatitis is a condition in which smoking causes damage to the lining of the mouth. This can lead to oral cancers which can take the form of nasty sores that don’t go away. They can be extremely painful to treat and can even be life-threatening in serious cases. Would you be surprised if I also told you that smoking anything is going to have a negative impact on the appearance of your teeth? Heavy smokers’ teeth can become more worn and yellow than non-smokers and even the appearance of the gums can be affected. And don’t get me started on bad breath! So what do you do to keep those pearly whites in shape (teeth are very expensive to replace)?
-Bonnie Braeside Dental Centre
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The definition of health has changed so much over the years, and will continue to do so as we and technology evolve. The definition of health started simply as: the state of being free from illness or injury. WHO (world health organization) has changed that to include: “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. When you hear these definitions, it can be realized that there is no single answer to the question of: What is health? Every person’s ideas or thoughts regarding optimal health are different. My idea of the perfect body health, or oral health, is different than yours.
Taking all that into consideration, here at Braeside dental we have been working very hard to learn more about what each individual's vision of health is for themselves. In doing so, we are able to CO-DISCOVER the best treatment plan for your ORAL health. So tell me, what does the word health mean to you? -Tiffany Braeside Dental Centre I was lucky enough to head out to Drumheller this weekend to visit the dinosaur museum. It was my first time visiting, so you can imagine that there was a lot of excitement and some shameless selfies taken pretending that the dinosaurs were eating me and I was “scared” (very Universal Studios like). I even got to see the Albertosaurus, which when you stand next to it, makes you feel very, very small, like a little speck of dust on the spectrum of the universe.
As I was wandering around, I noticed that they had some display cabinets filled with dinosaur teeth. It got me thinking: How did they clean their teeth? They were so big and some of them even had rows upon rows of teeth! I was thinking that would be a real pain to floss because you could never get a flossing stick in those tight spaces. A few fun facts that I learned was that a T-Rex has serrated teeth and they all had different functions, the Triceratops’ teeth were made from five layers of tissue, ALL dinosaurs could regrow their teeth (how nice would that be), the Hadrosaurs had more teeth than any other dinosaur, and the Apatosaurus had teeth but couldn’t chew (not doing great). The moral of the story is that we humans have to look after all of our “Peggy’s” because unlike the dinosaurs, we can’t re-grow them. I will leave you with a thought: just imagine a T-rex, with their tiny little baby hands, that gave me and my friend countless giggles throughout our trip, flossing! It suffices to say, I had a wonderful time at the museum and it is truly amazing how many bones they have found here in Calgary. -Sarah Braeside Dental Centre Bone loss of the jaw, also known as periodontal disease, affects almost half of the adult population in Canada and the United States. However, a large portion of this demographic goes undiagnosed. There are 3 stages of periodontal disease: early, moderate, and severe. Many factors affect the severity of periodontal disease including but not limited to: age, clenching or grinding, and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes. It is important that periodontal disease is diagnosed early to prevent further bone loss, pain, and decay. Early to moderate bone loss can be managed at a general dental clinic. During a hygiene appointment, the hygienist performs periodontal probing to measure for bone loss. If a patient is diagnosed with moderate to severe bone loss, and it can not be managed at a general dental clinic, they will be referred to a dental specialist called a Periodontist.
At Braeside Dental, Dr. Goel has his hygienists attend an advanced periodontal instrumentation course. This course consists of both theoretical and practical training in order to ensure that the attendees are qualified to successfully manage those moderate to severe cases. Ask your Braeside Dental Hygienist about periodontal probing during your next visit! -Desirae Braeside Dental Centre It’s almost Christmas!!!!
Yes, you read that correctly. Christmas is less than two months away and it is time to start getting those wish lists written and sent away to the North Pole. So, why not consider the gift of better dental health for you or your loved ones? Traditionally, electric toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes are thought to be equally as effective when using a consistent oral health regime: brushing for two minutes twice per day. However, here are a few special considerations that you may not have thought of: Do you know someone whom suffers from arthritis, carpel tunnel or other dexterity problems? Electric toothbrushes often come equipped with wider handles that are easier to grasp for people whom have swollen, less mobile joints. Do you or your spouse suffer from general dentinal sensitivity and/or recession? Many models of electric tooth brushes are saddled with a sensor to alarm you when you are pushing too hard; this fantastic function could lower the chances of developing further recession and pre-existing sensitivity. So what do you get the person who has everything?? Well, an electric tooth brush of course! You can pick yourself up one while you are at it too… Have a happy Ho Ho Ho- Holidays! -Zoe Braeside Dental Centre Halloween is quickly approaching! I remember always being excited about getting to dress up and go trick or treating, but costume ideas always quickly changed because I would get so cold. Of course, every kid looks forward to how much candy they are going to get, and Mom and Dad may be concerned about how to keep their teeth from getting lots of cavities. Lets be honest, those treats can play some mean tricks on our teeth.
Halloween should be about the costumes and the candy, but these tips may just help you keep you and your children’s teeth just a little more sugar free:
Have a safe Halloween everyone and enjoy your treats! -Emma Braeside Dental Centre Experts say that it takes 21 days for something to become a habit. Volumes of books have been written about how to create healthy habits such as eating right, how many hours of sleep we need, and how much exercise and what type we need. The list goes on. If you are like me, some habits just don’t seem to stick. I have been trying to be consistent at the gym but it seems to be more miss then hit when it comes to getting there.
In the dental office, we also talk about healthy habits such as brushing and flossing daily, and having regular hygiene appointments and check-ups. Healthy habits for our bodies are essential. Just as important are healthy habits for our minds and souls. Practicing gratitude every day for even small things in life will become a habit that can transform ones life. -Donna Braeside Dental Centre My 4-7 year-old still has their baby teeth and their permanent teeth are growing in behind or in front of them, what should I do?
Well, it is important to take action and recognize what is happening! There are 2 possible scenarios:
For the most part, baby tooth loss and permanent tooth eruption is very natural and normal. Like life though, there are always a few situations that fall outside the realm of normal for no apparent reason; It just happens. This is ok too. That is why we have our dentist to help us achieve the perfect smile. Early intervention is always good, but remember that these situations can be fixed in the teenage years or even as an adult. So, it’s never too late to get the smile that fits you! -Faye Braeside Dental Centre 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 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 |
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