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It is the middle of June now, and summer is coming! I am so excited to compile a list of summer activities. Summer is the hottest and the best time season of the year (according to me at least) because it is the perfect time for vacations and spending time with family, relatives and friends. It is also the time to go out into the forests and mountains and re-connect with the outdoors: hiking, camping, lakes, and beaches. There are many things you can do in the summer season, including fishing and barbecuing up delicious meals for family and friends.
During the summer season, people are much happier and livelier as they get a chance to do what they really like without worrying about getting cold, get more vitamin D, and experience longer, sunnier days. Even at a late hour, it is pleasant to go for a walk because temperatures tend to be higher and more comfortable outside. With the warmer weather, there comes an opportunity to increase our physical activity and become more energized. Suddenly, a bike ride through the city, a day spent in the pool, or a soccer game with friends is a possibility. This also means ice cream stops and cold lemonade (brushing your teeth after of course). Summer is the best time of the year to get out of your box and do something completely different. There are so many more activities you can get involved in: golfing, ultimate frisbee, running, lacrosse, flying kites, baseball, kayaking, paddle boarding, sightseeing, or even just taking a drive with the windows down for a change. Here in Calgary, we can also visit the zoo, go floating down the bow river, or spend the day at a water park! On the days you don’t feel like being active, in summer we can enjoy lazy days reading on the patio or even outdoor movie showings across Calgary. Last but not least, summertime also includes Stampede! The largest outdoor show on earth could certainly be an excuse to have a great time with family or friends. I hope you all have a fun and energizing summer! -Jennifer Braeside Dental Centre
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Good day everyone! Hope everyone is excited for another summer in the mountains. With summer comes heat, and with heat, comes the increased consumption of carbonated and sugary drinks. When we are thirsty, over 50% of us reach for a cold soda. Regularly drinking these tempting cold treats is correlated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and weight gain. These choices can also affect a white smile by potentially causing tooth decay.
Erosion and Cavities (two problems that affect your smile) When we drink soda, no matter if it is sugar or sugar free, the acid in the soda reacts with the bacteria in the mouth to form a compound that erodes your teeth. With every swig of soda you take, it starts a 20 minute war on your smile. So, if you sip on soda all day, the attack is never ending. Erosion starts when acid effects the hardness of the outer protective layer of the teeth called the enamel. Sports drinks and juice also cause erosion, but the damage stops there. Soft drinks on the other hand, can effect the next layer of the tooth called the dentin. Over time and prolonged consumption, it can cause decay and dental cavities. Prevention The obvious (and best!) prevention is to stop drinking these types of drinks, but that is usually not attainable for most of us. So, below is a list of preventative measures to take: Moderation -Make sure to control your consumption of these types of drinks and substitute in some good ole’ water. Drink Faster -When you chose these drinks, make sure to drink them fast in order to lessen the time that they have to form acid in your mouth. Use a straw -Use a straw in order to keep the acid off of your teeth. Rinse your mouth -Make sure to rinse your mouth with water once you have had a soft drink. Wait before brushing your teeth -Wait at least 30 to 60 minutes to brush your teeth after a soft drink. The friction brushing initiates against the teeth can cause problems because acid has already attacked your teeth. No soft drinks before bed -Make sure not to drink soft drinks at the end of the day (just before bedtime) so that the acid doesn’t have all night to attack your teeth. Regular Dental Health -Make sure to go to see your Dental Hygienist on a regular basis to keep up good oral health. Soft drinks are not a healthy choice but they are a popular one. When having those summer drinks, do it in moderation and preserve your dental health! -Anna Braeside Dental Centre Although poor oral hygiene or an overgrowth of natural bacteria in the mouth is the main cause of bad breath, it isn’t the only cause. Several other conditions can be linked to having less desirable breath. Let’s touch on a few things that could be causing your partner or friends to complain about your breath!
If you are experiencing bad breath, then improving your at-home-oral-hygiene regime is never a bad idea. However, if even after switching or improving your regime, you are finding that the bad breath problem is not going away, here are a few other things to look for: A leading cause of yucky breath is being sick or experiencing post nasal drip on regular basis. With the sinus draining into the oral cavity through the oropharynx, this can cause a breeding ground of bacteria. Overtime, the bacteria can even accumulate into very smelly greyish-yellow balls of food debris, dead cells, and bacteria from the mouth called tonsil stones. These stones often lay in the open crevasses of the tonsils and often go undetected until a light is shone on the back of the throat or viewed during a clinical exam. If you do notice that these tiny balls are present in the back of your throat, first have your tonsils examined by a medical professional. If they are cleared as not being harmful, then some tips to help prevent these stones are as follows: improving oral hygiene, brushing the very back of the tongue, gargling with salt, and quitting smoking if you are a smoker. Stomach issues can also be a leading cause of bad breath. People who suffer from chronic acid reflux may notice issues with chronic bad breath as well. This is due to the bacteria from your stomach and gut being washed up in the esophagus and can easily be rinsed away with gargling warm salt water. Often, patients are unaware that they are suffering from chronic reflux. However, acid erosion of the teeth is one of the first signs noted clinically. If you feel that you may be suffering from bad breath and cannot seem to figure out why, first see your dental health professional to rule out an on-going gum and bone disease, signs of acid erosion, or chronically inflamed tonsils. If either of these ailments are found, your dental health professional can refer you to the appropriate doctor or specialist if it is outside the scope of their practice. -Zoe Braeside Dental Centre When it comes to replacing missing or damaged teeth, the best solution might be a dental implant. Dental implants are a surgical procedure in which a titanium screw is implanted directly into the jawbone, acting as an artificial root for the new prosthetic tooth (crown or bridge). It usually takes 3-6 months for the titanium root to become osseointegrated with the jawbone (to bond with the bone).
Implants are an option to replace missing teeth, however it is always better to try to save your existing teeth rather than leap directly to an implant. Implants can be expensive and they generally require more maintenance than regular teeth. You need to brush more, you need to see the dental hygienist more often, and you need to be more careful with maintenance follow-ups. Implants are also much more susceptible to diseases such as periodontis and peri-implantitis. Sometimes, the body just rejects the implant: it doesn’t bond to the bone. Your medical history will also influence whether or not you are a good candidate for implants. This is something that your dentist will review with you. Don’t get discouraged, though. Overall, dental implants are very successful. Recent studies have shown that the success rate for implants today are in the high 90s. Because dental implants are rooted directly to the bone, they feel like real teeth when chewing and speaking. Implants also are much more stable than dentures, which can often slip out of place at the most embarrassing times. Dentures or removable bridges create many gaps between your teeth and gum line which are breeding grounds for plaque and bacteria to accumulate. This can quickly lead to deteriorating oral health. Implants, on the other hand, will significantly reduce this health hazard. When teeth fall out, the jawbone area that supported those teeth no longer has a reason to maintain its strength and may begin to deteriorate. Replacing those teeth with dental implants will preserve the integrity of the jawbone, thereby keeping your facial structure intact. If you are interested in dental implants, Dr. Goel and Dr. Jost will be happy to discuss the pros and cons and give you the information required to make an informed decision. -Bonnie Braeside Dental Centre Some of us have been lucky enough to have never experienced having a dental filling. However, a large majority of us have had a filling placed in our mouths at one time or another. A filling, as the name suggests, fills something up. In dentistry, we may place a filling into a tooth if there is decay (an infection), an old filling is leaking (kind of like when the caulking has lost its seal), the tooth is worn down, fractured, or chipped due to function, or to cover up some aesthetic imperfections.
Does it hurt to have a filling done? Here at Braeside Dental Centre, we will use a devise called a Wand. This is a special instrument that will help deliver the anesthesia (freezing) in a way that most of our patients find much more comfortable. I have been asked many times what just happened after the patient just received the freezing. To a lot of surprise, I tell them that they just got the freezing. To which they say, “no needle?”. Not quite, but a lot more comfortable. Once the tooth is frozen, there should be no discomfort during the procedure. Most patients tell us that the procedure was better than they expected and after a couple of days things are back to normal. Once in while, it may take a little longer for the tooth to settle down. This usually occurs when the decay was very deep and close to the nerve or if someone grinds and clenches their teeth (it can cause further trauma to the teeth). Am I getting a white filling? What type of filling am I getting? There are many types of fillings. Like most things, each type of filling has both advantages and disadvantages. Most commonly, the type of dental filling used today is the composite filling. Composite fillings are what we refer to as a direct fillings or a filling that goes directly into the cavity. And yes, it is a white filling. It is a material that has come a long way over the last 40 years or so. There was a time when it did not wear well, was not strong enough, or it discoloured quickly and was more technique sensitive. Today though, we are able to place it in most situations and it is able to provide our patients excellent service. It was not always that way. Most of us can remember when dental amalgams were the most common type of material used. However, amalgam, or silver mercury metal fillings, have gone out of favour due to the health concerns associated with mercury. Another type of filling used is called an indirect filling: porcelain and gold. Because the fillings are fabricated and shaped outside of the mouth (typically in a lab) they tend to have less post operative sensitivity, more durability, seal better, sculpt better, and last longer. Unfortunately, they require two appointments and because of the extra time involved, they are also more expensive. Please ask us if you would like a particular type of filling or want further information to decide which one is best for you. We would love to have that discussion with you to individualize your care. Is this filling going to last forever? How long is it going to last? Like any man made material, there is a limit to its longevity. I usually tell people that the only thing that was meant to last forever was their own natural teeth and they don’t last forever either. The indirect fillings will last the longest compared to direct fillings. However, composite fillings can last a very long time as well, if properly looked after, so don’t discount this option! This would include brushing and flossing regularly, having your teeth cleaned professionally with a fluoride application, and reducing the amount of functional or parafunctional load placed on them. How long am I going to be frozen? This depends on a number of factors: What type of freezing was used? Where in the mouth was the freezing being placed – is it on the top jaw or the bottom jaw? What is the metabolism of the patient? How much freezing was required? How long was the procedure? In general, I don’t want the freezing to come out before the procedure is complete and not too long after the patient leaves the office. Most times, the freezing will last somewhere between 2-4 hours. If someone has concerns, I will usually ask if there is something the patient has to attend to after their visit with us or if the freezing has lasted longer on them in the past. Since we have a number of different types of anesthetics (freezing), we can individualize your care so that we can better approximate your needs. How is a filling done? This depends on the type of filling. In general though, we will first use a rubber dam (a rubber rain coat) to isolate the tooth and use a tool to open up the tooth and expose the cavity (the decay/infection). In our office, we will use may different methods to ensure that the infection has been completely removed. We will use tactile sense (with a sickle probe), chemical die that binds to the bacteria and highlights the infection, and an intraoral camera with florescence that uses a special wavelength of light to make the infection visible to the naked eye. Once we have all the infection removed, we will place a number of medicaments to prepare the tooth to receive the filling, while also reducing the post operative sensitivity. We will then carefully sculpt the filling (as much as possible) to fit the natural shape of the tooth. Once that is complete, we will check the bite to ensure that function is optimal and polish it so it does not feel rough. When doing a filling, there is mix of both science and art to produce the best result. Fillings have come a long way over the decades. They are an essential part of the tools we have in dentistry to conservatively save peoples teeth, improve their health, help with their smile, maintain function, and reduce tooth sensitivity. Please ask us the next time you are in our office if there are any further questions we may be able to answer. Dr. Goel Braeside Dental Centre Travelling is one of life’s little pleasures and I love nothing more than jumping on a plane and heading to a new destination. I love learning about new cultures, trying new languages, sampling different foods and wines, and having the sun shining down on you while you feel the sand between your toes. It is sheer bliss.
I was fortunate enough to travel to Thailand, Bangkok and Beijing this past month for my vacation. Thailand, with its sandy beaches and green mountains surrounding you, is a little piece of heaven. It is exactly like the book The Beach by Alex Garland. The only thing he forgot to mention was that it is HOT, like sitting in an oven hot. Bangkok has high rises with some exceptional bars that give you a full 360 view of the city and at night time it is like an illumination of lights. The city is bustling and the driving is crazy, even more so than Calgary. Beijing, with the Great Wall of China only a mere 2 hour drive away, offers some of the most interesting history. The wall alone is surrounded with stories of how it became what it is and that’s an experience within its self. While I was there, we did drive through the rural parts of the country were the locals live and I noticed a lot of dental practices. In my past years as a dental nurse, there has always been that question on whether or not you should venture abroad to have work done. I can see why people travel abroad for treatment, as it is a whole load cheaper sometimes. In the long run though, it turns out being more expensive when it fails. I have been in the business a long time and I have seen some sights: implants facing forwards, veneers crumbling, bridges holding on for dear life and crowns facing the wrong way all from patients that dared to venture abroad. But my advice, if you are thinking of going abroad for treatment, is to do research, research, and then research some more. Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean it is better. Be-careful who you choose to do your work and always feel comfortable with them. If your sixth sense is saying it’s not right, then it’s not right! I always love a good travel story and I’m yet to be converted to favouring going abroad for treatment. So, if you have a story that could change my mind I would love to hear it! -Sarah Braeside Dental Centre Can herbal and alternative medications affect your oral health and everyday dental procedures?4/28/2019 When filling out a dental and medical health history prior to any dental therapy, it is important to provide your dental health professionals with a complete and concise overview of your personal health history. Whether it is a prescription medication or a herbal/alternative medical tincture, it must be disclosed. Any substance that alters the body can be important to your dental health and can possibly affect the dental procedure that is scheduled for you that day. This can be especially important if you are scheduled to undergo any type of dental surgery.
Although many pharmaceuticals are originally derived from plants, they have often been altered or synthesized in a laboratory. Herbal supplements/medications are closer in form to the original plant that it was extracted from, and therefore are/can be potent and affect your oral health in a similar manner as do prescription medications. There are a few combinations that can be especially important to disclose. Below are a few:
Herbal and alternative medications are trends that have been consistently emerging. With new forms of medical therapies integrating into modern day dentistry, working along side your dental health team is important and can be vital to helping us provide appropriate and comprehensive dental care. Remember, even if you feel it may not have a correlation with your dental health, its better to disclose all information and let the clinician decipher important information in your health history. -Zoe :) Braeside Dental Centre (https://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/herbal_supplements.html) You’ve always been told to come in regularly to keep up the maintenance of your teeth and oral hygiene. But what about the tools you use at home to keep it up? Your toothbrush is the most important tool at home for you to keep your teeth clean. Why not try and keep it clean too?
It is important for you to be changing out your toothbrush every 3 or 4 months, but you also should be changing your toothbrush sooner if you have been sick within those 3 or 4 months. Your tooth brush can harbor all the bacteria and germs you have in your mouth, potentially causing you to become sick again. You also want to store your toothbrush in a place where the air can dry it properly and the toothbrush is sitting up so you don’t bend the bristles, as storing your wet toothbrush in a closed environment can promote the growth of bacteria on the toothbrush. Make sure you also rinse your toothbrush free of any leftover toothpaste or debris that could gunk up the bristles. Your tooth brush probably isn’t that far away from your toilet, as after all, bathrooms tend to be small spaces. Try and keep your toothbrush as far away from your toilet as possible. You’ll want to try to remember to close the toilet lid before you flush to prevent airborne bacteria from spreading onto your toothbrush. -Emma Braeside Dental Centre In January, we had the opportunity to celebrate and welcome the newest and youngest member of our dental family: Our very special hygienist Tiffany and her family welcomed a very beautiful boy baby. We had the pleasure of meeting the newest addition to the family on a Friday afternoon after work. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with Tiffany, as we all miss her tremendously, and we were so very lucky to have a cuddle or two with the little one. It brings us great pleasure to celebrate the milestones and share in the joys of our team.
Over this past weekend, we had our semiannual Braeside Dental Centre Family Dental Day. This is a day full of connecting, relationship building, laughter, food and bringing our families together for a day of oral health. Dr. Goel is proud of his team and is thankful for their support and dedication to him, the team, the clinic, and patients alike. As a way to express his sincere gratitude and appreciation of this staff and their loved ones, he implemented Family Dental Day where our team and their family’s oral health are at the forefront. In May, we have a team building event at Color Me Mine. We will each have an opportunity to paint an item and explore our creative side (that we can take home to remember the evening by). I am positive it will be a wonderful evening of creativity, relationship building, laughs, and lots of wine. In June, we will be celebrating the anticipated arrival of Jennifer, our wonderful and kind sterilization clerk, and her first born who is due to arrive in August of this year. We, as a team, are looking forward to celebrating the anticipated arrival! The team at Braeside Dental Centre is a dental family. We as a team are committed to you, our patients, in order to bring you the very best in dental care. To achieve this, our team is committed to bringing their very best every day and bringing out the best in each other. We are a team that enjoys spending time together, supporting one another, and developing strong relationships. This is a team worth celebrating!!! From our Dental Family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Spring!! -Maninee Braeside Dental Centre  The Oral Surgeon (AKA Oral-Maxillofacial Surgeon) is a dental specialist who has attended dental school in order to become a dentist and then attends a post graduate speciality program to become proficient in procedures that a general practice dentist may not have the expertise or exposure to.
Some of these procedures would include, but are not limited to: wisdom teeth removal (most popular), repairing broken jaws, correcting jaw problems, biopsies, removal of cysts, bone grafting, placement of dental implants and repairing cleft lips and palates. Your family dentist can perform these procedures as well, but from time to time they do refer their patients out to have an oral surgeon have a look, assess, and perform certain procedures. From my experience, medical doctors also refer to the oral surgeon in specific situations. For instance, for my son’s broken jaw, they booked a consult appointment promptly with the on-call oral surgeon. Once the patient has been assessed and treatment has been established, they schedule an appointment. The patient shows up for surgery, and in my sons’ case, he had a metal plate placed to stabilize the jaw for approximately 6 weeks and then he had to book another surgery date to have the metal plate removed. While he was under general anaesthetic, the oral surgeon removed his wisdom teeth as well. Here is an image of a panorex (shows us a lot of information about your bone and teeth structure) where wisdom teeth are present. There are a few factors that influence why your family dentist would recommend you go to the oral surgeon: age of patient, position of wisdom tooth in the jaw, and where the nerve runs in the lower jaw.(https://www.drmassoomi.com/blog/panorex-whats-a-panorex-why-do-i-need-that/) For whatever the reason, for referral or visit to an Oral Surgeon, they are experts in their field and will give you all the options available for optimal care. -Faye Braeside Dental Centre |
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