A Partial Glimpse into Dentures

Mithing some Teeth?
Here’s a Partial Solution!

It is unfortunate when you are missing several teeth and eating and smiling has become difficult – even embarrassing.

Finding a solution that is the right fit for you involves a number of considerations and your dentist will help you understand the factors involved in your specific-to-you situation.

Although implants are the most advanced tooth replacement, are cost-effective and are available for even the most complex cases, not every patient is an ideal candidate or can afford them at the time needed.

So, what are your other options then?

Perhaps, the idea of dental implants can be revisited at a later date. Until then, the spaces can be filled with bridges or dentures. Today, let’s take a look at your partial denture options:

 

Dentures are classified into 2 main categories: Full or Partial dentures.

 

Full Dentures – Are available for patients who have all of their teeth missing in the upper or lower arch or both. They are removable, but fortunately, full dentures can be secured to dental implants for added support and confidence while still being removable. They are made of acrylic and can be relined with more material as your jawbone changes in size and height due to missing roots.

 

Partial Dentures – Are designed for patients who are missing several, but not all the teeth in the upper or lower arch or both. There are several different types of partial dentures depending on design and materials used. They are supported by teeth and gum tissue, so the health of these are considered during selection. Each type of partial denture has their own set of pros and cons with some dentures using a combination of materials.

 

 

Cast Metal:

– thin, metal alloy framework and claps

– more expensive

– metal not very aesthetically pleasing

– biocompatible metal, so hypoallergic for most people

– not usually harsh on health of gum tissues

– soft liner can be added to increase gum comfort

– preferred type of partial denture in terms of strength, durability, retention, thickness and fit.

– can have coloured plastic added that look like gums.

– more difficult to reline as gum and jaw changes unless soft liner added.

– more teeth can be added as needed.

 

Flexible

– made of nylon or another type of composite material

– moderate cost

– very aesthetically pleasing and can be colour blended to match gums

– very flexible and thin

– more comfortable in the mouth for chewing and speaking.

– hypoallergenic

– better on gum health than acrylic

– more damaging to natural teeth than a metal denture

– very good retention using clasps and undercuts

– more teeth can be added as needed, but some flexible material do not bond together well making the addition of new teeth ans relining more difficult and expensive.

 

Acrylic:

– made of a rigid plastic material

– much more affordable option as they are less expensive and easier to make.

– gum-coloured plastic is more pleasing than metal

– weaker and less durable than metal.

– plastic can pick up odours and stains

– can break more easily than Metal or Flexible

– plastic can be allergenic for some people

– more damaging to natural teeth than a metal denture

– can have more plastic material added if jaw/tissues change shape

– more teeth can be added as needed.

 

What You Should Know

In general, partial dentures:

1. can interfere with speaking
2. are less stable than natural teeth, bridges or dental implants
3. may have supporting clasps that can break or bend, but they usually can be fixed readily
4. need to be relined as jaw dimensions change
5. need to be removed nightly to keep mouth tissues healthy
6. prevent shifting of adjacent teeth until a more long-lasting, permanent solution is selected
7. can wear down over time by natural teeth
8. can be lost since they are removable
9. need maintenance or repair of framework and components as they wear
10. can be relined to accommodate changes to the underlying bone. Expense depends on type of material used to make partial denture.
11. can have their fit impaired by any changes to the existing teeth because of decay, repair or loss.
12. have artificial teeth that can be easily repaired or replaced.

 

 

Tendering in Tradeoffs

 

Nothing in life is as good as the real thing. There are tradeoffs that are made when we have to repair or replace our natural teeth. This is why caring for your teeth properly your whole life will increase the likelihood of “Teeth for Life!”

Every dentist has heard a patient say that they are just plain sick and tired of having to care for their teeth and think that by removing and replacing them with dentures they will become worry free of dental problems.

Wrong! They are trading one problem for another. Dentures come with their own set of issues, and, like teeth, they still require care yo prevent damage and prolong their life. Speaking, eating, comfort, mouth sores, and stability are just some of the issues you will likely face with dentures at one time or another.

How long a partial denture will last also depends on the proper care of existing teeth. There is no 100% perfect replacement for your natural teeth. The time and effort you put into caring for them is never a waste as it can make a huge difference in your dental health.

Furthermore, it is important to understand that dentures and bridges do not replace the missing tooth roots – only the visible tooth crown. Eventually, the jaw bone that once supported the roots will begin to shrink and reduce in overall size. This is an important consideration as dental implants need healthy jaw bone height and volume into which they are placed and eventually integrate into. The jawbone can be augmented using bone grafts, but this increases the complexity and cost of the dental implants.

 

Short Term vs Long Term

 

Everyone knows the feeling of being faced with options. Decisions are not always easy and the more options available, the harder the decision. Your dentist is there to help you sift through all of the information, weigh all the factors and understand the tradeoffs you may have to make. Do you opt for an affordable solution that has limitations, a shorter lifespan and will require more on-going maintenance or do you invest now in the premium permanent option?

Being an informed patient who understands fully the pro and cons of each dental treatment option helps you move forward to the day when you can eat and smile with confidence.

Lastly, it’s Your Smile. Dental care is necessary for your remaining teeth. The function of chewing is meant to be distributed amongst many teeth. Expecting a few to do the job of many will result in wear and breakdown and you will run the risk of losing your remaining teeth through disease and dental collapse. If you are missing one or more teeth, see your dentist today to discuss your treatment options today. You’ll be glad you did!

 

 

 

Your in Better dental health,
The Your Smile Dental Care team
(905) 576-4537
(416) 783-3533
www.yoursmiledentalcare.com

Signs of a Healthy Mouth

Do you know the difference between a healthy and unhealthy mouth?

Our patients at Your Smile Dental Care look to us to keep them up to date on all the advances in modern dentistry and to educate them on how to get their mouths and teeth as healthy as possible. Today, people know that they CAN keep their teeth for a lifetime and want to be aware of the first signs of trouble.

 

Gums

Healthy gums are pale pink and firm. They are not white, red and puffy nor do they bleed when you brush or floss. Healthy gums also are not tender or sore and do not have pus filled pimples on them which may be signs of infection. One way we help patients gain a new perspective on the idea of bleeding gums, is to ask them if they would be concerned if they had persistent bleeding elsewhere on their body? Chances are they would answer yes and bring it to the attention of their physician immediately for a diagnosis and treatment.

There is also a triangular portion of gum tissue that should extend between adjacent teeth that ends in a point and has a free space (depth) of about 2-3 mm where your floss would slide for cleaning. As the gums recede due to unhealthy conditions, this triangular shape becomes more blunt and the space becomes deep, forming a pocket into which more bacteria, plaque and tartar can accumulate. Your dentist or hygienist monitors the health of your gum and will routinely measure the depth of these pockets.

Teeth

Obviously, healthy teeth should be cavity free, but when your dentist or hygienist checks your teeth, they are looking for many others signs of health also. They examine for any erosion, staining, chips or cracks, disease, failing dental work, looseness, missing teeth, crookedness, sensitivity, etc.

If teeth have had repair work done on them in the past such as fillings, crowns, or root canal treatments, they are checked to ensure that these restorations are holding up under the wear and tear that the chemical and mechanical forces of the mouth and jaws can place on them. Intact restorations have a good fit/seal against the tooth to prevent bacteria from getting in underneath and causing tooth decay. We look for signs of leakage, cracks, chips, movement and tooth decay.

Healthy teeth also do not appear longer as you age. When gums recede due to disease, the crown portion of the teeth will begin to look longer.

Case Scenerio

A patient comes into the dental office because their cap has fallen off of one of their teeth. The dentist notices immediately that not only has the cap come off the tooth, but the crown of the tooth has broken off at the gumline and is still inside the cap. Upon closer examination, they can see and feel with their instruments that both the part of the tooth that is in the cap and the portion that is still in the jawbone have rotted  from tooth decay. Bacteria has gotten in underneath the cap and diseased the hard tooth structure to the point that it crumbled enough for the tooth to break in half. It had been almost 7 years since their last exam. Maintaining regular dental checkups would have allowed the dental staff to monitor the marginal integrity of the cap and periodic x-rays would have detected signs of tooth decay when the cavity was small enough to be repaired.

 

Fresh Breath

A healthy mouth does not have persistent or significant bad breath (halitosis). Early morning breath can have an odour after a long night of  bacterial action and growth when there is very little saliva production.

Most often, bad breath is caused by an accumulation of bacteria and their odours and sulphur smelling gases. It is also one of the first signs of gingivitis that can lead to gum disease, worsening mouth odour, the loss of teeth and other complications for the body. Smoking, dieting, dehydration, illnesses, diseases, unclean denture and appliances, tonsil stones, nutritional deficiencies and foods all can cause bad breath.

Wonder if you have bad breath? If you can’t already taste or smell it yourself then you can smell your floss after use or scrape some plaque off your teeth or tongue to smell. Alternatively, you can ask someone to smell your breath and give an honest answer. Most importantly, do not ignore bad breath or just try to mask it with gums, mints or mouthwash. Your physician or dentist can usually help you get to the underlying cause when good oral hygiene does not solve the problem.

Pink, Clean Tongue

You may not realize this, but we also examine your tongue for signs of health. A healthy tongue is pink and covered with tiny nodules we call papillae that help you perceive taste. The overall surface should be flat, smooth and clean looking. The surface papillae can and do harbour bacteria that, if left to accumulate, can grow to unhealthy levels. Keep your tongue clean with a tongue scraper as part of your regular oral hygiene.

A discoloured or painful tongue can be an indicator of trauma, smoking or canker sores, but can also be signs of more serious conditions including a nutritional deficiency, auto immune disease, allergic reaction, Kawasaki syndrome, anemia, diabetes or even cancer. White coatings, lines, or patchy areas should not go ignored.

There is a condition known as “geographic tongue” whereby the top surface of the tongue presents with a map-like pattern of reddish spots that sometimes have a white border on them. It is usually a benign and harmless condition that requires no treatment except topical medications if it becomes sore or uncomfortable.

Medications and menopause can also cause the tongue to become painful or even drier than normal. Always consult your physician if you notice something unusual about your tongue, especially any lumps or sores that do not go away.

 

Proper Bite

Ideally, in a healthy mouth, your upper and lower teeth fit together in an even manner so that the forces of chewing are equally distributed and shared amongst all teeth throughout the jaw.

Teeth rely on one another for support and uneven bites, open spaces or teeth that are crooked, crowded, displaced or missing can hinder the performance, appearance and health of the teeth and can impact breathing, speaking, digestion and oral hygiene. Misaligned and crowded teeth can make teeth more difficult to clean and keep healthy and can cause jaw problems leading to clenching, grinding, head/neck/ear/sinus aches and TMJ disorder.

Pain Free

A healthy mouth is not painful, dry nor sensitive. Yes, we may temporarily cause it trauma through injury or hot foods or have the periodic canker sore show up, but overall, a healthy mouth is pain free. There are products and treatments to help with minor sensitivities and the source of dry mouth situations can be investigated. However, you should be aware and not ignore any changes, pain or afflictions in the mouth and it’s tissues that can be a sign of breakdown or disease. The rule of thumb is to have anything that lasts more than 7-10 days examined.

Lastly…

Just because you may brush and floss everyday, does not mean that your mouth is healthy. The phrase, “Your mouth is the window to your overall health” is a reminder that caring for your oral health is an investment in your overall health.

 

Yours in Better Dental Health,
The Your Smile Dental Care team
(905) 576-4537
(416) 783-3533
http://www.yoursmiledentalcare.com/

The Smile You’ve Always Wanted

What is the first thing about the face that you notice when you first meet a person?

Unquestionably, it is either the eyes or the smile that first impresses upon you.

When it comes to the smile, however, it can light up a room and be a very disarming asset for a person.

No one has a perfect smile, but oftentimes people will ask for one. What we try to achieve is the smile they wish they had – the smile of their dreams!

The advances in dentistry have been tremendous and now it is easier than ever to design the smile that’s right for you!

Perhaps your teeth are discoloured, misaligned, heavily restored or broken down. You may want a less toothy grin or have a gummy smile you want fixed. Whatever your “specific to you” circumstances are, we have an array of cosmetic solutions at our fingertips to replace, correct, align, modify or reconstruct your smile.

Just as people comes in all shapes, sizes and colours – so do teeth!

A very important consideration when selecting the best dental makeover for you is ensuring that the final result compliments the overall shape and characteristics of your own facial features. A smile on one person may not necessarily look good on another.

This is where skill and technique comes in to play. Without this careful and experienced attention to detail, the teeth can be off colour, improperly positioned, too masculine or too feminine looking, disproportionate in length, improper in curvature, and so forth.

Many things have to be taken into account to achieve a final result that is both appealing and natural looking. At Your Smile Dental Care, the procedures we recommend consider both the overall health AND cosmetic wellness of an individual.

We invite you to call us at (905) 576-4537 OR (416) 783-3533 to schedule a consultation appointment. We’ll discuss the possibilities for your oral health and ideal smile so that you can be one step closer to the smile of your dreams!

Browse our smile gallery and see the amazing results of our
quality cosmetic dentistry.

 

Yours in Better Health,

The Your Smile Dental Care Team,
(905) 576-4537
(416) 783-3533
www.yoursmiledentalcareteam

Losing your Health Care Benefits

Where did the years go?

The first time we saw Maria (not real name)  was 25 years ago, when we first opened our Oshawa practice. She was fortunate enough to have a job that had a great health care insurance program and she made sure that she took advantage of those benefits, faithfully attending to her oral health care needs at home and at our office over the years.

With her retirement quickly approaching and no healthcare package being offered after retirement, she told us of her concern over losing her dental benefits. We were happy to tell her that, at 60 years of age, she had what we would call an above-average state of oral health. Aside from a small amount of age-related bone loss and wearing down of biting surfaces, she has preserved her teeth remarkably well over the years.

No one has a crystal ball and we cannot not anticipate all future problems that our patients will have, but we know that a lifetime of good oral health will keep future dental care to a minimum. We had the opportunity to discuss common, age-related dental issues  and encouraged her to maintain her 4 month cleaning schedule to help keep her future dental costs to a minimum.

She is more happy than ever that she took care of her teeth and gums over the years.

Preparing for tomorrow TODAY!

Many Canadian employers do not offer retiree benefits. In fact, over the years we have noticed an increasing trend of employers not offering any benefits to their employees. Another issue to consider is that, inevitably, your aging children will one day no longer be insured under your dental plan. And with the economy still trying to recover, many families are still in a situation where they must use what little disposable income they have judiciously.

How can people keep the dental portion of their health care costs down? What is the best advice we can give to our patients?

Take care of your teeth!!!!!

An ounce of Prevention … it’s a tale as old as time, but it will pay off!

We have seen first hand that there tends to be less stress related to the loss of the dental benefits by those patients who have faithfully cared for their oral health over the years. For those who opt to  purchase a private dental plan after retirement and ask our advice about which level of coverage to choose, we can’t always tell them with certainty what their future will hold. We find, however, that those people who have cared for their teeth meticulously over the years will likely experience less of the “unexpected” that some aging mouths have to deal with.

If you were to implement the tips below, your future self will thank you. It’s as easy as remembering your…

Attitude

Adopt of new way of thinking. Dental care is not expensive – dental neglect is! Although your years may pass quickly, the road of health can be a rocky one if you do not live well. Among the things that we have control over in our lives, dental care is one of them. It takes so little of your time, but has one of the biggest impacts down the road.

Willie Nelson once said, “If I had known I’d live this long, I would’ve taken better care myself.” We’ve heard this same pain of regret from patients over the years concerning their teeth, and if they had the chance, they would give their left eye tooth, er … anything to do life all over again knowing what they know now.

Brushing

The best bang for your buck! There is very little cost associated with buying a new toothbrush every 3 months and using it 3 times a day. Floss and toothpaste should last a month, if you are maximizing the time you use them. Remind your children often how important home care is.

We had one patient who told us that their 35 year old son never appreciated her tooth brushing reminders until he had a family of his own and no dental insurance. His wife required extensive restoring of her decaying teeth and it was an ongoing source of stress on their household expenses. In parenting his own children, he hears the echo of his own mother’s words coming out of his own mouth with a renewed appreciation.

Checkups

See your dentist at least twice a year for an examination and cleaning. It may sound counter-productive to your dentist’s income, but they really do want their patients to have healthy mouths. The frequency of re-evaluation examinations and cleanings depend largely on your level of tartar build up and your risk for dental disease.

On average, our adult patients who come in for regular 4 month cleanings, have very little, if any, dental problems. We think this is because they tend to be the kind of people who are already committed to a healthy lifestyle for their overall well being and approach their dental home habits and diet with the same level of commitment and care.

Diet

Today there is sugar in almost everything we eat because manufacturer’s use it as an inexpensive filler. It is almost impossible to avoid sugar. So how do you get around it? Meal frequency. No more snacking all day long! No more grazing. No more little meals all throughout the day. Eat 3 meals a day leaving 4 to 5 hours in between each. This will allow your saliva to repair your teeth from the sugar attacks they received at each meal. Cut down on processed foods and educate yourself on foods that are more kind to teeth than others.

School snacks at recess time were never the norm years ago. How did it make it’s way into our daily school routine? Childhood cavities are on the rise! Make sure your child has a nourishing breakfast that will stay with them until they begin to feel hungry again just before lunchtime. Hunger is the body’s way of telling you that it is time to eat. Hunger is normal! Learn how to pack a nourishing lunch for your child and collaborate with your child’s physician and dentist if they have a health condition that necessitates more than 3 meals a day.

s

…is for Smoking. Smoking does so much damage to your teeth and gums. It is one of the worst things you can do to your body and one of the best things you can do for health is to stop using tobacco products. If you have thought about quitting, you’re one step closer to being smoke-free!

The sooner you become smoke-free, the sooner your body can start to recover and it doesn’t take long to see the effects.

– Within one year of quitting, your added risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half than that of a smoker.
– Within 5 years, your risk of having a stroke will be nearly that of a non-smoker.
– Within 10 years, the risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
– Within 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease will be similar to that of a non-smoker. courtesy of heartandstroke.com

 

Yours in Better Dental Health,
The Your Smile Dental Care Team
(905) 576-4537
(416) 783-3533

Your Smile Before You Retire

Recently, one of our staff member’s spouses retired from General Motors. In fact, earlier this year GMC offered retirement incentives to eligible employees at it’s Oshawa Plant, so we will see hundreds of General Motor employees retire soon.

While financial advisors suggest that we “practice retirement” for at least a year before our actual retirement date, many GM employees, who were not thinking about retiring for another few years, had only a month to reconsider and decide on a retirement package.

We had a front row seat to the great deal of preparation that goes into an unexpected retirement as many of our own patients were among those that chose early retirement. When there is suddenly a significant reduction in health and dental benefits, or worse, a loss of benefits, your present and future dental health becomes an essential consideration as you transition into retirement.

Our Oshawa patients are fortunate to retire with benefits, but they are significantly reduced and must be used with discretion. So, if you have the luxury of time before you retire, updating your vision ware, hearing aids, orthotics etc is a great idea while you still have the level of benefits that you are accustomed to.

Having a thorough dental check-up and cleaning then attending to any treatment recommendations will allow you to get your dental health in order before your level of benefits change. This is especially important for more complex, time-consuming treatments that may need to be scheduled in such a manner that allows you to maximize your full benefits now.

Some retirees transitioning to retirement benefits are often surprised to learn that their new level of coverage does not cover routine dental care or more complex procedures. And for patients hoping to purchase an individual commercial plan, they soon realize that it can be very expensive to buy a plan with the same level of coverage that they once had or that many procedures are not covered.

The lack of suitable dental benefits and a lower, limited income are the primary reasons why seniors do not maintain regular dental visits or neglect dental problems until they can no longer manage the discomfort. This is unfortunate since it is at a time in their lives when they may see their oral and overall health beginning to deteriorate.

Many of our patients are also entering their retirement years with all, if not most, of their own natural teeth. And, although how your teeth age depends largely on how well you have cared for them over the years, advancing age and associated health issues does put many retirees at risk for a number of oral health problems.

Ideally, we’d like to see you begin your retirement with a clean bill of oral health and help you avoid future complications and unnecessary costs. Unfortunately, we see our share of patients with issues that should have been dealt with years ago, let alone weeks before they retire.

Here’s to the best job you’ll ever have!

Our recommendation is that you care for your teeth meticulously throughout your life. Your future self will thank you for brushing three times a day, flossing before bedtime, and reducing your meal frequencies and sugar/acid laden beverages. This requires virtually no cost at all and takes little effort. Visiting your dentist at least once per year as you do your vision, hearing and primary physician will allow you to get your teeth scaled and stay on top of problems before they grow into bigger, more complicated issues.

Consider including your dental health in your retirement arrangements and schedule a full dental examination well before beginning your new life. With careful planning, your teeth can stay healthy for the rest of your life.

We’ll give you an honest assessment of the present condition of your teeth so that you can make an informed decision moving forward. And here’s to a happy, well-deserved retirement. We hope it will be the best job you’ve ever had!

 

Happy Retirement,
The Your Smile Dental Care Team
http://www.yoursmiledentalcare.com
(905) 576-4537
(416) 783-3533

 

 

 

Genetics and Soft Teeth

 

It happens all the time! The one child in a family who is dental, health and food conscious is the one who gets all the cavities whereas the sibling who never brushes their teeth and snacks all the time is the child who gets to enter their name into the “Cavity Free” Club.

Even people with similar oral hygiene behaviours may have completely different rates of developing tooth decay.

So, is there really such a thing as soft teeth? Can being cavity-prone be inherited or are you just unlucky?

While it is true that your dental health depends on a combination of good oral hygiene and genetics, how much of a role does heredity and luck really play?

When a patient comes to see us with a history of tooth decay and missing teeth we begin by collecting some family history to determine if there are any possible contributors to their poor dental health. There are quite a few dental abnormalities that can be caused by defective genes, but these conditions are rare. And while genes do play a role in food preferences, type of saliva, ph-level of the mouth and how susceptible a person may be to tooth decay, true genetic abnormalities that affect teeth are rare and seldom seen.

Is there really a genetic disorder that causes soft teeth?
Can soft teeth be inherited?

Over the years, we have had many patients claim that the poor condition of their teeth was caused by the soft teeth they inherited from a parent or grandparent. While there truly is a genetic condition that can result in imperfectly formed teeth, it is a rare condition and is seldom seen. It’s characteristics are easily distinguishable from the type of soft teeth that are caused from our choices.

The truth is, sometimes it’s easier to blame genetics either because it saves us from the shame we feel or it saves us from being held accountable for our health conditions. But, we know that when patients tell us that they have soft teeth, they truly believe it.

While we never rule out the possibility of soft teeth, if, after examination, we find that their teeth are perfectly normal, we then have to find what is causing their poor teeth.

If not inherited, then what can cause teeth to soften?

Enamel is the hardest substance in the body – twice the hardness of bone, however, there are all kinds of damaging substances and actions that are capable of weakening it over time. It’s easy to understand this process if you think of how running water is capable of smoothing rough rock over time.

Things like….

Acid Reflux/Bulimia – The acids in our stomach are very strong and corrosive making them capable of softening enamel. Frequent exposure to these acids can and will cause the enamel to breakdown. Over time, the weakened areas will start to take on a whitish, chalky look and eventually get larger and darken over time as they progress into cavities.

Enamel Fluorosis – Teeth can erupt with weakened, less mineralized areas as a result of ingesting excess fluoride during development. This can happen from swallowing too much fluoridated toothpaste, eating foods with high fluoride content, taking fluoride supplements or drinking well water that has a high fluoride level (greater than 1 part per million). This  example of soft teeth will quickly be identified by the dentist when the teeth first erupt because of it’s distinctive colouration. If severe enough, fillings can replace these weakened areas on the tooth, otherwise home care instructions are given and the tooth is monitored over it’s lifetime. Ironically, once the tooth is fully developed it is no longer susceptible to fluorosis and future fluoride treatment will actually help to harden these areas.

Bacteria – There are certain germs in the human mouth that produce an acid that has a corrosive affect on teeth. The goal is to reduce the amount of sugar these bacteria can consume through your sugary diet and by exercising good oral hygiene through brushing, flossing and using anti-bacterial mouth rinse.

Childhood Fever – A child’s fever can reach such a degree that it can interfere with the cells that mineralize the enamel causing hypomineralization (areas where less minerals were deposited into the enamel). This occurs, most commonly, with the first adult molars and front teeth. This can occur in vitro during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first four years of life and it is likely that other factors such as oxygen starvation combined with a low birth weight, respiratory problems, calcium and phosphate metabolic disorders may also be involved.

Food/Drink Acids – The frequent consumption of highly acidic foods and drinks can have an eroding affect on your teeth and weaken them over time. Be especially aware of the damage that highly acidic sport drinks, sodas and juices can do to your teeth. Your child’s teeth can be at risk for softening if they make frequent use of a bottle or sippy cup containing anything other than water.

Nutrition – With nutrition it’s all about moderation. If you are constantly eating foods that are high in sugar and/or acids then your teeth are frequently exposed to the damaging effects. Eating three, well-balanced meals is a start. Switching to a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables, water as your choice of beverage, limiting your sugar intake and eliminating snacking between meals will benefit you both your teeth and body. Recent studies have shown that eating cheese after your meal has an anti-cavity affect by increasing saliva production and lowering the mouth’s ph to a level that bacteria are less active in. Eating the cheese before a meal may help by coating the teeth making bacterial penetration and adhesion more difficult.

Oral Hygiene – Not brushing and flossing your teeth allow bacterial plaque to accumulate and deposit acid onto the teeth enamel. Because your saliva production decreases during sleep, it is very important that you brush and floss your teeth before bedtime so that your bacteria will have nothing to snack on while you sleep.

Brushing Habits – Brushing your teeth with too much force or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can wear down enamel and the other tissues of the teeth over time. Small crevices will start to form in the surface of teeth into which food and bacterial plaque can accumulate. Just be careful on how hard you are scrubbing while you are brushing and be sure to always use a soft or super soft toothbrush only. If you use an electric toothbrush you only need to guide the brush while it preforms it’s own cleansing actions. In fact, some of the newer types of electric toothbrushes are designed to stop if you apply too much pressure. Your dental hygienist is trained to check for any signs of toothbrush abrasion, but you can ask them to check just to be sure at your next dental check-up appointment. See our Your Smile Dental Care Instructions

Medications – Not only can our mouth become drier as we age, but there are also many types of medications that can cause your mouth to become drier than normal. Without salvia to naturally clean bacteria and food debris away from your tooth surface, the enamel will be susceptible to the cavity process and begin to weaken. Also, because your mouth becomes acidic when eating, try to avoid food at least one hour before bed to give your saliva time to neutralize these acids.

Radiation/Chemotherapy  – The salivary glands can become damaged during radiation and chemotherapy treatment. As a result, your saliva flow can decrease and become thicker making it’s cleaning action less effective. Improvement in the quality of saliva may return within a few months or may there may be long-term impairment.

Immune Diseases – Your salivary glands can be attacked by some auto-immune diseases causing the quality and quantity of saliva to be compromised.

Cross contamination – Believe it or not, cavity-causing bacteria can be passed from person to person by way of saliva exchange. This can happen through kissing, sharing food utensils/cups/food, sneezing and sharing toothbrushes. Mother’s must be especially careful not to pass these germs on to their children.

Just because your parents and grandparents had “bad teeth”
doesn’t mean that you have to.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in the world, but is also one of the most preventable. Do “soft teeth” run in your family? Not likely, unless there is a true genetic disorder present. The number of people with true “soft teeth” is very low. It’s easy to blame genes for poor dental health, but we encourage our patients to take an honest look at their diet and oral care. If there is room for improvement then together we can find the solutions you need to move forward to help you keep your teeth for a lifetime.

Do you get a lot of cavities? Do you suspect that maybe your teeth have become weak over the years?

If you feel that you are getting your fair share of cavities speak to your dentist or hygienist about your concerns.  At Your Smile Dental Care, we believe that healthcare should be a partnership between patient and doctors – a trusting relationship where we work together to find solutions. Having a better understanding of your dental health will help you stay informed so you can make healthy choices and better decisions regarding your dental treatment.

Your Smile is our top priority!
Dr. Sam Axelrod & Associates

Do baby teeth need fillings?

Cavities in Baby Teeth

Why does my child’s baby teeth need to be filled when they are just going to fall out anyways?

This is a very legitimate question considering that, yes, baby teeth will eventually be replaced by some of the permanent teeth. It is understandable why some parents feel that it is unnecessary to “fix” them.

Baby teeth are there for a reason. We call these first set of teeth “primary teeth” and they are important for eating, formation of speech and for saving the space that will eventually be occupied by the permanent teeth.

The treatment options for repairing primary teeth depends largely upon when we expect the arrival of the permanent tooth. If you take a look at the chart below, there can be quite a few years before the permanent teeth emerge into the mouth. Primary teeth are smaller than permanent teeth. A cavity will get bigger, deeper and cause pain and eventually infection long before it will be replaced by it’s permanent successor.

Can’t you just pull the tooth?

Yes, we can when we are left with no alternative. If it becomes necessary to remove a tooth before it’s time we have to consider that the adjacent teeth will start to move into this new, vacant space. This smaller space makes it difficult for the permanent tooth to fit in properly.  To prevent this, a dental appliance has to be made and cemented to these adjacent teeth to keep them from infringing upon this valuable space open.

Tooth Decay is Preventable!

In Canada, 57% of children aged 6 – 11 have decayed, missing or filled teeth.  This number increases for adolescents to 59%.  Recent surveys indicate that toothaches are one of the leading causes of school absences and is the most common childhood disease worldwide.

The Difference We Make….

It is difficult for eating, sleeping or learning to take place when a child is in pain. This is why we are big on prevention at Your Smile Dental Care.  Tooth decay is a disease that is wholly preventable.  Ideally, your child’s first dental visit should be around the age of  2 when they have all of their baby teeth present, however, we invite you to learn as much as you can about this preventable disease long before your child’s first teeth arrive. We never discourage parents from bringing their children into our office when they are attending their own appointments. We believe that children who are familiar with our office and staff learn at an early age to develop positive attitudes about dentistry. Being able to enjoy themselves in the playroom while their parent is in treatment and leaving with a treasure from the toy box is an added bonus to their visits.

If this sounds like the kind of dental practice that you would like for your family, give us a call today at (905) 5SMILES or come in for a tour. We will be happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have. For a sneak peek of our office visit our you tube video HERE.

Meanwhile, we urge you to read the articles below to learn how to help your child have a cavity-free childhood.