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Tooth Talk
Issue 22 - Summer 2003
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Good nutrition is key to saving your
gums
It is important for people to have information on how to protect themselves
from the health risks associated with periodontal (gum) disease. Along with
proper brushing and flossing, good nutrition is key to saving yourself from
this very common disease that can affect up to 75 per cent of the population.
“Most people are unaware that what you eat is as important to your oral health
as it is to your overall health,” says ODA Past-President, Dr. Peter Trainor.
“In fact, as the research continues to mount indicating the association between
the mouth and body, people are realizing that oral health ranks along side
exercise and nutrition in terms of benefiting overall physical health.“
“The good news is that smart food choices will not only improve your overall
health but your oral health as well,” says Dr. Trainor. Eating well is essential
to protecting yourself from periodontal disease, an increasingly serious
infection that research is beginning to indicate may be linked to serious
health conditions such as heart disease, pre-term low-weight births, and
diabetes.
The ODA offers the following nutritional suggestions in order to improve
your oral and overall health;
* Eat plenty of foods that contain vitamin C such as fresh
fruits, especially citrus fruits and green vegetables. Vitamin C assists
in wound healing and in helping the body to heal bleeding gums;*
* Eat foods with vitamin D such as; oily fish, and egg
yolks. These help bones and teeth to grow and calcify properly;*
* Try to avoid the worst offending foods, especially those
that are sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy. Sticky foods are harder to brush
off the teeth and are the prime culprits behind decay-causing bacteria and
plaque, which without regular cleanings, can also lead to gum disease. Many
people may think they are healthy but fruit-flavoured roll-up treats and
raisins can stick to teeth more easily than some chocolate bars; and
* Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and flossing
are essential right after snacking, to clear away the sweet and sticky substances
that can promote tooth decay and gum disease.
The Ontario Dental Association is the voluntary professional organization
with 6,300 member dentists or more than 80 per cent of the practicing dentists
in Ontario. The ODA supports the provision of exemplary oral health services
and promotes the attainment of optimal health for the people of Ontario.
Source: ODA Website
Message from Gail:
The office is now open two evenings per week. Dr Noël is working
Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8pm. Sonya,
our hygienist also works Thursday until 8pm. She is currently booking
in June for the late appointments.
The office will be closed from May 8th to 12th while we attend the Ontario
Dental Association Annual Spring Meeting in Toronto.
Roberta Burgess has joined our practice. Roberta is a Level II Dental
Assistant. She will be working with Dr Leclercq and Dr Noël.
OH Tip -
From dull to dazzling
Nothing can dull your smile more than stain and discolouration.
Although there are many different stain removers available, most of the over-the-counter
products are a disappointment. Depending on the type and source of
staining, some products simply won't work at all while others offer just
a temporary solution to the stain stigma.
Surface stains are caused by strong discolouring agents like coffee, tea
and tobacco. If you want to remove unsightly surface stains, a professional
polishing with a coarse but gentle cleaning paste will do the trick.
Complemented by regular
brushing and flossing, this technique will ensure your smile shines
brighter longer!
Some stains are harder to remove because they trapped in tiny fractures in
the tooth surface. These microcracks are so small they don't become
visible until they are stained by food or tobacco. The only way to
beat these stains is with professional whitening or bonding, a treatment
that fills in and covers microcracks with a special tooth-coloured material.
Even darker surface stains are caused by dark plaque and tartar buildup in
areas around the gum line, often the lower front teeth.
An in-office technique called scaling will assist in removing these especially
difficult stains.
The toughest tooth stains are the ones that become part of the tooth structure.
Bright white splotches on, or brownish-gray bands across the teeth can be
caused by faulty hardening of the tooth before birth or by tetracycline treatment.
You can also develop deep stains from decay and from old fillings.
Only professional whitening and masking techniques will revive smiles that
have been dulled by the very toughest of tooth stains.
We have some great before and after photos taken of our patients if you would
like to see them.
Sonya
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Should I be concerned with spaces between baby teeth?
A. Faster than you can say Happy Birthday three times, your child will
have a full set of baby teeth. Don't be concerned if your child's smile
doesn't look just like yours. The small spaces between baby teeth are
normal. These gaps are nothing to worry about since primary spacing
is a natural part of child development. The spaces are there to make
room for bigger permanent teeth that are on the way. In fact, children
with spaces are less likely to need braces later on.
There are some problems you should watch out for like common habits that
can make permanent teeth come out in the wrong place. Thumb sucking can splay
the upper front teeth and so can towel or blanket sucking. If your
child develops any of these habits, give us a call. It’s a lot easier
to correct a habit than to fix a bad bite!
Cavity Free Club:
Several of our younger patients are cavity free at their checkup appointments.
For the past few months they were:
Samantha Graziano
Stephanie Kotarba
Danica Olders
Liam Olders
James Graziano
Sarah Dee Andrew Wigmore
Matthew Kotarba
Natasha Kaasalainen
Devin Saumur
Charlotte Kaasalainen
Mitchell Miller
Keep up the good work!
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