FAQs

Visiting the dentist regularly benefits you in several ways. It’s important to recognize that along with keeping your teeth and mouth healthy, dentists will help keep the rest of your body in good shape as well. Dental care is important for a number of reasons:

• We can help you get a more appealing smile, ultimately increasing your self-confidence and allowing you to feel more attractive.
• Protects against periodontal (gum) disease – one of the most common dental problems adults face, develops slowly and without causing any pain. Sometimes you may not notice any signs until the disease is serious and you are in danger of losing teeth.
• Prevents tooth decay – process that results in a cavity (dental caries). It occurs when bacteria in your mouth make acids that eat away at a tooth. If not treated, tooth decay can cause infection, pain and tooth loss.

We can help improve the overall quality of your teeth. Making them stronger allowing you to enjoy a healthy, beautiful smile for the rest of your life!

There are a few things that you should keep us informed about in order to ensure that we are most effective when treating you, please keep us informed about:

• Whether your teeth or gums are more sensitive to hot or cold items
• About any changes in your gums like changes in colour, tenderness or bleeding when you brush or floss
• Whether your floss catches on rough edges of teeth that causes the floss to tear
• About any changes in the skin on the inside of your mouth, such as changes in colour
• If you clench or grind your teeth, or if your neck and jaw muscles are tense/sore
• Any allergies you have
• If you are pregnant
• About any medicine you are taking
• If your medicine has changed since your last check-up
• Any health problems or medical condition that you are being treated for
• About any other changes in your general health

Most oral health issues can exist without any pain or change in appearance. Although you may feel perfectly fine, it’s important to visit the dentist regularly. As technology is continually advancing, we are able to discover and prevent any areas that may be of concern. With fillings that mimic the appearance of natural teeth, tooth replacement and full smile makeovers; you will leave us with not only a healthier smile, but also a more attractive smile.

Although dentists have the ability to strengthen teeth and improve the overall appearance of your smile, it is essential for you to take some actions in order to sustain your teeth:

• Brush your teeth at least three times a day, and floss at least once
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride, and ask your dentist if you need a fluoride rinse (this will prevent cavities).
• Avoid foods with an abundance of sugar (sugar increases the number of bacteria that grows in your mouth).
• Avoid tobacco (this stains your teeth, causes gum disease, and eventually leads to oral cancer).

There are a few things that you should keep us informed about in order to ensure that we are most effective when treating you, please keep us informed about:

• Whether your teeth or gums are more sensitive to heat, cold or sweets
• About any changes in your gums like changes in colour, tenderness or bleeding when you brush or floss
• Whether your floss catches on rough edges of teeth that causes the floss to tear
• About any changes in the skin on the inside of your mouth, such as changes in colour
• If you clench or grind your teeth, or if your neck and jaw muscles are tense or sore
• Any allergies you have
• If you are pregnant
• About any medicine you are taking
• If your medicine has changed since your last check-up
• About any health problems or medical condition that you are being treated for
• About any other changes in your general health

You are already exposed to low levels of radiation from the environment on a daily basis. This is caused by natural sources of radioactive substances in the earth, the sun and from naturally occurring radiation in our bodies. This is commonly referred to as background radiation. The amount of radiation you receive during a single x-ray is equivalent to a few days of background radiation. In addition to the low levels of radiation used we target the x-ray machine only at those areas we need to review in order to ensure that you have healthy teeth. We also cover the remainder of your body with a lead apron providing you with additional protection.

Gum disease is very common. Nine out of ten Canadians will develop gum disease at some time in their lives. It is the most common dental problem, and it can progress quite painlessly until you have a serious problem. The end result is bone loss and the loss of teeth. Even though you may brush and floss regularly, regular visits to the dentist will help detect gum disease in the early stages.

Many people suffer from bad breath. In fact 40% of the population has problems with bad breath at some time in their lives. Some reasons for bad breath may be:

• Poor dental hygiene eating certain foods like garlic or onions, Smoking
• Chewing tobacco
• Diseases like cancer or diabetes, and
• Dry mouth (often called morning breath)

You can help reduce the incidence of bad breath by brushing and flossing each day to remove plaque. Also by avoiding certain foods you can eliminate a lot of bad breath problems. If you wear a denture or removable partial denture, it is important to clean them thoroughly every day and to remove them at night so your mouth tissues can restore themselves daily. If a bad breath problem persists then let us know and we will try to discover what the problem is and present you with a treatment.