Is there a space between your teeth? Do you have teeth crowding in one spot? Are you unhappy with the alignment of your teeth?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions you have probably already thought about receiving orthodontic treatment. Now I ask you, do you have pain in your jaw? Do your top teeth close behind your bottom teeth? Is there a space between your top teeth and bottom teeth when you bite down? If you answered yes to any of these questions, these may also indicate you may benefit from orthodontic treatment.
When Does Orthodontic Treatment Begin?
Orthodontic treatment may begin as early as four or five years old, or can even begin well into adulthood. Generally early intervention is ideal as a young patient is still growing, which makes it easier to correct minor issues and may prevent more extensive orthodontic procedures later in life. On average, treatment begins between nine and 12 years of age.
Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Required?
There are many different reasons orthodontic intervention may be required; some for clinical reasons and some more for aesthetic reasons.
Orthodontic treatment may be used to close gaps between teeth, to align tips of the teeth, or to straighten crooked or rotated teeth. It is also used to treat an improper bite such as open bite, under bite, or crossbite.
Orthodontic treatment is not only to correct your smile, but to also correct your oral health. An improper bite may lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. TMJ may make it harder to chew and in the case of crooked and crowded teeth, oral hygiene may become an issue making it harder to clean the area properly leading to tooth decay and other oral health issues. Orthodontic treatment is designed to make your teeth function properly and to make your smile more aesthetically pleasing.
What Appliances Are Used in Orthodontics?
Orthodontic treatment may involve the use of different appliances that are either fixed or removable to help correct improper bite, expand the top dental arch, and improve profile. Traditional metal bracketing may be used and, in some cases, the use of clear aligners may be another option.
Where to Begin?
The first step is to see if you would benefit from any form of orthodontic treatment by booking an orthodontic consultation. During the consultation, the dentist or orthodontist will do a thorough assessment by taking measurements, checking for any discrepancies or abnormalities in your bite, determine if there is any issue with the position of the teeth such as crowding, spacing, or blocked teeth – x-rays are sometimes taken at this time. After this consultation, the dentist or orthodontist should be able to give you a general idea as to what is to be expected, both treatment wise and cost wise.
Summer camp at Heritage House Dental was a blast this year! For several days throughout July and August we had the pleasure of hosting Summer Camp at the Dentist for dozens of future “Tooth Heroes”!
During these camps our little friends learned all about brushing, flossing, and how to properly free all the Sugar Bugz to their Secret-Under-Sink-World. They even made their own Sugar Bugz, played games, and had the opportunity to explore an actual op!
Thank you to everyone who participated in our camps this summer, they would not have been a success without our Tooth Detectives, Junior Helpers, and our Librarians from Courtneypark Library! A special thank you to all of our littler campers and their parents who joined us as well. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you graduate to become an official Tooth Hero and attend our upcoming events!
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Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in our body. In fact, it is even stronger than bone! Despite this, there are several everyday lifestyle habits that can unknowingly harm and destroy this white outer shield of our teeth. Consequently, teeth can become painful, damaged and sensitive, which may lead to time-consuming and expensive interventions by your dental team. The following are several common habits that may cause more harm than good:
Over-consumption of Acidic Foods and Drinks
Aspects of our diet can have long-lasting adverse effects on our enamel. Citrus fruits and juices, carbonated water, soft drinks, vinegar, and alcohol can, over time, wear away the surface of our teeth. This acidic erosion causes enamel to become thin, yellow-ish in colour, and may ultimately lead to temperature sensitivity and pain.
Grinding and Clenching Teeth
Juggling our daily responsibilities may cause some people to involuntarily release stress through habitual bruxism (teeth-grinding) and/or jaw clenching. Often times, these habits occur subconsciously during the night-time and may reveal themselves through symptoms of jaw and ear pain, facial muscle tenderness, tension headaches, and ‘sore teeth’. Your dentist may also see irreversible signs of wear to your teeth and gums, which can impact the function and aesthetics of your mouth and smile.
Oral Hygiene Technique
Surprisingly, our oral health routine may also be impacting the health of our teeth. Chronically brushing too aggressively (especially with a hard-bristled toothbrush) can irritate our gums, contributing to gum recession and the potential for sensitivity and cavities on the newly exposed portion of our teeth. In addition, our gums (gingiva) can also be harmed by excessively forceful flossing and the improper use of wooden toothpicks.
Using our Teeth as Tools
It may seem convenient or harmless to use our teeth to rip a clothing tag, break open a sunflower seed shell, crunch on ice cubes, bite off a hangnail, or even open a bottle cap, but in reality, these bad habits can lead to numerous consequences. From small chips to large cracks, broken fillings to jaw dysfunction, your dentist has seen the negative effects these seemingly innocent habits can have on your mouth and your wallet.
Snacking and Sugar/Carbohydrate Consumption
Constant grazing or sipping throughout the day allows cavity-causing bacteria to feast on the sugars and residual food on our teeth, causing them to produce acid that attacks the enamel. Essentially, by not giving our saliva time to neutralize these ‘acid attacks’, the risk of cavity formation and sensitivity increases significantly.
Helpful Reminders and Solutions
If you are consuming acidic or sugary foods and drinks throughout the day, try drinking a glass of water afterwards, brushing your teeth 20 minutes after their consumption, drinking through a straw, and reducing the frequency of snacking.
See your dentist if you are experiencing jaw pain or believe you are grinding or clenching. Lifestyle modifications, nightguards, and referrals to other health care professionals, such as physiotherapists, may help to alleviate and eliminate symptoms, and prevent long-term consequences.
Speak with your hygienist regarding proper brushing and flossing techniques. Always use a soft (or extra-soft) toothbrush, try to avoid abrasive toothpastes, and think of ‘massaging’ the teeth and gums versus ‘scrubbing’.
Break those bad habits such as nail biting, and using teeth as nutcrackers and bottle openers.
Make dental/hygiene appointments and choosing a healthy diet part of your regular routine to optimize your oral health and maintain that beautiful smile!
Congratulations to the Raptors for making Canadian history! We had a blast cheering on our Toronto Raptors during the playoffs, there is so much Canadian pride here at Heritage House Dental! Here are a few of our favourite moments from our two weeks of NBA Finals team spirit!
This will be our first year participating in the Annual Heartland Summer Sidewalk Sale! If you need a break from back to school shopping, be sure to bring the kids and head into Heritage House Dental for a FREE introduction to our Sugar Bugz Be Gone Program!!
The Heartland Summer Sidewalk Sale will take place from Thursday August 22 – Friday August 30.
The Dental Dream Team was proud to participate in the 2019 Manulife Ride for Heart. We have been riding every year since 2014 in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. This year we thought we would switch it up a bit and tried the 5km walk, and what a beautiful walk it was! It was lovely to see a few patients during our walk down the Gardiner Expressway. All together we had 19 walkers and are proud to announce we raised $2,225 towards life-saving heart disease and stroke research! As always, we sincerely thank you for your support and generous donations!
Heritage House Dental is proud to participate in the community, every year we host Half Day Camps throughout the year, especially around March Break and Summer Vacation. These camps are free, fun, educational, and a great opportunity to introduce your little one to a dental office! During the camps kids will enjoy:
Fun and interactive presentation by a Registered Dental Hygienist
Crafts and games to help your child learn how to maintain a healthy smile for life while having fun
Introduction to our Sugar Bugz Be Gone program with an invitation to become a Tooth Hero
Goody bag to take home with educational materials on dental health to further their learning experience
Our Summer Camps are set for the following dates:
Tuesday July 9th, 2019
Tuesday July 16th, 2019
Tuesday July 23rd, 2019
Tuesday August 6th, 2019
Tuesday August 13th, 2019
View the video below to see all the fun we’ve had in previous years.
Our summer camps are very popular and dates are filling in fast… call now to register at 905-814-1600!
When you think about a tooth being knocked out, your mind might focus on a child losing a tooth while playing, when in fact several million teeth are knocked out in both children and adults every year! If you ever find yourself in this situation, do not panic, your tooth can still be saved! All you need to do is follow these five simple steps and together you and your dentist can save your natural smile!
There is no doubt having a tooth knocked out can be a very traumatic event, but it is important to know staying calm and acting correctly in a timely manner can make the difference between saving or losing the tooth.
Do keep in mind one exception to this is having knocked out of a primary (baby) tooth. There is no need to replant the tooth since the permanent tooth will come through eventually.
Five important preventative measures to follow if a permanent tooth is knocked out:
Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown
The crown is the part of your tooth you see in your mouth, also known as the chewing surface. Do NOT pick the tooth up by the root.
Rinse the tooth
Rinse the tooth only using cold running water for no more than 10 seconds. Place a plug in the sink to prevent the tooth from falling down the drain. It is important to not use any soap or other cleaning product on the tooth.
If possible, immediately re-position the tooth back in the socket it came from
Gently push the tooth with your fingers into the socket by handling the crown. Once the tooth is properly aligned you can hold the tooth in place with your fingers, a piece of wet tissue, or by biting down on it.
Keep the tooth moist at all times
You can keep the tooth moist by placing it in the socket where it came from. If this is not possible you can keep it moist in your mouth next to your cheek, in milk, coconut water, or saline. If you have it available, place the tooth in an emergency tooth preservation kit. It is important to note, the use of tap water for transportation is not tolerated by the root surface cells.
Contact an emergency dentist within 30 minutes of the accident
It is best to see the dentist with the knocked out tooth within 30 minutes of the accident, however, it is possible to still save the tooth even if it has been outside of the mouth for longer.
Dr. Daniela Bololoi DDS
Member of:
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL TRUMATOLOGY
CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ENDODONTICS
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS
REFERENCE: International Association of Dental Traumatology / American Association of Endodontists
A child’s smile is one of the most wonderful sights in this world. Unfortunately, that wonderful smile can develop cavities. A cavity is difficult to treat in infants and young children and may cause significant harm to the child’s health. A cavity can become infectious and may result in impairment of nutrition and esthetics, with accompanying psychological problems.
Not to be alarmed though, cavities can be avoided. Every parent is encouraged to pay attention to these six points to ensure their child’s smile stays as beautiful and healthy as ever.
Avoid Prolonged Bottle Feeding
Prolonged consumption of milk within a bottle, especially at night time, can have a negative impact on children’s teeth. Children are encouraged to finish the bottle prior to falling asleep, and it is recommended to be followed with a thorough brush and rinse.
Any ‘cavity producing liquid’ such as milk, juice, pop, or honey water is not recommended to be served in a bottle. Throughout the night as the child sleeps, the saliva production is very low and cannot adequately clean the mouth as well as it can during waking hours. Therefore, if a baby is put to bed with a bottle, it is recommended the bottle only contain plain water.
Avoid Prolonged Breast Feeding
Night time breast feeding is not recommended after the age of 12 months. If breast feeding continues passed 12 months of age, ideally parents are encouraged to brush their child’s teeth after feeding. In some scenarios this may not be possible; in this case parents can gently wipe the child’s teeth and gums with a clean washcloth or gauze to remove milk from the tooth surfaces. Parents may also encourage a child to take a few sips of water after every episode of night time feeding to help rinse off the milk from the teeth.
Avoid Caries Producing Snacks between Meals
It is common to think only sugar containing food can cause cavities, however this is not true. The truth is any food with the capability to stick to the teeth can cause cavities, such as bread, rice, cereal, and the list goes on.
In general, it is recommended to avoid any snacks that may cause tooth decay between meals. This means any sugar containing drink or food is encouraged to be restricted to meal time only.
Avoid Prolonged Use of Pacifier
Prolonged use of a pacifier may have harmful effects on the development of the jaw and teeth. Pacifiers dipped in honey, jam, or any other sweetened liquid is not recommended in order to prevent tooth cavities — especially at night time.
Practice Regular Oral Hygiene Care
Oral hygiene care starts before the first tooth erupts in the mouth. After every feeding, parents are encouraged to gently wipe down the gums and tongue with a clean wash cloth.
As soon as the first tooth erupts in the mouth, the use of a soft toothbrush should be introduced to clean the tooth. When a few front teeth erupt in the mouth, this is the time to introduce non-fluoridated tooth paste with a soft toothbrush (just a smear of paste is needed).
Fluoridated tooth paste should not be used until the child has mastered the skill of complete spitting. Flossing should be encouraged as soon as a tooth develops contact with adjacent teeth. Parents may take complete responsibility of brushing and flossing their young children’s teeth until they are able to do so on their own.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
Regular dental checkups have an added advantage in maintaining a child’s oral health. It is recommended children visit the dentist as early as their first tooth erupts in the mouth and no later than their first birthday. It is important to remember prevention is always better than a cure!
Heritage House Dental invites you to join us for our Free March Break Camps. That’s right! Camps at the dental office!! Camps are free, fun and educational. This is a great opportunity to bring your little one as a first introduction to the dental office.
Kids will enjoy:
Fun and interactive presentation by a Registered Dental Hygienist
Crafts and games to help your child learn how to maintain a healthy smile for life
Introduction to our Sugar Bugz Be Gone program with an invitation to become a Tooth Hero
Goody bag to take home with educational materials on dental health to further their learning experience
The following dates are available: Monday, March 11, 2019 Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Thursday, March 14, 2019
View the video below to see all the fun we’ve had in previous years.
Call now to register at 905-814-1600….Space is limited!!
