08
JanWelcome To 2013

To all of our wonderful patients, we welcome you to 2013. We hope you had relaxing holidays and that it hasn’t been too hard getting back into the swing of things. With all New Years come New Year resolutions. A common, but often unsuccessful one is flossing every day. Many excuses arise, “I don’t floss in the morning because I’m always running late” or “I don’t floss at night because it takes too much time and I’m SO tired”. All these may seem to be legitimate excuses, but what are you doing during your down time? Watching TV? Browsing? Reading a book? A tip we suggest to our patients is to keep floss where you spend most of your down time. Whether that’s in your family room, in your office, or by your bed, make sure to always have floss handy. It takes no more than 2 minutes of your time to floss your teeth, these 2 minutes improve your oral and overall health immensely!

To end things off, check out this cute video on New Year’s Resolutions: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8239079/flossing

17
DecThe Use and Handling of Toothbrushes

We all know that brushing with fluoride toothpaste is the most recommended and most used method of caring for our teeth. When we do this, we are removing plaque build-up, and in turn reducing bacteria associated with gum disease and tooth decay.

When we brush our toothbrushes become contaminated with the bacteria found in our mouth. Here are some recommended toothbrush care tips:

• Do not share toothbrushes. The exchange of body fluids that such sharing would foster places toothbrush sharers at an increased risk for infections.
• After brushing, rinse your toothbrush thoroughly with tap water to ensure the removal of toothpaste and debris, allow it to air-dry, and store it in an upright position. If multiple brushes are stored in the same holder, do not allow them to contact each other.
• It is not necessary to soak toothbrushes in disinfecting solutions or mouthwash. This practice actually may lead to cross-contamination of toothbrushes if the same disinfectant solution is used over a period of time or by multiple users.
• It is also unnecessary to use dishwashers, microwaves, or ultraviolet devices to disinfect toothbrushes. These measures may damage the toothbrush.
• Do not routinely cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers. Such conditions (a humid environment) are more conducive to bacterial growth than the open
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06
DecUse it or Lose it!

2013 is coming to an end and we’re hoping you’ve all had great year! If you have outstanding treatment and you haven’t reached your individual yearly maximum with your insurance company, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. Did you know that most insurance plans offer a yearly maximum and if you don’t use it all of that money goes to waste? Most plans don’t roll over the unused dollars. So if you are due for a cleaning, have restorations (fillings, crowns, bridges) that you have been putting off, or any dental treatment for that matter, give us a call today. Because remember… if you don’t USE IT, you LOSE IT!

28
NovYour Children’s Teeth

A common question asked by many of our patients with young children is “When should I be bringing my child in for his/her first dental visit?” At Innovation Dental, we recommend bringing your little one in when they turn 3, unless you have some concerns that you want assessed.

Here are some tips and information for you to understand your child’s teeth and to ensure your child has a healthy and clean mouth:

• Baby teeth start to erupt when a child is about 6 months old.
• Teeth normally start falling out after the age of 5 and continue falling out until the age of 12.
• A well balanced diet is important for the development of healthy teeth.
• If your baby sleeps with a bottle, fill it with water.
• Before your child has any teeth, the gums should be wiped with a soft wet cloth after every feeding.
• Brushing should begin when the first tooth erupts, this will get your child used to it.
• Watch for changes in colour, lines or spots on your children’s teeth, these may be signs of a potential problem
• Bring your child to the dentist for regular checkups!

If you have any questions, or if your child is at the age to have their first dental visit please call us and we would be happy to help you!

13
NovMouthguards

While you wouldn’t let your child play hockey without a helmet, many parents let their child play sports without a mouthguard, this is because many people do not realize the importance of a mouthguard. One may believe that a sports guard only prevents chipping and fracturing of teeth, but in fact, it can prevent much more.  “Mouthguards  also protect the soft tissues around the mouth and, in more serious injuries, can reduce the risk of jaw fracture by absorbing much of a blow to the jaw…It is further believed that there can be reduction of risk of concussion or severity of concussion”, Dr. Ian McConnachie, an Ottawa-based pediatric dentist. “Between 10-39% of children’s dental injuries result from sports accidents. Mouthguards are proven to reduce the incidence of these injuries”-American Association of Pediatric Dentistry.

There are a variety of different ways for purchasing a mouthguard. 1) Custom-made: Your dentist will take impressions of your teeth and create an exact fitting mouthguard. Although these are the most expensive type, they are the most affective. 2) Boil-and-bite: Boil a thermoplastic material to soften it, you will then bite into it to create an impression. These are good for children who are in mixed dentition and losing teeth. 3) Ready –made: These mouthguards are held in place

30
OctHappy Halloween!

Innovation Dental is wishing all of our ghouls and goblins a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Halloween is a fun time to dress up, meet the neighbours and of course GET CANDY! Please remember, candy is SUGAR and what does sugar cause? CAVITIES! When chewed, sugary foods react with bacteria on your teeth to produce an acid that destroys tooth enamel. These acid attacks last up to 30 minutes, enough time to do serious damage to your teeth! Sticky sugars such as cookies and candy will stick in the grooves of your back teeth. These areas are at higher risk for cavities from sticky sugar intake. To all you parents out there, we recommend letting your children indulge in their sugary sweet snacks for the first 24 hours, and then THROW OUT THE CANDY! Easier said than done, we know HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

23
OctFall Promotion

FREE WHITENING
With every NEW PATIENT EXAM and CLEANING
Offer expires November 28th, 2012
Both appointments must be completed by expiry date

22
OctObesity and Periodontal Disease

Just as smoking and uncontrolled glucose levels are significant risk factors for developing periodontal disease, there are many studies that show obesity can also be a risk factor for developing periodontal disease.

Over the past 20 years obesity in both men and women has increased by 8-10%. A study done over the span of 5 years used men and women with BMI’s (body weight in kg/height in meters squared) over 30 to determine whether obesity was connected to periodontal disease. These individuals enrolled in this study with no prior history of periodontal disease. At the end of the study, regardless of smoking status or diabetes, it was found that obese persons were at higher risk for developing periodontal disease over healthy individuals. The exact reason for which obesity contributes to periodontal disease is unknown.

Ways to prevent periodontal disease include: eating healthy, exercise, daily flossing and brushing, and regular check-ups with your dentist!

16
OctThe 411 on Amalgam Silver Restorations

A commonly asked question in a dental office is whether or not amalgam restorations are safe. Amalgam is a restorative material made up of silver, mercury, tin and copper. Recent studies have shown that the placement of amalgam restorations releases a minute amount of mercury vapour into the body, especially when chewing. If there were risks, they would have been observed during the 150 years that this material has been in use. One must remember that although people with amalgam restorations are receiving small amounts of mercury, we are also exposed to mercury through foods we eat, water, and the air we breathe. Here at Innovation Dental we do not place amalgam restorations. We use tooth coloured composite resin fillings. We do this more for esthetics; we are not against the placement of amalgam fillings. We are more than happy to replace silver fillings with composite if a patient requests this or if it is needed, but we feel comfortable leaving amalgam restorations in your mouth if they are stable and doing the trick. If you have any other questions regarding dental amalgam feel free to ask one of the dentists or visit:

http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/faqs_resources/faqs/dental_amalgam_faqs.asp

10
OctTooth Sensitivity

As the weather begins to cool down and the wind begins to blow we get patients coming in complaining of tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is when the Dentin of our teeth becomes exposed to the environment. Sometimes our teeth react to hot, cold, sweets, and pressure. The exposure of dentin can be cause by several different factors- wearing of your enamel, decayed teeth (cavities) or root exposure. At times your sensitivity may be relieved simply by brushing with your toothpaste for sensitivity (Sensodyne, Colgate pro-health). If your sensitivity is not generalized and certain teeth are causing the discomfort you can try rubbing your toothpaste for sensitivity on your teeth nightly for a minute without rinsing. These are some simple cures to tooth sensitivity, but they do not always work for everyone. If you are experiencing sensitivity, come visit the Dentists at Innovation Dental so that they can assess your situation and discuss further treatment to help you and your sensitive teeth!