The Basics of Flossing
Brushing your teeth regularly is important to remove food and plaque on the surfaces of your teeth, but it cannot access all the difficult or tight spaces in your mouth. Flossing is important because it can reach in between your teeth, under the gum line, or around your braces, and also improve blood circulation in your oral tissues.
Flossing only takes a few minutes, and should be done every time you brush your teeth. There are several different types of flosses, and which one is right for you can depend on spaces between your teeth, flavour, or personal preference/ease of use. For example, un-waxed floss is thinner, and can fit between tight spaces, whereas other flosses have thicker cotton sections to better clean around braces and retainers.
When flossing, it is important to use gentle and controlled motions to prevent accidentally injuring your gums. Here are a few tips on proper flossing techniques:
- Select a length of floss, approximately 16-18 inches long.
- Wind the floss loosely around the index finger of your left hand, with a small amount wrapped on the same finger on the opposite hand.
- With the floss held taut, gently insert the floss in between two teeth using a back-and-forth motion.
- Gently curve the floss in a ‘C’ shape around the base of each tooth, making sure to go just beneath the gum line.
- Gently slide the floss up the sides of both teeth, and be sure to unwind fresh floss as needed.
- Repeat this process between all teeth, including between your back teeth and your gums!
Flossing regularly is an important way to keep your teeth clean and your gums healthy. Flossing can improve your periodontal health and reduce plaque and calculus build-up, which can result in shorter cleaning appointments.
For more information on the importance of flossing, please contact us, or ask your hygienist for helpful tips and techniques. We have hygienists working late on weekdays and even on Saturdays as well! Please contact us to schedule a hygiene appointment.
Susan K
Greeter
Personal Profile Update
With so many different lifestyles and schedules between our patients, it’s easy to forget the things that have changed since the last time you’ve been to our office; address, phone numbers, new employer or insurance, different credit card for billing, etc. These changes may seem insignificant at first, but having current records are crucial in ensuring properly directed communications, and a smooth billing process.
It is our goal to make your dental experience easier and hassle free, which is why we have created several tools for our patients to inform us of any changes right away, and from the comfort of their home. Some of these methods are:
- Through our Patient Portal (request your login info)
- Contact us through our website
- Via phone; 403-271-6300
- Via e-mail; info@deervalleydentalcare.com
Or if you prefer to provide your information in person please be sure to arrive ten minutes before your appointment to allow us enough time to update your file. We do also offer conveniences for our new patients as well, which allows them to save time by filling out their personal profile, insurance information, and medical history online.
Another popular service our patients enjoy is direct billing with most insurance policies. To do this we need certain information such as:
- Insurance company’s name
- Policy and Certificate (or ID) numbers
- Policy holder’s name, birthday and address
- A credit card for remaining balances (only used after insurance has paid their portion)
As always, you can contact our office with any questions regarding appointments, finances, accounts, or your dental health!
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Jen J
Importance of Dental X-rays
Dental x-rays provide valuable information that helps your dentist evaluate your overall oral health. With the help of x-rays, your dentist can see what is happening beneath the surface of the teeth & gums, which is just as important as the surface.
How often should x-rays be taken?
How often x-rays should be taken depends on the patient’s present oral health, age, risk of disease & any oral issues the patient may be experiencing.
Children for example, may need x-rays more frequently than adults, as their teeth & jaws are still developing. Also, their teeth are more likely to be affected by tooth decay than those of adults.
The benefits of x-rays
X-rays are beneficial to both the patient & the dentist as they can help reveal many oral issues such as:
- Small areas of decay between the teeth or below existing restorations (fillings, crowns, etc.)
- Infections in the bone
- Gum (periodontal) disease
- Abscesses & other abnormalities
Deer Valley Dental Care uses computerized digital x-rays to ensure top quality images and to reduce radiation exposure to 1/10th of what was used five years ago.
Finding & treating dental problems at an early stage can save time, money & unnecessary discomfort. X-rays are a great way to help your dentist detect problems in your mouth that would otherwise be unseen on the surface, so it is important to have x-rays taken at least once a year at your regular check-up.
Clair C
Facts on Fluoride
Fluoride is a chemical element that is used by dental professionals to protect teeth and prevent cavities. When plaque breaks down food on your teeth it produces an acid that can damage your tooth enamel. Fluoride can protect your teeth from this process, and even help to strengthen areas where demineralization has previously occurred.
Fluoride can be beneficial to any patient type. Regular applications of fluoride are important for children because it protects their permanent teeth as they are forming. Adults can also benefit from fluoride to maintain strong teeth and protect them against thin enamel, as well as patients who are susceptible to decay.
Over usage of fluoride, or using it in high levels, can cause a condition known as fluorosis, which may discolor tooth enamel in small sections or spots. Ingesting fluoride can also cause an upset stomach or nausea, especially in children, which is why swallowing toothpaste is not recommended! However, when used as directed by your dentist, fluoride is a safe and effective contributor to preventing tooth decay.
There have been many articles published on the controversy of using fluoride in dentistry, and various clinical researches have been done to support both sides. If you have questions about using fluoride, or how much is right for you, please contact us to schedule an appointment.
Cori S
References
Preparing your Child for Dental Appointments
Parents often are unsure how to mentally prepare their children for dental appointments, sometimes forgetting that their own anxiety can be passed down unintentionally. Children remember intimidating stories and words such as ‘pain’, ‘scared’, or ‘needle’ and might associate these fears with dentistry throughout adulthood. The truth is if we start off right, most children will have a healthy outlook and positive experiences at the dentist.
As a local Calgary dentist, we would love to share some tips for our patients to prepare children for their dental visits:
- Keep explanations simple! Don’t go into detail about freezing, needles, and cavities. Instead try something like “The dentist is going to fix your tooth and he will show you how he does it at the appointment.”
- Present check-ups as an exciting event. Instead of saying “The dentist is going to check for cavities” try saying “The dentist will count all of your teeth and take pictures to see how healthy they are!”
- Promote proper home care! Preventing cavities is the easiest way to make dental visits easy. Please don’t threaten children with dental appointments and cavities when they refuse to brush. Make it a goal to ‘show the dentist how clean you keep your teeth’. We even carry some children’s toothbrushes that play different sounds the longer you brush, and have changeable face plates!
These are just a few of the steps to make dental appointments easier for kids. We have a free information guide with more tips available here at the office; please contact us for a copy!
Clean teeth are happy teeth!
Kaitlin B
The Benefits of Dental Insurance
Dental insurance can be very helpful to patients who require frequent appointments at the dentist. These benefits may be paid for by your employer, but it is important to not let them go to waste. Most insurance companies have a yearly dollar limit, and if that amount is not used it will not carry over and accumulate into the next year.
A common phrase I hear from patients is “I have dental insurance, but I don’t like going to the dentist.” That is like paying for car insurance but never driving your car! Dental insurance is a present your employer gives you because they care about you, and there are a lot of people who do not have this wonderful opportunity. Everyone values their car and it will last longer if you take it in for regular tune-ups. The same can be said for your teeth, with the exception that replacing teeth is much harder to do.
Regular check-ups using intra-oral photos and digital x-rays can detect and prevent future problems, and catch existing problems before they cause pain. Please do not delay your check-ups and be sure to take advantage of your dental benefits!
Happy flossing!
Yvonne M, RDH
Gold Fillings a Thing of the Past?
In the modern world of cosmetic dentistry, more and more patients are choosing white porcelain and composite resin (white) fillings. However there is another material that is far stronger and lasts longer. Cast gold restorations (inlays, onlays and full gold crowns) are used less frequently because they are not tooth-coloured. However, the gold colour can be very aesthetic, as the yellow tone blends in with the tooth quite well. If you are looking for an alternative, cast gold is the longest lasting dental material available. The longevity of a properly done cast gold restoration has always exceeded that of tooth-coloured materials and has been used to restore teeth for thousands of years. Below are some of the advantages of using gold to restore back teeth:
- Gold will not oxidize and discolor the teeth.
- Fragile areas of tooth structure remaining can be protected by covering them with a thin layer of gold. Gold will not fracture even when it is thin.
- The cast gold restoration will not fracture in the middle or other areas.
- The junction between the tooth and gold are nearly imperceptible if handled properly, and will not be so likely to harbor plaque, and should consistently contribute to better tissue health.
- Contact areas can be placed and polished for ease in the use of dental floss, thus promoting better tissue health.
- Gold can be polished and finished to a higher degree than other materials.
- Gold castings can be used to “bind the tooth together” and prevent tooth fracture, or relieve sensitivity from small tooth fractures.
- The normal tooth anatomy can be more nearly reproduced with a casting.
- Cast gold wears more nearly the same as tooth structure. Precise fitting castings will prevent chipping and fracturing at the margins and minimizes the possibility of leakage and bacterial invasion.
- Gold castings expand and contract very similarly to tooth structure.
- A well-placed gold casting will last much longer than other filling materials used today.
- The sensory acceptance of gold by the tongue and the feel during chewing is enhanced by the smoothness and anatomical replication of the missing tooth structure.
If you think a cast gold restoration may be for you, come in for a consultation today!
By Dr. Henry Lam, DMD, BA
References
R.V. Tucker Study Groups. (2011). Advantages of gold. Retrieved from
http://www.arvtsc.org/index.php?id=13
Small, B.W. (2008). Cast gold: The standard of care for operative dentistry. Inside
Dentistry, 66-71.
Small, B.W. (2010). Intracoronal cast gold restorations. General Dentistry, 58(2), 91-93.
Welcome to our new Deer Valley Blog
We have been serving Calgary with extended hours dentistry for 27 years and take great pride in the role we have played in the community during this time.
With 13 dentists and close to 50 support staff we are a tremendous resource of dental knowledge and we are excited to be able to share it with you.
As your partners in helping you keep your teeth healthy and attractive for life, we felt that sharing what we know on-line can help us to help you much more effectively.
So we are going to tap into the knowledge of each and every one of our dentists and staff. We are going to take turns writing an issue with ideas and suggestions for improving your dental health, sharing what’s new in dentistry, helping you manage your dental insurance, or just keeping you up to date with what is going on in our office.
Whether you are interested in cosmetic dentistry, the best toothbrush to use, or how to take care of a dental emergency we will do our best to educate and inform you with the latest in our rapidly progressing profession.
One tip I should pass on is that most dental plans allow a certain amount of dental treatment each year and it expires at the end of December with most plans. If you know you need something done, you are better off getting it done now and using up this year’s coverage, leaving a clean slate for next year in case something else crops up.
We are trying to accommodate everyone so call us and we will try to get you in if you need something done before year end.
I should also point out that we are open almost every day throughout the holiday period so if you or someone you know has a dental emergency we are there to take care of it.
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to all.
Dr Dave Robertson
Dr Oz on Dentistry
Apparently Dr. Oz had a recent program detailing the dangers of dental x-rays and in particular whether dental x-rays contribute to thyroid cancer. My research indicates he is overstating the risk.
Now don’t get me wrong, we believe in minimizing dental radiation. That is why we were one of the first in Calgary to introduce digital x-rays. They reduce the radiation down to one third of our old film x-rays which were already pretty low. In addition we do not just take x-rays for the heck of it. In fact this link (http://www.doctorspiller.com/Dental%20_X-Rays.htm ) gives a few examples of how quickly decay can progress and how an early x-ray can make the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
This link however is more to the point of whether dental x-rays increase the risk of thyroid problems; http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/cancer_of_thyroid.html . It is from the site of the American Thyroid Association. To quote one paragraph, “Routine X-ray exposure (eg, dental X-rays, chest X-rays, mammograms) does not cause thyroid cancer.”
This article states that neither chest x-rays nor dental x-rays are a concern, and as you will see below a chest x-ray has 250 times as much radiation as a dental x-ray. So if even a chest x-ray is safe a dental x-ray almost does not even register.
Dr Oz seems to be very knowledgeable, but I would think the American Thryoid Association would be the higher authority on the matter.
As indicated above, for those really keen to get an in depth education on x-ray exposure, I am attaching a link to an excellent article. http://www.doctorspiller.com/Dental%20_X-Rays.htm
For those that want the Coles Notes version it is as follows:
Radiation exposure is measured in units called mREM
An x-ray of the lower abdomen exposes you to 406 mREM, and they usually take at least 3 shots from different angles which totals 1218 mREM.
A chest x-ray is 80 mRem (also usually 3 shots so 240 mREM).
Your normal exposure to radiation just from the sun and living on planet earth is 360 mREM per year (more if you fly a lot or spend a lot of time outside).
A dental x-ray is 0.95 mREM. In our office where we use computerized digital x-rays, that amount is reduced by at least two thirds, so say 0.29 mREM.
Unless we see something that does not look right, we usually take 2 x-rays every year. That averages about 0.58 mREM per year. Even a full mouth panoramic x-ray is only the equivalent of 2 regular x-rays or 0.58 mREM and these are taken once every 5 years at most.
So in summary of my summary; the amount of radiation we can be exposed to per year and still fall within the government approved safe limit is 5000 mREM per year.
Our normal radiation exposure from the sun, tv, computers, and even food is 360 mREM per year
Typical dental x-rays add an additional 0.58 per year. That is .0116% of the dose considered safe.
So x-rays, like everything we do should be measured in accordance with benefit vs. risks. The risk level of today’s dental x-rays are miniscule, and the benefits are huge when you consider the things we can see that we otherwise could not.
So Dr Oz may have reason to be alarmed by the radiation in some medical x-rays, and he should continue to warn people not to agree to those on a whim. However, he should not presume dental x-rays are in way equivalent to what he is used to dealing with in the medical world.
By the way, most medical technicians do not even offer a lead apron to protect other parts of your body, which has always been standard for dental professionals. For those concerned about extra protection we even have lead aprons with thyroid collars that also cover the neck.
Dr Oz needs to be a little controversial to get people to watch his show. But please remember his show is about entertainment as well as health. And nothing attracts viewers better than a little controversy or sensationalism.