Choosing Toothpaste
Take a walk down the aisle of your local pharmacy or grocer. It can be overwhelming. With a wall with floor to ceiling choices for anything from whitening to acid erosion, picking the right toothpaste for your needs can be confusing. Here is a breakdown of some of the most current toothpastes on the market, who can benefit from them, and their modes of action.
- “All in One” Toothpastes.
Toothpastes such as Colgate Total and Crest Pro Health are such examples. They protect against a wide variety of oral issues such as plaque, tartar, gingivitis, and cavities. They can contain sensitivity protection if specified.
- Sensitivity Toothpastes
These toothpastes usually contain Potassium Nitrate 5% to help soothe the sensitized nerve and can take up to 2 weeks to work. Sensodyne, Colgate Sensitive, Pro-Namel, and Crest Pro Health Sensitivity are examples.
Recently, Colgate has come out with an instant sensitivity toothpaste called Pro Relief. It uses Pro-Argin to block exposed channels in root surfaces to prevent the nerve from picking up on stimuli that can make the nerve react.
- Acid Erosion Toothpastes
Pro-Namel by Sensodyne is a well known acid erosion toothpaste. It works by removing Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a bubbling agent put in toothpaste. According to Pro-Namel, SLS and the sodium fluoride ion compete for binding sites on the enamel and root surfaces. By removing SLS, this allows for greater absorption of fluoride, resulting in stronger, more resistant teeth to acids in the diet.
- Heavy Fluoride Toothpastes
If you are prone to cavities, your dental professional may recommend a heavy-fluoride toothpaste, such as Colgate Prevident 5000. This toothpaste contains 8 times more sodium fluoride than conventional toothpastes. They usually keep this toothpaste behind the pharmacist’s desk due to it’s heavy fluoride content, however, no prescription is needed.
- Toothpastes for Dry-mouth
Dry-mouth, or xerostomia, can be induced by many factors, such as medications, cancer therapies, Sjogren’s syndrome, or mouth-breathing. Biotene Toothpaste can help keep the tissues moisturized. This is important as dryness acts as an irritant on the oral tissues, and can cause inflammation and bleeding. Having a well moisturized mouth also aids in clearance of bacteria and remineralization of tooth structures.
- Tartar Control Toothpastes
Both Colgate and Crest have tartar control toothpastes which increase the amount of time it
takes for calcium and bacteria to calcify on the enamel or root surface.
- Whitening Toothpastes
All brands of toothpaste offer whitening to some extent. Beware, as these can remove tooth structure if too abrasive, and can make the teeth sensitive. Ask your dental professional.
If you are unsure of tour options, ask your dental professional. We can help you pick the toothpaste best suited for your needs. As a general rule, look for the Canadian Dental Association’s seal of approval.
Shannon Z
RDH
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