The Importance of Dental Care and Tips on Picking the Right Toothbrush

Why Dental Care Is Important For Everyone

Even at a very young age, children are taught to brush their teeth at least twice every day to have strong and healthy teeth. It is important that parents reinforce these habits until kids no longer have to be reminded to brush their teeth.

Oral health care is a lifetime commitment – even people who have lost all their teeth need to keep their mouths healthy, as their gums can be just as sensitive to bacteria, germs, and diseases as those that still have their teeth.

Regular visits to your dentist to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy, and to check that your home care is sufficient is imperative. You might think you are able to see everything that is going on in your mouth, but you would be surprised at the things that can hide in there!

Good oral health care doesn’t need to be time consuming and arduous. The trick is getting into the habit, and then sticking with it!

Improve Dental Health by Using the Right Toothbrush

Dental health care professionals advise patients to see their dentist at least once or twice a year for checkups and regular teeth cleaning. During the rest of the year, it is important to have good home care. The trick is using the correct tools – a good toothbrush, floss, and mouth rinse are the foundations of preventative dental care.

Choosing the right toothbrush can be daunting when you’re standing in the store staring at a wall of toothbrushes of different shapes, sizes, and textures. Here are some quick tips to help you choose:

• Choose soft bristled brushes. Recommended by The Canadian Dental Association, toothbrushes with soft and rounded bristles are best as they are a lot gentler on teeth and gums. The average person tends to “scrub” their teeth with their toothbrush, so using a stiff-bristled brush can actually do damage to the teeth and gums, causing bleeding and wearing of the tooth enamel causing sensitivity. Soft-bristled brushes are also better for removing food debris and plaque on teeth, as the bristles slide in-between teeth a lot easier.

• Choose nylon bristles. Some people may have heard of the “natural toothbrush” trend, where people use wooden toothbrushes with bristles made out of an Araak tree root (also known as Miswak). Apart from their wooden handle, natural brushes are also easily distinguished by their (usually) light brown bristles (sometimes made of pig’s hair!). Unfortunately, no proper research has been done on these brushes yet as to how effective or harmful they are to a person’s teeth. That being said, dental professionals feel it is better to stick with the recommended nylon-bristled toothbrushes that are commonly used around the world.

• Choose the right toothbrush head size. People may sometimes fuss over the shape of the toothbrush head and how it looks, but one should be more concerned about the size of the toothbrush head. For example, if you have a small mouth, you may have a hard time angling the toothbrush properly if the head is too big. Toothbrushes with small heads are more commonly recommended for the general populous.

More Tips and Advice From the Experts

The AmberWood Dental experts are more than willing to share more tips and advice on taking care of your teeth. The clinic offers a variety of dental services that residents in Vancouver may need, like general dentistry treatments such as checkups and teeth cleaning.

For more information on the types of services available, please visit the website at www.amberwooddental.ca.

How Root Canal Therapy Can Save a Tooth

Relieving the Pain

There are a number of reasons why someone might experience a toothache. It may be due to tooth decay (cavity), or something more serious like an abscess (infection). Whatever the cause, it can be uncomfortable and quite painful. Luckily, there are ways your dentist can help alleviate that pain.

When people experience excruciating tooth pain, the first thing they think of to do is to have the tooth extracted. Although this may seem like the simplest route, it is generally only used as a last resort. Just like a regular doctor, the dentist wants to give the patient the best course of treatment for the health of the patient, and in the case of dentistry, to help save the tooth where possible. The main procedure used to do this is called Root Canal Therapy (Endodontics).

Root Canal Therapy is used to treat a tooth when the nerve or pulp of the tooth has already been compromised by tooth decay or infection. This treatment saves the tooth by only removing the nerve of the tooth, then sealing the top of the tooth with a filling and crowning (covering) the tooth to restore its normal shape and function. Often, if your tooth is infected, your dentist will put you on a course of antibiotics to relieve the infection and pain before starting treatment.

Root Canal Therapy Aftercare Tips

A few precautions for a patient to follow to ensure they endure as little pain as possible, and to prevent subsequent dental emergencies related to treatment are:

• Wait until the numbness in the mouth has worn off before eating anything – Since, the numbness prevents you from feeling anything at all, it is possible to burn your mouth and tongue from eating foods that are too hot, or anything that needs to be chewed puts you at risk for accidentally chewing your cheek or tongue. You won’t be aware of it until after the freezing comes out, and by then it will be extremely sore, so best to avoid if possible. If you absolutely must eat something, liquids or foods that don’t need to be chewed or are not too hot are recommended (i.e. slightly warmed soup).

• Dentists will often use a temporary filling to seal the canals before inserting the crown if they feel it needs time to rest and heal, of if the tooth needed to be medicated (for severe infection). It is not uncommon for the temporary filling to come out, especially if you have been eating sticky foods. If you notice a medicine-like taste in your mouth, or if your tongue feels that there is a hole in the tooth, contact your dentist. Leaving the post-root canal tooth unsealed while it is still sensitive may open it up again to infection as bacteria can get back into the exposed tooth. For that reason, it is important to closely monitor the temporary filling in case it completely comes off.

• Swelling is a normal and common post-root canal occurrence which is not alarming, but it can be quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, patients can reduce or ease the swelling through the usual ice pack technique. They can even use frozen vegetables such as peas instead of an ice pack, though the latter is most likely more effective. The moment a patient gets home after root canal therapy, he has to place an ice pack on the affected area for about half an hour. After that, he can keep reapplying the ice pack for 10-15 minutes every hour until the discomfort from the swelling has subsided enough.

Root Canal Therapy and Other Dental Services in Vancouver

Those experiencing toothaches can consult the experts from AmberWood Dental, a dental clinic in Vancouver which offers a variety of dental treatments, including root canal therapy. They can be contacted through this number: (604) 732-6561 or through the other contact details listed on their website: www.amberwooddental.ca

Do not jump right into a tooth extraction, think about saving the tooth first through root canal therapy!

Don’t Just Brush, Floss For Healthier and Stronger Teeth!

Doing More Than Just Brushing

We all know, the most commonly known and practiced dental care habit is brushing, so nearly everyone knows how to do it (and how often they should do it). It’s been drilled into people’s minds since early childhood, and has remained stuck in the minds of adults everywhere for generations. But there is more to this dental tale . . .

While brushing is the most popular dental care practice, it is not the only one people should do every day. There is a common misconception that brushing is enough, but we’re here to tell you if you’re just brushing, you’re only getting part of the job done!

Truth be told, brushing does do most of the dirty work when it comes to cleaning your mouth, but you wouldn’t use a bulldozer to dig a small hole, would you? The toothbrush can’t get into all of those tiny in-between spaces. It needs the proper tool, and that tool is dental floss.

Imagine a small piece of food falling down in between your car seats. After a day, it might be ok, but imagine what it’s like after a week, a month, or longer? If you don’t pick that out (and we all know how hard it is to dig stuff out from between the seats), it’s going to rot, start to smell, and get pretty nasty. It’s the same with the food stuck between your teeth. If not “picked” out with floss, it’s going to decompose, and low and behold . . . the dreaded tooth decay forms!

The Types of Dental Floss

Although it may look like a simple piece of string (and trust me, you don’t want to use string to floss your teeth), dental floss comes in many types. You’re not going to use it if it’s not comfortable and convenient, right? So here are a few examples to get you on the right track:

• Regular floss. Also known as “un-waxed” dental floss, this is the traditional kind of floss that is packed in small, often square-shaped cases with a metal or plastic attachment that is used to cut the floss to the desired length. Regular floss is best used by those without much restorative work, and not too-tight contacts between teeth.

• Waxed floss. Just like the name says, this type of floss is just like the regular kind, except it’s coated in wax. The wax allows the floss to slide easily and smoothly in between teeth. This type of floss is ideal for people who have tight contacts between the teeth, or major restorative work as it’s less likely to get stuck in between the teeth and become difficult to remove. Many dental professionals claim that unwaxed floss is better at grabbing food particles, but it unfortunately doesn’t slide as smoothly as waxed floss.

• Teflon floss (aka Polytetrafluorethylene). Known as the type of floss that is easy and quick to use, it is sort of like the waxed floss, only it has no wax. Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) or Teflon floss is the same material used in high-tech Gore-Tex fabric (sounds perfect for our Vancouver weather, doesn’t it?) The material slides between the teeth easily and is less likely to shred compared to standard floss (www.oralb.com).

Learn How to Floss Properly

Since it is a commonly overlooked dental care practice, some people may not be aware about the proper way of flossing. Fortunately, there are several dental professionals in Vancouver like ours at AmberWood Dental that are more than willing to show people how!

Pay a visit or give our clinic a call at (604) 732-6561, or visit our website for more contact information at www.amberwooddental.ca.

Finding Out the Reasons Behind Bad Breath

What Is Halitosis?

“Bad breath, or halitosis, is characterized by an unpleasant odour of the mouth.” – www.medicinenet.com

Halitosis (clinical term for bad breath) is quite a common problem that people have either experienced themselves, or know someone who has. It is undeniably an issue people would rather not have, as it is not only unhealthy, but can also cause self-esteem issues.

In a way, it is similar to being overly self-conscious of crooked teeth, where people would rather keep their mouths closed to hide them. The feeling can be the same for people with bad breath – they can be concerned about talking too close to other people due to their halitosis. On the other hand, some people can be completely unaware that they have bad breath, and are only conscious of a bad taste in their mouth. Everyone’s experience is different.

Generally it is others that will notice it first, but it can be difficult, and uncomfortable, to tell someone that they have bad breath. We often will try to do it covertly, like having a piece of gum or a mint, and then offering the other person one. It has become such a common concern that it has created a billion dollar industry of gum, mints, and mouthwash.

If you’re unsure, here is a simple test to determine whether or not one has bad breath, taken from www.nhs.uk:

“A simple test to find out whether you have bad breath is to lick the inside of your wrist with the back of your tongue and wait for a few seconds until the saliva dries. If your wrist smells unpleasant, it is likely your breath does too.”

Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by several factors, often because of a person’s lifestyle, diet, health conditions, etc. Some of the main causes are:

• Food and drinks. There are certain types of food and drinks that instantly cause bad breath upon consumption, as their odours linger until the mouth is cleaned properly. Most of these foods are spices, including onions, ginger, and exotic spices like curry. In fact, spicy food is often the main culprit behind bad breath, often due to the mixture of different spices. Acidic drinks, and some types of fish and cheeses, can also cause bad breath. Another major issue is when food gets stuck in between teeth for an extended period of time, causing the growth of bacteria. This is why it’s important to brush and floss after each meal!

• Smoking or using other types of tobacco products. It is common knowledge that the use of tobacco products will often stain teeth, and cause bad breath. Nicotine is particularly notorious for sticking to teeth and being difficult to remove. Apart from causing bad breath, smoking and the use of other tobacco products can also irritate the gums eventually leading to gum disease. Gum disease just compounds the bad breath issue, and it then becomes a vicious cycle that is difficult to get out of.

• Less than satisfactory dental hygiene. In the absence of good oral health care, the mouth turns instantly into a haven for bacteria and bad breath. Without regular brushing, flossing and the use of mouthwash, food that gets stuck in between teeth will remain stuck, and “decompose” in the mouth. Imagine leaving foods like meat and cheese in an unplugged refrigerator for a week (or even a day) . . . not too pleasant a smell, is it? Keeping on top of your oral health care regimen is imperative to keeping a clean (and odour-free) mouth. And don’t forget to brush your tongue too!

Have the Bad Breath Checked

If breath continues to be unpleasant, or gets worse over time, it’s best to visit a dentist so they can check for any underlying causes.  Fortunately, there are good dentists in Vancouver who are always willing to help, such as the dentists at AmberWood Dental.

Apart from checking for bad breath or other dental problems, the clinic offers other sorts of dentistry treatments. For more information on these treatments, visit their website at www.amberwooddental.ca!