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The annual wild and crazy night of costumes and candy is over for another year and all that’s left is the loot bag; an astounding collection of confectionery ready to be consumed by your children over the next few days, or perhaps weeks. You may even find a way to snag a few of those treats for yourself, provided the kids aren’t keeping too close an eye on that inventory. From your dentist’s perspective, there’s …

In a clinical environment such as a dental office, cleanliness is everything. For the safety of our patients and staff, it is our critical responsibility to maintain a germ-free environment. There is a strict regimen of instrument sterilization and a thorough wipe-down to every vulnerable surface between each appointment to prevent cross-contamination. At Sante-Highbury Dental, for the further protection of our patients and staff, we have made a significant investment to purify one aspect of …

It’s not unusual for patients to tell us they “have TMJ.” The correct response to this would be: “Yes, indeed, you have two of them.” “TMJ” is an acronym, for Temporomandibular Joint; these are the two jaw joint bones, known as the temporal and mandible bones. What these patients are actually referring to are abnormalities in the head, neck, jaws, ears, sinuses, throat, jaw joints and teeth. There may also be clicking and popping in the jaw joints …

Your child has been just been diagnosed with tooth decay and it requires restorative treatment. Don’t despair… here’s some helpful information that will reduce the possibility of a stressful experience. The first thing that you should know is that children’s teeth are much more delicate and vulnerable than adult teeth. Their enamel is about 1/3 the thickness of an adult tooth, so problems can develop quickly with no apparent signs. The earliest signs of decay …

Not too many years ago, dental professional bodies like the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists and the Canadian Dental Association recommended the first dental appointment for a child to be completed at about 2-3 years of age. Today, those organizations recommend a much earlier age, typically at 12 months or within 6 months of the first tooth’s eruption. Why the change? Studies have shown the earlier age introduction to a “dental home” brings numerous benefits …

All of a sudden, last month the entire world got highly strung over a report citing a lack of evidence that flossing was effective in preventing dental caries and gum disease. The need to floss is “unproven” said the report. Just as quickly, hundreds of journalists (and patients) concluded that public health officials and the dental profession had been scamming the public for the past 50 or so years. In reacting to this “revelation,” it …

You may be familiar with the Ramones’ irreverent treatment of this subject in the punk anthem cited in our title. Let us state however, without reservation, that access to various forms sedation is a safe and effective godsend for millions of people every day. Truth is, the use of sedation in medicine, whether in dentistry or otherwise, greatly reduces the difficulties patients face in moving forward with necessary treatment. Dentistry, by its very nature, is …

These days, dentists and oral surgeons often recommend that wisdom teeth be removed before they become a serious problem. Why? Ideally, the human mouth should hold 28 teeth, but with the last-to-erupt wisdom teeth — typically between the ages of 17 and 25 — there are actually 32 teeth fighting for that space. Some individuals will have enough space to accommodate these additional teeth in a healthy and maintainable manner while others will not. (Wisdom …

By the time a child is 16, it is highly likely that they have had some type of injury to their front teeth. It is the upper front teeth that are most vulnerable, as they typically take the full impact of an accidental fall or active sports injury. Fortunately, most do not result in the complete loss of the tooth. Nevertheless, it is important for parents, teachers and coaches to know what procedures are important …

If you are missing one or more teeth, dental implants may be a logical, long term treatment solution. They are also an ideal choice if you have a bridge that needs replacement or poor fitting dentures. The procedure begins with an implanted titanium post which fuses with your natural bone to become a permanent foundation for the replacement teeth. A connecter (called an abutment) is added to the top of the post which then allows …

More than half of all Canadians have anxiety about dental appointments. That anxiety can be so intense many people avoid seeing a dentist completely. If this is you, recognize that you are not alone. That’s why today’s training in the dental profession includes techniques to minimize patient discomfort with a variety of available options. Let’s also recognize that avoiding or delaying dental care can be more painful, both financially and for one’s overall health. Further, …

A number of years ago, when financially-pressured managers of insurance benefit programs were working to find savings for their employer clients, there was a deliberate attempt to change their plans by stretching the previous norm of twice-annual dental checkup and cleanings into nine months or once a year. On the surface, this may have seemed a good way to reduce benefit costs for the insurers. Unfortunately, it also proved to be a bad decision for …

by Cheryl Correa, Santé Dental Hygienist. Fluoride has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective treatment in preventing dental cavities at all ages. It is certainly so for children as well, although certain precautions should be followed when young ones use fluoridated toothpaste Childhood cavities can be devastating, so an early start is important. A number of factors contribute to whether a child is at a higher risk for early dental decay. Premature birth, a family …

Parents concerned about reducing their child’s risk of suffering a sports-related concussion would be well advised to visit their dentist instead of a sporting goods store. A new study published in the peer-reviewed General Dentistry journal found that secondary school age football players were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injuries/concussions when using store purchased mouth-guards compared to players wearing custom made properly fitted mouth-guards Lead author Dr. Jackson Winters, a pediatric dentist …

My hygienist told me I should see her every three months. Is this legit? And, what is it I’m being billed for at these appointments? In the past it was customary to fall into the trap of dental insurance dictated “once a year”, or “once every 6 months” frequency of dental cleanings. Often patients will state “I can only have a cleaning every 9 months, because that is what my insurance covers”…well you can actually …