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Pregnancy and how it affects your oral health.

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While keeping your mouth healthy is important, it becomes even more so during pregnancy. As your hormones change you may face oral health issues such as gum and bone disease. The following preventative measures will help keep your smile healthy and reduce risks such as low birth weight and pre-term delivery.

Morning Sickness

One of the most problematic symptoms you can experience in pregnancy is morning sickness. Repeated exposure to stomach acid can wreak havoc on your enamel causing tooth decay and erosion. These steps should be taken following any episodes of vomiting:

  • Rinse your mouth with water or fluoride mouth wash (if you can stand it) immediately following the episode
  • After rinsing your mouth, wait for at least 30 minutes to further reduce the acid in your mouth
  • Brush your teeth

Preventative Measures

Daily:

  • Floss
  • Brush your teeth at least twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste using a soft bristled toothbrush
  • Drink fluoridated water where available

Schedule a checkup and cleaning in your first trimester to assess the current state of your oral health.

Bleeding Gums

Your hormone changes can affect your gums. They may be more sensitive and they might bleed easily, even if you have good oral hygiene.

“Pregnancy Gingivitis”

Between months 3 and 9 gestation, you may experience pregnancy gingivitis. This is when your gums become swollen, red, and/or irritated from bacteria along your gumline. It is important to see your dentist during pregnancy as gingivitis may turn into periodontitis. Most pregnancy-related gum issues will resolve themselves after giving birth, however, if they do not it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist.

Visiting Your Dentist

If you do need dental work during pregnancy – the best time to have your work completed is during your second trimester. It is a good idea to avoid X-rays while you are pregnant. X-rays of your mouth should only be taken in an emergency. If you need an X-ray, make sure you are covered with a lead apron to protect your baby from the radiation.

Contact us today to set up your next appointment!

I Just Had a Filling – Why does my tooth still hurt?

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So your dentist recommended you have a filling done, but now a tooth that didn’t bother you before is hurting! Yikes!

Before you start panicking there are a few reasons this could happen. Firstly – is the pain you are experiencing upon biting or chewing? or is it a constant ache?

Pain with biting/chewing

If the pain/sensitivity is with biting or chewing, chances are your filling needs a slight adjustment! When the dentist checks your bite after performing a filling, sometimes you’re so frozen it’s hard to get a good idea if your bite feels “normal” or not. Even the slightest bit of filling material being too high, or left over bonding agent can cause sensitivity with biting if you have a “tight” bite.

Typically, we can see you the same day for a quick appointment (that requires no freezing) to adjust the filling.

Constant Ache

If your pain is more of a constant ache there are two possible issues. Your pain may be associated with the injection site for the anesthetic. Some people are very sensitive to freezing and can experience and ache/bruised feeling in their jaw from the anesthetic – especially in the lower jaw. The best course of action is to wait a day or two to see if the ache gets better.

The other possibility with a constant ache is that the decay was much deeper than expected. While we always try our best to prevent a tooth from needing a root canal, sometimes the decay is so deep we have no choice. When Dr. Ross performs a filling where the decay is deep in the tooth, he will often place a medication to desensitize the tooth and help it “calm down”.  If this doesn’t work, a root canal may be the best course of treatment to fix the tooth.

Whatever the problem may be – we’re here to help you fix it. Call or email us today! https://austindentalgroups.com/contact/

 

Help! I lost my tooth. What now?

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Whether you tripped in the grocery store or participated in a particularly lively game of hockey, losing a tooth can be an upsetting ordeal! It’s important to remain calm and call your dentist as soon as possible.

By following these steps – there is still hope:

  1. DO NOT clean, brush or scrub the tooth – even if it’s covered in blood.
  2. Place it in a small container of your own saliva, milk, or saline solution if available.
  3. See your dental professional as soon as possible (ideally within 30 minutes). Don’t forget to bring it with you.

With prompt attention, a permanent tooth may be re-implanted into the socket and remain normal and healthy.

While it will eventually need a root canal and crown, it is always better to retain your natural tooth than to have to replace it with a prosthetic.

When participating in sports, always wear a mouth guard. Check out our blog on mouth guards: https://austindentalgroups.com/uncategorized/how-mouth-guards-help-protect-athletes/

If you’re having a dental emergency call us today! (604) 936-1263

 

Oh Baby! Caring for your baby’s teeth and gums.

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Dental health starts before there are any teeth to brush! Caring for your baby’s teeth early on develops good oral hygiene habits for the future.

Before your child has any teeth it is important to clean the gums after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth. You can also buy “thimble” style rubber gum stimulators to brush your baby’s gums.

Teething is difficult, but there are a few things you can do to help. Rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger or a clean washcloth. Many babies find the applied pressure comforting. Keep their mouth cool with a cold washcloth, spoon, or chilled teething ring. If your child is already eating hard foods, offer them something to gnaw on like chilled cucumber or carrot. Keep close watch as they chew as any broken off pieces pose a choking hazard.

Baby teeth are important too. A common misconception in adults is that primary teeth do not need special care because they eventually fall out and are replaced by our permanent teeth. But these first teeth preserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help Baby chew and talk. If they’re not cared for properly they can decay, leading to a gum infection called gingivitis, which can affect the spacing of permanent teeth.

Put them to bed with water. The first sign of decay in your child’s teeth is discolouration and minor pitting. Putting your child to bed with milk or worse, juice, is notoriously bad for their teeth. This allows sugars to sit in their mouth and breed bad bacteria all night – water is the safest bedtime beverage.

For more tips on brushing and cleaning your child’s teeth see the Canadian Dental Association Website: http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/cfyt/dental_care_children/cleaning.asp

To book your child’s first dental check-up, contact us today by phone (604) 936-1263, or email https://austindentalgroups.com/contact/

How to encourage good oral hygiene in kids

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The more knowledge you can give your kids about dental hygiene, the more likely they are to continue good habits into adulthood – but that doesn’t mean teaching them needs to be boring! There are many great resources available and experiments you can do at home to spark interest in your child.

Show them the plaque that is forming on their teeth by making your own “plaque disclosing solution”. Mix 3-4 drops of red food dye in 3 tablespoons of water and have your child “swish” the solution around like a mouthwash for 10 seconds. Once they spit it out, look in a magnifying mirror and find all the red areas (indicating plaque). Have your child brush their teeth then repeat swishing the solution again to show how much plaque was removed by brushing.

Read to them; there are many great children’s books available about brushing, flossing, and “sugar bugs”.  Click the link to see the 10 Best Children’s Books on Brushing your Teeth as chosen by Babble: https://www.babble.com/crafts-activities/the-10-best-childrens-books-on-brushing-your-teeth/

Demonstrate how to brush your teeth properly – especially in toddlers when they are most interested in copying everything mom and dad do!

Let them try brushing your teeth! Not only is this a great bonding experience, it gives your child a close-up, tactile experience with teeth and gums. Don’t forget to brush again after!

Play Music when brushing. Not only does it make brushing more fun, it encourages kids to brush the full length of the song or the recommended 2 minutes.

Let them pick their own toothbrushes and fun flavoured toothpaste. Toothpaste doesn’t need to be mint flavoured to be effective! Why not let them pick a brush with their favourite character and some toothpaste that tastes like berries or bubblegum!

 

To book your family in for their next cleaning appointment, call today! (604) 936-1263

 

What to pack for lunch – the best snacks for your teeth

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Your oral health is important to your overall health and the first thing to decline when you eat a poor diet is your oral health. To ensure you’re choosing the best food for your teeth pick snacks that are rich in fiber, water, calcium, and protein. The top 7 foods as recommended by the American Dental Association are:

Cheese – Rich in calcium and protein, cheese also raises the pH in your mouth by increasing saliva production.

Yogurt – Like cheese, yogurt is high in protein and calcium. It also contains probiotics which are great for your gums as they block out the bad bacteria from forming

Leafy Greens – They’re full in vitamins, folic acid, and calcium which helps build your enamel!

Apples, Carrots, and Celery – High in fiber and water, they also help saliva production through the action required to chew them so thoroughly. Because they are so fibrous they also stimulate your gums in a similar way to brushing

Almonds – A great source of calcium and protein while being low in sugar

When it comes to beverages, the best choice is always water. Remember, a healthy smile is your first step towards better overall health.

Call or email today to book your next appointment!

We’re a Family Practice with Long-Term Staff!

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Even our receptionist, Dani, has been coming to our office for 27 years!

We’d love to see you and your family for your next dental appointments. Call today! (604) 936-1263

 

 

 

Why are my teeth YELLOW?

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Some of us have naturally beautiful, bright white smiles – but for the rest of us, we’re left wondering: WHY are my teeth so YELLOW?

A number of factors contribute to the yellowing of our teeth:

Age

As we age the hard outer layer of our tooth (called enamel), gets thinner from brushing, eating, etc… As the enamel thins more and more of the soft, darker core of the tooth (called dentin) shows through.

Food and Drink

Intense colour pigments called chromogens that attach to the white, outer shell of your tooth (enamel) also cause staining. Coffee, tea, red wine, and beets are some of the worst culprits.

Medications

Certain medications have the unfortunate side effect of darkening and staining teeth. Antihistamines, antipsychotics, high blood pressure medications, and chemotherapy all may discolour teeth.
Commonly, young children or babies who are prescribed tetracyclines and doxycycline when their teeth are still forming may have discoloration of their adult teeth later in life

Trauma

Trauma to your teeth may cause them to change colour as the body’s reaction to tooth trauma is to lay down more dentin. As dentin is the darker layer under your enamel it begins to show through more.

Tobacco

Tar (which is naturally dark) and nicotine (which is colourless until it’s mixed with oxygen) are both chemicals found in tobacco products.

If you’re unhappy with your yellow smile Dr. Shahriary’s Office offers several different options to whiten and brighten your teeth! Call Today (604) 936-1263