Make Your Smile A Naturally Whiter and Brighter One

We often resort to expensive treatments or in-store whitening strips  to treat discoloured teeth, but the journey to a whiter smile lies in mindful diet and lifestyle choices. The foods and drinks listed below were found to be some of the best for causing stained, yellow teeth. 

• Tea/Coffee - some dentists even consider that tea, even white or herbal varieties can be worse than coffee in terms of staining teeth.
• Deep Coloured Sauces - like tomato and curry contribute largely to discolouration. Lighter sauces such as those which are cream based, are better on teeth.
• Sports Drinks - because of its low pH (high acidity) sports drinks erode enamel easily, which enables stains to develop more readily.
• Wine - both red and white wine can discolour teeth due to its highly acidic properties.
• Berries - just like wine's and sports drinks, berries and berry juices are highly acidic especially the deeply coloured ones. As well as berries, lighter coloured fruit may also contribute to staining.
• Candy's and high sugar products - the artificial colours and high sugar content make them effectivestainers, besides being cavity creaters. 
• Soda, soda and soda! - it's been emphasized countless times by dentists across the globe how bad carbonated beverages, especially soda can be on your oral and overall health. The sugary, artificially dyed and highly acidic beverage is your smiles biggest enemy.

Okay, so now we know what's discolouring your teeth how can you prevent it?

1. Reduce the amount of trouble foods (listed above) in your everyday diet. You don't need to cut them out entirely but consume them in moderation.
2. With beverages that cause stains - use a straw. It prevents the liquid from making direct contact with your teeth, especially your front teeth thus decreasing the chance of staining. If a straw isn't readily available, don't let the drink linger in your mouth rather - swallow it quickly.
3. Rinse always after eating, to get rid of any residue from the meal or drink. Brushing immediately after eating or drinking anything highly acidic is not always appropriate as it can also contribute to weakening your tooth enamel.
4. An alternative to rinsing is chewing sugarless gum right after eating.

Practicing these techniques will definitely help you to gaining a brighter, whiter smile!

However, if you already possess harshly discoloured teeth, you can ask your current dental provider for further techniques and treatment options to help you enhance your smile.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-14/slideshow-foods-stain-teeth

Sour and Sweet - Terrible for Teeth

The most beloved tastes to a child's' palate is the combination of sour and sweet, found prevalent in almost every candy our children consume. What's surprising to most is that sugar isn't the only compound causing tooth decay for children, but also acidic foods like certain sour candies, soda and fruit juices. These contain citric acid, a very low pH substance and considered one of the worst acid's for teeth.  Children's teeth don't mature until ten years after they first develop, this leaves their teeth fragile and soft during their childhood, making them more susceptible to enamel erosion and smaller tooth size. 

So how do we help our kids, and let's not forget ourselves, in preventing tooth decay from terribly sour and sweet foods?

First, brushing your teeth and flossing thoroughly is crucial. It has even been observed that occasionally brushing with small amounts of baking soda can neutralize acids in the mouth, preventing erosion effects and minimizing acid-loving bacteria. 

Second, chewing certain types of gum when a toothbrush and toothpaste aren't available can help to diminish softening effects. For example gum containing Recaldent can decrease chances of tooth decay and help teeth harden up, by re-mineralizing. 

Third, eating these treats along with other food and meals can help decrease their affect as well. In our opinion, the best way to prevent the effects of sour and sweet treats is to have them in moderation.

After all, there's a sweet tooth in us all and with the proper oral hygiene practices, a little sugar now and again doesn't hurt!

Choosing the Right Toothpaste!

Even though we don't consider it so, toothpaste is a staple in our lives and essential to not only our oral health care but overall well being. This is why choosing the best toothpaste for your oral health care needs is crucial to the maintenance and longevity of your smile. There is a wide range of tooth paste types: flavour based toothpastes, fluoride based toothpastes, toothpastes for tartar control, those that aid in treating sensitive teeth and toothpastes for enhanced whitening. There are so many choices, so how do we choose?

• Go for a toothpaste that is Canadian or American Dental Association approved (CDA, ADA). These toothpastes are inspected and screened by dental professionals for standards of effectiveness and safety. All approved toothpastes contain fluoride, which is important in preventing tooth decay. 

• Pick something that suites your dental healthcare needs. For example, if you've felt that your teeth have started to become sensitive and need some help, consider choosing a toothpaste that caters to sensitive teeth and see what brands your dentist may also recommend. Usually toothpastes targeting sensitive teeth issues contain key compounds such as potassium nitrate or strontium chloride.

• Consider a toothpaste that caters to your lifestyle. There's no reason toothpaste has to be boring! There are many toothpaste brands that are all natural for those wanting to stick to vegan or health conscious lifestyle. For kids, there are plenty of fun toothpastes that have tons of fruity and exciting flavours.

Ultimately, toothpaste as mundane as we think it is should be thoughtfully selected to maximize our oral health care benefits.

See the CDA's website for a list of approved oral care products: https://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/seal/products/

(Source: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/weighing-your-toothpaste-options?page=2#4)

Why Do We Even Have Wisdom Teeth... Seriously?

Millions of years ago, our ancestors used to walk on all fours and hunt for their meals. Their diets consisted of tough foods like raw meat and plant roots which required more teeth and a larger, protruding jaw to hold all 32 teeth comfortably. As theorized by researchers the third molars, better known as the wisdom teeth were essential to the survival of our ancestors. 

The discovery of fire and the invention tools and utensils  made survival much easier for humans. Along with this, Our diet changed dramatically as We were able to consume softer, more processed foods. The structure of our jaws and teeth composition were altered dramatically with this technological revolution. We no longer needed wisdom teeth and started to lose the capacity to fit them in our jaws. Wisdom teeth no longer serve any functional purpose to us and as most traits that become useless, over time evolution removes them from our anatomy. 

Currently, it is estimated that 35% of people live their lives without even developing wisdom teeth! Bio-engineers are assisting in this evolution away from wisdom teeth as they are researching methods to alter or remove wisdom teeth development in humans.

(Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/evolution/no-wisdom-teeth1.htm)

Dental Sealants

Sealants are a protective coating that can be applied to the surfaces of teeth to help prevent the development of cavities. If you look in your mouth you will notice your back teeth have lots of grooves and fissures. This pattern can make it easy for food to get trapped and for tooth decay to begin. This is especially important in children. The first adult molars come into the mouth at the age of 6 years old; this means these teeth have to stay healthy for a long time (hopefully the rest of your life!). Children are often not very good at brushing and keeping their own teeth clean, which is why it is often suggested to place sealants on their permanent molars soon after they erupt.  

The sealant itself is a plastic coating that can be clear or tooth coloured. It flows into the pits and fissures of the teeth and protects them from being a food trap. There is no drilling involved in the process, the liquid is flowed onto the surface and then cured in place. It is a pain-free and quick procedure, which can help kids keep their permanent teeth healthy until they grow up. Remember, sealants are not a substitute for oral health care. Brushing and flossing are still essential to maintaining a healthy mouth.  

Fluoride – What does it do for my teeth?

Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in soil, rocks, air and water. Fluoride has been used in dentistry for its topical effects of strengthening enamel and making it more resistant to dental decay. Fluoride can be delivered in the dental office as a rinse, gel, foam or varnish. It is also found in toothpastes and mouthrinses.

The Canadian Dental Association recommends brushing with fluoridated toothpaste twice per day. In young children who are liable to swallow toothpaste (6 years and under) - it is recommended to avoid fluoridated toothpaste or if the child is at high caries risk to use only the size of a ‘grain of rice’ under close adult supervision. Ingesting too much fluoride can lead to fluoride toxicity, the Maximum Acceptable Concentration is 1.5mg/L.

It can also lead to a condition called Fluorosis, which can look like white or brown flecks on your teeth and can vary in severity.  There have been other associations made between high systemic fluoride intake and bone fracture, cancer and developmental issues however the research is still unclear. This is one of the reasons community water fluoridation is so controversial. The city of Toronto’s water supply is fluoridated at a level of 0.6 parts per million.

Dental Fluorosis – ‘white flaky’ appearance. 

Find further information at these links and make your own informed decision on the subject:
McDonagh Marian S, Whiting Penny F,Wilson Paul M, Sutton Alex J, Chestnutt Ivor,Cooper Jan et al. “Systematic review of water fluoridation” BMJ 2000; 321:855

Stephen Peckham and Niyi Awofeso, “Water Fluoridation: A Critical Review of the Physiological Effects of Ingested Fluoride as a Public Health Intervention,” The Scientific World Journal, vol. 2014, Article ID 293019, 10 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/293019

http://www.cda-adc.ca/_files/position_statements/fluoride.pdf

Pregnancy and Dentistry

You’re pregnant – what does this mean for your oral health and dental visits? 

During pregnancy, it is imperative to keep your mouth as clean as possible to prevent infections or dental emergencies from appearing. This means brushing at least twice day (after breakfast and just before bed) and flossing at least once a day. If you are planning on getting pregnant, a pre-emptive visit to the dentist to make sure all is healthy in your mouth and to receive oral health tips is recommended.

During pregnancy, the second trimester is the safest to receive dental treatment. It is recommended to visit the dentist at least once during this trimester for a cleaning and to make sure everything in your mouth is healthy! Dental cleanings are completely safe and actually recommended for the pregnant patient. Due to the change in hormones during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of gingivitis.

During the first trimester, it is recommended to avoid all elective procedures, the only dental procedure recommended is emergency treatment – it is safer for the baby to eliminate any source of infections. Oral radiographs, (though they pose an extremely minor risk) should be minimized as well as drug prescription. Overall, maintaining a healthy mouth is the best thing for the pregnant patient.