The “red carpet” season is still upon us as the biggest of the stars will soon descend upon Hollywood to see who will come away with this year’s Oscars. Some people will be curious to see how their favourite performers or movie’s fair on this big night.

However, many people derive more pleasure seeing how the stars look on the red carpet…tuxedos and gowns flowing, smiling for the cameras! And what smiles they will have, particularly if they win!

At Rideau Dental Centre, we cannot promise you an Oscar victory! However, we are confident that we can provide you with an Oscar-worthy smile!

Last week, we talked about how whitening might be an option for some people. This week, we would like to consider the option of veneers.

Veneers are a thin, restorative material that is placed directly onto the surface of the teeth. They can be used to correct a variety of dental conditions including stains, discolouration, poor spacing, poorly shaped or crooked teeth, or teeth that have been chipped or damaged.

As always, you should discuss your own options with your dentist to determine if veneers are the right option for you. After all, they are purely a cosmetic option.

While veneers can be used to improve the appearance of crooked teeth, for instance, they may not improve the functional aspects associated with such a condition, such as a poor bite. Your dentist may recommend other alternatives if s/he believes they would be better for you. Also, people with unhealthy or weak teeth, inadequate amounts of enamel, who lack a stable bite or whose teeth are poorly aligned may not be the best candidates for veneers.

However, if your dentist recommends veneers as an option for you, the next decision you will have is what type of veneers. Veneers are usually made of either translucent porcelain or a form of composite resin. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Composite resins can be installed in one visit making the process more convenient in some instances.  However, the translucent quality of porcelain gives them a more natural appearance. Furthermore, they are less likely to become stained and tend to be more durable.

In fact, with proper care, you can expect porcelain veneers to last between 10 and 15 years, sometimes even longer. The key is to continue with good oral hygiene practices. There is nothing you need to do to take care of your veneer’s that is different from taking care of your natural teeth. Regular brushing and flossing is a must!

So if you think your smile is missing some of that red carpet flair, talk to your dentist to see if veneers might help you get it! You may not have photographers recording your every red carpet move, but you will have the confidence that comes with a beautiful smile. And flashing a confident smile is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. Martin LaBoissonniere

Dental Surgeon

Looking after our health is something that should be a top priority no matter what month it is. However, February is heart month, a time to truly be aware of that vital organ in our bodies that makes sure we stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

No matter how many times we hear the news, it is startling to think that our lifestyles have led us to the point where young adults in their thirties and even twenties can be at risk for heart disease. Yet some people seem more concerned about using politically correct terminology to avoid creating a stigma for at risk individuals.

We believe the focus needs to be on prevention. With that in mind, it is important to focus on the fact that the risk of developing serious heart disease can be significantly reduced by making simple changes to those lifestyles.

Eating naturally tastier and more fulfilling whole foods, leaving the computer games behind and going for a walk are two simple ways to improve your heart health. Another simple way is to invest the extra five minutes a day you may need to simply take care of your oral health!

That is right! Brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once, combined with regular visits to your dentist, may be a key component of the ticket to better heart health for many of you!

Before you scratch your head wondering how good oral health care can reduce your risk of heart disease, you should be aware that the American Association of Retired Persons included good oral health care on its list of best practices to take care of the hearts of its members.

The reason was simple. No system of the human body works in isolation. Rather, they are all connected. Various infections can be detrimental to the condition of our hearts. And one of the easiest access points those infections can have to penetrate the body is through the mouth.

Indeed, your mouth acts as a filter to keep out so many irritants that could be dangerous for our health. But just like the filter on your furnace, it works best when it is properly cleaned.

A mouth that is not properly cleaned is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection that can travel throughout the body, including to the heart. If plaque is allowed to build up on the gum line, the bacteria that will grow there may not limit its damage to the teeth, gums and jaw.

So this month, as we focus on ways we can head off that heart disease in young people, remind yourself that every step you take to improve your heart health might add not only years to your life, but add to the quality of those years too! Exercise more! Eat better! And take better care of your oral health…because good oral health is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. Peter Georgopoulos  

Dental Surgeon

As if there are not enough healthy benefits to increasing the amount of fish that you eat, who would have thought that improved oral health would have been one of them.  But the truth is that increasing your fish consumption is good for more than just your physique!

The omega-3 found in fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and albacore tuna can have two important functions in helping improve your oral health.  First of all, these nutritional oils may have beneficial anti-bacterial affects.

Specifically, omega-3 of marine or plant origin may inhibit the growth of various forms of bacteria. This can be of particular importance to patients with periodontal health issues. The reason is that unhealthy gums are much more easily compromised by bacteria. If simply increasing your salmon consumption can combat the growth of such bacteria, then it seems to be an easy, and tasty, decision to make!

Secondly, the incidence of periodontal disease itself can be reduced through the consumption of such fish! In fact, people who increase their fish consumption to just twice per week can reduce their risk of gum disease by 20%.

So not only might you inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria with omega-3, any bacteria that does grow would have a tougher time penetrating your system through those much healthier gums.

Some people might find it difficult to manage two meals of fish per week. The good news is that there are omega-3 supplements available that can have similar health benefits. You can always discuss the benefits of supplements with a pharmacist or other health care professional including, of course, your dentist.

In fact, at Rideau Dental Centre, we welcome any questions you have about how you can improve your oral health. Visiting us on a regular basis is certainly vital to our ability to take care of your oral health.

But as we like to emphasize, looking after your oral health is just part of an overall healthy lifestyle. And increasing your consumption of omega-3 just makes good oral health sense on so many levels!

So feel free to talk to us with your oral health questions, including the benefits of omega-3. Because increasing your consumption of omega-3 is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. David Lui

Dental Surgeon

Welcome to 2012! We hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. Those of you sending the kids back to school are probably seeing some sad faces in the morning as they realize their holidays are over! But they will come home excited at having spent the day with friends they have not seen in a while!

As great as the Holidays are, it is nice to get back into established routines. It is also nice to introduce some new changes designed to make life better for you and your loved ones.

For us at Rideau Dental Centre, one of the changes is the manner in which we will communicate with you and help educate you about your dental health concerns. Given our great relationship with our friends at the Metro Newspaper, we will continue to promote our educational articles there.

However, the actual articles themselves will only appear on our website. We look forward to your feedback on how this change works for you.

And speaking of change, it is that time of year when resolutions abound! Hopefully, if you have made some resolutions designed to improve your lives in 2012, you are sticking with them. After all, the hardest part of making a change in your life occurs in the first couple of weeks while you break from your old routines! If you can get past that time, what was once new now becomes part of your daily life!

So many popular resolutions may not be made with oral health in mind. However, anything that improves overall health also improves oral health given how closely the two are linked!

Some of you may have resolved to quit smoking! We fully support you in this choice. Smoking wreaks havoc on the mouth by staining the teeth, creating or adding to bad breath and exacerbating periodontal disease. Breaking this habit is one of the best things you can do for your mouth.

Improved eating habits are another popular choice at this time of year. Eating fewer processed foods and more whole food products can do wonders for your smile! Improved nutrition shows up on so many places, including strengthening your teeth and gums.

While these are a couple of the more popular choices, we would like to suggest a couple more that really are minor commitments! We would like you to resolve to properly brush and floss regularly and to visit your dentist at least twice per year.

Compared to changing your diet or quitting smoking, these are truly minor commitments. “Proper brushing” means brushing your teeth at least twice per day and taking two minutes to complete this task. Most people spend just over a minute brushing their teeth and this is not enough time to properly do the job. An additional minute twice per day is not a big commitment in time, but the results in your oral health by properly removing all debris is worth the investment.

So too is visiting your dentist. All that we ask is two days out of your year. Up to four visits per year visits may be required if there are problems that need to be addressed. When compared to other resolutions, it is not asking for much.

But the results will be fantastic. Your health and your smile will improve. It is not too late to add these small resolutions to your list. Start by booking your appointment now. We would be happy to see you at Rideau Dental Centre…because visiting your dentist is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. Martin LaBoissonniere

Dental Surgeon

Looking after your oral health definitely does require good brushing and flossing habits as well as regular visits to your dentist. However, if you do not take care of yourself by maintaining a healthy diet, brushing, flossing and your dentist may only delay the inevitable major restoration your mouth may require some day.

A good diet is vital to prevent such harmful conditions as periodontitis. In particular, foods that are high in anti-oxidants may help improve your periodontal health. To understand how anti-oxidants can help, you must first understand what they are up against.

Our bodies are constantly being exposed to dangerous free radicals. These free radicals are toxins that damage our bodies at the most basic cellular and DNA levels. Left unchecked, they can contribute to such chronic conditions as periodontitis, heart and lung disease and diabetes.

Sources of free radicals include cigarettes, sunlight, stress, pollution, certain medications, food additives and household cleaners, just to name a few. As you can see from this list, it is virtually impossible to avoid the sources of dangerous free radicals.

However, anti-oxidants help protect our cells by combating the effects of these free radicals. One of the benefits anti-oxidants provide is their ability to improve the health of patients suffering from periodontitis.

People with periodontitis usually experience swelling of the gums, pockets between the teeth and connective gum tissue of 5 millimeters or more, and bleeding of the gums. Increased levels of anti-oxidants have been found to reduce swelling and pocket depth while virtually eliminating bleeding. In other words, combined with improved oral health care practices, anti-oxidants can have a dramatic affect on reducing periodontitis.

This begs the question then as to how one can increase the level of anti-oxidants in the body. While there can be a number of sources, the best way would be to increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables you consume. Many people may also require appropriate vitamin supplements to attain optimal levels.

Of course, many of you will have heard reports about the anti-oxidant benefits of red wine and dark chocolate! While we certainly would not advocate some indulgence in these areas, it is quite apparent that overall health would be better served by looking for anti-oxidants in other sources!

Once again, the moral of the story is that there is a strong link between your oral health and your nutrition. Talk to your dentist if you have any questions in this regard. We can be found at www.rideaudental.ca and would be happy to help.

In the meantime, increase those fruits and vegetables in your diet. Because increasing your level of anti-oxidants is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr.  Bao Nguyen

Dental Surgeon

If you have visited your dentist regularly, you will have had an x-ray. It has been an essential element to complete dental treatment for years.

The x-ray has been around so long, we might take its technology for granted. Yet it continues to be an amazingly useful diagnostic tool for dentists. It operates by sending out waves of energy that can pass through solid objects. The more dense the object, the more the rays are absorbed.

Teeth are quite dense compared to your cheeks and gums. As a result, your teeth will absorb more x-ray energy, which is why they show up lighter in colour on the x-ray film. Existing fillings are denser than teeth and appear lighter on the film. However, since cavities are areas of the teeth which have decayed, they appear much darker than the rest of the tooth.

This simple contrast in the darkness of the x-ray image enables your dentist to see things that cannot be observed with the naked eye. For instance, your dentist can use x-rays to spot early signs of decay between teeth, under the gum line or beneath an existing filling. An x-ray can also reveal bone loss associated with periodontal disease, locate signs of infection or the fact that a nerve beneath the tooth has died, which can be a precursor to root canal.

The value of the x-ray is its ability to help your dentist find these potential problems as early as possible. When found early, treatment may be much easier and less intrusive.

The question that remains is how often you should have an x-ray. Unfortunately, there is no one simple answer to this question. Your dentist will want you to have x-rays as often as your dental health requires. Some people may only require x-rays every year or two. Other patients may need them more frequently, perhaps as often as every six months.

For instance, people with periodontal disease, those with a number of fillings, or who suffer from dry mouth or who smoke may benefit from having x-rays every six months. More frequent x-rays bring into question the health concerns associated with x-ray radiation.

Patients should feel confident that dental x-rays subject you to very small levels of radiation. Furthermore, your dentist will take all of the necessary precautions to ensure your exposure is kept to a minimum.

If you continue to have any concerns about x-rays, you should speak to your dentist about it. You need to be comfortable with the treatment you receive. This means balancing any concerns about x-ray radiation with the benefits of early detection of dental problems. Because finding dental problems early is a healthy habit… and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. Wayne Perron

Dental Surgeon

As dentists, we are strong believers in YOUR power to control so many aspects of your oral health, as well as your life! Taking positive steps with diet, exercise, dealing with stress as well as regularly brushing and flossing your teeth can all improve your oral health.

Unfortunately, even the strongest, healthiest teeth may fracture as a result of an unforeseen accident. This may require that you seek some form of dental treatment. Of course, the nature of the required treatment may vary depending upon the manner of the fracture.

For instance, cracks in the teeth can be treated with different options, depending upon the severity of the crack. Very minor surface cracking of the enamel may be treated with a simple polishing of the affected tooth.

However, if you notice the appearance of a crack on your teeth, you should not assume it is minor in nature. Have your dentist take a look. The crack may be indicative of a more severe fracture that goes through the entire tooth.

You may not be experiencing any pain yet, but such a crack can leave your root exposed. It could require a filling, a crown or possibly a root canal if the root or pulp of the tooth has been damaged.

Many people active in sports may chip a tooth. Again, the severity and location of the chip can determine the ideal treatment. A very minor chip may require little more than filing away any sharp edges created.  If the shape is not cosmetically appealing, veneers may prove an attractive option to get that tooth to, once again, look…attractive!

However, larger chips may leave a root exposed and require more intrusive intervention. Again, a crown could be the option best suited to this situation.

If you experience a serious break, you will know it. Such a break will usually be the result of a strong trauma, and it will usually be accompanied with very noticeable pain, bleeding and often swelling. You will have to see your dentist immediately.

In some instances, the fracture may be so severe that your dentist might suggest implants as the best alternative. Implants are wonderful options as they look and perform just like a natural tooth. Patients who have had them have been thrilled with the results!

For all the hard work you do to take care of your teeth, we hope you never see your efforts undone by an accident that leaves you with a fractured tooth. However, if this should be the case, visit your dentist as soon as possible. Even if you think it is a minor break, x-rays may reveal a potentially more serious problem than you might think.

Let your dentist determine how severe the damage is and provide you with treatment options. Because treating fractures as early as possible is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr.  Martin LaBoissonniere

Dental Surgeon

It is easy to see that some people might look at the title of this article and feel they are attending a meeting of Dental Phobics Anonymous! That is certainly not the intent here. You will not be asked to stand up, say your name and admit you do not visit your dentist!

However, there is a good chance that many of you do not visit your dentist on a regular basis. Some studies have indicated that, in North America, as little as 45% of the population visits their dentist at least once per year. On a more local level, only 45% of local Ottawa seniors reported visiting the dentist at least once per year.

As dentists, we consider that a rather alarming statistic. First of all, due to the potential for your oral health to change rapidly, we recommend that you visit your dentist at least twice per year. For those individuals experiencing specific dental issues, such as periodontitis, your dentist may recommend more frequent visits.

We understand that there are a number of factors that interfere with your ability to make it to the dentist. Work days seem so much longer than ever before as technology seems to have us permanently linked to the office. Single parents or two income families often struggle to balance work life with getting their kids to whatever activity they have that night.

Even if you want to go to the dentist, life can be so busy it just seems to get in the way!

It is certainly not our place to lecture anybody about the importance of good oral health. That being said, we would be remiss if we did not, at the very least, remind you just how important regular dental visits are!

Your mouth is truly a window into your overall health. People in poor oral health tend to be more likely to experience poor overall health as well! The bacteria that builds on the teeth can penetrate into your bloodstream and cause infections to spread, or result in cardiovascular diseases!

Sometimes, an underlying health condition that may not seem to be linked to oral health can be spotted by your dentist. For example, some dentists have spotted signs of undiagnosed diabetes in patients. Imagine how their health could have been further compromised without that dental visit!

Then, of course, there is the potential life saving diagnosis your dentist may provide through early detection of oral cancer! Visiting even once per year is not sufficient to increase the likelihood of early detection. You need to get to the dentist at least every six months to provide your dentist with the best chance to catch oral cancer as early as possible.

We understand that this may seem like a large investment in time. But it is your health we are talking about. And if one of your children has to miss one hockey practice because you have a dentist appointment, we think that beats the option of discovering oral cancer when it is too late!

So invest the time to see your dentist. Because regular dental visits are a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. George Parry

Dental Surgeon

Do you or anyone in your family find it hard to sleep at night? Are you waking up irritable in the morning due to that lack of sleep? Have you ever considered the possibility that the problem may be the way that you breathe?

Specifically, the problem you may be facing is that you are a mouth breather!

For some people, the first task to work past when dealing with mouth breathing is the attitude that it is not a big deal. Breathing through the mouth for a short time period after physical exertion may not be problematic.

However, regular, prolonged mouth breathing is a real problem!

For instance, consistent breathing through the mouth can result in the facial muscles developing in an abnormal way to accommodate the breathing style. This stress on the muscles can cause headaches in the short term, and can even lead to facial deformities over an extended period of time.

People who breathe through the mouth are more likely to have inflamed tonsils. This can cause something of a vicious circle as the more inflamed the tonsils become, the more they close the airway for the mouth breather, possibly resulting in further disruptions to the breathing pattern.

Mouth breathing can also cause inflammation of the gums. This may result in gingivitis or bad breath.

Of course, sleep disorders may be the most serious problem associated with mouth breathing. Proper sleep is vital to allow our body time to heal and repair itself. If mouth breathing is impairing your sleep, your body may not be getting the rejuvenation it requires from a good night’s sleep.

When we are looking at young children, lack of sleep can lead to developmental issues and behavioural problems. The behavioural issues in some such children have been mistaken for ADHD and children have been prescribed unnecessary medication as a result.

Your dentist may be able to spot the signs of mouth breathing. Inflammation of the tonsils or gums may be a sign that you or your child suffer from this problem. A referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist may be necessary to determine if tonsils may have to be removed.

Otherwise, your dentist might be able to solve the problem with an appliance that will encourage more healthy breathing through the nose. The exact remedy you require will vary depending upon the severity of the problem. You can discuss this with your dentist and any other appropriate health care professional.

If you suspect mouth breathing may be a problem for you, discuss it with your dentist. It may be quite simple to correct and the sleep you get as a result will be well worth it. Because a good night’s sleep is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. Peter Georgopoulos

Dental Surgeon