Posts Under Education

Most of you have probably seen the various toothpaste commercials that talk about the need to remove plaque and tartar build-up from your teeth. And while that may be enough to convince you that plaque is a bad thing (and it is!), it may still leave you wondering what exactly is plaque?

Quite simply, plaque is a sticky, colourless film of bacteria that can build up on our teeth. The bacteria in plaque continue to grow by finding their nutritional needs from the foods that we eat and even our own saliva. In the process, they create an acidic compound that can erode the enamel of our teeth. That is how plaque contributes to tooth decay!

In the early stages, plaque tends not to be a hard substance. However, if it is not removed in a timely manner, it can harden into what is called tartar. Just because it has hardened does not make it less dangerous to our teeth. The bacteria that are active in plaque continue to be quite active in tartar. So you want to make sure you have tartar removed from your teeth as well.

To keep plaque and tartar build-up under control, you need to brush and floss regularly. It takes approximately two minutes of thorough brushing to remove as much plaque as possible. But you still need to floss! Even the best electric toothbrush cannot get at all the surface areas between the teeth. If you are not flossing, approximately 30% of the surface area of your teeth is not being cleaned!

Even with the most diligent oral health habits, you will still need regular visits with us at Rideau Dental Centre to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. A thorough cleaning by our professionals is vital to protect your teeth from decay.

And while perhaps you have been good at following these three vital steps to look after your oral health, maybe you are not so confident that your kids have been quite so diligent while they were away at college or university! As much as they are young adults and feel they can do a lot to fend for themselves, scheduling appointments with the dentist just may not fit into their priorities between studying and…socializing!

The good news is that many of them are back home now so you can take matters into your own hands! This is the time of year we recommend that parents take the initiative and book an appointment for their returning prodigal son or daughter! In fact, it is best to get them into our office as early in the summer as possible. That way, if plaque and tartar have caused some damage, we know we have time to deal with it before they leave for another academic year.

So if you are concerned that perhaps your own student may not have been as diligent in looking after their oral health as you would like, call us now to schedule an appointment. Because controlling plaque and tartar build-up by visiting the dentist is a healthy habit…and healthier habits lead to healthier lives.

Dr. Martin LaBoissonniere

Dental Surgeon

I am sure we are all familiar with the idea that quality output requires quality input. Perhaps we are more familiar with the expression “garbage in, garbage out”! However, since we are talking about the health of our mouths, I prefer to put a more positive spin than you would associate with the use of terms like “garbage”.

Regardless as to the terminology, the bottom line is that if you are looking for good oral health as your output, you have to be mindful of the foods you put into your mouth as your input!  Good nutrition affects the entire body, including your mouth! So improving your diet is a good first step to improving your oral health.

So what constitutes a healthy diet? One thing to be mindful of is that you are maintaining a healthy balance of essential vitamins. Many patients can be quite surprised at how we at Rideau Dental Centre can see the signs of diet that is deficient in certain vitamins.

For example, lack of vitamin B can lead to such symptoms as difficulty swallowing, inflammation of the tongue, discolouration of the gums and even damage to the inner cheeks.

Similarly, a lack of vitamin C can lead to bleeding of the gums and gingivitis. This is due to the fact that vitamin C slows the synthesis of collagen which is a vital component for the build-up of many tissues in the body. Just think back to your grade school history classes and all the problems early European explorers had with scurvy until they discovered how it could be prevented with vitamin C!

Vitamin D is essential to maintain strong bones. People who lack this vitamin tend to be more likely to have periodontal issues. This can be compounded by a weaker jaw structure. Imagine if your periodontal condition resulted in tooth loss, but you were not a suitable candidate for implants because your jaw bone was no longer strong enough to support them!

The anti-oxidant effects of vitamin E not only benefit the rest of the body, they are essential to good oral health as well. Vitamin E can eliminate certain harmful chemicals in the body, or “free radicals”, that can do damage to the rest of our cells we want to keep healthy.

When you take into consideration these examples, it is easy to see why a healthy diet is vital to good oral health. The trick is to know what foods to eat in order to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need.

While our recommendations are hardly exhaustive, you can look to leafy, green vegetables, bananas, eggs, milk and nuts as great sources of vitamin B. Similarly, vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes and dark green vegetables.

Most of us are aware that a little bit of sunlight goes a long way for our vitamin D. You obviously need to be mindful of the effects of overexposure, but some sunlight is good for us. Various fish liver oils, eggs and milk or milk products are also good sources of vitamin D.

Finally, look to various vegetable oils or nuts as great sources of vitamin E.

Of course, even people with the healthiest of diets still need to come and visit their dentist at Rideau Dental Centre to make sure their oral health is where it needs to be.

After all, eating well may reduce your likelihood of developing oral health conditions. That does not mean it eliminates that likelihood. A healthy diet, good brushing and flossing routines, combined with regular dental visits all work together to keep you oral health at its best. And keeping your oral health at its best is a healthy habit…and healthier habits lead to healthier lives.

Dr. George Parry

Dental Surgeon

Whether we like it or not, there comes a time for many people when the trip to the dentist is about more than just a quick examination or even a filling. Sometimes, oral health conditions are such that major restorative work is required.

The good news, of course, is that at Rideau Dental Centre, we can help look after you. If you have wisdom teeth that need to come out or implants that need to go in, we can do much of that work here in our office.

Due to the fact that these are surgical procedures, you will need to be prepared for them. In the course of preparing you for the surgery, you will be administered an IV sedation to keep you relaxed during the procedure.

Some people refer to dentistry performed while a patient undergoes IV sedation as “sleep dentistry”. In reality, you will not be asleep during the procedure. It does not act as an anesthetic. You will be very much awake and able to respond to questions from your dentist.

However, IV sedation does put you into a state of very deep relaxation and it can produce some memory loss for the period of time it is effective. These factors have led some people to refer to it as “sleep dentistry”.

While it is not an anesthetic, we find that it is ideal to put our patients in just the right state for dental surgery. But one other factor to keep in mind is that IV sedation is not a pain killer. While it may dull your senses, you will still require freezing before we proceed with your surgery.

Some offices will offer IV sedation to patients who are not undergoing surgery, but are simply extremely nervous about going to the dentist. This is certainly a viable alternative for a very small number of patients. However, at Rideau Dental Centre, we use IV sedation strictly for some of our surgical treatments.

The reason is that most nervous patients can be treated with nitrous oxide, sometimes in conjunction with oral sedation, rather than an IV. We usually combine our use of nitrous oxide with another oral sedative that you can swallow. This will put nervous patients in a relaxed state and is usually sufficient to allow us to treat them successfully.

Both IV and oral sedation have their advantages and disadvantages. They are both easy to administer and we can easily control the amount we supply depending upon how much you need. They are fast acting so you will feel the effects very quickly. With IV sedation, you may remain in a deeply, relaxed state for a slightly longer period of time. That makes it ideal for surgical procedures.

It also makes it essential to have someone accompany you to our office on the day of your surgery as you will be unable to operate your own vehicle. In fact, for your own safety, we insist that you arrive with an escort and that the escort remain on site, in our waiting room, during your procedure. We are so concerned about your safety that we usually insist upon the same even for oral sedation.

The key is doing what is necessary to obtain the treatment you need! And if some form of oral surgery is required, we are happy to provide our patients with that service, complete with the benefits of IV sedation. Because providing you with the oral surgery you need is a healthy habit…and healthier habits lead to healthier lives.

Dr. Peter Georgopoulos

Dental Surgeon

One of the unavoidable realities of being a dentist is that you have to accept the fact some patients are going to be nervous about receiving treatment. No matter how much we assure you there is nothing to be concerned about, our assurances will not work on everyone.

And trust us…at Rideau Dental Centre; we understand that your discomfort is very real. Whether it is due to a previous uncomfortable experience at the dentist, stories from friends, or just the environment of the office, we get it! And while our assurances will work to calm many of you, some people need a bit more than just words.

For those who struggle with their nerves in the dental chair, we often recommend the use of nitrous oxide to calm you. Many of you may have heard of nitrous as laughing gas. This is due to the fact that the state of mild euphoria it can produce can actually cause people to “get the giggles”.

As it is a compressed gas, it is quite easy to administer. Your dentist will simply put a nasal hood over your nose and allow you to inhale normally. Nitrous oxide, mixed with oxygen, will be released in a slow, controlled fashion and we can then monitor your response to the dosage.

There are a number of advantages to using nitrous oxide. First of all, it takes effect quite quickly. Within 2 or 3 minutes, it could take sufficient effect that you will feel relaxed and able to proceed with your dental treatment.

Almost as importantly, it is eliminated from your body just as quickly. Within 5 minutes of having ceased to receive any gas, there may no longer be any signs of having had it administered.

Use of nitrous oxide can be very flexible to meet the needs of the individual.  For example, the depth of sedation can be altered during the course of treatment if a patient becomes either more or less anxious. This makes it easy for us to control as we determine your specific needs.

It is important to recall that nitrous will not meet the needs of all of our patients all the time. Certain procedures may be better served with other options, such as oral or even intravenous (IV) sedation. We can discuss your options with you depending upon the treatment you require.

The important thing to consider is that you do not have to let your anxieties interfere with good oral health care. You know how important regular visits to your dentist at Rideau Dental Centre are. If you think your discomfort may be causing you to skip some of those important visits, talk to us! Because Nitrous may be just what you need to let us provide the dental care you deserve. And getting the dental care you deserve is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives!

Dr.  Bao Nguyen

Dental Surgeon

You know the test! Things look ok but something still does not “feel” right to you. You might use the expression that it does not pass the “smell” test.

Well, as unpleasant a thought as it may be, your mouth may be in a similar state of health. All your teeth are there and they appear to be nice and white. But that “smell” test is emitting an odour that says something is wrong.

Truth be told, one in four Canadians suffers from bad breath that cannot be controlled with regular brushing, flossing or dental treatments. Of course, mouthwash or breath mints do little more than cover up the problem for very brief period.

These people might be surprised to learn that their bad breath may indicate a more serious, underlying health issue. Perhaps some form of local infection in the respiratory tract might be the cause. However, it may also be a sign of sinusitis, bronchitis, untreated diabetes or kidney or liver issues. All of these medical conditions need to be treated by a physician.

In most cases, however, bad breath is the result of poor oral hygiene. If you are not brushing and flossing on a regular basis, food particles can be allowed to build up between your teeth. These particles attract a lot of bacteria. Keep in mind that your mouth is a nice, warm moist home which bacteria naturally finds very attractive! Add in some decaying food particles and you will have some very happy bacteria!

Of course, this can lead to further more serious oral health issues. The build-up of bacteria can penetrate the gums resulting in gum disease, also known as periodontitis. This can result in gum recession, tooth loss and even bone loss in the jaw. More seriously, these harmful bacteria will have an easy access route to your blood system and may spread their infections to other parts of the body, including the heart and lungs!

So don’t be afraid to see if your breath passes the “smell” test. Just cup your hand over your mouth so that your breath is directed toward your nose. Then exhale. If something does not smell right, you might have to pay greater attention to your brushing and flossing habits.

The best news is that good oral hygiene practices, including regular visits to the Rideau Dental Centre to see your dentist, will usually be sufficient to alleviate your breath problems. You may find that is all you need to do to turn your unpleasant odour into something that passes any smell test. Of course, if you are a smoker, quitting that habit may also be necessary to improve your breath.

Anyway you look at it, getting rid of bad breath is good for your confidence and also good for your health. So make sure you are not having trouble with the “smell” test. Because eliminating bad breath is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. David Lui

Dental Surgeon

For those of you that just celebrated Easter, we hope you enjoyed a wonderful Easter with your families. And we know that our Jewish friends were also celebrating this past weekend as it was Passover. Again, we hope that your celebrations were also enjoyable.

While both holidays contain a great deal of religious significance, children always have a strong pull toward one thing – the sweet foods. And for Easter, that usually means chocolate Easter Eggs and Bunnies!

And while there are many articles today espousing the anti-oxidizing benefits of dark chocolate, most Easter treats are of the significantly less beneficial, milk chocolate variety. In other words, high in sugar, virtually non-existent in any positive health contributions!

Every year, as parents, we face the same dilemma. We love our children to enjoy a fun and challenging Easter Egg hunt! But we cringe at the thought of what all that chocolate is doing to their teeth! And there is good reason to cringe…a bit!

There is no way to avoid the reality that chocolate is full of sugar, and sugar has long been recognized as one of the major contributors to tooth decay. It is interesting to note that it not the sugar alone that causes the decay. It is the manner in which the sugar works in tandem with the bacteria that is common in our mouths.

The mouth is full of naturally occurring bacteria that can accumulate around the teeth. When it does, it can form a colourless, sticky substance known as plaque. On its own, that plaque is often filled with various micro-organisms that develop an acid which can eat away at the enamel of the teeth, causing decay.

These microorganisms love sugar. The more sugar they have and the longer they have access to it, the more damage they can do to young teeth (and adult teeth for that matter!).

The good news is that, unlike hard candy which sits in a child’s mouth for an extended period of time, chocolate can be consumed rather quickly. That is actually a positive as the longer sugary candy remains in the mouth; the more acid the bacteria can create!

Still, it is important to control the amount of chocolate your child consumes. That means remaining vigilant, because you know your kids are scheming up ways they can sneak more of it into their bedrooms at night! And consuming sugary foods after brushing can leave lots of time for bacteria to work its dark magic!

And brushing is essential as is flossing. Regular brushing can help remove the plaque where those acid-causing micro-organisms live.  But keep in mind that brushing alone is not sufficient. If you do not floss, 30% of the surface area of the teeth will remain unclean! Flossing is just as vital and since most kids cannot do it themselves, you need to help them in order to fully protect their teeth.

The magic of an Easter Egg hunt is never something we would want to deny your children. By all means, some chocolate in moderation is a wonderfully, tasty addition to life. Just make sure that their consumption is in moderation and that good brushing and flossing habits are adhered to! Also, make sure you bring them into to see us at the Rideau Dental Centre on a regular basis so we can monitor their oral health.

For most people, that should be sufficient to protect against decay. Because protecting against decay is a healthy habit…and healthier habits lead to healthier lives.

Dr. Wayne Perron

Dental Surgeon

With spring having arrived, the start of gardening season coincides with the arrival of Daffodil Month. By wearing a Daffodil, we honour the memory of loved ones we have lost to cancer as well as show our support to those currently fighting this dreadful disease. We certainly encourage all of you to show your support by proudly displaying your daffodil, particularly on April 27, which is Daffodil Day.

Sadly, cancer takes so many different forms, we have more than one month in the year dedicated to various forms of cancer awareness. For example, October is breast cancer awareness. March is colon cancer awareness.

We are certainly aware of the dangers of breast cancer for women and colon or prostate cancer for men, as well as many other forms of cancer. However, there is one form of cancer that is seldom discussed: namely oral cancer.

In these times, many of us have difficulty finding a family doctor who can provide the necessary examination to help detect some of these cancers at an early stage. At Rideau Dental Centre, our focus is to assist in at least one area by providing a thorough examination for oral cancer.

And this examination is a vital factor to reduce the mortality rate from oral cancer. It may surprise you to learn that, oral cancer has a much higher mortality rate than many other forms of cancer, including breast cancer.

The reason for this is simple: lack of awareness and lack of early detection. Many people fail to visit their dentist on a regular basis. That means they may not receive the complete oral examination needed to find the early warning signs of oral cancer.

All too often, we either discover one of our own patients with the telltale signs of oral cancer, or discuss similar discoveries with colleagues at other offices. We have a lot of good news stories where we discover the signs of oral cancer early and a full recovery is made. Those stories truly excite us and make us proud of our contribution to your health.

Sadly, too many patients do not come regularly enough and we are only able to discover their cancer when it is too late! In such cases, the cancer often takes advantage of the easy access the mouth provides to other systems within your body, and metastasizes to other locations.

For Daffodil Month, the best way you can honour any loved ones you have lost to cancer is to make sure you act on their memory. So if you have not had an oral cancer check recently, we recommend that you contact us at Rideau Dental Centre as your tribute to that special person! Because early detection of oral cancer is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives!

Dr.  Martin LaBoissonniere

Dental Surgeon

This will probably not come as a surprise to anyone, but the more we learn, the more we understand that women and men really are different in many respects. Like the book says, men really are from Mars and women from Venus.

And the differences between the sexes manifest themselves in your oral health. They are particularly prevalent depending upon the age of the woman.

The hormones released into a young girl’s body when she reaches puberty often result in the first difference.  As a result of these hormones, young girls may find that their gums are more prone to bleeding.

This may be a normal reaction and may be nothing to worry about. However, you also need to be aware that swollen gums are easier for bacteria to penetrate and then access the blood stream.

This can be a potentially dangerous situation as oral bacteria has been linked to numerous health issues, including heart disease. If you notice your daughter experiencing higher levels of bleeding in the gums as puberty arrives, make sure you mention that to us when you are into our office for your next (or first) appointment.

Another factor that is of particular concern to us at Rideau Dental Centre is the impact of body image. We all know that young girls feel tremendous pressure to “look good”, and that often means conforming to a specific body image. Many young girls resort to unhealthy dieting practices to achieve this body image, despite the fact they are at a perfectly healthy weight.

Poor diets deny the body of essential nutrients and this can affect the mouth as well as the rest of the body. Even the simple reduction in food intake can reduce the amount of saliva a body produces, and saliva can play a vital role in controlling the levels of oral bacteria.

The situation becomes more severe if eating disorders become a problem. Women with bulimia obviously have a great deal of acid flow through their mouths. This acid can literally eat away at the teeth. Even if the eating disorder is brought under control, the damage done to the teeth can persist and require expensive treatment.

Unfortunately, the news may not be better on the other end as women reach menopause. Menopausal women are more likely to suffer from dry mouth, which can lead to more cavities. At the same time, jaw bones become susceptible to a loss of bone density as osteoporosis sets in.

In other words, ladies, it might seem like even your oral health does not give you a break no matter what your age! The best thing you can do is eat healthy and maintain good oral health practices. That means brush and floss regularly and visit us at Rideau Dental Centre at least twice per year. We can help you monitor any changes to your oral health at all of life’s changing stages.

Because monitoring your changing oral health is a healthy habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr. George Parry

Dental Surgeon

Have you ever wondered why we at Rideau Dental Centre consider it so important to know as much about your overall health as possible? Why would we need to know about any recent surgical procedures when our job’s as dentists is to look after your oral health?

We believe the answer to that question can be found in the word that is common to both of those queries: health. The truth is that our bodies are marvelous machines with various different systems that function as one. If one of these systems is not performing well, it can have an impact on the overall machine!

So the truth is, when you come to the Rideau Dental Centre for the first time as a new patient, we will ask that you fill out a medical questionnaire.  The information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used to help look after your oral health.

Not convinced that we require this information? Let’s take a moment to consider some of the common events that occur in our office.

Certain dental conditions can cause discomfort and could require that we prescribe painkillers for you. Of you may require some form of medication during the course of your treatment in the office.

Many people are allergic to certain medications and some of those allergies can be fatal. When we know about your allergic conditions, we can often work with alternatives that are just as effective and obviously much safer for you!

Aside from allergies, many health conditions have a profound impact on your oral health. For instance, individuals with diabetes are more likely to experience periodontal disease. The sooner we know about your condition, the sooner we can devise a treatment plan to help monitor your periodontal health and reduce the likelihood of tooth loss due to periodontal conditions.

Perhaps you are scheduled for or have recently undergone hip-replacement surgery.  Although it is rare, there are some instances where oral bacteria entered the bloodstream and resulted in the failure of such surgery. If we know of your surgical condition, we can work with your surgeon to make sure both your hip and your mouth are protected!

The fact is that proper oral health care does require knowledge of your complete health. It is so important to us at Rideau Dental Centre; we will ask that you update it periodically to make sure we have an accurate understanding of YOU!

So when we ask you to complete a medical history form, understand that it is with your health in mind. Because keeping your dentist informed is a healthy habit…and healthier habits lead to healthier lives.

Dr. Bao Nguyen

Dental Surgeon

In the modern, fast-paced society in which we live, it is sometimes nice to nostalgically look back on a time when life was simpler, slower and far less hectic! Still, while thinking back on a time when technology did not seem so pervasive may have some appeal, there are some aspects of returning to bygone days that can be quite troubling.

Unfortunately, we may be experiencing one of those troubling time reversals when it comes to the level of tooth decay in young children.  In a recent study, some pedodontists have reported that the levels of tooth decay are worse than they have been for approximately 40 years.

This is proving to be a major concern for a number of reasons.

The pain, discomfort and illness associated with poor oral health is one of the major reasons for missed school time in North America today. Unfortunately, this tends to have a negative impact upon academic performance as well.

When a child’s oral health is compromised, even if it is with their “baby teeth”, the impact can be felt on adult teeth that have not yet started to grow. That means the chance of such children maintaining their natural teeth for most of their lives is dramatically reduced.

The link between overall health and oral health is becoming increasingly well documented. You can be reasonably certain that the bacteria that are compromising the structure of your children’s teeth may also be affecting their overall health.

Most surprisingly, the poor level of oral health may actually be affecting the length of wait times in hospitals. Children who require dental procedures to attempt to rectify their poor oral health are more likely to require sedation. That often means they need to attend at a hospital for treatment. The more children going to the hospital for preventable dental conditions, the longer wait times become for everyone!

Notice how we mentioned “preventable dental conditions”.  The pedodontists in this study attributed the increase in decay to a number of lifestyle developments. These include:

• letting young toddlers drink sugary juices from a sippy cup;
• removing fluoride from water, either at the city level or by drinking bottled water; and
• allowing children to brush their own teeth unsupervised.

Truth is, parents need to be brushing the teeth of their children aged 6 and under. Young children simply lack the patience and coordination required to brush properly.

In fact, at Rideau Dental Centre, we recommend that parents continue to closely supervise their children at least until 9 years of age.  Allow your children the opportunity to do the first brushing themselves while you watch. Otherwise, they will never learn the proper technique. However, parents need to follow up with a proper brushing to ensure the removal of as much bacteria as possible.

The good news is that up until recently, the trend was that we had succeeded in reducing the levels of childhood tooth decay. While this trend has, sadly, been reversed, undoing some of the behavior that led to this reversal should get us back on track. For the sake of our children, it is a step we should all be willing to take. Because reducing the levels of childhood tooth decay is a health habit…and healthy habits lead to healthy lives.

Dr.  David Lui

Dental Surgeon