Willow Dental Care

Author: Toothbrush Confidential

Sedation Dentistry

So many people are managing their lives to keep their anxiety triggers at bay. You’re not alone.

Sometimes it’s hard to know what will trigger that tension, and unending worry and sense of uncertainty. Now, your dental office can’t offer you answers for the outside world, but they can promise that they offer a calm, serene space and a kind ear.

Fear in a dental office comes in many forms. For some people they just don’t freeze well and dental work hurts. For others the gag reflex is so bad that just thinking about it will activate it. It’s nice to know that there are dental clinics that are not going to tell you it’s all in your head and they provide a safe non-judgmental environment. And if that’s not enough we have a secret weapon.

That secret weapon? Conscious Sedation. No it’s not a weird meditation practice or a new fangled drug with unknown side affects. Conscious Sedation has been used for years in the dental field. Many dentists do believe that it isn’t necessary and patients should be able to calm down on their own and experience their dental visit fully. We don’t think that is necessarily true. The fear is very real and you can really feel the anxiety even though it was developed many many years ago. So if anxiety plagues your life, why wouldn’t you use the tools available to you? Especially if the tools are offered by trained professionals with an office fully equipped with monitors and updated safety equipment. Best of all is the fact that there is minimal side affects!

So what is Conscious Sedation? Essentially, once your conscious sedation appointment is booked, there is an entire protocol to follow. Your dentist may prescribe you a night pill. You’ll need to take it as directed before you come to your dental appointment. In the morning at the dental office you will receive more pills. The rest is dream time. The beauty of this system is that you will be conscious enough to hear instructions and follow them. However throughout the appointment you may actually be asleep. If you are ever uncomfortable you will be able to signal the dentist to stop. Most of the time you will not remember your appointment. There are no after effects. You will not be groggy or have a “hangover” afterwards. We do ask for your own safety that you have someone pick you up after the appointment. We have known some patients who do lots of shopping after their sedation session and not remember a thing the next day. Just a clean healthy mouth and a sense of well being and you return to work the next day.

If anxiety isn’t a problem for you, Conscious Sedation is a wonderful way to power through a long list of dental work in one session. It will save you both time and stress!

June 22, 2016
Six Things to Look For in an Earth Friendly Dental Office

When you’re choosing a new dentist there is so much to consider. Will you be comfortable there? Will they listen to you and honour your choices? Will they work with your insurance provider and make certain you’re using the coverage to your best advantage? But is the dental office also doing all they can to help protect you and our earth?

As an average adult the first three questions you can reasonably answer for yourself. But how could you know what to look for in an earth-friendly dental office? That’s where we come in!

What to Look For in an Earth Friendly Dental Office

1. Digital X-rays – Probably the most important reason to look for Digital X-ray in your dental office is that as a patient you will experience 70% less radiation than conventional film X-rays. If that’s not reason enough, they are also immediately processed and your dentist can diagnose you faster. The archiving of your X-rays and sharing those images with specialists are also much easier and faster in digital form and less paper storage.

2. Amalgam Separator – Sounds like something from a science fiction story, but the Amalgam Separator is the most important earth friendly device a dental office can employ. When old mercury fillings (AKA silver fillings) are taken out of the patients mouth, the bits of heavy metals like mercury and silver will go straight into our water system if an Amalgam Separator is not employed. The Amalgam Separator pulls all heavy metals from the water and allows only clean water to go into our water system. The heavy metals are then collected and disposed of meticulously using a special service.

3. Recycle Paper/plastics – This one is obvious. All offices should have a recycle system in place. Most of us do in our homes. Less paper in our landfills means less in our landfills.

4. Digital Files – The old look of paper files lining the walls is pretty out of date. Your dentist should keep everything in a safe digital file where they can send that info easily to a specialist if need be and save trees.

5. Filtered Water – Your dentist should be using filtered water both when cleaning their utensils and spraying in your mouth. Your mouth often has open sores while your dentist is working, you deserve the cleanest of water to cleanse your mouth. Do not settle for less. Ask your dentist where they get their purified water from? Is it cleaned in house? What system do they use?

6. Special Recycle of All Sharp Objects – Sharp objects like needles need to be recycled properly. Besides the fact they are medical waste and could be disposed of that way, it’s better if your dentist is protecting the environment by recycling sharp objects like needles by a special service.

These six points are the minimum your dental office should offer to keep you, your family and the earth has healthy as possible. Ask your dentist. Keep them accountable. And most importantly your dental office should be a space where you feel free to ask these questions or any other that will help you feel comfortable during your dental visit.

April 29, 2016
Bad Breath: Mints are Not Enough

You look good. You feel good. But how is your breath? Like an unseen force bad breath can take you down without your knowledge. Sure everyone struggles after a particularly garlicky meal. But what we’re talking about is when your breath has a personality of it’s own. And it’s not the type of personality that wins friends and influences people.

Garlic can actually be quite the culprit in terminally bad breath. Did you know that the sulphuric compounds within garlic stay on your teeth until they are scraped, brushed or flossed out? It’s true! Worse is when garlic has affected your breath via your lungs. It sounds a little bit of a stretch but it’s true. As your body metabolizes garlic, allyl methyl sulfide (AMS), is absorbed into the blood and then expelled through your lungs distributing the smell of garlic to whomever you are speaking with. AMS can also escape through your pores. This is why garlic breath is so hard to get rid of at times. No matter how much you clean and brush your mouth, the garlic odor will still be in the air you exhale because it comes from the lungs. http://www.breathmd.com/garlic-breath.php

There are also overall health problems that might be causing your bad breath. Did you know that throat and lung infections may cause bad breath? Also kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes all may cause bad breath. If you have other symptoms that may suggest one of the illnesses suggested above contact your doctor. Tonsilloliths are calcium deposits that collect on the lymph nodes. They are too far down the throat often to be seen but can become painful and cause terrible halitosis. But assuming your bad breath is somewhat common, we asked our hygienists what is the most common cause of bad breathe.

Sarah from Willow Dental Care Garrison and Keisha from Willow Dental Care Chilliwack agree, a lack of tongue brushing, or scraping causes a build up of bacteria on your tongue. This bacteria can become quite smelly. Brush your tongue once a day or scrape it with a tongue scraper every morning.

Sarah from Willow Dental Care Garrison

Sarah, also recommends keeping up with your bi annual dental check ups combined with daily dental hygiene care. Tooth decay can also have a smell to the very olfactory sensitive.

If you are experiencing Acid Reflux, that could be the culprit of your bad breath. An unhealthy lifestyle also can add to bad breath. Not eating enough vegetables in your diet or simply having an overly acidic body can expel not the most enjoyable breath. Being a smoker is an obvious killer of good breath.

Mouthwash is the usual go to when it comes to bad breath, but it does kill some of the bad bacteria in your mouth. Mostly, it just covers up the problem. As a quick fix, sure!

Keisha from Willow Dental Care Chilliwack

Looking for an on-the-run natural quick fix? May we suggest eating a breath cleanser:

* Anise seeds will help with your digestion as well as help your breath.
* Cardamom & fennel seeds are rather strong but can do the job too.
* Dill, will only mask the odor.
* Breaking off a small piece of a cinnamon stick and nibbling on it will help kill the bad bacteria and freshen your breath.
* A single clove will do gang busters at killing the bad bacteria and keeping your breath nice and fresh, but remember you only need one!
* Obviously parsley or mint sprigs freshen your breath in a natural way.
* Lemon is wonderfully effective when you want to neutralize garlic breath as well as kill the bacteria that causes bad breath.
* Green or peppermint tea, any tea that contains polyphenols will help to reduce the sulfur compounds that come from garlic.
* Finally chewing coffee beans then spitting them out will also cleanse that garlic breath. You’ll have coffee breath, but some people like that.

Probably one of the best and easiest natural preventions to bad breath is staying properly hydrated. Saliva kills a lot of the bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath and cavities. So if you’re not drinking enough water, that might be the first thing you’ll want to add to your day. We’ve found there are lots of free water apps you can download onto your phone where you can track your consumption of liquids. Some you can even set a reminder so you drink more water if you are busy.

But nothing beats having excellent oral health. That’s why we’re here for you! Let’s keep you healthy together! And no one would complain about having fresh breath when wanting to get close to their loved ones!

March 31, 2016
The Real Beauty Sleep

What if you could just have a wonderful nap and when you woke, all the things you’ve always wanted to fix in your smile has been accomplished? Wouldn’t that be a dream? No awkward small talk or pretending to watch terrible daytime TV while they work. You simply relax and probably go to sleep and when you wake your teeth are just what you’ve always wanted.

You can! Conscious Sedation is an effective way to sleep through your dental appointment and wake bright and refreshed and ready to enjoy your beautiful smile. Yes it’s used effectively by people with dental anxiety, but why should they have all the convenience of a sedation dental visit? You don’t need to have dental anxiety to enjoy a sedation session. You can often get a lot of work done all at once. Work that would often be spread over multiple visits can be all done in one sedation session.

So let’s say you haven’t been to the dentist in a long time or you might have some dental anxiety, either way Conscious Sedation will make a long dental appointment seem like nothing. Did you know that cavities, crowns, veneers and even dental cleaning can be done under sedation? Why be awake for all that?

Now you’re saying to yourself this doesn’t pertain to me. I visit my dentist biannually and brush my teeth twice a day, but I would like to make a few adjustments to my smile…like those couple of teeth that you wish were a little whiter or slightly chipped. You can book with your dentist to have Conscious Sedation during your regular dental visit and have those teeth bonded or veneers prepared. You’ll wake up with that perfect smile you’ve been dreaming of.

It’s a simple process of using a safe medication. You’ll be relaxed and often asleep but in control of the entire session. The process can be reversed immediately with a reversal agent. Generally most people won’t remember a thing. That’s the Conscious part of the sedation. You’ll want to check that your dentist is trained by Doctors of Conscious Sedation. A very strict protocol is required in the training to ensure a safe and successful session. You should be hooked up to a monitoring system that shows pulse and the oxygen level in your blood throughout your entire treatment session. The offices should have all the safety equipment such as the defibrillator and reversal agent, the EpiPen for allergic reactions checked and updated yearly. This way you know all the safety precautions will be taken.
After your session, you’ll be a little groggy so it’s best if someone comes to pick you up. You should not drive or do anything strenuous for several hours. The beauty of this system is not just how safe it is but when it wears off there are no after effects…no headaches no residual nausea! Other than that you should have all your dental work done and be ready to take on the day!

So what are you waiting for? Contact your dentist and discuss your Conscious Sedation options, and book all that work to be done. You’ll look and feel great!

February 6, 2016
Your Vacation Dental Plan

It is winter.

Many of us take holidays during the winter season. Something to escape the cold and the rain.

We know the idea of worrying about your oral health as you’re planning your sun soaked destination seems a little over the top. But hear us out. This is the inside track on how to make certain your oral health doesn’t interfere with your fun in the sun.

See Your Dentist Before You Fly

If your bi annual check up is due after you return or you are feeling some tooth pain or even have a bit of concern, see your dentist before you travel. This way if you have any dental issues pending they won’t become uncomfortable when you’re trying to relax by the pool. Also if you haven’t had the pleasure of flying with a root canal then you don’t know how excruciating it can be. The change in air pressure is disaster on an abscess tooth. If there is uncertainty about your tooth pain that cannot be resolved before you leave, ask your dentist to prescribe some antibiotics and pain killers that you can take with you. So why gamble and maybe have to suffer through your vacation in pain or go through the awkwardness of seeing a new dentist in a foreign land. Not all dentists are trained to deal with anxiety or even have good bedside manners. So book an appointment with your tried and true dentist and make certain you’re healthy before jetting off.

Dry those Bristles

As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, when you’re travelling, you’ll want to put your toothbrush away wet. Give it a good cold rinse and a tap on the side of the sink to get all food particles out. Please do not: dry it with a blow dryer or a paper towel. This way bacteria won’t grow in amongst the bristles in your travel case. A toothbrush cover is always available at the looney stores.

Got a Toothbrush Will Travel

Keep your oral health kit handy in your carryon bag. This way you’ll be able to freshen up under any circumstances. Nothing helps you feel put together like a freshened mouth. You might not be able to jump in a shower, but you’re mouth needn’t suffer. At least put your toothbrush in the carryon if space is limited. Don’t feel embarrassed to brush your teeth in a public bathroom. People are probably envious that you have a toothbrush.

Also set up your travel kit with all your favourites: toothpaste, travel toothbrush, floss, soft picks, xylitol candy for dry mouth and mouthwash if you like. Everything is available in small travel sizes now. It’s an added incentive to care for your oral health when you bring some flavours of home.

Most electric toothbrushes hold their charge for a very long time so you can bring the electric toothbrush without the charger. However, the tossing around inside your luggage will accidentally push the button and you will arrive at the vacation home with an electric toothbrush that is totally discharged. Try to buy an electric toothbrush with a carrying case or find a hard case at the looney store. Bringing your electric toothbrush guarantees that you will have a better clean. It is also easier to use when you come in from a night of revelry at the all inclusive.

Some key ingredients to your travel kit should be:

• Advil and extra strength Tylenol combined can be very effective if you have dental pain

• Extra ortho wax for your braces

• If you might have an infection, your dentist can prescribe antibiotics.

• Disposable toothbrushes are a good idea in case you can’t get to your full oral health kit.

• Any regular medications, small first aid kit, and a sewing kit, a couple of small zip lock bags

Vacation Fun is More than Snacks!

Although vacations are a great time to live it up, keep hydrated and choose healthy snacks. There’s no reason for your health to take too much of a hit! Healthy snacks of nuts, fruit and veggies are always easy on the run! Mix your own before you go. That way, you cut costs and you can choose lower sugar dried fruit and lower sodium nuts. In fact for a bigger health kick, mix your regular salted nuts with raw nuts.

Now get out of here! Enjoy yourselves knowing that your oral health isn’t going to stop your fun!

December 17, 2015
Don’t Let Your Dental Plan Go to Waste!

Truth: 95% of dental plans financial limits end December 31st. What does this mean to you? It means that you may be missing out.

You may be missing a year of benefits that you could have used up. If you have a few treatments scheduled, getting some completed in 2015 means that there will be a full year of benefits to use in 2016.

Many people never use their insurance benefit. Sometimes they don’t have a habit of visiting the dentist and sometimes it is due to high anxiety.

For those who prefer to be treated through sedation, it is covered by most insurances. To be certain of the coverage the dental office would send in a preauthorization form. The answers come back sometimes in a few days and sometimes in a few weeks. Due to the privacy act, many insurances will only send the information of the approval just to the patients. Every insurance policy is different.

Here is another truth. Did you know that if you have coverage for a cleaning every 9 months, this does NOT mean that you are eligible for a cleaning only every 9 months. Most plans are broken into two categories. The plans are written to allow polish, fluoride and an exam every 6 or 9 months. However most plans have more room for tartar removal which is the hygiene treatment that really keeps your gums healthy.

What you need to look up on your plan is how many units of tartar removal you have allowable. This is usually called scaling or root planing. The average dental plan allows from 4 units to 16 units. What does that mean to you? Every time you go in for a cleaning with your hygienist, the average units used is two to three units. You could come and use the other available units of tartar removal and use up the allowable units every 4 months or 6 months as you need. Tartar removal helps maintain the health of gums, and prevents bone loss. Regular tartar removal encourages less bacteria build up and can help gums to reattach. Some people build up tartar faster and may have more gum problems. It is not just personal hygiene. It could be your chemical makeup in your saliva, or if you are taking medications that keep your mouth drier. So it is smart to look up your coverage for tartar removal and use the coverage appropriately.

This extra dental care is even more important for pregnant women who should see their dentist every three months. Hormones during pregnancy can significantly damage gums and the extra bacteria that accumulates can be detrimental to the health of the baby. If you are past the age of 65, you also might require more oral health assistance than every six months. Added medication can dry your mouth which leads to faster decay. You may need more than your dental plan provides, so understanding your plan is very important. In the end, dental insurances are there to help and provide more but they are not there to provide the treatment that you require.

Your dental office, has the experience with all different kinds of insurance coverage. Although you are ultimately responsible for your fees and your dental insurance, you can count on your clinic to help you decipher what is covered and will work with you to maximize your dental coverage. If you want to use your plan and not lose it for the year, call the dental office sooner than the end of December. Some treatments need to be preauthorized and that takes time.

You’re probably covered for more than you think, so choose health. You’ll be glad you did.

November 28, 2015
Sugar: The Sweet & Silent Killer
Although we think you’re sweet enough, we also understand that avoiding all sugar is pretty impossible. In our North American diet we are quite used to imbibing more sugar than we really should. The nice thing is there are a lot of sugar alternatives to help you get that hit of sweet without the extra calories or teeth damaging affects. _Sugar is known to cause your joints and liver to swell. It blocks the absorption of minerals and nutrients. Sugar is a silent killer, according to Vaughn Lawrence, Natruopath & Herbalist . Since life is so full of sweet things and we can’t live without some, the only question is, which sugar is best for you?

Toothbrush Confidential has waded through all the data and have constructed this guide to help you decide which sweetener is right for you. Remember all sweeteners should be imbibed in minimal amounts and are best when enjoyed with water and a tooth brushing afterwards. Now let’s get into the sweet!
1. Sugar – Regular table sugar is the standard in most home baking and coffee shops. This kind of sugar, contains no nutritional value, will spike your blood sugar and feed the bacteria in your mouth that creates cavities. Try to limit in daily life and substitute with one of the sugar options below!
2. Coconut Sugar – is full of minerals and nutrients, it lands lower on the glycemic index and has less fructose than regular sugar. But it has the same amount of calories as regular sugar.

3. Maple Syrup – 100% pure maple syrup, tapped from maple trees is the kind we’re talking about here. The ingredients list should read: Maple Syrup. That’s it. Maple Syrup is sweet, contains antioxidants and is 70% sucrose. Why do you care about that? Sucrose does not up your blood sugar or trigger diabetes the way Fructose might. Fructose is still in maple syrup so it should still be eaten in limited amounts.

4. Agave Syrup – A year or two ago it was the go to sweetener. Much sweeter than regular sugar, you don’t need as much but it is full of fructose and as we mentioned above that’s something you want to avoid.

5. Stevia – Used for years as a natural sweetener, grown directly from the Stevia plant. Stevia will not boost your blood sugar or feed the bacterial in your mouth that causes cavities. A win for sweetness! Unfortunately some people find stevia in it’s natural form to be a bit bitter and in it’s lab created version, like all fake sugars can create a craving for more sweetness.

6. Xylitol, Erythritol and other sugar alcohols – All these sugars will not boost your blood sugar. They taste pretty great and will not create cavities. It seems that the bacteria in the mouth that are causing cavities are unable to digest xylitol, therefore their growth is greatly reduced. The number of acid-producing bacteria may fall as much as 90%. No acid is formed because the pH of saliva and plaque does not fall. After taking xylitol, the bacteria do not stick well on the surface of the teeth and as a result, the amount of plaque decreases. There are a number of products with xylitol, they should still be consumed with some limits however since the long term affects on your overall health have not been fully studied.

7. Monk Fruit – Used for decades in China to battle diabetes, Monk Fruit will not boost your blood sugar, has no calories and is full of antioxidants,the clear winner in our studies. The sugar created form isn’t the best for baking, but will sweeten your coffee.

8. Brown Rice Syrup – Contains no nutrients but also no fructose! It won’t up your blood sugar and can be used instead of maple syrup.

Overall Toothbrush Confidential has to side with our dentists. Limit the amount of sugar and choose fresh fruit and veggies over sugar laden treats. And if you are going to indulge, wash it down with water and make certain to brush your teeth afterwards. Life is too full of wonderful sweets that we cannot live without … so here is the challenge to create with a better choice of sugar.
October 30, 2015
Who Wants to be a Vampire?

Every year the search for the perfect Halloween costume is always a struggle. Between managing cost, weather, and how much fun you’ll have dressed in a box to be Sponge Bob Square Pants, it can be a frustrating endeavour. Can you believe Willow Dental Care wants to help you out? Giving back. It’s what we do.

Whether you’re a True Blood or a Vampire Diaries fan or a fan of the 1922 film Nosferatu, Vampires are a staple of Halloween and have captured our imagination.

But what if you could actually have real Vampire Fangs created by your dentist? The rest of your costume would be easy and weather friendly. Imagine the fun at work! and the Halloween parties! The crutch of your costume would be taken care of by us: Real Vampire Fangs!

Each Willow Dental Care clinic is offering 1 set of Vampire Fangs for someone for Halloween. Must be 18 years or older to qualify.

———-

What does this include?

* Cosmetic Fangs created right on your teeth

* Completely Safe and Pain free

* 100% Reversible (winning also includes removal)

* Just for fun

* Value over $400

* Custom Designed for you by our Willow Dentists

* No anesthetic required

What do you have to do to win?

1x Ballot Stop by any Willow Dental Care office

4x Ballots Follow us on Twitter @willowdentalbc & Tweet: Fang me! #WinVampireFangs #WillowVampire2015 #vampire #halloween #win #fangs

5x Ballots Like our Facebook page (see facebook page links below) and post a photo of you in a previous Halloween costume including the following: Fang me! #WinVampireFangs #WillowVampire2015 #vampire #halloween #win #fangs

5x Ballots Like our Facebook page (see facebook page links below) and write a review on facebook!

5x Ballots REFER a Friend to make us their dental home.

Willow Dental Care Chilliwack Facebook page
Willow Dental Care Garrison Facebook page
Willow Dental Care Langley Facebook page

Draw Date: October 15th 2015

September 25, 2015
7 Habits of Great Oral Health

With everything you do to take such good care of your overall health, here are 6 new habits that will make you healthier without a lot of effort.

Drinking Sugary Drinks

Like those fancy coffee drinks? People often sip them slowly and through a straw, so the sugar slowly coats their teeth. As Heidi, Willow Vancouver Hygienist, points out “Sugary drinks can cause cavities in between the front teeth.”

Habit Shift: Choose healthier drinks like green tea or a sugar free beverage. Or carry a toothbrush and/or floss and take a 20 second health break some time during the day.

Chewing Ice Cubes

Sure it can be satisfying. But chewing ice can damage your teeth’s enamel, fracture the edges of your tooth or any dental work you may have or simply create thin fracture lines in your teeth. Although slight, these small changes in your tooth structure could allow bacteria to accumulate.

Habit Shift: Chew on crunchy vegetables like carrots or celery. They can clean your teeth, provide you nutrients and water and help keep you healthy!

Brushing Your Teeth Too Enthusiastically

We know you love your teeth and want to keep them healthy but brushing too aggressively with bristles that are too firm may be causing damage. Brushing the wrong way can also wear down your teeth and create receding gums which in turn causes sensitivities.

Habit Shift: Always buy a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth circles. Think that you are massaging your gums. The teeth will just get cleaned. Buy an electric toothbrush. The brush rotates in an exact motion and there is less wear on your teeth and gums.

Use your Teeth as a Tool

We’ve all done it. Ripped into a bag of chips or some other snack with your teeth and you felt part of the packaging graze your gums. Cracking open seeds or nut shells with your teeth. And the worst as pointed out by Krista, 200 Street Dental manager, trying to open a bottle with your teeth. All these activities can cause far more damage than the joy of the snack or drink will deliver.

Habit Shift: Use the proper tool. Keep your teeth for the important stuff like biting into a crisp apple or chewing a bite of steak.

Biting Nails

We all hate that we do it. It makes your nails look terrible and you look insecure. But your fingernails are also carry germs, so in biting you’re introducing that bacteria to enter your body. Also you risk causing your teeth to shift or break or even crack.

Habit Shift:

Try one of those bad tasting nail polishes that will retrain you to not be interested in biting your nails. Snacking on crisp veggies might help the oral fixation as well.

Tobacco

Chewing or smoking, both are terrible for your oral health. Tobacco reduces blood flow to your gums which will put you at higher risk for periodontal disease. It also decreases saliva flow which can lead to more tooth decay. And then there’s oral cancer.

Habit Shift:

quitnow.ca will help you. And your hygienist will cheer you on. You can do it!

How easy was that? Keep an eye on Toothbrush Confidential for the insider track to your oral health.

August 26, 2015
The Secret to your Child’s Dental Health

Are you happily sun-kissed and water-logged from the long hot playful days with your kids? Looking for any “shade activities”? This has been a record hot summer. Here is a thought. Why not take your kids to their 6 month dental check up before they go back to school? OK we feel your exaggerated eye roll, but give us a chance.

One thing that the office will do that you can’t do, is teach the kids how to take care of their own teeth. Every time you go into our office, your child is trained on brushing and for the right age they are given lessons on flossing. Kids listen better about brushing when it is not mom or dad. As you know this is especially true as they get closer to being a teenager. We see the kids puff up with pride when they know they are cavity free. After their dental visit they are a bit more motivated to brush and this regular check up time teaches them from an early age to take pride in their smile.

If you have a young 9 to 12 year old with pretty crowded teeth or already a noticeable overbite, this may be time to start some orthodontic interventions. There are things like a palatal expansion appliances, that helps to make room for the teeth. Sometimes this can eliminate full orthodontic treatment later but sometimes it does not. It will however cut down the time and intensity of full ortho and therefore the cost since the more complex the treatment, the more expensive the treatment.

Do you have a teen that is graduating this year or next year? They need to look their best at prom. It is the most important time for any teenager, a passage of life. Teen Invisalign works! It may be less expensive than you think and most dental insurance with ortho coverage will cover any child under 19. At our office, you can take advantage of the special on Invisalign with interest free monthly payments. It is possible your teen can perfect their smile for as little $199 a month. Find out with an Invisalign consult. There is still time for this coming year’s prom. A lot of movement can be accomplished but the sooner you start treatment the more chances that the smile is closer to perfection by next May 2016.

Empowering your child’s oral health might just benefit you as well, according to the Canadian Pediatric Society, Children who had early preventive dental visits were more likely to use preventive services subsequently and to incur lower dental-related costs over time. We know anything that can help a family’s pocket book is a good thing.

And the one thing more finite than money? Time. According to Health Canada _an estimated 2.26 million school-days and 4.15 million working-days are lost annually due to dental visits or dental sick-days._ We know that one six month check up during the summer won’t make a huge dent in those numbers, but if your kids do have cavities and need more appointments, why not get them done before your child needs to possibly miss school and you miss work.

What about grades? As Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC states: _Children who reported having recent tooth pain were four times more likely to have a low grade point average. Physical discomfort can’t make learning easy, but a lower grad point average due to oral health issues can have unnecessary long term effects._ We offer an easy side step, summer dental appointments. Make going to the dentist an easy fun experience, at least that’s our intention.

Your child’s oral health is taken care of, they’ve gotten out of the sun for a while and you can now relax knowing you’ve done your super parent duty. We can’t wait to see you. Book your summer appointments today!

August 1, 2015