Willow Dental Care

Author: Toothbrush Confidential

  • Conscious Sedation – Is it for You?

    Conscious Sedation
    Conscious Sedation

    Do you have dental anxiety?  Have you put off dental treatment because you can’t stand the thought of going into a dental office? Do you have a touchy gag reflex? Or maybe you have a lot of work to get done? You might think that Conscious Sedation is only for extreme circumstances, but really it’s for everyone.   But what is it?

    Conscious Sedation is the use of light sedation medication that will keep you completely unaware but still conscious enough to be in the driver’s seat. So you may sleep and again you may not.  One thing our experience tells us is that you will not remember much about the whole procedure.   You are in the driver seat in the sense that you have complete control of all your airways unlike General Anesthetics and if you are uncomfortable you can let the dentist know and there is a reversal agent that will terminate all the sedation effects instantly. This makes the process very safe.  At that point a sedation office would stop all work until you are ready again.  You have the controls.  The best part?  Not only will you not remember a thing but possibly, all your dental work can be completed in one session.   

    Have you not been to the dentist in a long time? Conscious Sedation is great if you have a lot of work to get done and would like to finish it all in one appointment. This way the dentist can work for several hours and complete in one session what would have taken multiple appointments. Not only will that save you time but the anxiety of going to the dentist and sitting in one position for hours.

    Finally if you gag easily, which is a reflex and not your fault, conscious sedation will relax you while having dental work done. So you stay calm…breathe and the reflex is not activated.  Conscious sedation makes your dental experience one you’re happy to forget.

    Anxiety is a common when going to the dentist.  Often a memory of a terrible experience, the sound or the odor of the dental office will trigger anxiety. Or sometimes it’s the fear of being out of control, needle phobia.  Whatever it is, you are not alone. Dental anxiety is real. 

    Within Canada, the most recent study shows that 5.5% are very afraid, and 9.8% are somewhat afraid. However, in Ontario, where numerous fear and anxiety studies surrounding dental treatment have been conducted, the literature displays a higher value at roughly 10-17%.   This situation has serious negative cycle effects that are evident in patients’ behavior, including failed or postponed dental visits, lack of preventative care, and overall poor oral health ( Jonathan Campbell, DDS  2015-02-01  Oral Health Group)

    Finding a clinic where all the staff understands this, is of the utmost importance.  The office should provide a safe and non-judgmental environment. Ask your dentist how they handle anxious patients. Make certain they make time to listen to your concerns and give you options.  It is NOT an option to “ just get over it”.   In the end, if the dental office is considerate and kind to high fear patients, they must be great with patients without fear.

  • To Sleep Before You Brush: How Bad Is It?

    dreamstime_l_12593847We all know to brush our teeth before we go to bed. But missing this step does happen. But really, how bad is it? Is it as bad as smoking? Or sitting for too long? In the list of healthful things you should do everyday, where does falling asleep without a clean mouth land?

    Well it is a process.  So going to bed without brushing,  can take months to years to have a really negative effect.  But just so you are aware, here are the steps in that process. 

    Each time you eat, the bacteria in your mouth feasts on the sugars and debris left in your mouth. These bacteria then express (honestly it’s more like poop) the byproduct or as we said before,  poop into your mouth. This happens after every time you eat because all food and liquids other than water, results in sugars.

    This byproduct is acidic and eats away at your tooth enamel, creating tooth decay. While you sleep this acidic byproduct, which is referred to as plaque,  will begin to harden to your teeth. Once this happens you cannot clean it off yourself. You must go see your hygienist for a professional cleaning which is why you every 6 months for a professional cleaning. 

    What if you don’t go for a cleaning? Well your body identifies the build up of plaque as an infection. Your immune system is activated and it begins to attack the infection, aka plaque.  This plaque in turn, destroys the tissue that holds your teeth in place. This is called gum disease. The gums pull away from your teeth which can eventually mean bone loss and your perfectly good teeth might fall out.

    That is a little dramatic. Of course one night of accidentally falling asleep without brushing and flossing will not result in the loss of teeth. However if this is a habit and repeated over the years and combined with irregular professional tartar removal,  you can expect some bone and tooth loss in your fifties and sixties. Ultimately, if that is not worrying you, than continually challenging your immune system for years with gum disease is now shown to be directly linked to a multitude of problems like heart disease and cancer.

    It’s not all dismal! Here are some handy tips if you’re too tired or don’t have a toothbrush on hand.

    1. Alcohol. If you’re spending the evening drinking anyways, make sure that the last things you consume are: a) swish some alcohol around your mouth before you swallow. This will kill some of the bacteria but still deposit sugar. b) Then swish some water to wash away the sugar around your mouth.
    2. Mouthwash. Too tired to brush? Mouthwash will kill some of the bacteria and you’ll feel better.
    3. No toothbrush? Rub your teeth with your finger or a clean facecloth to remove bacteria and sugar. Check out our other No Toothbrush Tips!
    4. Make a point of doing an extra better brush and floss first thing in the morning.
    5. Get an electric toothbrush.  You spend less energy and your teeth get brushed while half asleep.

    Even a sloppy job of brushing and mouthwash once in a while will do you better than forgetting for a night.  Think of it this way when you are too tired at night, moving the bacteria around prevents those bugs from doubling in 24 hours. And you deserve good oral health.

  • 5 Minutes Could Save Your Life

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    We know that cancer is scary. It is the BIG C. You may not know it but Oral Cancer moves very quickly. Why? The truth is that oral cancer may already be developing in the mouth very subtly and painlessly. By the time signs of oral cancer are visibly detectable, by the lumps or colour changes in the mouth, the cancer is at a late stage.
    According to the Canadian Cancer Foundation, it is estimated that in 2014, 4,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with oral cavity cancer. Of that 4300 people, over a quarter of those diagnosed will die from oral cavity cancer. Those lucky enough to beat this terrible disease, may live with constant reminders because their tongue or jaw or lip might need plastic surgical reconstruction after a life saving surgery has removed all the cancer.

    As a beacon of hope, Michael Douglas famous actor and oral cancer survivor recorded this video message to educate the public. Smoking causes oral cancer? It does, but so can ill fitting dentures or partials, alcohol, or an injury in the mouth.

    velscope-vx-how-it-worksWe are now seeing an increase of oral cancer in younger people who are non smokers. In fact the fastest growing group of oral cancer victims are non smoking young people. Why? It turns out oral cancer can be caused by the sexually transmitted HPV virus. It can lay dormant in your body for years and you may never experience oral cancer. HPV goes away by itself within two years and does not cause health problems. It is only when HPV stays in the body for many years that it might cause these oral cancers. –

    We strongly believe that in a younger population of non smoking oral cancer patients, that HPV is presenting itself as the dominant causative factor, particularly in the oropharynx anatomical locations.Since the historic definition of those who need to be screened is now changed by this newly defined HPV etiology, and is no longer valid, it is NOT POSSIBLE to definitively know who is at risk for the development of the disease, and who is not. Simply stated, today ANYONE OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE ENGAGED IN SEXUAL BEHAVIORS WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF TRANSFERING THIS VERY UBIQUITOUS VIRUS NEEDS TO BE SCREENED ANNUALLY FOR ORAL CANCER.

    _Oral Cancer_ Foundation: https://oralcancerfoundation.org/understanding/hpv/ocfs-opinions-hpv-oral-cancer/

     

    Oral Cancer Signs and Symptoms:

    This list considers both oral cancers from HPV and those from tobacco and alcohol
    * An ulcer or sore that does not heal within 2-3 weeks
    * Difficult or painful swallowing
    * Pain when chewing
    * A persistent sore throat or hoarse voice
    * A swelling or lump in the mouth
    * A painless lump felt on the outside of the neck, which has been there for at least two weeks.
    * A numb feeling in the mouth or lips
    * Constant coughing
    * An ear ache on one side (unilateral) which persists for more than a few days.
    – See more at: https://oralcancerfoundation.org/understanding/hpv/hpv-oral-cancer-facts/

    How do you get the jump start on oral cancer? Have a 5 minute Oral Cancer Screening by your dentist once a year. It’s painless and probably the least invasive of any of your dental treatments. And the peace of mind it offers is priceless. Your dentist is trained to do a visual cancer screening of the oral cavity and now is assisted with a light called VelScope that is able to detect any unusual growth under the skin. Early detection before the cancer surfaces, would increase recovery to over 83%.

    Here are a few others who’d battled oral cancer. Some have survived, some weren’t that lucky:

    Aaron Spelling
    Babe Ruth
    Bruce Paltrow
    Diane Von Furstenberg
    Eddie Van Halen
    George Harrison
    Grover Cleveland
    Humphrey Bogart
    John Prine
    Judy Holliday
    Rod Stewart
    Roger Ebert
    Sammy Davis, Jr.
    Sigmund Freud

    Don’t join this list. Book your oral cancer screening today.

     

  • Need to Quit Smoking? Help is Here!

    TFT_Quitting_is_tough_but_I_am_tougher_martial_artsSmoking is addictive, we know that now.  And it is terrible on your health and one of the hardest things to quit. You’ve heard it all before, but Toothbrush Confidential may have found the magic key.

    Recently we heard Pete Holmes mention on his podcast You Made it Weird, that “smoking is like lighting a monument to no one telling  you what to do.” There’s something about the feeling of freedom, that you know it’s terribly unhealthy but no one is going to tell you what to do. This usually happens when you’re a teenager or in your early twenties. The act of smoking itself is not terribly enjoyable, or tasty,  yet once the addictive affects take hold it’s almost impossible to quit. Try Tobacco Free Life

    According to Health Canada more than 37,000 people will die this year alone in Canada due to smoking. We’re certain you’ve heard all about how smoking causes cancers, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases. It also affects your oral health. “Besides the well known dental stains, and bad breath that come with smoking you may also experience an increased risk for oral cancer, bone loss around your teeth, increased scar tissue”,    Heidi Doucette Willow Dental Care Hygienist. The greatest concern,  Doucette pointed out was “the gum tissue becomes hard, thick and fibrotic from the heat and smoke”.  At this point you may be notified that you have Perio disease (gum disease). This could eventually lead to tooth loss.   Remember in the old days when someone’s tooth just fell out for no reason. Who remembers that grandma never had teeth?

    We know you’ve tried to quit before and it is terribly hard.  We may even have scared you enough to want to quit!  SO here is another incentive… A FREE OFFER!  Did you know that the BC government offers a FREE service and FREE stop smoking aids, to help you quit?

    The BC Government in association with BC Lung Association offers a personalized quit plan, www.quitnow.ca. Besides FREE patches and gum that they give you, they offer text support, phone support and even counselling if you need. Seriously, this program has your back. The only thing you need to do is go to quitnow.ca and start the program. They will help you choose a quit date that works for you.

    I love getting quit tips on my smart phone.

    Being a part of QuitNow is like having a quit support system wherever you are.

    Odette Hidalgo, ex-smoker and Director, Gravity Inc. Vancouver

    If you like, daily tips are emailed to you, to keep you on track. They will also help you decide your quit method and help you figure out your triggers and what you can do about them. The hardest part is managing your withdrawal. Why should you do that alone? Quitnow.ca will help you manage your withdrawal while they help you build your social support system.

     

  • Take Care of Your Smile and It’ll Take Care of You

    http://www.dreamstime.com/-image4081671Why should you take care of your smile? Many of us don’t think about our later years, but the truth is the best things in life is enjoying a great steak or biting into a crunchy apple and we would love to have that privilege right into our later years. So, what does brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist do for you now?

    The truth is most of us avoid doing what we’re not good at or might just embarrass us. So the logic goes, if you are embarrassed or simply not happy with your smile you might avoid smiling. Is that a bad thing?

    Yes, it is. Studies have shown that smiling even while forcing it can boost your mood. So you’re happier as you’re flashing your pearly whites and good things follow. We’re not saying you’ll win the lottery but smiles are also proven to be contagious. In Sweden, a study found that people had difficulty frowning when they looked at others who were smiling. The muscles in their face twitched into smiles all on their own. This can create a better environment in everything you do.
    But can it actually help you at work? Smiling makes a person seem more attractive, social and confident. These qualities might just be why people who smile are more likely to get a promotion.
    So you’ve gotten a promotion, how’s smiling going to help you now? Well, while you’re handling the stress of your new promotion, you might be happy to know that your body instantly releases endorphins when you smile. Endorphins help you feel better and relieve stress.
    Endorphins running, things are great at work… now what about the personal life? Orbit Complete did a study that showed that 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they are wearing makeup. And people are generally more engaging when rocking a smile.
    All this and smiling has been shown to boost your immune system. That’s less colds, less flu, less discomfort and hopefully a happier you.

    Why not brush, floss and see your dentist twice a year? We’re not saying it’s the key to a perfect life, but it’s an easy way towards happiness.

  • The How of Habits

    We are what we repeatedly do. “_Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit_”. – Aristotle

    pinky 2Habits happen. Good or bad we get the habit of a thought, an exercise or an experience and we tend to repeat that experience. Whether it’s falling asleep without brushing our teeth, doing yoga every morning or looking at your phone the moment you wake up, habits happen through repeat performance. The question is, are you happy with your habits? And if not what do you do about it?

    First: identify a few habits you appreciate and a couple you’d like to change. Be really specific. Give yourself true appreciation for the fact that you do drink 8 glasses of water a day or have successfully given up cigarettes. These things are still struggles for other people. Since you’ve got them done they kind of feel like no big deal. However when you’re facing a challenge to change or create a habit it’s good to remember your previous successes and glow in that success. Stand tall and take a proud credit for what you have accomplished.

    Once you remember how good you are at changing a habit, be specific regarding which habits you’re ready to change. Be honest with yourself. If it is quitting smoking, that is a big one. Maybe it’s the only habit you’re going to change for a while. Maybe add something easy to give yourself an easy A might be a great encouragement. Whichever you decide to do, write it down with clear steps.

    Your steps could be as simple as leaving the floss beside your toothbrush so you remember to use it every night, putting all your dental products on a nice tray by the sink, making a point of going to the sink the minute your pyjamas are on. Writing down your plan can help to solidify it. Change takes change. So if you want this January to be different, you have to do something differently.

    Now you’ve written it down, how do you be accountable? You can use an external force like a personal trainer or friend who’s willing to positively cheer you on. You need to make certain whoever is your friendly “bully” that they won’t take no for an answer and that they’ll believe in you. Also that their cheering style works for you. No one actually wants to be annoying, so work with your “bully”. OR..you can simply commit to your hygienist this year to floss more and come in for your 6 month check up and cleaning. Be accountable to them since they can tell if you have been flossing just by looking at your gums.

    Instead of trying to change everything at once, make small changes you could really stick with!

    A technique we really like is Jerry Seinfeld’s “Don’t Break the Chain”. It’s so simple. Get a calendar. Pick a habit. Mark an X on the calendar everyday you complete the habit. As you collect X’s on the calendar, you’re building a longer and longer chain of habit building success. If you miss a day, that’s ok. Just restart the chain. Don’t wait for Monday or next month or sunshine. The next X just restarts the chain. Jerry used this habit to encourage himself to write comedy everyday… AND he was pretty successful.

    There’s quite a debate regarding how long it takes to create a habit. We suggest being clear with your goals and use one of the techniques above. Also make it as enjoyable as possible. It’s something you plan to do for life so do what you can to make it easy on yourself.

    Oh and don’t forget to floss.

  • To Gargle or Not to Gargle

    BAD BREATHEIs your mouth kissable or should you take out the mouthwash? It feels great and is a lovely finisher to your evening bathroom ritual, but do you need it?

    According to Heidi, one of our hygienists, the big thing to remember is that mouthwash will not remove plaque. It might feel great, but only “the use of a toothbrush and floss will remove and disrupt bacterial plaque”. So it’s not the way to avoid brushing and flossing.

    However mouthwash with fluoride can be helpful in protecting teeth from cavities. Truth be told, if your toothpaste has fluoride you can skip the extra step of mouthwash.

    If you do choose to use mouthwash it can be helpful to kill bacteria in your mouth when you are sick and as a quick disinfectant if your toothbrush has dropped on a dirty surface.

    Mouthwash is also helpful if you suffer from canker sores. Although mouthwash won’t heal your sore, it will kill the bacteria and give you some relief. However the alcohol in your mouth wash might irritate your canker sore and be quite painful.

    When shopping for mouthwash, make sure to pick one without alcohol if it is for a child or someone who has a substance abuse problem.

    Probably the biggest problem with mouthwash is that it can mask bad breath. How can that be bad you ask? Isn’t that what we want? Well if you mask the problem and don’t fix it, the gum disease that might be causing the bad breath might just be getting far worse. And then bad breath is the least of your worries.

    Overall Toothbrush Confidential believes that although mouthwash isn’t inherently wrong, it does not take the place of a good oral health regime. So we suggest you brush twice a day, floss once a day and gargle when you’re inspired. Enjoy your time with your kids and don’t forget to treat yourself too!

  • Tricked Out Healthy Halloween Treats!

    Tricked Out Halloween TreatsSometimes we feel like fall is the season of candy. But what if it wasn’t? What if you had simple options for your Halloween healthy treats? What if your little tricksters loved them too?

    We can feel your exaggerated eye roll from here. You’re thinking ‘ Toothbrushes, their going to tell us to give away toothbrushes!’ No we’re going to suggest floss. Kidding!

    Goodie bag toys! Still fun! Still inexpensive! McDonalds has been on this for years. The toy in happy meal has been forever prized much longer than any Tootsie pop. Depending on the number of kids  you expect, have a couple of bowls of fun dollar store toys and maybe let the kids pick. You never know who will want the bracelet for their mom or the super cool coloured mini slinky.

    Fun accessories – Another non-sugared and inexpensive treat! The parents might even get into the fun sunglasses, eye patches, mini boa’s, fake moustaches and crowns. Again let the kids pick and for the friends of the family it could turn into a super fun photo shoot. These are the things memories are made of.

    Crafting Supplies – Halloween stickers, craft paper, fun pencils, erasers anything that gets those little imaginations going. Maybe your kids will have used some of the supplies to create their own Halloween decorations that will at the door as inspiration.

    Now if you have your heart set on food as a treat, that’s cool. There are a lot more options than raisins now a days.

    Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies are always a hit with the kids. They even come in graham cracker and chocolate flavours.

    It may sound crazy, but we’ve seen more than a few kids happily enjoying individual packs of dried seaweed as snacks in our offices. That is a crazy amount of health in that little packet. And someone could show them how gross and Halloween like it looks once half chewed in the mouth. Not you of course.

    Individual packs of juice flavoured gummies are better than the corn syrup packed ones. However they do stick to teeth, so brushing is a must afterwards.

    Single servings of dark chocolate will serve the sweet tooth, pack a nutritional cocoa punch and not the sugar of a snickers bar.

    There you have it, a healthy treat filled Halloween! Enjoy your time with your kids and don’t forget to treat yourself too!

     

     

     

  • Fun While Brushing Your Teeth

    Make bedtime ritual more fun!!!

    Brush your teeth! Floss! How many times do parents have to say this… what happens when the child is inspired and excited to do his oral health “chores”? We see adults who have found they are more likely to floss if they have tools that inspire them, so why not kids too? Here are a few ideas that might just do it.

    allBrushesTimers:
    Everyone knows that you need to brush your teeth for two minutes minimum. You can set an egg timer, the timer on your phone or ipad, but why not use something more fun? The time will pass faster than you think. Here are some free timer apps you can look up.

    Brush DJ is good silly fun that keeps kids brushing.
    There’s a free app from OralB that uses Disney characters.
    Aquafresh Brush Time is another fun option.

    For us adults, we find that an electric toothbrush like the Oral B or Sonic Toothbrush is so much more effective that the shorter time with an electric toothbrush makes up for brushing manually for two minutes. However, at least try to use your electric brush for up to a minute at least.

     

    Brushes
    Now brushing for fun and brushing for two minutes is no longer an issue. What brush will bring a smile to their faces?starwars lightsabre toothbrush

    GUM Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush combines a fun crayon shaped toothbrush with a light flashing timer.

    Now the toothbrush that some adults may secretly desire: Star Wars Lightsaber Toothbrush Check it out! Christmas is around the corner.

     

    gum chucksFloss
    The fun doesn’t stop with flossing.

    Dentek offers Marvel inspired flossers no flash but a lot of fantasy.

    Probably the most revolutionary is GumChucks. Finally an easy tool for kids and adults to floss before they have the dexterity to do so. Plus they have a fun numchuck feel as the floss goes flying into the garbage bin. We’ve seen kids love them and it was a real game to floss. These are offered only in a dental office. Ask your office about them.

  • Tired and You Don’t Know Why? You Might Have Gum Disease

    A_in_healthTired seems to be a ubiquitous term now a days. And the list of possible reasons is impossibly long. So you’ve exercised, meditated, drank your water, eaten your veggies, hugged your family, taken your vitamins and slept a full eight hours and you’re still tired, could it be your oral health?

    We know that gum disease in pregnant women can adversely affect birth weight. It has also been shown to increase risk of stroke and heart disease, influence diabetes and urinary tract infections. Studies are continuing to investigate how gum disease affects the rest of your body.

    As gum disease initiates in your body, it starts with a low-grade infection. This infection, if not healed may affect your overall health. Your gum tissue is teaming with blood vessels, which transport the dangerous infection causing bacteria throughout your body. As the gum disease continues, there is a greater chance that it will affect your organs.

    We know that when one area of the system is ill, the rest of the body is taxed as the immune system fights to achieve total health again. This results in that sense of tired that you’re trying so hard to shake.

    So what can you do? Prevention is always the best medicine. Regular dental visits with professional tartar removal cleaning and daily brushing and flossing are very important. Drinking enough water and eating a healthy diet will contribute to healthy gums as well.

    Seven out of ten Canadians will experience gum disease in their lifetime. Let’s do our best to bring that number down. Most of all, keep you and yours at optimum heal