Willow Dental Care

Author: Toothbrush Confidential

  • Afraid of the Dentist? Keep Calm and Get Educated

    Dental Fear is real. For some reason as an adult, we often feel that it is not OK to fear the dentist.  We are told that we are childish or it is all in our heads.  In fact sometimes we are told by the dentist themselves that we should ‘grin and bear it’ or get over ourselves.  In this article Toothbrush Confidential will arm you with the real story behind dental fear and arm you with the information required to find a suitable dentist for someone with dental fear or dental anxiety. According to Wikipedia, 75% of adults in the USA have some form of dental fear, so you can’t be alone in this. You might as well be well-informed.

    Keep Calm & Get Educated
    Keep Calm & Get Educated with Willow Dental Care

    Think about it, if 75% of American adults fear the dentist, you may even know a few in your social circle who are in the same boat.  Dental anxiety can develop from a bad experience or  some people  have a very bad gag reflex and just don’t like the thought of throwing up on a stranger working in their mouth.  A large number of people just never freeze well so they do experience pain.    People with fear are happy to never see the inside of a dental office.  Even though they may have years of neglect and rampant bacteria in their mouth  the fear of pain is prevalent and it’s just been so long since seeing the dentist it is best to just bear the pain.   However, the best thing you can do for yourself is claim the fear. Own it. Understand it’s completely normal and that since it’s completely normal there must be some sort of options available to you other than denial.

    If you decide to choose denial for the moment, please know it can be a costly decision..everything from cavities to oral cancer or bacteria that will travel to other parts of the body therefore endangering heart or digestive systems.   Sorry for adding to your fear, but armed with the knowledge that dental fear is normal + denial can be costly to your health = why not look into the options available to an adult with dental fear?

    So what are your options? As the title of this article suggests, we think it’s a good plan to keep calm and understand your options. First you’ll want to check if your dentist or the dentist you are looking at is DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation) certified. It’s a shorthand way to know whether your dentist and their staff have been trained in the following:

    • Acknowledging your fear.  Listening to  you and asking the right questions to help you decide which form of sedation, if any is right for you.
    • Provide a safe, nurturing environment to handle your fear
    • Explain the treatment in advance so that you, the patient, are clearly aware of the formalized protocol for: home preparation, procedure once at the treatment appointment and expectations of your post treatment experience.
    • Observe you during sedation, for any early signs of distress.  Provide all updated emergency equipment.  This rarely happens, although it’s good to know your dentist AND THE TEAM is properly trained and prepared for any possible outcome.

    That was it! Not too painful eh? Now you are a well armed dental health warrior, ready to approach your dental team with knowledgeable questions and an eye for the answers you require.

    If you’d like to learn more about the different types of sedation available to you please follow Toothbrush Confidential or Willow Dental Care Clinics on Facebook because our next article is going to shine a light on sedation dentistry that will empower you and not your fear. So keep an eye for our next post: Keep Calm and Get Sedated.

    Did Toothbrush Confidential answer all your questions? I look forward to reading  your stories of dental anxiety and answer any of your questions in the comments below.

    Follow us on Twitter and it’ll be such a celebration when you’ve conquered your fear and you’ve tweeted:

    I got sedated! #WillowDentalCareBC

  • 9 Foods that Promote Dental Health

    So you keep your biannual check ups with your dentist. You brush your teeth for two to three minutes and floss twice a day. Is there anything else you can do or celebrate that you already do to promote your dental health? Yes! Here are 9 food items you may already (yeah you!) include in your diet to promote dental heath.

    1. Green Tea – many people already drink this for its weight loss benefits and as a healthy caffeine option to coffee. Not only will drinking not stain your teeth the say coffee might it also has polyphenols an antioxidant that helps to prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth. Less plaque, less chance of cavities and gum disease! Some green teas contain fluoride, which is widely known to protect tooth enamel from decay. Also you can skip that sugar-free gum or mints because green tea has been known to stall the growth of bacteria that causes bad breath.
    2. Cheese – Not usually on the super healthy list, you can celebrate including some cheese in your diet as its high calcium and the phosphate content helps to balance your mouth’s pH levels. Swiss, cheddar, camembert, and mozzarella have high levels of phosphate which helps to preserve and rebuild tooth enamel, helps to produce saliva, and helps to eradicate the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.
    3. Vegetables High in Vitamin A – For instance broccoli, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes all provide a healthy dose of vitamin A which is vital in the creation of tooth enamel. Crunchy vegetables also help to clean your teeth and stimulate your gums as you crunch into them.
    4. Onions – Fresh, raw onion may be best known as a bad breath creator, it also offers powerful antibacterial sulfur compounds  that have been shown to kill various types of bacteria that cause bad breath. Talk about a catch 22!
    5. Celery – as anyone who’s ever been on a diet will tell you celery takes more calories to chew and digest then they contain within their fibrous stalks. But did you know that because of all that chewing that is required to eat celery results in plenty of saliva, which is a natural neutralizer of cavity causing bacteria. These crunchy buddies also massage the gums and help to cleanse between the teeth. It won’t preclude flossing, however every little bit helps!
    6. Unsweetened Milk and Yogurt – not only do they offer a wonderful wallop of calcium, which ever little kid knows keeps your teeth and bones healthy and strong, but both these dairy products have a low acidity. Foods with low acidity cause less dental erosion. Since you’ve chosen unsweetened, you’re also looking at less tooth decay as well.
    7. Fruit High in Vitamin C such as kiwi, papaya, guava, strawberries apples and citrus fruits – Everyone knows that vitamin C is good for us, who wants to experience scurvy? But did you know that it’s thought of as the glue that connects your cells? Studies have shown that the collagen network in your gums may breakdown without the enough vitamin C. Your gums become tender and therefore more vulnerable to bacteria with the possible result of periodontal disease.
    8. Beef, Chicken, Turkey and Eggs – Meat in moderation is a great idea to add phosphorous to your diet. Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous are integral to strong bones. Strong bones mean strong teeth which means a mouth with possibly less tooth decay.
    9. Water – being well hydrated is essential for so many systems in the body but as you might have read in our ‘So You Have a Little Dry Mouth” post being well hydrated is integral to the creation of saliva which acts as an antibacterial agent in the mouth protecting the teeth and gums from disease.

    These 9 foods are an excellent support to your dental regime, let’s hold up a glass of green tea to toast the idea that we may have healthy teeth until the end of our days.

  • 6 Great Reasons to Take Care of Your Smile & a Giggle

    Besides the fact that you are completely worth it, why should you take care of your smile?

    1. Smiling feels good, looks great and has shown to lower stress and therefore improve your overall health. Why not be proud of your smile too?
    2. Some studies have shown a link between tooth decay and diabetes, heart health and women delivering pre-term, low birth rate (PLBW) babies.
    3. Poor oral health has been linked to possible sleeping problems and behavioral problems in children.
    4. An unhealthy mouth or crooked teeth can also adversely affect speech and self-esteem.
    5. Chronic bad breath is embarrassing as well as a sign of poor oral health
    6. Keeping your teeth healthy means you’ll always be able to enjoy your food which may extend your life. Just like Methusilina, the oldest living sheep.

  • So You Got A Little Dry Mouth – What’s the Problem?

    If you’ve been experiencing a sticky dry feeling in your mouth, constant thirst, sores in your mouth, cracked dry lips, a dry raw tongue, tingling or burning sensation in your mouth or on your tongue, bad breath, or trouble tasting, speaking or swallowing you are experiencing dry mouth. You might have chalked it up to not drinking enough water and thought little more of it. This could be a dangerous path.
    There are many causes of dry mouth:

    • a side effect of certain medicines as well as muscle relaxants and sedatives.
    • dehydration
    • a side effect of certain medical conditions such as: anemia, cystic fibrosis,  diabetes, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, Parkinson’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome
    • damage or removal to the salivary glands
    • nerve damage to the head and neck area
    • smoking or chewing tobacco
    • age:  over 60  is a decrease of saliva production  anywhere from 30-40%
    • previous head/neck radiation

    You see saliva, besides helping to breakdown your food, also regulates the PH balance in your mouth and acts as a buffer between your teeth and plaque. Without saliva your teeth are left defenceless against bacteria. The plaque in your mouth starts building, your enamel erodes, quickly forming cavities.  Also fungal growth can run rampant.

    Besides seeing your doctor to modify your prescriptions or diagnose the cause of your dry mouth you’ll also want to visit your dentist to find some solutions.  They would monitor for fungal infection, cavities.  They can also recommend solutions such as Xylotol mints (increases saliva) or a combination of anti-bacterial rinse and X-Pur toothpaste.

    As you can see dry mouth is not something to be flippant about. That’s what Toothbrush Confidential is all about. Giving you the insiders track on your dental health. Now we’d love to hear from you! What are your tricks and tactics to keep yourself hydrated? Let us know in the comments below!

  • Implants and Mini implants: Enjoying Delights of Life

    Most people would agree that it’s the quality of your life that makes life worth living. You might not wake up everyday with a smile on your face but there are always those key items in your heart that no matter how bad things get you can’t help but appreciate.

    I often have seniors debate if they should upgrade their dentistry:  replace the bridge, get some new veneers for older grey teeth,  replace the denture they got when they were in the war.  I always wonder what makes them smile on a daily basis.  I tell them “At this point in life the greatest pleasure is food.  Sex may not be as important and traveling isn’t even a thought.  However wouldn’t you like to eat well and comfortably and be healthy all the way to the last day of your life?”

    Rock solid dentures with mini implantsEver try to bite into a fresh crunchy apple with ill-fitting dentures and partials? Today we have a choice of standard implants that can replace the denture completely.  You can throw away that old denture and have real teeth added to implants that are permanent and not removable.  You also have a choice of keeping the dentures and putting in mini implants that grip your dentures so firmly that it takes 2 hands to remove them.

    Besides enjoying a great steak or macadamia nuts, why live with the pain of wobbly dentures or partials, or the possible embarrassment of having them drop as you speak? Then there’s  your health. Oral cancer research has found that the one of the factors of oral cancer comes from bad fitting dentures or partials. In the end isn’t your health and maybe more importantly your enjoyment of life important?

    Have a chat with your dentist and find out what options are available to you.

  • Sensitive Teeth – Do I Need to Worry?

    With the proliferation of toothpaste for sensitive teeth commercials littering the airways I wonder if sensitive teeth is a benign yet uncomfortable problem or an issue I should talk to my dentist about?
    Although you can mask your tooth sensitivity a little bit using a special toothpaste you’ll probably want to talk about it with your dentist to make certain you’re not masking a possible problem or making it worse.
    Tooth sensitivity can be caused by:

    1. cavities
    2. gum disease
    3. a fractured tooth
    4. worn enamel
    5. excessive brushing/or grinding
    6. receding gums
    7. too much pop
    8. crowded teeth
    9. bad home care

    Catching cavities, gum disease or a fractured tooth in before it becomes more painful is probably a good idea. But another reason to check with your dentist is that you might be making your sensitivity worse by doing something you consider a healthy choice like whitening your teeth.  Today the dental office offers products such as X-Pur which is a tooth revitalizing paste for continued relief for hypersensitive teeth and it also promotes healthy gums. It’s only available through your dentist.

    Commercials can be a helpful resource as we chose the path that’s perfect for our own health, but finding a reliable information stream to give you the inside track is key. Check back with Toothbrush Confidential for the insider’s track to your dental health and let us know in the comments below what dental topics you’d like to know more about.

  • Finding Fun in Flossing?

    Flossing seems like such a chore. Yet once done properly your mouth feels so incredibly good.  Imagine taking a shower and you washed everything except your armpits. Not so comfy. Food and bacteria gets trapped between teeth creating cavities between the teeth. PLUS if you floss and your gums bleed, you are experiencing gum disease! Gums are not supposed to bleed.  Regular flossing will help eliminate the bleeding.

    It’s like going to the gym. If the gym bag is out and your clothes laid out there is no question that you are going to the gym.  So mentally warm up to flossing before diving in or it’s a chore that can be left by the wayside.   After brushing,  have the floss close at hand and if you’re about to bail remember that bacteria doubles in 24 hours.  Who is kissing you in the morning?

    So here’s a super easy guide to proper flossing:

    1)  Pick a floss that suites your style and need.  Thin floss is great if you have teeth with very little space and getting the floss in is your problem.  Although slightly thicker, waxed floss also helps with the ease of the in and out movement. This one is my all time favorite, in mint flavor.  Check our next blog when we will talk about  the other kinds of floss and gum instruments that hygienist recommend.

    2) Don’t get stingy with the floss.Once you’ve picked out your perfect floss pull at least two feet. It seems excessive but you’ll need it to control the floss properly and give you ample clean floss to work with as you’ll be unrolling a fresh section of floss for each tooth.
    3) Wrap each end around your index fingers and keep about two inches available between your fingers for the flossing action.

    4) using your index finger ease the floss gently but firmly between your teeth and go under the gums along each tooth. Use a sawing motion if it is still hard to get in.  As you pull the floss up keep the floss tight against the tooth to break up plaque. Don’t push down so quickly and hard that the floss cuts your gums.

    5)  Yes you will be reaching in your mouth to get into the back teeth.  Those are the tough ones but they also do most of the chewing, so they need cleaning too.  Practice practice practice.

    Since you’ll be flossing everyday for the rest of your life, you might as well do it correctly and enjoy it.

  • What is this Conscious Sedation and Would it Work for Me?

    I’m not necessarily afraid of going to the dentist. I just don’t enjoy people putting their fingers in my mouth and some of the procedures have less than enjoyable sounds even if I can’t feel the drill.

    When I found out that Conscious Sedation was an option, I was a little upset my previous dentist hadn’t offered it when I had my wisdom teeth out. Instead I was completely knocked out in a hospital and spent the next 24 hours nauseous  and wobbly.

    In comparison Conscious Sedation is exactly like it sounds. First you’ll have a consult with your dentist so you are clear as to what to expect during your procedure. Willow Dental Care even goes as far as to provide specific vitamins to take in advance to aid healing. But the sedation portion is a medication taken an hour prior to your dental treatment. You’ll be asleep for the procedure and still be able to respond to questions. Your dental team at Willow Dental Care are specifically trained to monitor for all vital signs.

    You’ll be relaxed throughout the procedure and at the end of treatment your dental team will wake you up and by the time you are ready to leave you should feel pretty normal. However for safety sake you must have someone there to take you home.

    If you are nervous or simply down right afraid of going to the dentist, Conscious Sedation might just be the answer to your prayers. Check with your dentist if you are a candidate and make certain they are DOCS (Doctors of Conscious Sedation) certified. This will guarantee the process is safely administered and you are monitored for signs of distress during and after the procedure.

  • Elmo Brushes His Teeth – Don’t You Want to Too?

    You’re a good parent. You don’t want to find out your toddler has cavities! So how do you get a squirmy toddler to let you brush their teeth each night? The truth of the matter is that  kids ages 1-3 do not have the enzymes in their mouths to create cavities.  BUT they will create cavities if plaque is left on teeth as they get older.

    Getting your toddler in the habit of brushing every night is a great idea. So here are a few tips to help you encourage good habits:
    1. A soft kids toothbrush with their favourite character on it will do wonders.  Let them pick their own toothbrush.
    2. An electric kid’s toothbrush will add a lovely bit of agitation and efficiency if your kid just holds the toothbrush to their teeth.
    3. Use kid’s toothpaste. It’s designed for their little bodies and will taste great. A tiny bit, the size of a small pea is perfect.
    4. If your child swallows the toothpaste that is fine. Toddlers who swallow trace amounts of fluoride often have stronger adult teeth.
    5. If you are trying to brush toddler’s teeth, name them. They will keep their mouths open longer.
    6. Try to schedule your dental visit when your toddler is around 3 years old. They often like to copy adults and this might just foster a healthy interest in their own dental care.

    There is always the option of brushing your child’s teeth for them. They always want to do their own brushing which is basically chewing on the toothbrush. Compliment them on their effort of brushing their teeth and then tell them you want  to check out their friends inside their mouth.  Calmly have the child lie on their back in your lap or even on the bathroom counter if there is room.   With their mouth open calmly and gently brush each area while naming their favorite friend.  Playing with your child and making it a game keeps brushing a positive experience.  Don’t forget they don’t have the enzymes that create cavities at this age so start great habits now.

  • Thank you! Oral Cancer Screening Day was a Success!

    Thanks to you, our loyal cliental and the general public of Vancouver, the lower mainland and the valley, Willow Dental Care was able to raise over $5000 for Oral Cancer Research for the BC Cancer Foundation.  . We raised awareness through an article in the Vancouver Sun.   Thank you Pamela Fayerman! And who knows how many lives were potentially saved? It’s amazing what we can accomplish in a day!

    TEAM:  Together each achieves more.