Best Dental Clinic Brampton | Adverse Effects Of Bulimia on Teeth

Adverse effects of Bulimia on Teeth

Bulimia is an eating disorder that’s more prevalent in developed nations. According to a 2002 survey,1.5% women and 0.5% men in Canada are suffering from Bulimia Nervosa.

A BN patient exhibits peculiar symptoms. There are episodes of binge eating followed by purging or crash dieting to counteract the excessive calories. It can be said that it’s a lifestyle disorder where one adopts unhealthy eating patterns in order to fit the stereotypes popularised and idolised by media. Excess food is forced out of body through induced vomiting and by the use of laxatives.

While BN takes a toll on nervous system, musculoskeletal system, digestive system, and circulatory system, it causes havoc on teeth as well. Effects of BN on teeth were studied and results were published in Acta Odonatological Scandinavia in 2009.

Sandalwood Smiles, best dental clinic in Brampton, brings to you excerpts from that study to educate masses about adverse effects that bulimia has on teeth.

Common dental problems that arise due to Bulimia

When a person regurgitates and performs self-induced vomiting repeatedly, teeth are subjected to a lot of damaging factors. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes enamel erosion over time. The pH of mouth becomes acidic that leads to further damage to the enamel. It causes cavities tooth decay and a plethora of other problems.

Common dental problems manifested by Bulimia Nervosa include

·         Sensitive teeth

·         Dental caries

·         Extensive enamel erosion

·         Dry mouth

·         Sore throat

·         Bleeding gums

·         Damage to soft palate

·         Damage to TMJ

·         Brittle teeth

·         Difficulty in mastication

·         Hoarse voice

·         Esophageal damage

How to spot the red flags for bulimia

Usually, a dentist is able to screen a patient with bulimia while internal oral examination. If a patient exhibits the above mentioned signs that are indicative of increased acid content in oral cavity and esophagus, that’s indicative of a possibility of bulimia.

Look for these signs during an oral examination. Mostly, there is massive erosion on the inner surface of teeth which is a tell-tale sign in majority of cases.

How to prevent this problem

If you do encounter such a patient, it’s important to check if they’re getting necessary psychiatric assistance. This is a dangerous problem. Educate your patients about the importance of healthy eating habits.

All this stems out from the negative body image that engulfs young and old equally. Chase for a perfect body is like a mirage. There’s no point torturing oneself in the quest to achieve that perfect, statistically correct bod. Don’t fall for stereotypes. Be yourself at your best.

From the Best Dental Clinic in Brampton - Tips to Care for Dental Implants

Dental implants, once seen as a breakthrough in the field of dentistry, are a regular fare these days. One requires dental implants for various reasons. Be it a tooth lost in trauma, or to replace an extracted tooth, dental implants have become necessary.

At Sandalwood Smiles, the best Dental Clinic  in Brampton, install close to a hundred implants in a month. If there’s one thing patients are concerned about after getting their implants, that’s post-procedural care. 

Every day we face different queries as to how to go about maintenance of dental implants. Can these be brushed and flossed the regular way? Are there any special precautions to look out for?

Truth is that dental implant care should start the day you step into a best dental clinic to get implants. Yes. And we explain why. Complete oral care before the installation of implants ensure a favorable environment to allow for healthy healing. It’s important to give implants a germ free field so that they can be placed without the risk of infection.

Signs to look for in gum tissue

Tissue that surrounds the implant should be healthy. Here, healthy denotes free of infection. It should be pink and keratinized. If the per-mucosal seal is not keratinized, that spells future infections. To achieve a healthy per-mucosal seal should be the first goal of your hygienist. This is achieved by pre-implant care of mouth and gums.

Types of implants and how dental care depends on that

Dental implants are not simply smooth titanium alloy these days. Surface coating is added to make the surface rough which promotes stability and longevity of the implant. This is achieved through plasma spraying, grit blasting, and etching that increases contact surface.

Given these surface layers are very important, certain chemicals need to be avoided. Look before you buy. One should be cautious before buying over-the-counter home care products. Use low-abrasive toothpaste. Avoid products containing stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride, baking soda, and stain removers. Don’t go for smoker’s toothpastes.

The high concentration of sodium fluoride in fluoride toothpastes, combined with an acidic pH, can remove the outer oxide layer of implant. This makes the implant susceptible to corrosion. It’s good to avoid fluoride toothpastes completely. On the other hand, stannous fluoride causes etching and surface roughness.

Type of toothbrush to be used

It hardly matters if you use an electric or a manual toothbrush to clean implants. The main focus should be ease to use and ability to reach hard to access areas. Prefer a toothbrush with small head and round bristles. Too coarse a toothbrush can cause surface abrasion. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles.

Flossing

Before choosing a brand, it’s good to ask your dentist. There are different types of dental floss in market. There are also implant specific flosses which your dentist will recommend post treatment. For bar-retained prosthesis and full fixed retained prosthesis, a specialized floss with in-built threader is recommended. Contrary to normal use, an unwaxed tape floss is used for implants. Consult your dentist for the flossing technique that differs for implant and prosthesis.

Oral Irrigation

Oral irrigation/water flossing is highly recommended for patients with dental implants. It effectively removes plaque and inflammation. A non-alcohol anti-microbial rinse should be used in place of water if inflammation is persistent. Your dentist will instruct you on how to do it properly.

These are the few things that should be kept in mind before and after you get an implant. Keep your dental care provider posted about the health of the implant. Make it a point to go for regular check-ups post-op. 

5 Nighttime Tips by Best Dentists Brampton to Improve Oral Health

Did you know that roughly around 40 per cent of Canadians sleep without brushing their teeth? This number is actually scary because a lot can happen inside your buccal cavity while you are having your beauty sleep. During the duration of 6-8 hours, there is not only the bacterial growth, but clenching, dry mouth, grinding can also be going on. And you may not be aware of the fact that while you are sleeping or simply taking a small nap, your salivary glands don’t work in the same way as they do while you are awake. This makes the teeth and gums more vulnerable towards tooth decay and other dental issues. That is why according to the best dentists of Brampton, brushing and flossing before sleeping is imperative.
But other than simple brushing and flossing, there are several other tips that you can follow to improve your oral health even while you are sleeping. So, in this post we are going to discuss some of these tips.

1. Don’t forget to brush and floss: When you brush properly before going to the bed, it gives you protection against the buildup of plaque, gum problems and tooth decay. If you are more prone to gum problems and dental cavities, then it is advisable to brush after every meal and then brushing before you go to bed.

2. Consume healthy bedtime snacks: There are numerous people who have the habit of consuming bedtime snacks. If you are one of them then switching to crunchy fruits and nuts would be highly beneficial. You can munch on apple, carrot or a handful of calcium rich nuts. They increase the saliva production, hence protecting the gums and enamel.

3. Use mouth guard for grinding problem: Your teeth enamel looks worn out and there is increased tooth sensitivity along with torn, painful cheek tissues, chances are that you might be grinding teeth in your sleep. This is something that even the dentists can’t help you with, but you can use a mouth guard to prevent the aftermath of grinding.

4. Never eat sweets before bed: Sugar filled foods have higher acid in content that remains on teeth for longer time. Even if you brush immediately after eating sweets, the ingredients of toothpaste would combine with the acid of sweets, doing more harm. So, if you want to eat sweets, at least keep a gap of one hour.

5. Visit your dentist regularly: Usually people see their dentist only when there is toothache or any other issue. But it is imperative to have regular dental check ups if you want to maintain good oral health.

Following all these nighttime tips and visit to the  best dentists of Brampton, Sandalwood Smiles Dentistry can do wonders for your oral health hygiene. You can go for complete dental checkup and cleaning. After proper cleaning, your teeth will be polished and cleaned that would actually reduce the build up of tartar that goes on whole day- even while you are sleeping.

Best Dentists Brampton - Sandalwood Smiles Dentistry

Periodontal Diseases and Diabetes, How They’re Related

Diabetes Mellitus is extending its grasp over the Canadian population quietly and is increasing in prevalence at an alarming rate. So much that many don’t even know they’re suffering from it, till the signs and symptoms become apparent. Followed by regular checks, blood sugar monitoring, diet control, insulin administration, and so on. But amidst all that, it’s not at all wise to ignore periodontal health.

Whenever a patient with Diabetes comes to us, we make it a point to educate them about the importance of vigorously maintaining oral health as a part of precautionary measures. Many are, however, not aware of this fact. At Sandalwood Smiles Dentistry- Best Dentists Brampton, we initiate awareness drives from time to time to educate people on why patients with diabetes should look after their teeth vigilantly.

Clinical researches have proved that periodontitis is a complication of diabetes and thus, can be an important diagnostic criteria. A two way relationship between periodontitis and diabetes has emerged, where one controls the other. Maintenance of blood sugar levels affects periodontitis positively and vice versa. Similarly, a positive correlation is found to exist between poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes (type 2) and manifestation of periodontitis. Further, periodontal health remains on a stable pedestal under regular maintenance of oral health, periodic removal of plaque, and avoiding a high carb diet, coupled with maintaining controlled blood sugar levels.

Interestingly enough, the high carb foods that lead to plaque deposition are also the ones that raise the blood sugar levels instantly and are contraindicated in a patient with diabetes. Hence, preventive measures for both are all the more same.

Now the question arises as to why the patients with Diabetes Mellitus have periodontitis as complication. Patients with diabetes have a weakened immunity. It’s not the adaptive immunity that’s affected but cellular innate immunity. This is the reason that patients with DM are more susceptible to infections as compared to patients without DM. Therefore, there is more deposition of plaque that houses a greater number of different types of bacteria. If left untreated and ignored for a long time, it can lead to bleeding gums and gingivitis.

So just as a precautionary measure, patients with DM are asked to wear cushioned shoes, double checked each time to remove any foreign object, so is the case with oral health. Patients with DM should get regular deplaque treatments done, more often than patients without DM. 

There’s a difference in frequency of treatment among patients with controlled DM and patients with poorly controlled DM. Patients with adequately controlled DM should undergo scaling treatment once a year. Patients with poorly controlled diabetes should undergo scaling once every six months, along with recording probing depths and bleeding score in both the cases.

Dental care providers should also be alert in looking for signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia in patients with DM such as dizziness, pallor, anxiety, tachycardia, weakness, hunger, and sweating. It’s advisable to keep juices handy in such cases.

Even though there’s weak evidence to completely establish a relation between DM and periodontitis, it’s a matter of observation. It’s seen that patients who maintain a stable blood sugar level respond better to periodontal therapies. Similarly, patients with poorly maintained blood sugar levels show signs and symptoms of increased periodontal deterioration. Therefore, if you’re suffering from DM, talk to your dental care provider today for maintaining optimal oral health.

Top 5 Super Foods for the Best Dental Health | Best Dental Clinic Brampton

When it comes to oral health, brushing and flossing alone aren’t sufficient; it is a comprehensive and holistic package that comes along with regular visits to the dental expert as well as a healthy, nutritious diet. One of the major aspect of oral health is that it is overlapped with the overall health and immunity of the person. So, whatever the diet is, it is clearly reflected by the oral health. Even the experts at the best dental clinic Brampton often suggest their patients to opt for the super-foods that can do wonders for the gums as well as condition of teeth.

In this post, we are going to discuss about certain foods that are easily available on the pantry shelf but are not less than a boon for the dental health. Some of them are as follows:




#1 All crunchy Fruits and Veggies: 

Fruits and vegetables like celery, apple, carrots have high fibre and water content in them, thus stimulating salivary glands for a longer period. The secreted saliva is packed with enzymes that restricts the growth of Streptococcus Bacillus, the cavity causing bacteria. Moreover, the coarse texture of these foods brushes the gums and teeth, thus acting as natural brushes.

#2 All Dairy Product:

Well, not to mention calcium enriched foods while talking about super-foods for dental health would be a crime. Dairy products including hard cheese, milk, yogurt is rich in calcium that strengthens the enamel and increases the density. Apart from that, calcium aids in the reduction of the acidic pH level that deteriorates the enamel.

#3 Raw Onions:

Agreed, nobody can stand the bad breath due to onion, but that doesn’t negate the benefits of raw onion. The sulfur compounds of onion along with its antibacterial properties restricts the growth of harmful bacteria in the oral cavity. All you have to do is chew raw onion for 2-3 minutes.

#4 Water:

Water is the cheapest mouthwash that you can use to boost the oral health. Without any side effects, water is the best liquid ever for your teeth. Swishing and gargling with water after every meal not only removes the leftover bits and pieces but also increases saliva secretion which leads to the better digestion.
Though it can be a bit tough to give up on your favourite fries or candies, but raiding your pantry and munching on the above-mentioned super-foods isn’t a bad start. Even the dental experts at Sandalwood Smiles Dentistry, best dental clinic in Brampton swear by all these super-foods. So, what are you waiting for? Grab an apple and start munching now.
Till next time!

Best Dental Care Brampton - Typical Annual Checkups For Adult

In order to keep your oral hygiene impeccable and intact, it's important to sign up for an annual checkup. Now these are vital for a lot many reasons. Annual dental checkup is necessary to keep a check on dental caries, to ensure healthy gums, to make your teeth sparkling white, and for overall oral hygiene. Yearly dental checkup for adults consist of a series of procedures that are recommended by CDHA. Sandalwood Smiles, the leading Best Dental Care Brampton ,have listed these procedures in an easily comprehensible manner.

Recall Examination

Recall examination is prescribed by your dental hygienists for regular maintenance of treatment and control of problem. Previously collected assessment data is reviewed, updated, and analyzed. Treatment plan is modified after thoroughly analyzing the assessment data. In case an added intervention is needed, it's included in the treatment plan. It's also important for case presentations to see that a new therapy has yielded fruitful results or not. Don't ignore reassessment calls from your dental hygienist,

Bitewing Radiographs

2 bitewing radio graphs (4film) are recommended which are interpreted for dental hygiene assessment purpose. Photographs are sometimes taken along with radiographs. This is necessary for in-depth diagnosis of dental hygiene.

Debridement

Debridement includes sub- and/or supragingival scaling and subgingival deplaquing. It's a standard procedure that should be done on an annual basis. Plaque is nothing but a bacterial colony that's formed in the presence of food particles between teeth. Absence of regular debridement can cause gingivitis. Don't shy away from this procedure and get it done once in a year. 2 time units scaling is prescribed for maintenance purpose.

Stain removal

Tea and coffee leave our teeth badly stained. Smoking adds to this misery. For dazzling white teeth, it's recommended to get dental polishing done once in a year. That includes stain removal manually or mechanically. Stain removal can also be done by ultrasound method. Prophylaxis is explained to client to prevent excessive staining.

Flouride Application

Flouride therapy is a protective therapy for repairing teeth enamel. Flouride helps to reduce tooth decay by forming flourapatite. Flouride ions also promote remineralization of enamel and prevent teeth at early onset of cavities. It also reduces adhesion of bacteria on tooth surface, thereby decreasing chances of caries.

For prophylaxis and prevention against cavities, a thin layer of flouride varnish is applied on tooth surface. Topical application of flouride varnish every six months or annually has proven to be beneficial against initial tooth decay.

Other dental care services

Polishing and sealant application are also two procedures that are included in dental care regime. It varies from client to client. Also, it depends upon if your dental hygienist deems it necessary or not. Application of anticariogenic/antimicrobial agents on an yearly basis is not uncommon as well. Again, it depends upon your dental service provider.

A lot for people suffer from sensitive teeth. Desensitization therapy is included for such clients in the routine treatment.

If you want to keep your teeth healthy for long, you have to register yourself for yearly checkups and procedures. Apart from that, healthy eating habits contribute a lot to oral health. A low-carb diet is a blessing for your teeth as plaque forming bacteria thrive on carb rich foods, particles of which get lodged in between your teeth. Regular brushing, night brushing, and flossing can help you take better care of your shiny pearls.