Whether you wear a boil and bite or custom mouthguard they all serve the same purpose. Don’t be fooled the mouth guards only purpose is not just to keep your teeth in place but also plays a very important factor in reducing complications with concussions. The real benefit of custom fit mouth guards is compliance. If they are not in our mouth on our teeth they might just as well be on the bench. Let’s make the guards comfortable with a great fit and there will be no issue to keep them in our mouths.

In my 20 years in the dental profession it has never been more evident to me  the importance of flossing.  With this client’s permission I have to tell you her story…….

This client is in her 95^th year and asked me to come to her home and clean her teeth.

Before we start she says to me I floss every day and have done for as long as I remember.  I even flossed before floss became available by using her mother’s sewing thread.  She said that mother would get angry with her saying that she was going to ruin her teeth.  Little did her mother know it was the best thing she could do for herself.  Now when I did an oral examination I found not only did she have all her own teeth but I could not find any periodontal disease [gum] either.  How is this not a great example of the importance and benefit of daily flossing? 

 Written by Angela Erhardt

In Canada there are approximately 3,200 newly reported cases of oral cancer annually, with approximately 1,000 deaths per year. The majority of people diagnosed with oral cancer are 45 years and older. Oral cancer accounts for approximately 3% of all cancers. People with oral cancer have a 5-year survival rate of approximately 50%. The reason why the survival rate is so low is because it is not detected in its early stages.

Dental Hygienists perform head and neck cancer examinations on their clients on a routine basis. During these examinations, if any unusual changes in the head and neck area are detected, the dental hygienist immediately refers the client to the dentist for diagnosis. Many people, particularly those with full dentures do not visit their dental office for routine preventive care and as a result put themselves at risk of not having cancer spotted early.

Our main objective is to provide preventive dental care to clients who normally would not be able to access this type of care. Whether access is difficult due to mobility issues or whether traditional methods of dental care are just too costly, we feel it is an important aspect of overall healthy living and longevity.

Oral cancer screening is a part of your regular dental hygiene care. Call Caring For Smiles today to schedule your appointment. Remember, our services are fully mobile so we come to you!  Call or email us today: (905) 579-5175 or (905) 431-6137

Diabetes has a whole host of severe implications for the body. One important and often overlooked implication involves gum disease. In addition, oral health can have implications on a person with diabetes overall health making it harder to control their diabetes.

Statistics from the Canadian Diabetes Association reveal nearly one million people with diabetes live in Ontario, with more than 1,000 Ontarians being diagnosed every week. Dentists can help detect signs of diabetes by assessing oral health problems such as periodontal [gum] disease, tooth decay, fungal infections, taste impairment and delayed healing of infections.

Periodontal diseases are infections of the gum and bone that hold your teeth in place. Periodontal disease is often linked to the control of diabetes. For example, patients with inadequate blood sugar control appear to develop periodontal disease more often and more severely, and they lose more teeth than persons who have good control of their diabetes. It is possible to have periodontal disease and not have all of the warning signs. Because of lowered resistance and a longer healing process, periodontal diseases often appear to be more frequent and more severe among persons with diabetes.

That’s why good maintenance of blood sugar levels, a well-balanced diet that meets your need, good oral care at home, regular dental check-ups and periodontal examinations are important. Smokers with diabetes over the age of 45 are 20 times more likely to develop severe gum disease than a person without those risk factors. Diabetes can also cause other oral problems including thrush, dry mouth, oral infections, tooth decay, salivary gland dysfunction, lichen planus, and taste impairment.

• Thrush is a fungal infection that occurs in the mouth. People with diabetes may be more likely to get thrush because of high sugar levels in the saliva encourages the fungus to grow. Good diabetes control, no tobacco use, removal of and cleaning dentures daily help prevent thrush.
• Dry Mouth is often a symptom of undetected and untreated diabetes and can cause an uncomfortable feeling in the mouth. When there is not enough moisture in the mouth, ulcers, infections, soreness, increased plaque and tooth decay could result.
• Oral Infections of any kind can be serious as they make it difficult to control blood sugar levels. Oral infections may make chewing difficult causing a person with diabetes to select foods that are easier to chew, but not nutritionally appropriate.

What Can I Do?

Preventing gum disease may help you manage the conditions associated with diabetes, and good blood sugar control may help prevent gum disease. [A two-way relationship] Good brushing 2 times a day and good daily flossing combined with frequent professional dental cleanings is a great way to help prevent and control the progression of periodontal disease.

• Improved oral health can lead to improved quality of life.
• Medications can cause dry mouth causing more dental problems.
• Inability to perform adequate home care.
• Periodontal [gum] disease increases with age.
• Dental disease has an impact on general health with links to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and pneumonia.
• Early periodontal [gum] disease is painless allowing problems to be left untreated.
• Decreased mobility makes receiving regular care more difficult.
• Oral cancer screening improving early detection.

Good dental health is vital for everyone because a healthy mouth is important for speaking, chewing, and overall health. This is why it is essential that all older adults receive good preventive dental care on a regular basis. The elderly today are much more likely to keep their teeth than previous generations.

The older adult is more susceptible to caries (cavities); contributing factors include lack of oral hygiene, infrequent dental cleanings, salivary gland dysfunction, frequent snacking and removable partial dentures. (Traps food around teeth) Adults of all ages develop caries on the crown of the tooth but the older adult is also more susceptible to root surface caries because of bone loss around the teeth. Increased number of medications can cause xerostomia (dry mouth) that increases the risk of caries. The saliva acts as our natural defence against dental caries as well as periodontal disease. These root surfaces are softer and therefore decay easier. For these reasons regular fluoride applications in the older adult are an essential element of the dental hygiene process.

Periodontal disease is a silent but common disease among older adults. Periodontal disease is caused by bacterial plaque attacking the bone that supports the teeth. When this bone is lost the tooth is lost. Research shows the best treatment of gum disease is regularly cleaning the space between the tooth and gums to remove bacterial plaque.

Dental problems can boost the risk pneumonia in the elderly. Better dental care among the elderly – especially in nursing homes – could reduce cases of aspiration pneumonia, according to research. Aspiration pneumonia is an infection that occurs after bits of food or stomach contents are inhaled into the lungs. Patients were at higher risk for this type of pneumonia if they had dental plaque or mouth bacteria. A study was conducted and it was found nursing home residents who received regular dental cleanings were not only less likely to contract pneumonia, but also less likely to die from the infection if they did develop one.

Many conditions evident in the older adult such as Arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia make caring for their teeth difficult often resulting in poor oral hygiene conditions.

The oral cavity can be an entry for infections that affect the whole body. Oral diseases give rise to pathogens, which can be blood borne or aspirated into the lungs bringing about severe, even life-threatening consequences. Recent research findings have pointed to possible associations between chronic oral infections and diabetes, heart and lung disease, and stroke.

Aging has an impact on oral tissues just as it has on other tissues throughout the body. As teeth age, the enamel, dentin and pulp undergo progressive changes. This can cause significant problems because decay and/or periodontal disease can go untreated resulting in an ongoing infection, which can travel throughout other body systems.

Protect your oral and overall health by getting quality and affordable dental hygiene care from Caring For Smiles.  Call or email us today to schedule your appointment. Remember, our services are fully mobile so we come to you! Call now: (905) 579-5175 or (905) 431-6137