Living with Diabetes – Considerations for Teeth and Gums

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and there are over 11 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes today. Diabetes can lead to a wide variety of health problems, but were you aware that it can also put you at risk for dental issues? High blood sugar affects every part of the body, including the teeth and gums.

When it comes to diabetes and your oral health, here are some problems to look out for:

1) Gum Disease

Gum disease can take two forms: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is a less serious inflammation of the gingiva that can be painful and leave you with swollen, bleeding gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, which eats away at the tissue and bone support around your teeth.

Once that bone is gone, it’s almost impossible to get back. Eventually, the teeth will loosen and could ultimately require extraction. Because of the bacteria hiding in those deep gum pockets, you may experience bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth. For more information, check out my video on Gum Disease here!

Diabetes is a major risk factor for gum disease due to reduced blood supply to the gums, slow wound healing, and increased risk of bacterial infection. To further complicate matters, untreated gum disease will raise the blood sugar levels, making diabetes more difficult to manage.

2) Dry Mouth

If you have diabetes, you’ll be familiar with feeling constantly thirsty or having a “cotton mouth”. Saliva is very important for washing away plaque from the teeth. The more plaque means a higher risk of gum disease and dental decay. Other symptoms include dry or cracked lips and difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Dry mouth associated with diabetes is worsened by caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, as well as spicy and salty foods.

Follow these tips to enhance your oral health while living with diabetes:

1) Practice good oral hygiene by brushing twice and flossing once daily. Consider investing in an electric toothbrush, such as the Sonicare which has special settings for patients with gum disease, or a Waterpik to help flush those deep pockets and clear food debris.

2) Manage your diet and experiment with diabetes-friendly recipes found at www.diabetesfoodhub.org. Also, be sure to stay hydrated and stick to water.

3) Schedule regular dental visits. While you may only need to see the dentist twice per year for check-ups, we recommend patients with diabetes see their dental hygienist for regular cleanings every 3 months. The reason is to disrupt the bacteria and inflammation so that we can stop the disease from getting worse. This will also help keep your blood sugar in-check.

4) See a Periodontist, a dentist that specializes in gum disease, if your dental team recommends their help in combating the disease.

 

Our team at Horizon Dental would be happy to help you achieve good dental health while managing your diabetes. You can contact us by clicking here! Or you can email me directly at drcindy@horizondental.clinic.

Consider a Career in Dentistry!

Dental care is a team effort – we all work together to provide oral care and dental health maintenance. While becoming a dentist is the most obvious career choice, there are many types of job opportunities within the dental field, requiring different levels of education.

Everyone in the dental office shares in the many rewards, such as job security, good compensation, great working conditions, flexible hours (typically 4 days/week), and the ability to advance in your field. Not to mention helping people preserve their oral health and enhance their smiles and quality of life. If you’re interested in a career in dentistry, check out the descriptions below!

Dentist

Becoming a dentist requires the longest (and costliest) investment, starting with a four-year bachelor degree followed by another four-year degree in dentistry. Now, you’re ready to start your career in diagnosing and treating oral diseases! Most new dentists choose to start working with an experienced professional. In time, some take on more responsibility and purchase or start their own practices. Others may decide to go back to school to pursue a specialty career, such as oral surgery.

Dental Assistant

I highly recommend looking into a career as a certified dental assistant (CDA). They are in very high demand throughout BC and quickly becoming more so. Starting with a high school diploma, there are several training programs in BC and Alberta that require only a few months to complete. Not only do CDAs assist the dentist during procedures, they also work independently doing lab work, office duties, and more. There is a huge potential to advance in this career, where many assistants evolve into office managers and treatment coordinators.

Dental Hygienist

Hygienists are highly trained specialists who perform cleanings and educate people on oral health. Candidates are required to take several first-year university courses to qualify for admission to an accredited school but can be ready to start their new career in only 18 months.  When it comes to dental maintenance, hygienists really shine. While the dentist is often trying to fix a problem, it’s your hygienist that helps you prevent problems in the first place.

Administration

If you’re working at the front desk, you’ve chosen a career as director of first impressions. By welcoming patients to the office, organizing the schedule, and maintaining patient records, the receptionists and office coordinators are invaluable to the team. A high school diploma and computer skills are crucial, otherwise no formal training is required (although there are college programs available). Those people with career experience in customer service excel in this field, and once trained often end up running the entire office!

So, with graduation fast approaching, now’s a great time to consider a career in dentistry! If you would like a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes, contact us at Horizon Dental! We are happy to have students shadow our team members.

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

Play It Safe with a Sports Mouthguard

Get your athletes ready for spring and summer sports! One essential piece of equipment for many sports is a custom-fit sports mouthguard. It will help protect against injury to the face and teeth, as well as lessening the severity of concussion. At Horizon Dental, we can customize your mouthguard with your name, team colours, and logo!

Spring in Kamloops means that it’s time to get outside and play! Registration is open for soccer, football, lacrosse, and more! So, while you’re gathering all the necessary equipment, I suggest you also talk to your dentist about a custom-fit sports mouthguard.

A mouthguard is a made of a soft plastic material and is fitting around the top teeth. It is essential for preventing injury to the teeth, tongue, lips, cheeks, and brain while playing many popular sports.

The Canadian Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouthguards for the following sports: acrobatics, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Research shows that an athlete is 60 times more likely to damage his/her teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard. These painful injuries include broken or cracked teeth, lost teeth, jaw and joint fractures, cuts, and infections.

Recently, we’ve learned that a customized mouthguard can also reduce the severity of concussions, by lessening the force of an impact by stabilizing the jaw and neck. Up to 95% of concussions are transmitted through the lower jaw to the brain.

Facts About Mouthguards

You should replace your mouthguard every 6 months or sooner if it’s worn out.

Mouthguards must be washed after every use to prevent bacterial growth. Simply scrub out the mouthguard with a toothbrush and rinse under cold water before storing in your container.

For many sports, such as hockey, combining a face-shield and mouthguard will provide optimal protection. The cage can deflect sticks, pucks, and elbows, but the mouthguard is also needed to help absorb and disperse any impact to the cage or helmet.

Selecting a Mouthguard

There are three primary types of mouthguards available:

  1. Ready-made stock. These are inexpensive mouthguards and come in various sizes, but may not fit well and can make it difficult to breath or speak.
  2. Boil-and-bite. A boil-and-bite mouthguard offers a semi-custom fit and usually ranges between $10 and $25.
  3. Custom-fit. This is the best option for anyone that participates in any high-impact sport and for kids who wear braces. Because they are custom-made in our dental office, they offer a proper fit and the best protection. It’s also easier to talk around them so you can communicate with your teammates.

We can also customize your sports mouthguard with your name, team colours, logo!

At Horizon Dental, we charge $45 for a custom sports mouthguard. All we need is an impression, or mold, of your teeth. Is gagging a problem? We can do a digital scan instead – no messy impression material required. Click on the video below to see a demonstration of our TRIOS Digital Scanner.

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

Beyond Straight Teeth – The Value of Orthodontics

Orthodontics can make a huge difference in a person’s life by treating irregularities in the teeth and jaws. Not only will it help straighten your smile – which will make you look and feel great – but it also helps align your bite and your jaws for better function.

Orthodontics has come a long way from the old days of “metal mouth” and “head gear”. There are so many options available – no more suffering with huge appliances and ugly wires. White brackets can blend in with your smile, braces can be placed on the tongue-side to shield them from view, or you can dare your friends to notice the clear retainers hiding in plain sight.

Orthodontics for Children

Starting early makes it easier to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems, while taking advantage of your child’s growth to guide the jaw position and shape. For most children, we start thinking about orthodontics around age seven, when there is a mix of adult and baby teeth to work with.  Sometimes we can correct growth or strategically extract teeth to make room for the new ones. Space maintainers and other orthodontic appliances can also help prevent the need for jaw surgery or reduce the time required to finish aligning the teeth with other orthodontic treatments later.

Orthodontics for Adults

It’s never too late to invest in your smile! But there are other reasons to consider orthodontics as an adult. Misaligned teeth and jaws leave you at a higher risk for gum disease, cavities, and broken teeth –  which can ultimately lead to a lifetime of costly dental treatment.

But it doesn’t stop there. Orthodontics are also used to treat other health problems related to misaligned teeth, including:

  • Grinding and clenching
  • Mouth-breathing
  • TMJ and facial pain
  • Jaws that shift and make clicking sounds or move painfully
  • Migraines and other headaches
  • Chronic earaches

Orthodontics can also be used to correct damage already done to your teeth or jaws. Sometimes we use orthodontics to close gaps or move teeth into ideal positions that allow for placement of crowns or veneers. This can be crucial when treating people that have short, worn, or broken teeth from a lifetime of grinding or acid erosion. Orthodontics is also used to “upright” teeth that have shifted place after another tooth has been lost. This allows us to re-open the space required to replace missing teeth with dental implants or fixed bridges.

Interested in Orthodontics?

Speak with your dentist, contact my office, or schedule a consultation with an Orthodontist!

At Horizon Dental, I am proud to offer Invisalign for my adult patients – and if you have any questions, you can contact us by clicking here.  I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

Protect That Smile – 5 Tips for Today’s Parents

We all know it’s important to brush twice and floss daily. For some parents this can be a battle, and for others it’s a breeze. But it’s not all about brushing - check out my top 5 tips for protecting your child’s smile:

Sealants

  • Sealants offer many benefits, but the best is their ability to protect your child’s molars from developing cavities! Molars (the back teeth) are full of small caverns that are a perfect breeding ground for tooth decay and plaque buildup. Having your dentist place protective sealants can stop this buildup from happening in the first place and keep everyone’s smile bright.

Use Your Tools

  • Try a child’s electric toothbrush – they do the work for you and many come with games or apps to get kids engaged and excited about brushing!
  • Test out different floss aids to help get those hard-to-reach spots that adult fingers can’t navigate.
  • Sing songs together! Check my YouTube channel for videos that can make brushing more fun, such as the “Sesame Street Brushing” or “Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth” Songs.

Sleep/Breathing

  • Children shouldn’t snore! If your child has difficulty breathing at night, this can have a huge impact on growth, as well as their mental and emotional development.
  • Other symptoms include difficulty in school, signs of ADHD or ADD, excessive sleeping, difficulty gaining weight, and increased likelihood of allergies and sinus problems among others.
  • Breathing only through the mouth and not the nose can also lead to poor jaw growth that may need orthodontic treatment or surgery to correct.
  • Talk to your dentist and doctor about investigating your child’s tonsils and adenoids if he/she snores or cannot breathe through his/her nose!

Mouth Guards

  • If your child participates in sports or other physical activities, it’s wise to consider getting a mouth guard. These devices are worn over the teeth to protect your child’s teeth from being broken or loosened following a blow to the face. They have also been proven to reduce the severity of concussions.
  • We recommend that all patients involved in a contact sport such as wrestling, football, or hockey wear a mouth guard because of the high risk of injury.
  • The best mouth guards are custom-made by your dentist. But if you have a growing child, investing in a less expensive boil-and-bite mouth guard from the drugstore can be a good alternative to keep that smile intact.

Eat Smart

  • Focus on a healthy balanced diet with limited sugary snacks and drinks.
  • Ideally, have treats with a meal so your child’s the saliva is ready to reduce the impact of the sugar.
  • The very best snacks for your child’s smile are veggies and proteins – even the sugar in fruits can cause cavities when eaten throughout the day.
  • Drink lots of water.

I hope this post got you thinking. You can learn more about our children’s services here. And if you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

New Year, New Smile!

For me, New Year’s resolutions are all about goal setting. I love that feeling of accomplishment when I can make something happen. For most of us, New Year’s resolutions are about health, fitness, and diet. Basically, quitting all our “bad” habits and creating new “good” habits. Might I suggest that in 2018 you focus on doing something for yourself?! Something that doesn’t involve giving anything up or starting some crazy new fad diet that you’ll be sick of by February. I’m thinking New Year, New Smile!

They say your smile is the nicest thing you can wear – I think at some point, everyone has considered making some changes to those pearly whites. Maybe make your smile whiter and brighter? Or maybe you’re interested in straightening the teeth or repairing a few chips or stains.

I would be delighted to help you achieve your goal, meet your New Year’s resolutions, and get the smile of your dreams! And with today’s technology, the possibilities are endless. Here’s a quick summary of some very common cosmetic procedures available to you at Horizon Dental:

Teeth Whitening

  • Teeth Whitening: Aging, tobacco, red wine, soda, coffee, and tea can all dull and yellow our teeth over time. With teeth whitening, years of staining can be erased from your smile in a matter of hours. We offer Zoom! Whitespeed, which is a professional in-office whitening system that can lighten your teeth up to eight shades in just one visit! Take-home trays for touch-ups are included, and the procedure takes about 60 minutes with virtually zero sensitivity as it’s tailored to each person’s needs!

 

  • general dentistryCrowns or Veneers: Veneers are thin, custom-made “shells” of porcelain that permanently attach directly to your teeth. In comparison, crowns cover the teeth fully to provide extra support in case of existing cavities, fillings, or broken teeth. Both options can be used to fix gaps between teeth or improve the appearance of teeth that are badly stained, misshaped, crowded, or out of place and are designed specifically for you! You can choose almost any colour or shape, we can even match your favourite celebrity’s or family member’s smile.
  • Bonding: Bonding corrects gaps, stains, and chips by using tooth-coloured composite resins (filling material). It’s a more cost-conscious option compared to crowns and veneers, but can only be used to repair minor issues and is not often used in a complete smile makeover.
  • invisalignInvisalign: By using a series of computer-designed, clear trays, Invisalign can be used to straighten crowded teeth or close spaces without altering natural tooth structure. Treatment can be completed quickly, sometimes in 6-9 months for simple cases – and no one would ever know you were wearing the trays!

 

I hope this post has got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

 

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies this Holiday Season

We all make plans over the holidays - but no one plans for a dental emergency! So, let's look at how to handle the most common dental emergencies, just in case!

‘Twas the Week Before Christmas with plans winding down. Not a dentist was working, it seemed in our town.”

And most dentists in Kamloops, myself included, will be closed at some point during the holidays – possibly for several weeks. December is also a very busy month, as we try to get the most out of patients’ yearly benefits before they renew in January.

So if you run into any trouble, here’s my advice for handling 5 Common Dental Emergencies:

1) Missing Fillings –  might be sensitive or sharp to the tongue but most teeth will be okay. Best way to cope is grab some orthodontic wax from the drugstore and use that to fill the hole. It will insulate the tooth from cold and keep food from getting stuck.

2) Missing Crown – just don’t swallow it and everything will be fine! Gently clean and dry the tooth and crown as best you can, stick toothpaste in the crown and gently replace it over the tooth. Your dentist can usually put it back permanently later.

3) Chipped or Broken Tooth – if the nerve isn’t exposed, refer to #1. If there is cheek swelling or pain, use ice. If the nerve IS exposed (and this will really hurt) then it’s time to call your dentist and get some help.

4) Knocked-Out Tooth – only a problem if it’s an adult tooth. In this case, you need to see a dentist within 4 hours to save it. In the meantime, try to put the tooth back in the socket to keep it alive. If you can’t, hold it gently in the cheek or, if all else fails, a glass of milk is better than nothing.

5) Infection – always a big deal, but can need antibiotics before the offending tooth can be treated. This is because swelling can make it hard to open your mouth or for the local anesthetic to work properly. Call your dentist’s emergency line – he/she can usually prescribe an antibiotic or will arrange to take a look.

Hope you all enjoy your holiday festivities, and always know that if you really need me, I’m here for you!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

Hypnosis at the Dentist?!

What is hypnosis? Experts can't agree but we know that clinical hypnosis has been used in medicine and dentistry for decades as a way to manage pain, anxiety, and enhance healing and reduce post-op complications. Check out the video below to hear about my experience training to perform clinical hypnosis!

What is hypnosis?

Hard to say and even experts can’t quite agree on that one… I like to think of it as the quieting of the conscious mind. Hypnosis can help you achieve a state where you can more readily access your subconscious mind, and then give suggestions to help you visualize what it is you want to accomplish. In this sense, I find hypnosis to be very similar to guided meditation.

Hypnosis has been used with great success for stress reduction, smoking cessation, motivation, and treatment for a lot of mental health issues.

It has also been used in medicine for decades as a pain management tool and to enhance healing by giving the body post-hypnotic suggestions.

And of course, hypnosis is also used in dentistry to help with anxiety, pain management, and healing. But it can also be used to reduce the gag reflex, reduce saliva flow, and stop bleeding.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for everyone. It requires an open mind and a willingness to try something new.

My goal is to use these techniques to enhance my day-to-day dentistry and see what happens. I believe that hypnosis will work very well in additional to some tools I currently use, such as laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide). As in any skill, I expect to get better results as I become more practiced. And I am especially excited to see if I can help those patients with a strong gag reflex to have a more enjoyable experience with dentistry.

If you’d like to know more about my own experience with hypnosis, please check out my YouTube video below! What I will say is that hypnosis works – even though I was not in a “trance” so to speak, my experience very successful.

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

 

Amalgam VS Composite Fillings – The Controversy

Ever wondered what the difference was between silver and white dental fillings? Are amalgam fillings safe? What else is out there? Check out my video to find out!

An example of a composite (white) filling next to an older amalgam (silver) filling

What’s the Difference?

 

“Silver” fillings are actually a combination of silver, tin, copper, and typically about 50% liquid mercury. The term “amalgam” refers to the “amalgamation” of these metals to form a solid material!

“White” fillings are also a blend of other materials, hence the term “composites”. In these fillings you’ll find a liquid resin that binds fillers like silica, zirconia, and sometimes acrylics.

 

 

The Controversy

A short history of Dental Amalgam

Tin-mercury fillings have been around since 600 AD in China

Western dentists started using it in the 1830s and shortly after, something called the amalgam wars started in America. Apparently there were 3 of these “wars” and I’m hoping to find or write a book on this subject because it sounds amazing.

So from the beginning, there have been pro-amalgam and anti-amalgam dentists that have never managed to agree on whether or not the material should be used.

In recent years, several European countries have banned the use of amalgam fillings in children and pregnant women though it is still widely used in North America.

And the controversy in modern times surrounds the fact that one of the main ingredients, mercury, is toxic and has been linked to several diseases, including:

Brain damage/neurological problems, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cancer, Crohn’s disease, etc.

However, the correlation between amalgam and these conditions (so far as I can find) is based solely on self-reported improvements in symptoms when the amalgam restorations were removed. Which means we can’t disprove the connection, but we can’t prove it either.

And what medicine and dentistry try to do is evidence based research to figure out how to best serve our patients.

What we do know is that mercury is released naturally in our environment – in amounts much larger than we’ve been able to measure coming from dental fillings. Most of the research cited by the “anti-amalgam” groups usually cite evidence of diseases caused by environmental mercury.

And the research so far indicates that the only measurable danger of mercury exposure happens when the dental amalgam is placed – hence the use of high-vacuum suctions and ideally the dreaded rubber dam. But even then, it’s considered well within safety limits.

However, what is also clear from the research that it’s hard to measure how much mercury is actually released from dental fillings.

Now if you love your conspiracy theories, here’s something to think about – what reason would the dentists or dental associations have to lie about the safety of dental amalgam? It’s a cheaper material, so dentists aren’t making extra money.

AND if it was linked to all these awful diseases, wouldn’t it make sense for dentists and their assistants to have a higher incidence of these problems? And wouldn’t the associations want to protect themselves from disease? 

 

Why do some dentists still use amalgam?

It’s less expensive, easier to place, lasts a long time, and many dentists  still believe it’s a better alternative to composites for children or people with a high risk of getting cavities

Also, there are some downsides to using the white composite fillings: they are not tolerant of water/saliva/blood so more technique-sensitive, more expensive, and some materials have BPA in them (although there are alternatives if you’re looking)

So why don’t I use amalgam?

Broken tooth around an older amalgam (silver) filling

Not because it’s toxic but because it’s outdated!

 

Composite resin (white) fillings can conserve more tooth structure because you’re not counting on the shape of

 

 the preparation to hold the filling in place.

 

We also have composite materials that can release fluoride and other ions to “recharge” the 

enamel. 
Esthetics also play a big role for many people, even kids.

And I see many more teeth break apart around amalgam fillings than I do composite fillings, although with a big enough filling, any tooth is bound to break no matter the material.

And on the chance that they do one day prove that amalgam fillings are toxic, I will already be ahead of the game.

 

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

Use it or Lose it! Don’t Let Your Benefits Expire!

Do you know how to get the most out of your insurance plan? Let us help!

We have just 8 weeks left in 2017 – 8 weeks! We have navigated the turkey-comas of Thanksgiving and the sugar-rush of Halloween. Now it’s onto Remembrance Day and in a flash the Holiday Season is upon us! The holidays bring their own special kind of busy, and if you’re anything like me you’ll find that things start piling up quickly this time of year. Parties and shopping, decorating and baking. Then before you know it, I’m closed for a week and its New Year’s Day!

Some of you probably postponed some dental treatment until now. Summer holidays and the back-to-school rush will do that to a person.

Well, there’s no time like the present! Especially when you take into account that most dental insurance plans renew January 1st. This gives us a unique opportunity to maximize your plan before the deadline!

Any pending treatment can be completed before December 31st, aiming to use up your maximum yearly limit. For example, if your insurance plan allows for $1000 per year, let’s get your root canal done now. And in January, we have another $1000 to put towards your crown.

Also remember, your benefits don’t carry over to the next year – so if they lapse, you’re giving the insurance company all those premiums for nothing.

And don’t forget inflation! Like all services, dental fees are subject to increases every year. In British Columbia, the BC Dental Association releases a new fee guide in February. It’s usually only a few dollars but these things add up quickly.

But don’t worry! I’ve still got some room in the schedule. But the clock is ticking and we are booking up fast!

I hope this post got you thinking. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you. If you like what you see, please share with your friends and follow me on Google +, Facebook, or Instagram!

And if you’re looking for a dentist in Kamloops, we are happily accepting new patients! You can contact us by clicking here!

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