Our mouth is the gateway to a healthy body! Food for your teeth!

Just like our body our teeth need vitamins and minerals to stay strong and healthy. For proper development and strength of our teeth, babies, children, adults and seniors need lots of:

* calcium (e.g. yogurt, milk, some cheese, milk shakes, eggnog)
* phosphorous (e.g. egg, beef, chicken, turkey, halibut, bread)
* vitamin A (e.g. liver, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato, mango, spinach, broccoli)
* vitamin C (e.g. citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage)
* vitamin D (e.g. trout, mackerel, salmon, tuna, egg yolk, milk)
* fluoride

Calcium (with help from phosphorous and Vitamin D) is the main component of teeth and bones. It’s what keeps them strong. But we can’t forget about vitamin A because it’s necessary for the formation of tooth enamel or vitamin C which is essential for healthy gums.

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. In children, it works with calcium and phosphorous to help strengthen enamel, and in older adults, it helps restore and harden enamel. Ontario Dental Association

For more information contact one of our dental professionals at 905-458-6620.

Dr. Elizabeth Dimovski - Brampton Dental Office

WHAT IS DENTAL FLUOROSIS AND WHAT CAUSES IT?

Joanna SAYS!

Dental fluorosis is caused by excessive amounts of high concentration fluoride exposure during tooth development. It often appears as faint white streaks on enamel in most mild cases and in the most severe cases will appear as a brown mottled spots on the teeth. Usually it is a combination of fluoride sources which lead to the over exposure.  Children between the ages of 1 – 4 are at critical age of exposure. A child is no longer at risk after the age of 8 because all of the teeth have been developed already.

Since fluorosis is permanent and will not go away over time there are some ways to reduce its appearance. Most cases of fluorosis are mild and cannot be easily seen, but for more severe cases there are options such as bonding resin on fronts of teeth affected or veneers. Unfortunately, teeth whitening will often make the stains and white streaks have an almost chalky appearance which will still stand out from the regular tooth colour. The best way to find a solution which will work best for your specific case is to meet with a dental professional.

Dentist Brampton

Blog by: Joanna - RDH

FUN ALTERNATIVES TO CANDY - Canadian Dental Association

If you are concerned about the amount of candy that your child will receive, try rationing it over a few weeks. Another alternative would be to let your child trade in Halloween candy for a video game, book, toy or trip to the movies. You can also have your child set aside half of the Halloween candy and donate it to an organization such as a women’s shelter or a local soup kitchen. By reducing the amount of candy your child eats and by teaching your child that moderation is important, you won’t have to worry about things like tooth decay and Halloween will still be fun.

Here are healthy treat alternatives for parents to hand out on Halloween night to help trick-or-treaters avoid a mouthful of November cavities:

    * Sugarless gum
    * Sugarless candy
    * String cheese

Parents can also give out fun toys and other gifts like Halloween stickers, Halloween pencils and erasers, temporary tattoos, vampire teeth, toothbrushes and floss, which will certainly help trick-or-treaters keep their smiles cavity free.

For more information click here.

Dr. Elizabeth Dimovski Dental Office

Dentist Brampton

PROPER TOOLS FOR CLEANING AROUND CROWNS, IMPLANTS OR BRIDGES

Joanna SAYS!

Dental bridges, crowns and implants take special attention when caring for your overall oral health. With a dental bridge the key is cleaning efficiently under the abutment tooth (replaces the tooth that is missing) to ensure food or bacteria won’t get trapped underneath. For a crown and implant depending on the shape of them, there may be more food and plaque getting trapped in and around the adjacent teeth.

Cleaning Aids for Dental Bridge, Implant, or Crown

SuperFloss:  Starts with a stiff end of floss for threading under bridge, followed by a fluffier middle section of floss for filling the space under the abutment and ending with regular floss for cleaning the remaining teeth.

Interdental Brushes: A small cylindrical brush used to clean in between teeth and comes in a variety of sizes. Easier to use if the dental bridge is located further back in the mouth and difficult to thread superfloss under.

*When cleaning an implant, make sure it doesn’t have a metal wire component to avoid scratching the implant under the crown. 

*Waterpik: A pulsating water device used to clean around difficult to reach areas with regular floss.

To find which tool is right for you be sure to ask your dental professional at your next check-up and cleaning appointment.

www.drelizabethdimovski.com
Dentist Brampton
Blog by: Joanna - RDH

DENTAL FLUOROSIS

Joanna SAYS!

Dental fluorosis is caused by excessive amounts of high concentration fluoride exposure during tooth development. It often appears as faint white streaks on enamel in most mild cases and in the most severe cases will appear as a brown mottled spots on the teeth. Usually it is a combination of fluoride sources which lead to the over exposure.  Children between the ages of 1 – 4 are at critical age of exposure. A child is no longer at risk after the age of 8 because all of the teeth have been developed already.

Since fluorosis is permanent and will not go away over time there are some ways to reduce its appearance. Most cases of fluorosis are mild and cannot be seen easily, but for more severe cases there are options such as bonding resin on fronts of teeth affected or veneers. Unfortunately, teeth whitening will often make the stains and white streaks have an almost chalky appearance which will still stand out from the regular tooth colour. The best way to find a solution which will work best for your specific case is to meet with a dental professional.

www.drelizabethdimvoski.com

Dentist Brampton

TOOTH EROSION - CAUSES AND PREVENTION

Melissa O. SAYS! 

Tooth Erosion (enamel erosion, dental erosion)

When acids contact the teeth it may eat away or soften the tooth. The teeth become translucent and the cusps of the teeth start to wear out. This can cause extreme sensitivity on the teeth to hot, cold and brushing.

Causes of tooth erosion:

Acidic foods and drinks
Eating disorders
Acid Reflux
Aggressive brushing

How to prevent tooth erosion:

Maintain a healthy diet.
Reduce the intake of acidic drinks or food.
Drink juices through a straw to minimize contact with teeth.
Do not sip on acidic drinks throughout the day Example: pop, juice, ice tea, sports drinks or wine.
Rinse mouth with water after acidic foods/drinks.
Use a soft or extra soft toothbrush and delay brushing for an hour after the intake of acidic foods/drinks. 

Dr. Elizabeth Dimovski 
Dentist Brampton

EXERCISE WHILE YOU BRUSH - NO MORE EXCUSES :)

Mira SAYS!

We brush and floss our teeth at least twice a day and for over 2 minutes each time, so for those of you who claim to have no time to exercise, you just gained 5-6 minutes a day to do so! So while brushing and flossing try these easy exercises to stay healthy and fit: calf raises, squats, wall sits, lunge kick, hula-hoop or come up with your own :)

These simple exercises can also be done while talking on the phone, cooking or waiting in long lines.

Dr. Elizabeth Dimovski

Dentist in Brampton