Preventive Dentistry

Preventive Dentistry in Erin Mills, Oakville and Mississauga

The plaque attack

It starts innocently enough, with a simple bite of a sandwich or nibble of a dessert. Pretty soon, a thin, sticky film of live bacteria call plaque, is spreading across your teeth – the beginning of what could become a relentless attack on your teeth and gums. The enemy is plaque. Fortunately, a simple one-two punch can keep it in check.

Plaque prevention

Start with prevention. By reducing the sweets you eat, you can limit the sugar supply that helps create the acids that plaque uses for its attack. This makes it easier to deliver the second punch; a coordinated counterattack, combing after-meal brushing and flossing with regular dental cleaning visits to the dental hygienist.

Brushing and flossing remove plaque and sugar from the surfaces of teeth, and prevent tooth enamel and gum tissue from being overwhelmed by the enemy, while the hygienist’s trained eye and special instruments hunt down and eliminate plaque deposits in places your toothbrush can’t reach.

Your teeth should last a lifetime, but they need your help. With healthy eating, a good toothbrush and a skilled ally like your dental hygienist, you can turn back the plaque attack.

Make brushing easy & enjoyable for kids

While there may be some children out there who take to tooth brushing like ducks to water, others need more help. The easiest way to get children into the habit of brushing their teeth is to make it fun.

Start by letting your child choose his or her own toothbrush and toothpaste. There are all kinds of children’s toothbrushes featuring cartoon and fantasy characters these days. And there are several brands of no or low-fluoride toothpastes formulated specifically for youngsters (who tend to swallow toothpaste when they first start brushing, which is not a good thing.)

To demonstrate the proper way to brush their teeth, let them try brushing yours. Or, if you have a pet, let your child help you brush your pet’s teeth. Not only can this be fun for your child, but it also underlines how important clean teeth are to even animal – including people!

The foul truth about Halitosis (bad breath)

There are many reasons for bad breath, including improper brushing, not flossing, a build-up of plaque, tooth decay, smoking or even a medical condition. The most obvious, of course, is the food you eat – spicy or strong flavoured foods can easily leave behind an odor in your mouth. But, because Halitosis can be a symptom of so many different problems, you shouldn’t try to diagnose yourself.

There are plenty of things that you can do to prevent (or treat) bad breath. First of all, cut out those nasty foods that leave a presence behind. Next, increase or improve your brushing routine and floss daily. Also, clean your tongue on a regular basis. You may not know this, but your tongue is like a big carpet and a great breeding area for tons of bacteria. Probably the most important part of prevention is to be consistent in your dental check-ups.

If you find you’re still having trouble with bad breath, feel free to make an appointment. We can give you an oral evaluation and recommend an effective treatment.