What's new in the office?

Comprehensive care to dental emergencies we've got you covered! How do I know when I need to see the dentist? Is this an emergency? If you've had injury to your teeth or gums. If you experience trauma that causes swelling, pain, laceration (more than a small cut) or displacement of your teeth. You should seek dental treatment as soon as possible, call your dentist they will go over your symptoms and prioritize you seeing the dentist. Sometimes the results of an impact are not noticeable at first but can develop over the following weeks, when in doubt it is best to have an x-ray of the area to check for trauma to the root area of the teeth evolved. Or you could give out a toothbrush, that's what Dr. Gray gives out! If you have pain and/or swelling. You should see your dentist, don’t put it off. Pain and swelling are signs of infection, which can be serious and lead to not only tooth loss but also serious medical complications if left untreated. If you have an abscess. You may notice a pimple like blister or swelling, on you gum above the tooth involved, this likely indicates an abscess. An abscess is a serious infection which should be treated right away; it can lead to tooth loss and serious medical complications if left untreated.  If you have broken tooth or lost filling without pain. This is not a serious emergency, but you should see your dentist to have it fixed before it gets worse. Once a filling comes out, or a tooth breaks it is more susceptible to further damage and infection if not taken care of, and may become unrestorable (unsaveable). If you have unexplained bleeding from your mouth. Unless you have caused trauma (bit your cheek etc.) your mouth should not bleed, if it does this is likely caused by gum disease, which and lead to tooth loss and medical implications such as heart disease.  Make an appointment with your dentist or dental hygienist for a thorough exam.  Kim Thompson Practice Manager

Easy Halloween Lanterns

Easy Halloween Lanterns

Easy Halloween Lanterns - Materials: clean Jam Jar (the bigger the better) orange or yellow tissue paper decoupage glue or PVA watered down black paper paint brush candle or electric tea light Easy Halloween Lantern - How To: Make sure you jars are cleaned properly Cut your tissue paper into squares - 2inch x 2inch is good) Cover the glass in glue and start applying your tissue paper You will need 3-4 layers - lighter colors like yellow, will need more Keep adding glue as necessary Cut out some Jack O'Lanter faces out of black paper Use your decoupage glue and glue them one Finally, add a final coat of glue and let dry fully! Kim Thompson CDA

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Cookies Ingredients: 1/2 Cup Butter (Sweet Cream Salted) 1 Cup Sugar 2 Eggs 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin 2 Cups Flour 4 tsp. Baking Powder 1 tsp. Salt Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients: 1/2 Cup Butter (Sweet Cream Salted) 8 oz. block of Cream Cheese 3 tsp. Vanilla 4 cups Powdered Sugar 1 tsp. Cinnamon Cookies In a mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and fold into cookie batter. Mix until well blended. At this point you can add the nuts if you like. Drop a spoonful of the cookie batter onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes. Here are the Pumpkin Spice Cookies straight out of the oven. Super cake-y and pumpkin-y. Mmmm … mmm … good. Allow the cookies to completely cool. This recipe made 3 dozen cookies. Frosting Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a mixer until blended. Add powered sugar a cup at a time and continue to mix until sugar is incorporated. Finally, add cinnamon. Spread over the top of the cookies and Enjoy! Jennifer Bergeron

Sports Mouth Guards

With the fall/winter season fast approaching so are winter sports like hockey. Mouth guards help minimize the risk of injury to the face, jaw, teeth and head during activities and contact sports. Mouth guards are recommended for anyone participating in aggressive activities or competing in sports. Mouth guards reduce trauma to teeth, gums, jaw bone, TMJ and number of head concussions. If a protective mouth guard is not worn during these activities, you are putting yourself at a high risk for a dental injury including; cuts to the lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue as well as chipped or broken teeth, knocked out teeth and broken jaw. Mouth guards are flexible plastic appliance that fit over rge teeth. Types of Mouth Guards: Custom-fitted: are created from an impression of the person's gums and teeth. They provide the best protection due to their custom fit, comfort and cushioning effect. They are custom made by a dental professional. Boil and Bite:can be purchased at sports stores and molded at home. The sports guard material is softened in boiling water and then formed directly on the upper teeth. They cost less than custom guards but do not fit well and provide limited protection. Ready to Wear:these are also sold in sports stores. These mouth guards come pre-formed and are the least expensive type. They provide the least amount of fit and comfort. Mouth guards should be cleaned after each use with a tooth brush to remove any bacteria and plaque then rinse under cold water and air to dry. Do not chew your mouth guard, as it can change the shape and will be less effective. Mouth guards become less effective over time. They should be replaced when they become loose, too thin or tear.

What's New at the Office...

Well if you have ever been in our office on October 31st, you will know that we have some staff that are very dedicated to dressing up!! Check out last years, minions! Pop in if you'd like to see what we came up with this year! Are you looking for some healthier ideas to shell out try one of these: Small Toys (try the Dollar Store) Pencils/Erasers Temporary Tattoos Stickers Small Craft Kits Glosticks Sugar free candy (try Bulk Barn) Raisins Popcorn/Pretzels Granola Bars Sugar Free Gum Or you could give out a toothbrush, that's what Dr. Gray gives out! Happy Halloween! Kim Thompson CDA

Women and Oral health

A woman's hormones can fluctuate throughout their life and in turn can have an impact on the oral cavity. Studies have shown that at least 23 per cent of women between 30- 54 years of age and 44 per cent of women 55-90 years of age who have their teeth, have periodontal disease- an advanced stage of gum and bone disease.

Women's hormones fluctuate during: Puberty, Menstruation, Taking oral contraceptive, pregnancy and lactation and menopause. The actual fluctuation of hormones does not cause the periodontal disease, but will cause and exaggerated response to oral irritants like plaque and calculus (tartar). Managing a regular oral care routine and dental hygiene visits will help keep this response under control.

Maintenance and home care to consider:

• Brushing twice a day
• Flossing at least once a day
• Regular hygiene visits recommended by your health care provider
• A well balanced diet
• Mouth wash
• And for patients with dry mouth, saliva substitutes and other alleviating products.

Role of your dental hygienist:
• Provides regular oral screenings for issues
• Reviews medication risks and health history
• Helps develop a custom home care program
• Referrals as needed
• And of course, helps keep oral conditions favorable through regular dental cleaning

Sara Haire RDH

Healthy Back-to-School Snacks

1. English Muffin Pizzas
Top a whole wheat English muffin with tomato sauce or a tomato slice and shredded mozzarella cheese and melt in the oven.

2. Chocolate Dipped Bananas
For a healthy sweet snack, peel a banana, cut in half and insert chopstick for the handle and dip the banana into melted dark chocolate chips and freeze.

3. Apple Slices
Cut apple into wedges and serve with peanut butter or almond butter for a nut free option.

4. Veggies and Dip
Cut fresh veggies and serve with ranch or hummus dip!

5. Pita Chips
For healthy pita chips, cut a whole wheat tortilla wrap into pieces and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degree oven. Serve with dip such as hummus or salsa.

6. Fruit and Yogurt
Cut any fruit of choice into bite size pieces and serve with plain Greek yogurt mixed with a drizzle of honey for dipping.

7. Banana Oat Cookies
Mash 2 ripe bananas into a bowl, mix with 1 cup of oats and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter then mix in any topping of choice (chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, coconut, etc) Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Kristine Lundy RDH