Movember!

November is Movember, a month of action to help stop men dying too young. The team at Dr. Ian Gray Dental Group, once again is proud to sport a mustache to support this cause. Please consider giving a donation to the Movember Foundation. Thank you! Click here to learn see the rest of the team!

6th Annual Food Drive

Fall Sun Catcher

What you will need: fall leaves fishing line Mason jar lids (just the outside rings) scissors colorful beads a hole punch How to make: Punch holes in the leaves and string with a one to two foot length of fishing line, securing with a knot. Invite your child to string on as many, or as few, beads as she or he would like. When the lengths are finished, they can tie them onto the mason lid. About four or five beaded leaf strings creates a nicely balanced mobile. Finish things off with a one to two foot piece of ribbon or twine for hanging in an entry way or corner of a room near a window. Happy Fall!! Jennifer Bergeron

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Loaf

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup canned pumpkin 3/4 cup vegetable oil Recipe Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Grease a 8-1/2x4-1/2-inch loaf pan. Combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Beat eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in pumpkin and oil. Add flour mixture; mix until batter is blended and smooth. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dark brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Let cool in the pan, about 30 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and slice it into 1-inch thick slices. This bread freezes perfectly. Simply seal any leftover slices in a resealable plastic bag or wrap them in plastic and pop them into the freezer. To serve, microwave one frozen slice on high for about 45 seconds and it'll taste like it just came out of the oven! Kristine Lundy RDH

Tooth Staining

A smile is usually the first thing people notice and can cause a huge impact on peoples self esteem, and can be a source of embarrassment if color is the issue. Color of teeth are particularly a huge importance in a lot of people and is one of the largest reasons people seek dental treatment to improve their appearance. If the known cause of the staining can be determined, it can determine the proper dental treatment to achieve the best possible results. There are two types of tooth staining: Intrinsic staining: 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. Extrinsic Training: 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. The source of the stain can often be identified by color, life style, diet, oral self care which helps determine the most effective way for removal. Yellow: Plaque buildup on tooth due to lack of oral hygiene. Treatment: Proper home care to remove plaque. Green: Most common in children with enamel irregularities; inadequate daily plaque removal. Treatment: Proper home care and removal. Black line: A persistent stain from iron in saliva or oral solution. Treatment: professional scaling and polishing. Brown: Tobacco tar, food, and beverage pigmentation, lack of brushing. Treatment:Professional scaling and polishing. Yellowish brown: Stannous fluoride and chlorhexidene in mouth rinse. Treatment:Professional scaling and polishing Orange: Chromogenic  bacteria from very poop oral hygiene. Treatment: Professional cleaning and proper plaque removal at home. Blue-green: Exposure to mercury and led dust. Treatment: Professional cleaning Proper oral hygiene is key in keeping a healthy smile. If you have concerns regarding the color of your own teeth, ask your dental hygienists for the right action plan for you to achieve a smile you can be proud of. Sara Haire RDH

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