In honour of February being Children’s Dental Health Month, let’s take a look at how we can help our children have healthier mouths. After all, the children are our future and by teaching them young, we can set them up for a lifetime of success.
According to articles by the Canadian Association of Pediatric Health Centres, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Canadian Public Health Association, tooth decay is the most common disease in children under 6 years old. That means that a large number of young children are having dental work done before starting Kindergarten! There are ways to help lower this number and reduce the chances of your child needing fillings.
At Home
You as the parent play a large role in helping your child attain a healthy mouth. You are the role model, the teacher, the leader. By modeling good oral hygiene yourself, you are showing your child that it is important for them to do so as well. By making sure your mouth is healthy, you reduce the risk of transferring the cavity-causing bacteria to your child. Make sure you take care of yourself by visiting your dentist regularly for exams and cleanings, having any work needed taken care of as soon as possible and ensuring to brush and floss daily at home.
You are also the one teaching your child that oral hygiene is part of their routine. Make sure to help them brush and floss until they are old enough to do a good job themselves. When they are young, you will need to be brushing and flossing their teeth for them. We usually recommend that you let them start and then you finish for them. Only you can be sure that all of the teeth are being taken care of. As they get older, you can delegate more of the responsibility to them and take on more of a supervisory role. Most kids need help until they are 8-10 years old as they need time to develop the dexterity to reach all the areas of their mouth and the focus needed to spend the time doing a good job. These habits they learn at home with you will set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.
At The Dental Office
You as the parent are also the ones who will be scheduling your child for their dental visits. We follow the recommendations by the Canadian Dental Association that children should see a dentist by the age of 1. This allows us to talk to parents and caregivers about how to properly care for their child’s new teeth as well as diagnose any dental problems early. It also gives your child a chance to start to get comfortable in the dental office as there are many new things here for them to learn about. We want to create a dental home for your child so that if he or she needs dental care, he or she is comfortable with us.
We recommend that all children have a dental exam and cleaning every 6 months following their first birthday and x-rays as needed.
As for their time in the dental office, you can trust us to try to make their appointment as fun and easy as possible. We will walk your child through what we are going to be doing so that they feel comfortable with us. We will show them our tools and explain each step so that they understand what we are doing. We will show them tips on how to brush and floss better and can answer any of your questions about how to help them at home. Our friendly assistants will clean their teeth and Dr. Robyn will do their exam to “count their teeth” and make sure they are healthy. If any cavities or other dental problems are found, we will discuss those with you and review the treatment options and recommendations with you.
Dr. Robyn as a child at the dentist for an exam.
We are a family friendly dental office so we encourage parents and siblings to come along for exam appointments as it can help everyone to improve their oral health. Younger siblings often do better if they can watch their older sibling have their exam and cleaning first. We all know they always want to be like their big brother or sister, so bring the younger ones along to watch and learn!
We are always welcoming patients of all ages, so book your family for their appointments today!
Having your teeth cleaned should be part of your routine for keeping yourself healthy. Healthy teeth not only keep your mouth healthy, it also helps keep the rest of your body healthy.
Plaque has hardened into calculus between a patient’s lower front teeth.
Plaque starts to build up within 24 hours of having your teeth cleaned. Proper brushing and flossing help to interrupt and remove the plaque but even the best brushers and flossers cannot remove all the plaque. Any plaque left behind starts to harden after a few days. That means that if you do not remove that plaque, it will harden into what we call calculus (also known as tartar). The most common places that this builds up is underneath your gums and behind your lower front teeth. The calculus buildup is what our hygienists work to remove using their ultrasonic scalers and hand scalers.
The buildup of calculus on your teeth causes an inflammation in your gums. The plaque that causes the buildup is made up of bacteria. These bacteria form colonies that continue to grow and solidify on the surfaces of your teeth. These bacteria can cause cavities and periodontal disease. The bacteria cause inflammation in the gums around them leading to gingivitis. If the bacteria sits there for too long or if there is a more virulent bacteria present (more virulent=nastier), then the inflammation leads to periodontal disease.
What does periodontal disease mean?
Periodontal disease means that there is a state of chronic inflammation in the gums as well as the bones that hold your teeth in. The bacteria that cause periodontal disease live in the pockets between your teeth and your gums. These bacteria trigger your body to start an inflammatory response to try to kill the bacteria. Since the bacteria are not killed by this reaction, our body enters a state of chronic inflammation in the mouth that leads to a breakdown of the gum tissues and bones around the teeth. This leads to bone loss, gum recession, loose teeth and eventually tooth loss.
Our oral health is directly connected to our overall health.
There are a host of medical conditions that can be worsened by periodontal disease. Any medical condition that has an inflammatory component is worsened if periodontal disease is present. If there is inflammation in your mouth, like gingivitis or gum disease, it causes an inflammatory reaction that travels throughout your whole body which can cause your other health conditions to worsen. Some reports are even saying that an adult with periodontal disease is twice as likely to suffer a stroke as compared to an adult with healthy gums. Working to keep your mouth healthy will lower the inflammation in your body and improve your overall health.
Medical Conditions Affected by Periodontal Disease & Inflammation
Coronary Artery Disease (Heart Disease)
Heart Attack
Stroke
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Alzheimer’s Disease
Psoriasis
Ulcerative Colitis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Diabetes
Regular hygiene visits and proper home care can help.
To answer the question of how often someone needs to have their teeth professionally cleaned, we have to look at the patient as a whole. There is no cookie-cutter answer for this. We look at the amount of buildup a patient has accumulated since their last cleaning, the level of inflammation in their gums indicated by colour, texture and shape of the gums as well as the amount of bleeding from the gums when we touch them. We also consider the patient’s risk factors (some of which are listed above), home care routine, ability to keep teeth clean and amount of crowding. If a patient has minimal buildup, no inflammation and does a good job at home, we recommend they come for a cleaning and exam every 6 months. If the patient has more buildup and signs of inflammation, we recommend they have their teeth cleaned every 4 months. If they have all of the above as well as medical conditions that are worsened by inflammation, we would like to see them every 3 months for cleanings to lower their risks of periodontal disease which may worsen their medical conditions.
We also work closely with our patients to help improve their home care routine. The more you can prevent plaque from building up on your teeth in between visits, the less buildup there will be that will contribute to the inflammation in your mouth. Our hygienists and dentists can offer you tips and suggestions to help you brush and floss better, whether it is recommending an electric toothbrush, modifying your brushing technique or offering you a sample of a new type of floss to try. If you are having troubles cleaning an area, ask our hygienists or dentists for their advice so we can help keep you healthier!
Each member of the Kelowna Family Dental team plays an important role in not only our office, but your oral health as well. Let’s go over the different team members and how they help to keep you healthy!
Registered Dental Hygienist
Our hygienists are experts in oral health. Their role on our team is to help keep your teeth and gums healthy. During your routine visits with them, they will update your medical history, take x-rays when needed, clean your teeth both above and below the gums to remove the plaque and hard calculus (tartar) that has built up, polish your teeth to remove stains, provide fluoride treatments and instruct you on proper home care techniques. They are also a wealth of knowledge about teeth and overall health, so feel free to ask them questions.
Certified Dental Assistant
Our assistants are highly skilled dental professionals. They not only help our dentists with procedures for you, they also clean your children’s teeth, take impressions, make whitening trays and sterilize instruments. They take x-rays, provide fluoride treatments and prepare you for your treatments. These are just a few of the duties they perform everyday in our office. Ask them your questions about treatments because they are great at explaining them for you.
Dentist
Dr. Moreau & Dr. Bal
Our dentists, Dr. Robyn Moreau, Dr. Dilraj Bal & Dr. Tom Martin, spent many years studying at UBC in Vancouver to receive their Dental degree. They will be the ones to diagnose problems in your mouth and treat them. They use their education and experience to recommend treatment options for you and to help you decide how you would like to proceed. Dr. Moreau, Dr. Bal & Dr. Martin are always willing to discuss and explain the treatments for you and answer your questions. Whether it is guiding a toddler through their first dental visit, explaining replacement options for someone who has lost a tooth or screening you for oral cancer, our dentists are keeping your overall health as well as your dental health in mind.
Dental Administrator
Our Dental Administrators coordinate our schedule, your treatment, insurance and billings. They will arrange your appointments, communicate with your insurance company, explain your appointments for you and can answer many questions about dental treatments. They will answer your phone calls, email you reminders and keep the rest of us busy. Call to book your appointment today!
To learn a little more about our team members at Kelowna Family Dental, check out our About Us page.
Other than your regular dental exams and cleanings, when should you see a dentist?
Dr. Robyn Moreau
If you have a toothache.
Any tooth pain should be investigated by your dentist. It could be a sign of an infection, a broken tooth or a cavity. By acting quickly and seeing your dentist, he or she can diagnose your problem and help treat it before the pain and the problem get worse. Dr. Moreau and Dr. Martin always make room in their schedules to accommodate emergency patients. If you are in pain, call us today so we can see you right away.
If you notice swelling or a lump.
A new swelling may be a sign of an infection. A lump could be related to an infection or could be a sign of cancer. It is important to have these looked at by one of our dentists or your family doctor. Most of the time, these lumps and bumps are signs of infection and need to be addressed before the infection gets worse. In the rare chance that it is a sign of cancer, you want to have it diagnosed as soon as possible to be able to have it treated quickly. There are other reasons for swellings or lumps to appear in your mouth, head or neck area and having them checked out by a dentist or physician is always recommended.
If you notice a tooth has gotten loose.
Loose teeth can be a sign of progressing gum disease (periodontitis), infection, trauma or oral cancer. Any looseness should be looked at by one of our dentists so it can be treated. A tooth that is loose can fall out if the cause is left untreated. Oral cancer and infection can spread to affect other teeth, the bones of your face and into soft tissues. An infection or cancer left untreated could be life threatening. Gum disease can be managed with routine dental cleanings. Most loose teeth can be treated so call us today to have Dr. Moreau have a look at it and come up with a treatment plan for you.
If your gums start to bleed.
Bleeding gums can be a sign of gum disease, a nutritional deficiency or infection. If you notice your gums bleeding when you eat or floss, call us to schedule an appointment with Dr. Moreau. Your mouth should not be bleeding so don’t let it go unchecked.
If you notice a white, red or other coloured area in your mouth.
Changes in the colour or texture of the soft tissues in your mouth can be a sign of infection or cancer. Dr. Moreau and Dr. Martin will have a look at the area for you and if necessary, send you for a biopsy. It is always better to be safe then sorry with any change in your mouth.
If you break a tooth.
A broken tooth could be from trauma, a weak tooth that broke down over time or a cavity. Even if your broken tooth doesn’t hurt, it is important to have it looked at as it may be the first sign of a bigger problem. Most broken teeth can be fixed by either a filling or a crown, but sometimes they need to be extracted. Dr. Moreau or Dr. Martin can have a look at your broken tooth and give you your options. Chances are they will want an x-ray of the tooth to assess the damage and that can be done when we see you. By addressing the broken tooth early, hopefully it can be easily fixed.
If you notice a dark spot on your tooth.
A dark spot on one of your teeth could be a cavity forming or some stain that is collecting in the tooth surface. It is always best to have one of our dentists check it out so that if it is a cavity, it can be fixed before it starts to cause you pain.
If you lose a filling.
A lost filling may be simply that, a filling that was lost, or it could be a sign of something more serious going on. If you lose a filling, even if you think it is no big deal, call to schedule an appointment. It could be a sign of a cavity or fracture that should be addressed sooner than later. Even if it is just a lost filling, a lost filling puts your tooth at higher risk of developing a new cavity as the now exposed area of your tooth is more porous then the outer enamel and harder for you to keep clean. Drs. Moreau & Martin will likely recommend the filling be replaced so you can avoid a cavity forming there.
Any trauma to your teeth or mouth.
If you are in an accident or have any other source of trauma to your teeth or your mouth, you should be seen by a dentist, even if you do not see any damage. Having x-rays and an exam done on the affected area gives your dentist a baseline in case something happens in the future due to the trauma and helps them diagnose problems that you may not be able to see from the trauma but that they can. A bit of extra attention after a trauma can help prevent pain and problems in the future.
Overall, if something in your mouth changes, or it doesn’t feel right, you should schedule an appointment to have it checked out. Dr. Moreau always says that it is better to have something checked out and it be nothing, then to ignore something and it be serious. So if something doesn’t feel right, let us know and we will schedule you an appointment as soon as we can.
Our dentists recommend that everyone have a panoramic x-ray taken every 5-8 years.
You may ask:
What is a panoramic x-ray?
How is that different than a regular x-ray?
What is it for?
Let me explain.
What is a Panoramic X-ray?
A panoramic x-ray, or pan, is an x-ray that shows the dentist your entire jaw, all of your teeth and the structures that surround them. The dentists are able to see the location of major nerves, your sinuses, developing teeth and pathologies. They can look at your jaw joint (TMJ) and the bones of your mouth. A panoramic x-ray is a great overall screen for the health of your mouth.
How is that Different than a Regular X-ray?
Regular intraoral x-rays (the ones you bite on) show 2-6 teeth, depending on the location and type of x-ray being taken.
Bitewing X-ray to look for cavities and monitor bone levels
Bitewing x-rays (the ones we take to check for cavities) only show half of each tooth.
Periapical X-ray showing the whole tooth structure
Periapical x-rays show the whole tooth, but only a few teeth are captured here.
The panoramic x-ray shows all of the teeth in one x-ray. The detail in a panoramic x-ray is not as clear as a bitewing or periapical but is great for showing development, lesions and as an overall health screen. Bitewings and periapicals will be recommended as well when necessary to check for cavities, bone levels or infections. Dr. Moreau & Dr. Martin will recommend certain x-rays for specific reasons and are more than happy to discuss this with you.
What is it for?
Let’s talk about specific reasons to take a panoramic x-ray.
We recommend that all of our new patients have a panoramic x-ray done, unless a recent one is available from your previous office. This allows our dentists to have a baseline of your oral health to compare to in the future, and also allows them to diagnose many dental issues. After that, and for all other patients in our office, we recommend a panoramic x-ray every 5-8 years, depending on your specific situation.
We routinely recommend children have a panoramic x-ray between ages 6 and 8 to check that all of their adult teeth are developing properly and in the right position. This allows our dentists to intervene early if they notice a problem with your child’s developing teeth. Then around 18 years old, we will take another panoramic x-ray to look at the development of your child’s wisdom teeth. Many people do not have the space in their mouth to allow the wisdom teeth to come in. Our dentists want to diagnose that early so we can make recommendations on if and when the wisdom teeth will need to be removed.
For any patient who is considering orthodontic treatment, a panoramic x-ray is needed for planning your treatment. The pan allows the dentists coordinating the orthodontic treatment to properly plan the phases of treatment. It allows the dentist to see the position and location of your teeth as well as your roots. Follow up panoramic x-rays are often taken during and after orthodontic treatment to evaluate the progress and final result of the treatment.
Any patient who is having jaw pain should have a pan taken. It allows the dentist to look at your jaw joint as well as evaluate your mouth for any lesions that may be the source of the pain.
Wisdom teeth are a common source of jaw pain. The panoramic x-ray will show our dentists if you have any wisdom teeth as well as where they are located. The pan will allow the dentists to safely plan for the extraction of any wisdom teeth that need to be extracted. By showing the dentist not only the location and position of the wisdom teeth themselves, but also the location of your mandibular nerve and maxillary sinuses, the panoramic x-ray allows the dentists to evaluate the risks of the surgery and plan accordingly.
Lastly, panoramic x-rays are used to check the bones of your mouth for infections and lesions. Infections can grow in your bones without you knowing about it, but will show up on a pan. Lesions such as oral cancer, cysts or other anomalies can be found on a panoramic x-ray that would otherwise go undetected until more advanced. Routine panoramic x-rays allow our dentists to diagnose these problems hopefully in the early stages so that they can treat you better.
If you have any questions about panoramic x-rays or if you should have one done, please don’t hesitate to ask our dentists at your next visit.
A panoramic x-ray, or pan, is an x-ray that shows the dentist your entire jaw, all of your teeth and the structures that surround them. The dentists are able to see the location of major nerves, your sinuses, developing teeth and pathologies. They can look at your jaw joint (TMJ) and the bones of your mouth. A panoramic x-ray is a great overall screen for the health of your mouth.
