14
OctFear of Going to the Dentist?

It may not be easy for everyone to simply go to the dentist. Fear is one of the main reasons people keep away. Don’t let your fear of the dentist hold you back from regular checkups and cleanings. Your oral health is an important part of your overall health.

If you are fearful, just know you are not alone. Some common dental fears can include:

• Association with a negative past experience. Some patients had traumatic childhood treatment or treatment in another country that may not be the same as we do here in Canada. Asking some questions about procedures or freezing options may help ease your fear.
• Fear of the noises of the tools either the dentist or hygienist may use. Unfortunately, these tools do make some noise, but bringing noise-cancelling headphones with some music often helps.  We do have tv’s mounted in each treatment room as a good distraction. Choosing a less busy time can minimize the noises in the office.
• Fear of Pain.  With the many advances in dentistry today, many procedures are substantially less painful and often can be done with little to no freezing or just topical anaesthetic.
• Fear of injections or fear that the injection will not work. Needle phobia is a real thing. We will do our very best to make you as comfortable as possible…we are very good at what we do. We will hold your hand. It is true
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09
SepBack to School Covid Style

At the end of the day, every family must do what is best for them. As a Health  Care professional and parent of three children myself, I can tell you what I think about going back to school for the 2021/2022 year. Whatever it will look like, our children need it. Kids require a good EDUCATION, with SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, AND REGULAR ROUTINE. I am sure I am not alone when I say that last year the kids had no sort of routine. Online school lead to very late bedtimes, working in PJ’s while laying in a dark bedroom, and snacking and eating constantly throughout the day. I know my kids did not even get dressed, shower or brush their teeth until late in the day or not at all. And I heard this over and over again from my patients. This was evident in their oral hygiene.

Here are my two cents:

1. Everyone that can get vaccinated should get vaccinated. It is safe and effective. We need to protect ourselves, our loved ones who are too young to get the shot and our community so that schools can remain open.
2. Mental health and social well being are as important if not more important than education. Dealing with a subpar education this year is nothing compared to dealing with a child with mental health issues for the rest of their lives.
3. Routine makes for a well-rounded individual. Children need to learn in person so that they are forced to pay attention, focus, put down their phones,  socialize with others and make friends,
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22
JulIs your Pool water staining your teeth?

Nothing is more refreshing than playing around in a swimming pool on a hot day. Some people visit their local community pool or participate in backyard swim and BBQ afternoons. Many children are involved in camp programs that include daily swimming lessons and open swim. If you are lucky enough to have your own pool, you may plunge in daily when temperatures are at their highest. Unfortunately, there are some downfalls to having regular exposure to swimming pool water. Besides drying out your skin and turning your hair green, you may not be aware; it can actually promote tooth erosion or tooth staining.

“Researchers at New York University (NYU) and The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) have both reported that prolonged exposure to unbalanced pool water can result in tooth stains and the erosion of tooth enamel.  Also, The American Journal of Epidemiology published the results of a survey of close to 750 competitive swimmers, from 1986 to the present. About 39 per cent of them had experienced tooth enamel erosion and stains”.
 

Swimming pools need to be kept at a pH level of about 7.5. If that level increases to more than 7.8 ( pH to high) , the water is in an alkaline state. Studies show that when children and adults swam for more than six hours each week in an alkaline pool, they were at a higher risk for developing stained teeth. Unsightly stains appear as a result of the high pH water combined with

24
MayDoggie tooth brushing

Just as we at Innovation Dental in Woodbridge recommend brushing your baby’s teeth early your Vet will recommend starting to brush your pup's teeth between the ages of eight and sixteen weeks. This is vital to the health of his teeth and starting out this early will make it much easier for him to get used to this daily activity. That's right, you should be brushing your pup's teeth every day before bedtime, just like you do your own.

Begin by putting some dog-specific toothpaste on the brush and letting him lick it off. Then, you can put the toothbrush with toothpaste on it in your dog's mouth and try a few strokes. After seven to 10 days, you might be able to start brushing your dog's teeth.

What You Need to Brush Your Dog's Teeth: A soft, clean toothbrush. You can buy a dog toothbrush at a pet store, or you can use a human toothbrush with soft bristles, but only use toothpaste for dogs.

Without brushing, plaque can build up, putting your dog at risk for bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. It can also cause painful infections. Severe infection can spread, causing life-threatening conditions.

It's ideal to begin home care when your pet is young however, it is never too late to start.

There are many different methods to prevent dental disease and to assist with dental hygiene at home, some of which include:

• Regular brushing
• Treats and chews
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14
AprBlack stain on kids teeth

Black staining of teeth due to Chromogenic (coloured) bacteria can be a source of poor self-esteem for patients, especially children. It looks like pigmented black lines along the gumline. This type of stain seems to be more prevalent in children. It is due to the presence of a form of bacterial plaque living in the child’s oral environment. Children that are prone to this usually outgrow it as their adult teeth erupt. The bacteria native to the oral environment does change over time.

The best and only way to get rid of this black staining is good oral hygiene. This requires both diligent home care and regular dental visits. Colonization of plaque bacteria can occur within 24 hours of brushing and within 72 hours this colonization irreversibly adheres to your tooth surface...Hence brushing in an interval of 12 hours can help in preventing this colonization. Consistent strict oral hygiene measures like brushing twice daily and flossing are the only way to prevent staining due to bacteria. Regular visits to your dentist can also keep a check on staining issues. These stains do polish off with dental prophylaxis, but they do come back…. so home care is the only way to keep it at a minimum until the next dental visit.

Other causes of tooth staining, aside from chromogenic bacterial staining, include habits like smoking, betel

18
JanMy New Peloton Bike

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11
JanTik Tok trends to "NOT" try at home

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18
DecOral Health holiday Gift ideas

Have you made your holiday gift list and checked it twice? If you’re still shopping around for your child, give a gift that promotes oral health for lasting benefits beyond the holiday season.

For toddlers, teens, and children in every stage in between, here are just a few ideas of dentist-approved gifts that reinforce good oral habits:

• For children of any age: Fun flavoured toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, soft picks or other interproximal cleaners, or electric toothbrushes 

• For toddlers: how-to children’s books and DVDs that make dental hygiene fun

• For pre-teens and teens: an electric toothbrush, clear braces, or the hottest trend in floss...a subscription from cocofloss https://cocofloss.com/

• For the child with a sweet tooth: dark chocolate, sugar-free gum and lollipops, trail mix

• For the athletic child: a mouthguard

Helping your child grow

19
NovTOP CHOICE NOMINEE

For the 5th year in a row , Innovation Drive Dental  is proud to announce that we are a 2021 Top Choice Award Nominee! For Top Dental office in Vaughan.  Now, we need your help to WIN! Voting is now open and if you feel that we have earned your vote, we would appreciate your support.

Go to https://www.topchoiceawards.com and search for Innovation Drive Dental

08
OctHow Do I Select the Best Dentist Near Me

How do I choose a dentist near me? There is a dentist office in every plaza. Which one do I choose? Studies have shown that most people google business or product before deciding if it is right for them. Reviews have a lot of merit. As a business owner, we take these reviews very seriously. It is one of the best compliments for someone to write an unsolicited review. But, as much as reading reviews are important, word of mouth referrals are also a great way to find a dentist. Speak to your neighbours or the other parents at school drop off or pick up, or at the other local businesses you attend. Furthermore, you can post a question on the local social

22
SepWhy do I need to tell my dentist that I have lip or cheek fillers?

Dr. Shulman and the whole team at Innovation Dental in Vaughan feel that it is very important for dental treatment to be individualized to the patient's needs.  We spend our first appointment with you getting to know you and finding out what exactly your needs are. This is why we have a very detailed new patient form and ask a lot of questions and discuss many aspects of your oral and medical health at our New Patient exam. One of the questions we may ask is if you have or have had any dermal fillers in your lips or cheeks, or around your nose. Please know that we are not trying to reveal any secrets or question your choices. There are very important medical reasons for that question. Canadians are embracing this noninvasive method of turning back the clock on youth. It is a highly sought-after procedure and very successful.  Thus, as dentists, we are seeing more and more of our patients that have had this done or are planning on doing so in the near future.

Many dental procedures involve pulling or retracting the lips and cheeks for visual access to treatment sites as well as protection of the tissues from dental instruments. Most dermatologists or certified injectors will recommend delaying your dental appointment for at least 2 weeks after having dermal fillers placed to reduce the risk of moving the fillers from the site of injection. Of course, this is only for elective dental treatment. An emergency dental issue should not be delayed but be

03
SepI only floss on Fortnite

Dance moves have changed a lot over the years but one move that became a worldwide phenomenon is “the floss “. Back In the summer of 2016 a kid on Instagram pioneered the move he coined “the floss” shortly after the world had just mastered the “dab” and the “twerk”. Today you still see this move all over Instagram, TikTok, and Fortnite. As dentists, this is not a new term for us but it has taken on a whole new meaning. Today if we ask our adult, or over the age of millennial patients “Do you floss? “, the most common reply is “no or not as much as I should”. But, if we ask any child, teen or millennial patient “Do you floss?”, the answer is always “of course! “ as they jump out of the chair and begin to swing their arms left and right around their torso in the opposite direction to their hips.

Dr Shulman: “not exactly what I was asking but hey.....you are a mighty good flosser. Keep up the good work!”

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25
AugBack to School Dental Checkup. The New Normal.

Back to School Dental Checkup. The New Normal.

In today's changing world, every experience may be a new one.  Kids need to wear masks to school, half of the kids will not be returning to in-class learning, and school drop off and pick may be a staggering time approach.  Back to school is often our busiest time at Innovation Dental as parents want to send their kids back with a healthy smile and a cavity-free checkup. For those children that have been visiting the dentist regularly, this back to school checkup may look a little different. Due to COVID, we are not using the waiting room, so patients need to check in by phone from their car. Children are then being asked to come in for their appointment without their parents, as we need to minimize the number of people in the office at one time. The Hygienist and Dentist will be dressed in some extra protective equipment, such as a face shield, double masks, hair cover and gown. Temperatures will be checked at the door and hands must be sanitized. Patients and all non-clinical staff will be wearing masks in common areas as well. Aerosol producing procedures such as polishing and use of the electric scalers are being limited at this time. For necessary aerosol producing treatments, we have NEW large suctions arms ( they look like elephant trunks) that sit close to the mouth and collect any off spray additionally to the regular suctions we have. You will see

24
JulTwo rows of teeth

It may surprise you when you suddenly notice your child's adult teeth growing in behind the baby teeth. Furthermore, you would expect the baby teeth to fall out before the adult teeth come in.  But in some, actually many children, this is not the case. In approximately 10% of children, the adult teeth can grow in behind the baby teeth giving the child two rows of teeth. At Innovation Drive Dental in Vaughan we often refer to this as "shark teeth". You can rest assured that this is not an EMERGENCY. In most cases, this does not require any treatment at all, and often we just let nature take its course.

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05
JunReopening June 15th

To all Our Valued Patients

We are finally reopening, and we can’t wait to see all of you.  We are now allowed to resume all services. This means that Dentists can slowly begin seeing more patients for more types of treatment again. While this is Good news, it doesn’t mean it is back to business as usual. There is still a pandemic happening and we are taking extra precautions to ensure everyone’s protection. This takes time. When you come in you will see many changes that we have made in the office. For the next little while, the reception area will be quite bare, and you will see some barriers placed on the front desk. The ventilation system has been upgraded and we have ordered HEPA filters for each treatment room as well as large aerosol collecting equipment. These look like “elephant trunks’ as we call them.  The staff will be dressed in some different gear, sometimes more than other times depending on the treatment provided.

For those of you that know us well know we love to chat and spend time with our patients, and you can always count on a smile from us. But, for now, this smile will be under our mask as the staff and any patients entering the clinic are required to wear a mask at all times. You will be sent a screening questionnaire to be filled out once before the appointment AND again on the day of the appointment.