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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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

12
NovWhat Are Tonsil Stones- and How do you get rid of them?

What are Tonsil Stones- and How Do You Get Rid of Them?

Tonsil stones, also called tonsilloliths, are areas of hard yellow-white calcification, located on or within the tonsils. Some people are aware of them but many people don’t even know they have them. They can range in size, and can cause the tonsils to swell or become infected. Patients main concern is that they often give off a bad odor, and cause bad breath.

Your tonsils are made up of crevices, tunnels, and pits called tonsil crypts. Different types of debris, such as dead cells, mucus, saliva, and food, can get trapped in these pockets and build up. Bacteria and fungi feed on this buildup and cause a distinct odor. Overtime the debris hardens. Tonsils stones are more common in patients with poor dental hygiene, large tonsils, chronic sinus issues or tonsillitis. Some symptoms of tonsil stones can include:  bad breath, difficulty swallowing, ear or throat pain, ongoing cough, swollen tonsils, or white or yellow debris on the tonsils. Here at Innovation Drive Dental in Vaughan, we have seen many patients who have tonsil stones and if they are

11
SepAthletes at Risk of Poor Oral Health

Just because someone is athletic and fit does not mean that they are healthy. Healthy is defined in many ways and there are many systems in the body that need to be healthy, including the mouth. Here at Innovation Dental in Woodbridge we see many healthy patients that do not have a healthy mouth. According to a recent study many elite athletes have oral and dental issues. As much as 49% of those studied had untreated tooth decay and 77% had inflamed gums, even though they had very good hygiene habits.  Most reported regular brushing and flossing.  

What they discovered was that athletes consumed a lot of sugar in the form of sports gels, bars and drinks. Although these products can provide some needed energy during workouts and training, such products often contain up to 35 g of sugar. That is 9 teaspoons! Gatorade contains 21g, Powerade contains 21g, and these can be higher in the gels and some bars.  Make sure you check the labels and possibly choose the lower sugar alternatives.

What is more concerning is that the teens and children are starting to consume these products, sometimes it is even their drink of choice. Here at Innovation dental in Vaughan we discuss diet as a big contribution to tooth decay, and the diet contains a lot more than candy.  Sports drinks and sweet fancy coffees seem to be the new

22
MayWhat’s Your Toothbrush Telling You? How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush?

Does your toothbrush look like this?

19
OctWhat Should Be Done When A Tooth Is Knocked Out

The other day we had a patient (who happens to be a teacher) running late for her dental appointment. When she arrived at the office she informed us that one of her students had their tooth knocked out during gym class.