MANY OF US HAVE HAD at least one cavity in our lives, and if we don’t keep up on our oral hygiene, it’s likely that we’ll get a couple more as time goes by.
While cavities may be inconvenient, it’s imperative that we get them treated immediately. Early treatment of cavities prevents long-term damage to our teeth and is essential to maintaining a beautiful, healthy smile!
Cavities Are A Sign Of Tooth Decay
A cavity is a small hole that develops on your tooth when it begins to decay. Harmful bacteria is contained in the plaque that sticks to our teeth. This bacteria produces acid that eats away at our teeth and causes cavities if the plaque is not removed. If left untreated, the cavity can grow larger and cause permanent damage to the tooth.
Letting cavities fester is more common than you think. Approximately 28 percent of adults are living with untreated cavities. Because cavities are so commonplace, some may think they can leave them untreated, either to save money or spare themselves a filling. It is important to remember, however, that a cavity is considered an infection that requires prompt treatment.
Cavities Will Continue To Grow If Left Untreated
Cavities can only get worse with time. Once that harmful bacteria creates a cavity, it will continue to grow if not repaired with a filling. To further understand the damage a cavity can do to your tooth, let’s go over some tooth anatomy.
A tooth consists of three parts:
- The hard and protective outer layer called the enamel
- The middle layer called dentin
- The inner layer called the pulp, which contains the tooth’s blood vessels and nerves
The enamel is the tooth’s first line of defense against cavity-causing bacteria. If treatment is postponed, the bacteria will eventually get through the enamel and enter into the layer of dentin, and eventually, the pulp.
If cavity-causing bacteria is allowed to reach the dental pulp, it can lead to a condition known as pulpitis, or inflammation of the pulp. If treated quickly, pulpitis can be treated with a simple filling. If left to progress, more serious measures may need to be taken such as a root canal or tooth extraction.
Your Health And Comfort Are Our Priority
In the end, the ideal option is to prevent cavities before they even occur! At our practice, your health and comfort are our priority. We are your partners in helping you maintain a cavity-free, beautiful smile!
Thank you for choosing Dr. Hassan El-Awour’s Dental Office in Mississauga.
Image by Flickr user Bob G used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
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Dentist in Mississauga
Dentist Mississauga is the name of our smartphone App. We’ve recently released it on both the App Store and Google Play store. It’s 2016 after all and it’s becoming unmistakably clear and evident that mobile is here to stay. It’s not that more and more users are using smartphones, of course that’s the case. But in Canada, more and more are preferring the use of their smartphones at home over their laptops or desktops. Screens are becoming larger, and then there’s phablets of course!
As reported on Catalyst, “…It comes as no surprise that smartphone ownership is growing in Canada; what is surprising is the rate at which it is growing. The 2014 study showed that 55% of Canadians owned a smartphone. In 2015, the penetration rate grew to 68%, representing a year-over-year growth of 24%. This gain in smartphone owners is a significant one that demonstrates how quickly the mobile revolution is progressing.”
http://catalyst.ca/2015-canadian-smartphone-market/
We wanted to make it easy for all our patients in Mississauga to be in the know regarding the latest and greatest in dentistry. We wanted them to follow our updates, keep them informed and give them an easy way to find us through google or apple maps, contact us, or request an appointment with a click of a button.
To find the app, you can simply search for,
Dentist Mississauga on the App Store or Google Play Store, or you can simply visit our website and download the app from our home page:
https://drhassandental.ca
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IS YOUR SMILE AS WHITE as it used to be? Even good oral hygiene won’t prevent tooth discoloration forever. While daily brushing and flossing help keep your teeth clean and healthy, it’s normal to feel like your smile is lacking some sparkle as you get older. If you’re looking to bring that sparkle back, cosmetic tooth whitening may be the answer!
Teeth Change Color Over Time
Here are some reasons our teeth may be a bit more discolored than we’d like:
- Food and Drink: Coffee, tea, red wine, and cola are all drinks with strong color pigments that easily attach to enamel, the outer part of the tooth.
- Age: Over time, tooth enamel gets thinner, allowing the more yellow dentin to show through.
- Tobacco Use: The tar in tobacco is naturally dark, and nicotine, when mixed with oxygen in the air, turns into a yellow surface-staining substance.
Tooth Whitening Is A Simple Process
Teeth Whitening agents use hydrogen peroxide in one form or another to brighten your smile. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a strong bleaching agent that breaks up deep stains into smaller pieces, making the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter. It’s that simple!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VVtzd0guas?rel=0
There Are Whitening Options For Everyone
Teeth whitening in Mississauga is made easy at the Cosmetic Dentistry practice in Dr Hassan Dental office Mississauga.
In-office bleaching is done at the dentist’s office and is a fast, effective way to whiten your teeth. You can usually get your whitening done in one to three visits, depending on the method used and the severity of tooth discoloration.
When you come in to get your teeth whitened, a substance is applied to cover and protect your gums. The whitening gel is then applied directly to the tooth surface. This gel is then activated, usually by a laser light, enhancing the action of the whitening agent. These professional tools produce the fastest tooth-whitening results.
At-home bleaching is another option! Many use at-home whitening kits to supplement their in-office whitening treatments. Ask us about our at-home whitening kits after your in-office whitening procedure to keep your newly white smile sparkling!
Over-the-counter whitening kits are also widely available for home use. These provide trays to hold whitening gel or whitening strips that stick to your teeth. Over-the-counter products contain a weaker whitening agent than the products you can get from your dentist and as a result, require a longer treatment period. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions when using at-home products and always follow package directions.
Whitening toothpaste is another simple option for those who want a whiter smile! Whitening toothpastes contain abrasives that remove stains on the enamel, helping your teeth stay clean and bright.
Put The Shine Back In Your Smile!
Whitening procedures are a fast and simple way to boost your confidence and brighten your smile. And getting that white, sparkly smile you’ve always wanted has never been easier. Give us a call or stop by. We’d love to discuss what whitening options would be best for you and your teeth!
Thank you for placing your trust in our practice!
Image by Flickr user mark sebastian used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
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LET’S JUST SAY IT… bad breath is unpleasant. And yet we’ve all suffered from it. Sometimes, however, it’s worse than others. You may wonder, what causes bad breath? And perhaps more importantly, what is the best way to prevent it?
On popular demand your Mississauga Dentist brings you this piece of info packed article on how to deal with oral hygiene and keep your breath fresh.
Bad breath, or halitosis, can be caused by a number of things. Here are some reasons your breath may not be as fresh as you’d like:
Good Oral Hygiene Makes All The Difference
If you don’t brush and floss everyday, food stays in your mouth and collects bacteria. This bacteria causes bad breath. On top of that, food that remains in your mouth and in between your teeth will begin to rot and smell bad.
Brush and floss regularly and go to your biannual dental cleanings (or more, as directed). As bacteria that causes bad breath often congregates on the back of your tongue, make the tongue scraper your best friend!
Certain Foods Make Breath Worse Than Others
Watch out for foods such as garlic, onions, cheese, and soda, as they can be a major cause of unpleasant breath. Once food is absorbed into the bloodstream, it’s transferred to the lungs where it is expelled through your breath. Thus, foods with strong tastes or odors, like the ones mentioned above, can stick around longer than you’d like.
Consumption of tobacco products can also cause severe halitosis. If you use tobacco, ask us for assistance in helping you quit.
Bad Breath Can Be Linked To A Medical Disorder
Our oral health is strongly connected to other health conditions. In fact, bad breath could be the first sign of a medical disorder. Severe and persistent halitosis is a major symptom of dental diseases such as gum disease and cavities. Other maladies can negatively affect our breath as well such as diabetes, sinus infections, and liver or kidney ailments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ13QfP2os8?rel=0
What’s Up With Morning Breath?
Morning breath seems to be an especially pungent offender. Morning breath gets to be so bad mainly because of dry mouth. During the day, saliva works to wash away food debris and keep bacteria in check.
When we sleep at night, our saliva production goes down, causing our mouths to become more dry and allowing bacteria to proliferate. Many people sleep with their mouths open as well, which can make dry mouth even worse.
Here’s what you can do to make your morning breath a little less offensive:
Clean your teeth before bed. This is a given! The less food bacteria have to munch on, the less odorous your mouth will be in the morning.
Keep water by the bed. When you wake up during the night, take a drink of water. Keeping your mouth moist will combat the spread of those smelly bacteria.
We’re Here To Help
For the most part, bad breath is manageable. However, chronic or extreme bad breath is not normal. If you are concerned about halitosis or have any questions, call and make an appointment with us. Our job is to find solutions for a healthier, happier you!
Dr Hassan’s Dental office is one of the best dentists in Mississauga. At the clinic, the staff are always ready to help with queries, fix a dental appointment and sort your dental issues as soon as they get a request.
Thank you for being a part of our practice family!
Image by Flickr user fiverlocker used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.
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DID YOU KNOW that about 50 percent of kids experience some type of tooth injury during childhood? Most parents are prepared to treat minor cuts, scrapes and bruises, but it is also important to know how to prevent and treat tooth injuries. It is always good to take advice from a Pediatric dentist in Mississauga and take preventive measures than curative dental care.
As fun as it is, the playground happens to be a hotspot for injury. So, what can you do as a parent to help protect your child from experiencing a tooth injury on the playground? And, what do you do if your child does have an injured tooth?
Ways To Prevent Playground Tooth Injury
Scout Out The Facilities. Make sure there are no rusted, loose, or broken pieces of playground equipment as these frequently result in injury.
Age Appropriate Equipment. The equipment that your children are playing on should be age appropriate. Younger children climbing too high, jumping too far, running too quickly, etc. are the most likely to injure themselves.
Know The Weather Forecast. Rain, snow, and ice can make things slippery and, therefore, more risky.
Check Your Child’s Clothing. Loose clothing is often the cause of falls because it catches easily on things. Dress your child appropriately for the type of playground you will be going to.
Always Supervise. Not only can the equipment cause injury, but your child’s playmates can as well. Some children are rowdier than others and certain types of play may need to be stopped by adults before any injuries occur.
Mouthguards. These are a great option for protecting your child’s teeth during playtime or while participating in sporting events. Mouthguards can prevent chips, fractures, or knockouts of teeth, as well as protect the soft tissues of the mouth.
What To Do If There Is A Tooth Injury
Depending on the accidental incident an emergency dentist in Mississauga may be contacted. If a tooth is knocked out or chipped, please contact the dentist immediately. Chipped or lost teeth can result in infection if not treated properly. Depending on your child’s unique situation, we can best advise you in assuring a positive outcome for your child’s tooth.
Whether the tooth is lost or chipped, try to save the tooth or tooth fragment that has been chipped off and take it to your dentist.
We Care About Your Child’s Safety And Dental Health
Injuring or losing a tooth can be traumatic for some children. As your trusted dental practice, we want to help parents know how to prevent dental trauma and protect their children’s teeth from injury. Nevertheless, accidents do happen. When they do, we’ll be right here to provide the best and most effective care for your child!
Preventive care for kid’s dental health is always better than curative care. While growing up the denture of the children go through rapid changes. With advice from a Child dentist the dental health can be kept intact. At Dr Hassan’s dental clinic it is always our endeavor to provide excellent quality pediatric dental treatment to bring smiles to the faces of kids.
Thank you for being a part of our practice family!
Image by Flickr user Lars Plougmann used under Creative Commons Attribution.
Image cropped and modified from original.
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TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR DRINK! Many of us know the harmful effects of sugary and acidic drinks on our teeth. When we drink sweet beverages, sugars in the drink combine with bacteria in our mouths to produce acids that wear away our teeth. Even “diet” and “sugar-free” options contain their own acids that can weaken tooth enamel.
Making good drink choices can not only save your smile, but it can improve your overall health as well! Here are a few ways to protect your health:
Drink more water–not only does it not contain any sugar or acid, water also hydrates better than sugary drinks.
Drink soft-drinks in moderation, if at all.
Use a straw–this causes your teeth to be less exposed to the sugar and acid in drinks.
Don’t drink sugary drinks before bed–if you do, sugar and acid will remain on your teeth throughout the night.
We’ve noticed that our patients who make healthier drink choices have fewer cavities and healthier teeth. It takes time to get rid of any habit. Usually around 40 days. Commit yourself to water for 40 days and see the difference for yourself. Not just in your oral hygiene but your overall health as well.
Take The Pledge!
This month, we’re asking our patients to take the pledge to “Think About Your Drink”! Throughout the month, you can come into our office and pledge to make an effort to make healthier drink choices. By taking the challenge, you promise to make an effort to switch sugary and unhealthy drinks for water and by doing so, you are entered to win a prize at the end of the month.
We’ll be giving away a brand new Samsung Galaxy tab for one lucky winner. We will select one lucky winner from our raffle. The promotion will end on October 10th.
We’re Really Excited About This Promotion, Because it’s a chance for us and our patients to make a positive change in our lives.
It’s easy and everybody wins! Choosing to make healthier drink choices will protect your teeth and help maintain your beautiful smile. Even one less sugary drink per day can make a huge difference in improving your whole-body health.
Renowned dentists in Mississauga always advice to take preventive measures to protect dental health.
Good luck and Think About Your Drink!
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According to a surprising new study, people who have more dental cavities are at lower risk of being diagnosed with head and neck cancer, compared with patients who have few or no cavities.
Dental cavities (or caries) are caused by tooth decay. This is when the bacteria present in the mouth make lactic acids that strip away minerals in the tooth by fermenting carbohydrates.
According to the researchers from the University at Buffalo, NY, previous studies have shown the bacteria that causes tooth decay is linked to an immune response, which may be protective against cancer.
For this study, published online in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, the researchers set out to determine if there is a significant link between dental cavities and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).
The study involved 399 patients newly diagnosed with HNSCC, and 221 participants without the cancer who were all selected from the Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Prosthetics at Roswell Park Cancer Industry between 1999 and 2007.
The researchers analyzed the dental history of all patients, particularly their history of dental cavities, by measuring the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth.
Dental cavities a form of ‘collateral damage’
Of the 399 patients with HNSCC, 146 (36.6%) had oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Oropharyngeal SCC occurred in 151 (37.8%) patients, while 102 (25.6%) had laryngeal SCC.
The results of the study overall showed that those who had high cavity numbers and who placed in the top third of participants were less likely to have HNSCC, compared with participants who had low cavity numbers in the bottom third.
The study authors explain:
“Caries is a dental plaque-related disease. Lactic acid bacteria cause demineralization (caries) only when they are in dental plaque in immediate contact with the tooth surface. The presence of these otherwise beneficial bacteria in saliva or on mucosal surfaces may protect the host against chronic inflammatory diseases and HNSCC.
We could think of dental caries as a form of ‘collateral damage’ and develop strategies to reduce its risk while preserving the beneficial effects of the lactic acid bacteria.”
The researchers say that a potential strategy to reduce the risk of dental cavities while still preserving the lactic acid bacteria could be to implement mechanical plaque control, preservation of saliva and use of fluoride, as well as controlling diet and other risk factors.
They add:
“Future studies assessing the potential effects of the oral microbiome and associated immune responses on HNSCC will help elucidate the biological mechanism of the clinical association that we have observed in this study.”
Medical News Today recently reported on a study that suggested poor oral health and gum disease could lead to a higher risk of throat cancer.
Written by Honor Whiteman
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Teaching your toddler to take care of his teeth is just one way you can show your growing child how to take responsibility for his body. This can be a challenge because 3-year-olds are motivated mainly by fun and pleasure, not by health and necessity. If you want to end his resistance to brush, your best bet is to make this nightly chore a fun ritual for him. Here are a few tricks you can use to do just that:
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What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten teeth without braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually straighten teeth, without metal or wires. making it almost invisible braces. If you are looking for a dentist in Mississauga who can help you with dental braces in Mississauga , you can get more insights from this article.
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From the time we’re young, we’re taught that using a Toothbrush regularly is one of the best ways to keep our teeth and gums healthy. But which toothbrush is best?
You can’t overestimate the importance of good oral hygiene — not only for dental health, but for your overall wellbeing. In fact, gum disease is a major risk factor for the development of serious health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
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