Oral cancer screenings can occur during your regular check-up appointment with your dentist. During your screening, your dentist will examine the inside of your mouth for any signs of oral cancer. These signs can include red or white patches or unusual lumps. If your dentist finds anything unusual, a sample of the abnormal cells will be taken and sent to be tested to determine if it is cancerous. This process is called a biopsy.

We at 123Dentist.com use VELscope exams to test for oral cancer. A VELscope is a light that makes healthy cells look dark and abnormal cells appear white. Taking only one to two minutes, this latest form of technology proves to be a quick and painless way to help dentists detect abnormal tissue in your mouth.

Regular oral cancer screenings are important in early cancer detection for every patient. If abnormal tissue is found in the early stages, it is easier to treat. Oral cancer screenings are especially important if you are someone that may be more at risk of having oral cancer. Although no one knows for sure, some factors seem to be found in a high amount of people that are diagnosed.

Factors that increase the likelihood of oral cancer are:

• Tobacco use
• Heavy alcohol use
• Prolonged exposure to sunlight (for lip cancer)
• Poor diet lacking in vegetables and fruits
• Gender (Men seem more likely to develop oral cancer)
• Age (the risk of oral cancer increases with age)
• Genetics (a history of cancer in your family)

We strongly recommend regular oral cancer screenings for all of our patients. Come in today for an oral cancer screening and check-up at any 123Dentist.com location.

For more information about the importance of oral cancer screenings, visit our oral cancer awareness page!

In a study done with 139 adults from the U.S., plaque was reduced by 26.3% for those using a germ killing mouthwash, compared to those using a placebo. Gingivitis was also reduced by 20.4% for those using a germ killing mouthwash.

Using mouthwash is effective because it helps kill plaque and bacteria on all surfaces of your mouth and in between your teeth. Using mouthwash in addition to brushing and flossing has the following benefits.

Mouthwash can effectively:

• Be quick and easy to use
• Remove particles that may be attached to your teeth
• Kill bacteria and germs
• Give you a thorough clean when used with brushing and flossing
• Freshen your breath
• Work to avoid oral problems, including cavities and gingivitis
• Reach all tooth surfaces

Once you’ve decided you want to add mouthwash to your oral health routine, you need to consider which mouthwash is right for you. Here are some things to consider when choosing a mouthwash for you:

1. Do you want mouthwash with or without alcohol?
2. Do you have sensitive teeth?
3. Do you want mouthwash to control plaque? To freshen your breath? Or both?

If you’re not sure about what type of mouthwash would be right for you, visit a 123Dentist.com location today! A dentist or dental hygienist would be happy to give you some suggestions about what type of mouthwash would be right for you.

Some long term effects of thumb sucking beyond the age of 5-6 years include:

• Teeth being pushed around, which might cause an overbite or an underbite to form
• A lisp being formed because constant thumb sucking can affect the jaw bone positioning
• Germs from your thumb and surrounding areas affecting your body
• The roof of the mouth becoming altered or more sensitive

Approximately 30% of children in pre-school continue to suck their thumbs. Here are some helpful tips on how you can stop your child from sucking their thumbs at this point:

1. Don’t nag or punish your child for sucking their thumbs as it may create stress and a reason to suck their thumbs more.
2. Teach your child the reasons why they can’t continue to suck their thumbs. Explain to them the long term effects of such a habit and what that might entail.
3. Eliminate sources of stress which could be the reason why your child sucks their thumbs.
4. When your child sucks their thumb, distract them with a toy or a song.

If you notice any alternations to your child’s teeth due to their thumb sucking, visit a 123dentist.com location today! We’d be happy to help you and answer any questions you may have.

How dental implants work

A dental implant consists of a small, titanium screw that can serve as the replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. The screw gets placed in the bone of your upper or lower jaw, which provides a base for your replacement tooth. But don’t worry— it’s not as painful as it seems. Anaesthesia and sedation is used during the treatment to limit patient discomfort during the procedure, making sure you are as comfortable as possible.

To learn more about the procedure for dental implants, visit the Canadian Dental Association’s Dental Implants page for the detailed procedure:  http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/procedures /dental_implants/.

Why would you need dental implants?

Dental implants are ideal for someone missing one or many teeth. The replacement teeth for dental implants look and feel like a natural tooth, which means that patients also have to care for it as they would a natural tooth. This includes regular brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups.

When you get your dental implants, your dentist will give you cleaning instructions as well so you can take good care of them. Dental implants last you a lifetime so taking good care of them is extremely important.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

There are a number of benefits associated with dental implants, including:

• A change to your appearance and speech
• More comfort
• Enhancing your ability to chew and enjoy your food
• Protecting your teeth and jawbone
• Having better oral health overall
• Good value for your money as dental implants last a lifetime

Not everyone is eligible for a dental implants, it depends on your current oral health. If you are interested in having a dental implant, check with your dentist today to make sure you are a good candidate.

If you have any further questions about dental implants, visit a 123Dentist.com location that provides dental implants today!

Out of all the five senses, your taste is the weakest sense. Your taste buds can change over time and can deteriorate, depending on whether you are a smoker, taking specific medications that affect your taste, or not getting enough vitamins.

If you’re looking to see how good your sense of taste is, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Has your sense of smell deteriorated over time or gotten better?

Your sense of smell is strongly associated with your sense of taste, so if your sense of smell has changed, your sense of taste will most likely change too.

1. Are you a smoker?

Smoking can affect your taste buds and in turn, affect your ability to taste foods.

1. Do you take medication with any side-effects that affect your taste buds?
2. Do you have a dry mouth?

A lack of saliva in your mouth can affect the ability of your taste buds to communicate with your brain.

1. Do you have an illness or a cold?

Having an illness can have a temporary effect on your taste buds.

1. Overall, rate your ability to enjoy your food and that can give you a good indication of your sense of taste.

Tips to improve your sense of taste

If you feel that your ability to enjoy your food has diminished, here are some tips to improve your sense of taste:

• Exercise—your sense of taste is heightened after exercising
• Drink water regularly to avoid having a dry mouth
• Don’t smoke
• Eat only when you’re hungry—you enjoy your food more when you are hungry
• Eat in a restaurant with other people—studies have shown that eating with other people makes food taste better than eating alone
• Add spice to your food
• Eat a different food with every spoonful
• Eat slowly and enjoy your food

Tooth enamel erodes when acid wears away on your teeth. This can happen in a number of ways, below are just a few of the causes of enamel erosion:

• Soft drink consumption
• Acid in fruit drinks
• Certain medications you might be taking
• A dry mouth
• Certain health problems
• The amount of wear and tear you put on your teeth

How can you tell if your enamel is eroded?

If your tooth enamel is eroded, you may:

• Feel extra sensitivity to sweet or hot/cold foods
• Notice discolouration between your teeth because when your enamel erodes, your teeth appear more yellow
• See the edges of your teeth become more jagged and irregular

The best way to tell if you’ve had any enamel erosion is to check with your dentist. Your dentist will be able to let you know if there are any signs of tooth erosion during your regular check-up and cleaning appointment.

What can you do about tooth erosion?

To reduce your chances of having tooth erosion, eliminate highly acidic foods from your diet or use a straw when having acidic drinks. To avoid tooth decay, try not to snack too much throughout the day. Chewing sugar-free gum can also boost the saliva production in your mouth.

Make sure you see your dentist regularly to help maintain healthy teeth. If you have any questions about tooth enamel erosion, visit a 123Dentist.com location today. A health professional would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The concept of soft teeth is a myth—you are in control of your own oral health and your teeth.

Cavities are 100% preventable and cannot be passed down as part of your family gene pool. Just because your parents, aunts, uncles or grandparents had a lot of cavities or decay, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will too.

Cavities and decay are a result of bacteria in your mouth and a lack of a proper oral hygiene routine for your specific needs. For example, if you are a smoker, you may need a different oral hygiene routine compared to someone who suffers from gum disease, and so on. Figuring out an oral hygiene routine that works for your specific needs is a big benefit of having regular check-ups and cleanings with your dentist. That becomes your time to ask any questions about your oral health, and make sure you are taking the appropriate steps to avoid cavities and decay.

What can I do to prevent tooth decay?

The bacteria in your mouth lives primarily on sugar. A good way to cut down the decay in your mouth is to limit the amount of sugary or starchy foods that you eat. When the bacteria in your mouth break down sugars, they produce acids that attack your tooth enamel and cause decay.

Another great way to prevent tooth decay and cavities is to make sure you are doing at least the basics of a good oral hygiene routine. The three basic steps of a good oral health routine are:

1. Brushing your teeth twice a day
2. Flossing your teeth once a day
3. Visiting your dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings

If you have any questions on how you can avoid decay and cavities, visit a 123Dentist.com location today! We would be happy to assess your teeth and give you tips on what you can do to avoid cavities.

For additional tips on how to avoid baby bottle tooth decay for your infants, click here: http://www.123dentist.com/how-to-deal-with-baby-bottle-tooth-decay/

One way to deal with grinding your teeth is to deal with the stress that causes the habit. Here are four ways to relax so you don’t grind your teeth:

1. Do things that help you relax—eliminating sources of stress or developing tactics to deal with stress can help you relax so you don’t grind your teeth at night. Stress counselling can help target your core sources of stress and give you tips on how to deal with it.
2. Remove sources of caffeine from your diet—common sources of caffeine include:
   -          Soda

   -          Coffee

   -          Energy drinks

   -          Chocolate

   -          Alcohol

3. Don’t clench your jaw during the day—try not to clench your jaw during the day or indulge in other stress-related habits such as chewing on pencils or pens. This will help break the habit of biting or clenching your teeth when you’re stressed.
4. Relax before bed—try to do things that relax you before going to bed instead of doing anything strenuous. Read a book or watch your favourite show to help you relax right before bed.

If the problem persists and you still find yourself grinding your teeth, visit a 123Dentist.com location today! We can provide treatment options for grinding your teeth such as mouth guards.

People get their teeth whitened for a number of reasons. Below are the top 7 reasons to get your teeth whitened:

1. Discolouration—teeth whitening can offset tooth discolouration due to plaque, tartar or other oral health concerns.
2. Special Occasion—teeth whitening is a great way to ensure that your smile looks bright and healthy for an upcoming special occasion. Whether it’s your wedding, anniversary, birthday, or graduation—it can help you look your best.
3. Job Interviews—your smile can have a huge effect on your next job interview. Smiling has a number of benefits during an interview. Having a bright, healthy smile can help you portray confidence, energy and enthusiasm. To learn more about how to be successful with the use of your smile, click here: http://www.123dentist.com/how-to-have-a-successful-job-interview-with-the-help-of-your-smile/.
4. Effects of Aging—as you age, your tooth enamel may get worn down, making it easier for tooth discolouration or oral health problems to occur. Teeth whitening is a great way to offset the effects of aging in order to maintain a beautiful and healthy smile. To learn more about the effects aging can have on your oral health, click here: http://www.123dentist.com/7-oral-health-concerns-most-common-in-seniors/.
5. Effects of Smoking—smoking can damage your teeth, leading to a higher risk of developing oral health problems such as more build-up of plaque and bacteria on your teeth and/or tooth discolouration. Teeth whitening can help target the tooth discolouration caused by smoking and help you have a whiter, healthier smile. To learn more about the effects of smoking on your oral health, click here: http://www.123dentist.com/effects-of-smoking.
6. Boost Self-Confidence—your smile plays an important part in your confidence. Teeth whitening can boost your smile and give your self-confidence a bit of a boost as well.
7. Diet Choices—if you have a diet that involves a lot of coffee, tea, or wine for example, your teeth may have been stained over the years. Teeth whitening can counter stains from certain foods and help keep your smile bright. To learn more about how food can stain your teeth, click here: http://www.123dentist.com/7-foods-that-can-stain-your-teeth/

123Dentist.com has excellent Zoom!® Whitening services that can improve your smile in just an hour. To learn more, visit a 123Dentist.com location that specializes in teeth whitening services today!

Learn more about the wonderful Save a Smile initiative by clicking here.