WE ALL USE TOOTHBRUSHES to take care of our teeth, but what are we doing to take care of our toothbrushes? It’s critical that our toothbrushes remain in good condition so they can do their jobs of keeping our teeth healthy, which is why we’re dedicating a blog post to giving our patients tips on toothbrush care! Cleaning Your Toothbrush Running your toothbrush under water and giving it a good shake won’t do much to get rid of all the germs you just brushed off your teeth, especially if you’ve recently battled the flu or a cold. Luckily, there are a few ways to deep-clean your toothbrush. Boiling the bristles for a few minutes will kill any germs on them, as will soaking the toothbrush in mouthwash. You can also sanitize it by placing [...]

EVERY PERSON IS BORN with their own unique smile. Some smile with all of their teeth, some only show the top row, and some don’t show their teeth at all, and a smile can come in all shapes and sizes and still be genuine. We can also end up with smiles that look a lot like our family members’ smiles even if we have very different faces. How does this happen? What gives our smiles their shapes and makes them shine? The Structure Of A Smile Part of the way we smile is of course based on our personalities. Some people laugh easily, while others maintain an unbreakable poker face. Some people’s smiles light up their whole faces, spreading from ear to ear and changing the shape of their eyes. Others [...]

THERE ARE SO MANY things that can make us smile, from seeing an old friend to watching a good movie to randomly remembering a great joke we heard years ago. Well, we’re about to give you another reason to smile: it’s good for your health! That’s right, smiling has actual health benefits, so prepare to flash those pearly whites as you read all about them! Smiling And The Feel-Good Hormone When we smile, it triggers a chemical reaction in our bodies: the release of endorphins. Endorphins are natural hormones that inhibit pain and produce feelings of euphoria. We get them after a good workout, and we also get them when we’re happy. What’s really cool is that our brains associate smiling with happiness so strongly that even a fake smile will trigger [...]

BRUSHING OUR TEETH is something we can get so used to doing that we don’t really think about it, but are we doing it the right way? It can be easy to get into some bad tooth-brushing habits, and the result can be that your teeth aren’t getting cleaned properly and you could be doing damage to your gums. So let’s take a moment to go over good brushing technique. What To Avoid When Brushing Your Teeth A few of the things we should avoid when we brush our teeth are brushing too hard, only brushing up and down or side-to-side, and always starting in the same place. Brushing too hard can damage our enamel and our gum tissue, which is why we should also avoid hard-bristled brushes. When we only brush up and [...]

GROWING BODIES NEED a lot of fuel, and that means a lot of after-school snacks. The nature of those snacks can have a big impact on a child’s oral health during this critical period when they’re losing baby teeth and growing in their permanent set. So which snacks are the best ones if you’re trying to watch out for your children’s oral health? Snacks To Avoid Most children would eat cookies and candy and drink soda pop all day if they could, but these tasty treats aren’t just bad for their health, they’re bad for their teeth. Many types of bacteria live in our mouths, some good for us, some bad. Sugar happens to be the bad bacteria’s favorite food, and after they eat it, they excrete acid onto our teeth as [...]

TRENDS IMPACT JUST about every aspect of life, from slang and fashion to which toys are collectibles this year and which fad diet everyone’s aunt is doing. Most trends are harmless symptoms of an ever-evolving society and culture, but when they affect the ways we take care of ourselves, they can become serious. In recent years, do-it-yourself teeth whitening has been a “trendy” topic, so let’s take a look at a few of the more popular methods. Charcoal Versus Tooth Enamel As counterintuitive as it seems to rub black powder on your teeth and expect them to become whiter, the rationale behind the idea makes sense. Charcoal is extremely porous and absorbent, and has been used even in hospitals to safely neutralize toxins. In theory, it could do the same for [...]

WE’VE SAID IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN… flossing is essential for a healthy mouth! But it’s not always the most enjoyable task of the day, especially for kids. If you’re looking for an easier way to help your kids floss–and have fun while they’re at it–we’ve got just the product for you! GumChucks® Make Flossing Easy And Fun GumChucks are a flossing system that’s designed to not only make flossing easier for your kids, but also help them floss correctly. And when your floss looks like miniature nunchucks, there’s no doubt some fun will ensue! Here’s why we love GumChucks: Functional design promotes correct “C” shape flossing technique as recommended by the Canadian Dental Association  The two-handled system makes flossing easy for kids with limited dexterity Long handles make for [...]

WE OFTEN TAKE STEPS to achieve that sparkling white smile when we brush in the morning and before we go to bed. The truth is, what we consume throughout the day is often the largest contributor to whether or not our smile will light up a room.Although there are several causes for tooth discolouration, we can separate them into three basic categories: intrinsic, extrinsic, and age-related discolouration. Here’s how each affects your teeth, and what you can do to ensure a life full of bright, healthy smiles.Food And Drink Are Large Contributors To Surface StainsExtrinsic tooth discoloration occurs when the enamel—the outer layer of the tooth—becomes stained. These stains are caused by pigments, acidic content, and other chemical factors (natural or artificial) present in things we enjoy eating and drinking. A few [...]