Author: admin-mdc

Why Mouth Guards are Essential

Posted on by admin-mdc

Is your child involved in an active or high impact sport? There are several different activities that put individuals at a higher risk of damage to their teeth and mouth. Our team at My Dental Clinic in Calgary, AB are eager to provide practical assistance for parents and their families. There are steps you can take to lower your child’s risks of damage. This, in turn, saves parents on time and money that could be spent on dental restorations to fix a wide range of issues. Mouth guards are commonly used to protect teeth as they are an affordable and practical option. Continue reading on to learn why mouth guards are essential.

Pain in the Mouth; Costs to Repair Lost Tooth Far Exceeds Parent Perceptions

Most parents of athletes understand the prices they have to pay to allow their children to remain in certain sports. Equipment used in sports can be expensive and often needs to be replaced. Mouth guards are just another piece of equipment that helps to keep your child safe. The small investment of a mouth guard far outweighs the price it costs to repair a knocked out or broken tooth. Often times, these restoraitons will even need to be replaced, which only adds to the bill. However, and mouth guard can take away all these concerns.

Which Sports Should Require Mouth Guards in Calgary?

Common sports that require mouth guards are football and hockey. It is a norm to bring a mouth guard to every practice and game. However, other sports such as baseball or basketball have just as much risk of tooth and jaw damage. Oral injuries can also occur for sports such as gymnastics or skating. Regardless of the sport your child is in, talk to our dental team to see what extra steps you can take to better protect their oral health in Calgary.

No More Excuses

It may take some pressure to convince your child they need to wear their mouth guard, but it is well worth the effort. Our team at My Dental Clinic provide custom made mouth guards that comfortably fit to each unique smile.

Understanding Gum Disease

Posted on by admin-mdc

Much of the general population may not know this, but gum disease is one of the most common diseases in the world. If you want to hear a staggering statistic, listen up: just about 9 of 10 adults all suffer from gum disease. In today’s article we were going to discuss a little bit about what we know of gum disease, the different symptoms associated with it, and how it can even be linked to other illnesses that include Alzheimer’s, cancer, and strokes.

What is Gum Disease?

To begin, it is important that we understand what gum disease is. Simply said, gum disease is the buildup of plaque underneath the gum line. Plaque contains bacteria, and if left untreated it can stay and live underneath the gum line. This causes an irritation in the gums, leaving your mouth feeling painful and sore.

Spotting the Symptoms

In order to know whether or not you have gum disease, meaning that you will treat it as soon as possible, you need to know the symptoms. The next time you’re brushing your teeth, take a few extra seconds and look at your gums. Healthy gums are visible, and are seen as pink and firm. If your gums bleed when you touch them, brush them, or floss them, this can be an indication of a problem. Gum disease is not always linked to painful symptoms, so it is important that you have your gums and teeth checked by a dental professional at least twice a year.

Main Kinds of Gum Disease

Gingivitis, the earlier stages of gum disease, is indicated by red or swollen gums, or bleeding after brushing and flossing. If you noticed this in your teeth, these symptoms can then leave to periodontist which causes bad press, a bad taste in your mouth, and gum abscesses.

Prevention is Better Than the Cure!

As with most things, in order to ensure that you don’t have to worry about the costs and the pain of cheering and existing disease, you can always begin early by preventing the symptoms. By keeping up with your oral health care routine, flossing once a day, and brushing twice a day, you drastically reduce the chances of you developing gum disease. This gum disease comes in when you least expect it and can be devastating down the line. If you would like to speak to a dentist about possible gum disease symptoms that you have, or would like more tips on how to prevent gum disease, feel free to give us a call at My Dental Clinic in Calgary, AB.

Dental Sealants Have Our Seal Of Approval

Posted on by admin-mdc

Protecting our children is every parent’s priority. Our dental team at My Dental Clinic in Calgary, Alabama is dedicated to providing parents and their children with the best quality of care available. Dental sealants are commonly used in order to keep teeth protected and as healthy as ever. What are dental sealants and why are they so popular among dentists in the Calgary area? Continue reading on to learn everything you need to known regarding dental sealants and see why they have our seal of approval.

A Child’s Risk Of Tooth Decay

Children have an increased risk of tooth decay. Research shows that 40% of children will acquire cavities by the time they go to school. Many things can contribute to this including poor oral health habits and an increase of sugary foods in their diet. Even though baby teeth are only temporary, they need to be taken care of and kept strong. Once their adult teeth erupt, they will need to be looked after even more. Dental sealants help to make this possible.

Dental Sealants Protect Hard-to-Reach Areas

The deep valleys and crevices located on each of our teeth can make keeping them free of debris and harmful bacteria difficult. Dental sealants provide a barrier from the outside surfaces that can damage your teeth. Our team recommends applying the dental sealants after the adult molars erupt. We encourage putting them on your child’s smile as soon as possible in order to avoid further damage or treatments.

Sealant Application Is Simple

Applying dental sealants at My Dental Clinic in Calgary, Alabama is a simple and quick process. It begins by cleaning the teeth thoroughly. After drying the teeth, your dentist will paint on the sealant with a special gel. It is coated onto the entire tooth and hardened with a special light.

Sealants Are Only One Part Of The Equation

Dental sealants can benefit your smile as well as daily brushing and flossing. There are several foods and drinks you can avoid to better protect your teeth. Call our dental clinic to schedule your next appointment with us!

Misconceptions About Porcelain Veneers

Posted on by admin-mdc

Are you experiencing decay, excessive wear, discoloration, or shifting teeth? You may be actively searching for the best way to achieve the perfect smile you have always dreamed of showing off. Our team at My Dental Clinic offers several different cosmetic services that help to boost patient’s confidence levels and improve their smiles. One treatment is known as porcelain veneers. They have provided several patients with a transformed smile, but are they right for you? Continue reading on to learn everything you need to know about porcelain veneers as well as the misconceptions surrounding them.

What are porcelain veneers and what do they treat?

Porcelain veneers are made out of a thin, translucent, porcelain shell that is individually attached to the outside surface of a tooth. They help to correct several issues including gaps between teeth, discoloration, chips, cracks, minor misalignments, and discoloration of teeth. If you are affected by any of these issues, then talk to your dentist about porcelain veneers for your smile.

Common Misconceptions

  • The application is painful. A local anaesthetic is administered to patients prior to the application process.
  • You only need veneers for the front of your mouth. Porcelain veneers can be placed on any tooth in a patient’s smile.
  • The entire tooth has to be filed down prior to application. Minimal reshaping of a tooth may be necessary. This is done to better apply the veneer without it appearing bulky.
  • Veneers are unnaturally white and noticeable. Modern veneers can be customized to a patient’s unique smile. You can choose the thickness, shape, and color of a veneer in order to match it perfectly to the rest of your teeth.
  • Veneers can be applied in just one visit. In order to get the perfect smile for your mouth, applying dental veneers is a multi step process.

Are porcelain veneers right for you?

Porcelain veneers are used to correct a wide range of issues that affect patients. If you are interested in porcecalin veneers for your smile, then contact our experienced team at My Dental Clinic for more information.

Best Way to Clean Your Mouth Guard, Night Guard or Retainer

Posted on by admin-mdc

There are a plethora of reasons as to why you may need a mouthguard in South West Calgary, or a night guard or retainer. If you play high impact sports, if you grind your teeth while you sleep, or if you just had your braces taken off, these helpful dental appliances keep your mouth safe no matter what the situation may call for. Well, your mouth guard is busy doing all of the heavy lifting, the very least you can do is make sure that they stay clean, so that your teeth also stay sanitized and fresh. For some, it may be hard to know how exactly to keep them clean, so let’s take a look.

Mouthguard Cleaning Tips

Now we’re going to take a quick look at a few mouth guard cleaning tips that can keep not only your mouth guard but also your teeth and gums free of bacterial infection.

Use an Anti-Bacterial Solution

Running water over your mouth guard is a good idea, but it should not be your full standardization regimen for your mouth guard. To aid in cleaning this dental appliance, use an antibacterial agent such as Guard Health. This will go a long way towards helping you clean the mouthguard in a pinch.

Deep-Clean Your Mouth Guard at Least Once a Month

A thorough clean should be conducted at least once a month, especially if you use the smoke guard once a day. It is not recommended to use a toothbrush to clean your mouth guard has the scrubbing motion from the toothbrush can lead to the breakdown of the plastic and metal needed to keep them out garden place. But using a denture cleaner, you can ensure that the mouth guard remains clean as the effervescent cleaners reach into the small spaces that other cleaner simply cannot.

CALL US NOW – (403) 281-2520

Clean Your Case

Making sure your case is also clean is crucial, as this is what houses your mouth guard when you aren’t wearing it. Don’t be afraid to use toothpaste and a toothbrush on the case, as you don’t need to be so gentle with it.

Replace Your Mouth Guard, When Needed

Don’t hesitate to replace your mouth guard when you need it, as they collect so much bacteria. Be sure to replace your mouthguard near you when there are any cracks that grow to be so large they can cut your cheeks or gums.

We at My Dental Clinic in SW Calgary, commend you for ensuring the health of your teeth, and we hope that you keep your mouth guard clean to continue staying safe.

Accept All Major Insurances

Laser Dentistry FAQs

Posted on by admin-mdc

When the laser was first introduced into the medical industry, a world of new possibilities opened. The pinpoint technological features of the laser began to branch into many different fields and practices of health and medicine, and as a result eventually found itself in dentistry. With the introduction of the laser many questions arose, so today I’ll be providing you with some of those questions and answers.

What is a laser?

A laser is a singularly focused beam of concentrated light with a specific wavelength and color. The word laser is an acronym for a much longer technical term known as “Light Amplification Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER).”

What Makes A Laser Different from Sunlight?

Sunlight is composed of a spectrum of white light. White light is divided into seven distinct colors, each with their own wavelength. However, a laser is a single beam, set to a high energy level thus producing only one color of a specific wavelength. It is powerful enough to penetrate living tissues and cells.

How Is A Laser Used in Dentistry?

Lasers are used in 3 main ways in dentistry:

  • Disease diagnosis,
  • Soft tissue operations such as the tongue, lips, gums,
  • Hard tissue operations such as the bone, tooth enamel, and dentin.

Diseases such as tooth decay and gum rot can be treated with precision laser dentistry.

Are Lasers Safe?

Despite their highly powerful technological design, lasers are safe and approved by the FDA. Years of research have been put behind laser technology before the FDA officially approved them. Choosing laser dentistry to resolve a dental issue can cause less bleeding and minimal discomfort. Be sure to consult your dentist if you’re considering laser operations, as there may be other options for your dental procedure that you wish to undergo.

Our Laser Dentistry Patients Have Questions

Posted on by admin-mdc

Are you interested in laser dentistry, but don’t know where to begin your journey? One of the greatest things about having a dentist that cares is the ability to be educated and know well what is being done to your teeth and gums before it happens. At My Dental Clinic, we’re always striving to keep our patients as well educated as possible in order to give them the best overall experience at our office. In this article, we will discuss a newer technology called laser dentistry.

What is a Laser and How Does it Work

To begin, let’s find out exactly what laser dentistry is. It is a laser is a tool that commonly produces a narrow beam of light energy that may or may not be visible to the human eye. When said laser comes into contact with any kind of tissue, it deems a reaction. In dentistry, the beam of light produced by the laser has the ability to remove or shape soft tissues such as gums, cheeks, and the tongue. This laser can even remove hard tissues such as decay.

How are Lasers Used to Remove Tooth Decay

In short, the laser energy results in a steam pressure type of cleaning that can vaporize decay. Laser energy causes water to boil, and decayed material has a significantly higher water content and healthy teeth, meaning that said decay will be targeted first and removed with precision.

Can Lasers be Used Effectively to Whiten Teeth

Lasers can even be used to effectively whiten teeth by activating whitening chemicals that are used in the whitening process. A laser light directly placed on to the whitening gel results in a brightened smile.

Is Any Precaution Necessary

There are a few precautions that need to be taken before laser treatment is begun. In the same way that you might wear sunglasses when out in the sun, or a lead vest when getting an x-ray taken, all is done to protect your health.

How Can I be Sure my Dentist is Competent to Use a Laser

In order to be sure whether or not your dentist is well equipped to conduct laser dentistry, we at My Dental Clinic in SW Calgary, AB, would love a chance to get to talk to you and schedule a consultation. Feel free to give us a call or send us an e-mail today.

What You Should Know About Fluoride Treatments

Posted on by admin-mdc

Fluoride is an easy and effective way to protect our teeth, and it can be found in several different forms. Our dental staff at My Dental Clinic encourage its use for our patients especially in the form of professional fluoride treatment. This form is prescription strength and greatly benefits teeth. Continue reading on to learn more about topical fluoride treatment.

  1. FLUORIDE IS A NATURAL MINERAL. Fluoride is commonly found in water, soil, and rocks.
  2. PROFESSIONAL FLUORIDE TREATMENTS ARE WORTH THE COST. Investing in a fluoride treatment is much cheaper than treating the cost of decay.
  3. FLUORIDE FIGHTS CAVITIES BY STRENGTHENING ENAMEL. Fluoride works to remineralize and harden the tooth’s enamel.
  4. FLUORIDE TREATMENTS ARE NOT JUST FOR KIDS! Any individual can be affected by cavities. Therefore, fluoride is beneficial for anyone that has a high risk for cavities.
  5. PROFESSIONAL FLUORIDE TREATMENTS CAN REVERSE SMALL CAVITIES! The early stages of demineralization that lead to cavities can be stopped with the help of professional fluoride treatments.
  6. PROFESSIONAL FLUORIDE TREATMENTS ARE SAFE. Fluoride dosages regulated by your dentist are safe for individuals to use at any age.
  7. PROFESSIONAL FLUORIDE TREATMENTS DO NOT STAIN TEETH. Fluorosis (stains from too much fluoride intake) only occurs during tooth formation.
  8. PROFESSIONAL FLUORIDE TREATMENTS DO NOT HURT. Fluoride treatments are quick, easy, and totally painless with help from our dental team.
  9. YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK AFTER A FLUORIDE VARNISH TREATMENT. Your dentist will help you see if your treatment requires a short wait period.

Contact your dentist at My Dental Clinic to see more ways you can protect your teeth against tooth decay and disease. Call us today to schedule your next appointment!

Common Questions About Teeth Whitening

Posted on by admin-mdc

There are many misconceptions regarding teeth whitening. Many find it a challenge to choose a product that actually works safely for their smiles. My Dental Clinic offers several cosmetic services, including professional teeth whitening. Continue reading on to learn the answers to more commonly asked questions about teeth whitening.

Is whitening safe?

Many over the counter products can be harmful to the gums and cause an individual pain. However, all the products our dental staff use and recommend are safe and effective for bleaching teeth. Some patients may experience sensitivity during or after use for a short period of time.

How long does it take to whiten my teeth?

The amount of time spent with the whitening process will depend on the level of color change the patient is looking for as well as the method being used to whiten. Our in-office teeth whitening treatment provides quicker results in as little as one session. At home teeth, whitening kits will typically take a little longer.

Can I get super white teeth like Hollywood stars? How white can my teeth get?

Talk to your dentist to see a shade chart. This will help you to determine the level of white you are interested in achieving and will show you roughly how long it will take. Everyone’s smile is different and some experience different shades of white.

How long do teeth stay white after whitening?

It is important to be aware of the foods and drinks that yellow teeth in order to know what to avoid. Your dentist may recommend a touch-up treatment. Contact your dental office to see which option is best for your smile. We are eager to help you achieve a new and improved smile!

The Conspiracy Theories and Facts of Fluoride

Posted on by admin-mdc

Are you wondering if fluoride treatment may be right for you and your family? Trying to decipher between the conspiracy theories and facts? At My Dental Clinic, we recommend our fluoride treatments in Calgary for most of our patients and want to ensure that they are completely informed and educated on the matter.

Is Fluoride Toxic?

Yes, much like any other substance such as Magnesium, Zinc, Iron and even water! We don’t recommend overusing fluoride. However, plenty of research has been done to show that when done properly, fluoride treatments can actually greatly improve oral health among patients. We do not recommend drinking fluoride, swallowing a large amount of fluoride toothpaste or even giving it to children that are too young.

Ultimately, we believe that when used properly, fluoride has many benefits we would like our patients to experience and think that any issues can be avoided.

The Fluoride Conspiracy Theory

When it comes to conspiracy theories and fluoride, there are a TON. People believe the government adds it to our water to keep the population “apathetic,” others believe that fluoride is used to lower the IQ of children. We believe that fluoride is beneficial when used directly on the tooth and only recommend our in-office fluoride treatments which are performed by a trained professional.

CALL US NOW – (403) 281-2520

Dental Fluoride Facts

Regardless of the conspiracy theories surrounding Fluoride, research has proven that Fluoride is an effective treatment to prevent tooth decay, strengthen/remineralize teeth and even reverse early signs of decay.

Schedule Your Calgary Fluoride Treatment

Want to protect your smile with fluoride? Schedule your appointment with My Dental Clinic today!

Accept All Major Insurances

Accessibility by WAH
Click to listen highlighted text!