Daniel Bedard

Eliminate Mask Breath!

January 21, 2021 by Daniel Bedard

Wearing a mask is a vital way to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, but wearing one while having bad breath isn’t super fun! Here are some of the ODA‘s tips on how to prevent mask mouth and keep your breath nice and fresh:

Brush: Brush your teeth twice a day to get rid of plaque buildup and food particles!

Floss: Flossing gets to areas your toothbrush can’t reach, removing bacteria that can lead to bad breath.

Tongue-scrape: Lots of people tend to skip the tongue during their oral health routine, but using a brush or scraper on your tongue can get rid of even more bacteria to leave your mouth feeling fresher!

Mouthwash: Swishing with an alcohol-free mouthwash just before wearing a mask helps to keep halitosis at bay.

Water: Drinking flat water, particularly after eating, is a great way to wash away food debris and acids. Promoting saliva flow is vital in keeping your mouth clean, so make sure to prevent dryness by regularly drinking water!

Holiday Thanks

December 24, 2020 by Daniel Bedard

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Christmas arrives tomorrow, and as well all know, it won’t be like any Christmas we’ve had before.

As a dental clinic, we remain open as the government has recognized that the strict, robust protocols we’ve put into place have made us one the safest places to be during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case everywhere.

We can’t see all of our loved ones, which is certainly a difficult pill to swallow. But we’d like to take some time to think about why we’re doing this by considering all those on the front lines who have been fighting this pandemic for nearly a year. Back in April, a ministerial order led to nurses, personal care attendants, doctors, and other health professionals being moved from one healthcare facility to another, increasing their risk of exposure and switching their schedules to the point of overwhelming fatigue.

During these tough times, we can’t forget the sacrifices that these incredible frontline workers are making as they fight this pandemic — even after having witnessed firsthand the havoc it wreaks — in order to care for us and meet the basic needs of a growing number of ailing patients.

We would also like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season, and please know that by pulling together, we can push through these next few months to find our way back to a new normal so that we can enjoy the next holiday season to the fullest extent.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and thank you to all the frontline workers who keep us safe!

Dental Tech Spotlight

November 19, 2020 by Daniel Bedard

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Pur Dental Center’s Dr. G sure loves his toys. If you’re curious about some of the dental tools and technologies we use to make your experience at our clinic as easygoing as possible, keep reading!

iTero | 3D Digital Intraoral Scanner

The iTero Element 2 takes thousands of pictures of the inside of your mouth, automatically stitching them into a high-quality 3D model of your mouth, gums, and teeth. Engineered to capture 6000 frames per second, the iTero Element allows for scanning in motion, rendering the patient’s anatomy on screen while the scan is still in progress.

Unlike goopy, gag-inducing physical impressions, this digital scanner offers the patient greater comfort, as well as a significantly more accurate assessment.

The scanner is directly compatible with the Invisalign® clear aligner system, with the iTero-powered Invisalign® Outcome Simulator helping patients visualize the outcome of their treatment.

GXS-700 | Digital X-Ray Sensor System

The GXS-700 intraoral x-ray system delivers hyper-detailed, real-time digital images to support diagnosis and treatment. The sensors’ small size and ergonomic design are ideal for younger patients who are apprehensive of the traditional x-ray experience, which uses a bigger and more intimidating scanner.

CBCT | 3D Digital CT Imaging Scanner

CBCT (Cone Beam Computerized Tomography) is a low-radiation, digital CT imaging technique through which a scanner (KaVo OP 3D™ Pro) quickly rotates 360 degrees around a patient’s head, providing a greater number of images compared to traditional x-rays.

Combining a cone-shaped x-ray beam with advanced digital processing, this technique is used by dentists and other health professionals to reconstruct manipulable 3D images of a patient’s teeth, jaws, and surrounding anatomy, allowing for robust treatment planning and diagnostic support. CBCT scanning can also be used as a surgical guide for oral operations, including implants extractions.

X-Guide | Dynamic 3D Navigation for Implant Placement

Working in unison with cone beam imaging techniques, the X-Guide simplifies complex implant procedures by delivering interactive guidance. Its dynamic 3D navigation offers a high degree of accuracy of the implant’s position, angle, and depth by featuring a live video overlay of the jawbone, its surrounding anatomy, and even the position of the drill.

Picasso + | Soft Tissue Laser

The Picasso + is a multifunctional laser offering comprehensive results in soft-tissue surgical procedures, periodontal therapy, and whitening. By promoting faster blood clotting to stop bleedings, the Picasso facilitates speedy recovery and reduces inflammation at the surgical site.

How To Properly Floss Your Teeth

November 17, 2020 by Daniel Bedard

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Your toothbrush can’t reach all the plaque and bacteria around your teeth and gums, which is where flossing comes in. If plaque, the leading cause of gum disease, isn’t removed within a day or so, it hardens into tartar and can only be removed through a professional cleaning. Be sure to floss once a day to lower your risk for gum disease.

Courtesy of CDA, here’s how to floss the right way:

Break off 18-24 inches of floss
Wrap it around your index and middle fingers, leaving two inches or so between your hands.
Gently slide the floss between your teeth and wrap it into a C-shape around the base of the tooth and under the gumline. Wipe the tooth from base to tip two or three times.
Floss both sides of every tooth, periodically going to a new section of the floss as it wears and picks up particles.

Many people fail to make flossing a daily routine, so here are a few ways to try to get into the habit:

Set a reminder on your phone.
Test out different types of floss to find the one that’s best for you.
Keep your floss visible.
Multitask! Floss while listening to music or a podcast, for instance.

Wisdom Teeth Issues: Causes & Solutions

November 12, 2020 by Daniel Bedard

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Wisdom teeth are located at the very back of mouth and are often the last to develop, typically in one’s late teens or early adulthood– arguably many years before any genuine wisdom develops, but that’s besides the point.

For many people, wisdom teeth can be huge source of frustration if they don’t come in properly, causing pain and discomfort in a variety of ways:

the jaw might not have enough space to accommodate them, causing them to grow only partway
if wisdom teeth come in crooked, they become impacted and can damage surrounding teeth
impacted wisdom teeth are harder to clean, which can cause decay or infection
tumors or cysts filled with fluid can form at the bottom of impacted wisdom teeth, which can leads to a host of negative effects on the jawbone, surrounding nerves, etc.

If a dentist determines that your wisdom teeth are a hindrance to your overall oral health, extraction is necessary. Wisdom teeth are removed using controlled forces applied to the teeth, elevating them out of the structures that hold them. Depending on your comfort level, there are three options for the procedure:

Local Anesthesia

You’re fully awake and aware of everything that’s happening to you. While you feel pressure, there is no pain during the operation.

Local Anesthesia & Oral Sedation

In addition to a lack of pain, you are provided with an anti-anxiety pill that relaxes you and causes drowsiness.

Local Anesthesia & IV Sedation

Medications are administered intravenously, allowing you to enter a deeper sedated state. This procedure is performed by a certified dentist or dental specialist.

After the procedure, your dentist will give you instructions on how to ensure a speedy recovery. Be prepared to stick to a soft food diet for a short while! And hey, you might look like a chipmunk for a couple of days– but we’re all wearing masks now, so who’s gonna notice?

If your wisdom teeth are giving you grief, feel free to give us a call or send us an email!