Your teeth’s natural color is not stark white but can be light grayish or yellowish. Teeth may become darker with age or stained by tobacco use, drinking coffee or tea and eating certain foods. In Canada, there is an increasing demand for teeth whitening products as more Canadians go in search of a brighter smile. While there are many whitening options being sold in the market, your dentist in Toronto can whiten your teeth safely with lasting results.

Kinds of whiteners

Not all teeth whitening products are the same. What are being sold to consumers fall under any of two types:

Surface whiteners: These contain special abrasives that remove surface stains of teeth. Whitening toothpaste and chewing gums are examples of surface whiteners which are safe to use but are not effective for removing dark stains or discoloration due to root canal or dental fillings.

Bleaches: More effective than surface whiteners, bleaches often contain peroxide ingredients which are a powerful whitening agent that is best applied by a dentist. In Toronto, there are three ways for bleaching teeth. These include the following:

1. Applying a special bleach on stained teeth and using heat, with or without light, to activate the bleach;

2. Wearing a custom-made tray filled with a special bleach for a few hours everyday; or

3. Brushing teeth with a toothpaste containing special bleach.

Depending also on the condition of your teeth, your dentist may perform vital (for live teeth) or non vital (no longer alive due to root canal procedures) bleaching.

Proper care for whitened teeth

The decision to whiten your teeth should be weighed against your existing lifestyle. If you cannot give up coffee or tea or continue

smoking, you can expect stains to return on your teeth. Bleaching agents can cause teeth to become more sensitive and can irritate gums but these effects are temporary. You should be prepared to spend more time taking care of whitened teeth to avoid future stains and to use special products for sensitive teeth.

It’s important to consult your dentist in Toronto before applying any teeth whitening product on your own. You will need the skillful eye of a dentist to determine the cause and extent of your teeth discoloration because not all stained teeth respond to just any kind of treatment. In some cases, your dentist may determine that your teeth need only professional cleaning instead of extensive bleaching. Moreover, because of the powerful ingredients used in bleaching, it is best to get it done under a dentist’s care. Use only home bleaching products recommended by your dentist to ensure safety.

An untreated cavity can lead to an infection of the roots of your tooth. This can cause severe pain and lead to tooth loss. Tooth removal, however, may be averted by a root canal treatment performed by your dentist. In Toronto, specialists like endodontists who perform root canal treatments are committed to saving the tooth to prevent misalignment of teeth, jaw problems and replacement with an artificial tooth.

Understanding your root canal

Each tooth has a canal system that is filled with pulp made up of nerves and blood vessels which nourish a tooth when it erupts or emerges through the gum. Once your tooth matures, it also gets nourishment from the blood supply that surrounds it. This allows the tooth to remain standing even when the pulp is removed due to infection.

Pulp infection

The pulp of your tooth can become infected when bacteria enters the tooth through cracks, cavities or flawed dental fillings. An abscessed tooth can cause severe pain and swelling and other health problems if left untreated. Depending on the extent of the tooth decay, your dentist may recommend removal or a root canal treatment which will save the tooth.

Root canal treatment

In this kind of treatment, the pulp of the infected tooth is removed by first making an opening in the tooth to reach its canal system and damaged pulp. The dentist then removes the pulp using fine dental instruments, cleans and enlarges the canal system. After thoroughly cleaning the canals, your dentist will fill them up and seal them. The opening on the tooth will also be sealed with a temporary or permanent filling.

Tooth restoration

After completing your root canal treatment, the endodontist may send you back to your dentist or to a prosthodontist for tooth restoration. A prosthodontist is one who specializes in restoring and replacing teeth using crowns, bridges, dentures and implants. Depending on the condition of the treated tooth, your dentist may recommend filling it up or reinforcing it with a crown, as in the case of back teeth that are often subjected to pressure from chewing.
A tooth that has undergone root canal treatment is still susceptible to cavities and decay and does not enjoy special protection against plaque and gum disease. You will still need to take care of it and visit your dentist in Toronto regularly to make it last as long as the rest of your vital (or living) teeth.

Most teeth problems start with a cavity. It is a small hole on the tooth’s surface that is hardly visible to the untrained eye, but your dentist in Toronto may spot it for you.

A cavity can develop when sugars in the food you eat mix with the bacteria normally found in the mouth. This combination is slightly acidic and can wear out the enamel or outer covering of the teeth to form a cavity.

Who are at risk?

Young children tend to have cavities because of bottle feeding and their tendency to consume sweetened snacks and drinks. Adults may also get cavities when:

• they form around a filling, also known as “recurrent” cavities or
• they affect the roots of your teeth that are exposed by receding gums

What to do?

If you suspect that you or your child has a cavity, you should visit or take your child immediately to a dentist. In Toronto, an oral specialist or hygienist will check teeth first and depending on the extent of the cavity, he or she may recommend any of the following:

1. Replace broken or loose fillings.

2. Keep an eye on small ones in the meantime.

3. Fill up a cavity to stop decay and prevent pain.

4. As a last resort, remove the decayed tooth and replace it with a false or artificial one.

Childhood Tooth Decay

While young children are susceptible to tooth decay, you can help them by checking their teeth starting the age of 4. Once a month, examine your child’s teeth by lifting his or her lips and look for the following signs:

• dull white spots or lines on the teeth
• dark teeth

Bring your child to a dentist as soon as you see any of the mentioned signs of a cavity. Early treatment and intervention will prevent infection and pain that can arise from tooth decay.

Preventing cavities in children

Bottle feeding at bedtime can pose a challenge for parents who want to prevent tooth decay in young children. This is especially true for toddlers who settle down with a bottle of milk before sleeping.

Consider the following tips to keep cavities away:

• Offer a bottle of plain water instead of milk
• Give your child a clean soother, stuffed toy or favorite blanke to help him go to sleep
• If your child refuses to let go of his milk bottle at bedtime, try watering down your child’s bottle for a few weeks until only plain water is left.

Older children and adults can also suffer from cavities which are easily prevented with regular oral hygiene and visits to their dentist in Toronto.

7 out of 10 Canadians may be suffering from gum disease without even knowing it. Gum disease can sneak up on you because it starts painlessly and without obvious symptoms. Unless you pay regular visits to your dentist in Toronto, you won’t be able to notice the early signs of gum disease until you experience pain, or worse, teeth loss.

Causes

Gum disease often starts with plaque, an invisible sticky film that forms on your teeth and around your gums from substances found in the food you eat. Brushing and flossing regularly can remove plaque. With improper brushing or poor oral hygiene, plaque can harden into tartar which provides a breeding ground for bacteria. Unless you see a dentist, a condition called gingivitis can develop at the point of attachment between the gum and teeth which can lead to oral problems like sensitive teeth, mouth pain, and teeth loss.

Prevention

Prevention is still the best approach to gum disease because by the time you may notice its symptoms, you may already have gingivitis or your gum problem may already be at the advanced stage which poses a risk for teeth loss. The following habits will help avoid gum disease: 1. Brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day. 2. Floss at least once a day. 3. Visit your dentist in Toronto regularly to have your teeth professionally cleaned and to detect gum disease. 4. In between dental visits, check your gums regularly for signs of disease such as the following: * red gums * tiny pockets of infection * bad breath that does not seem to go away * swollen or puffy gums * bleeding while brushing teeth

Treatment

Early detection increases your chances of successful and fast treatment. While plaque may be eliminated by brushing and flossing, only a dentist can remove tartar. When gum disease is caught at the initial stages, your dentist or dental hygienist may remove tartar buildup and recommend regular brushing and flossing to keep it from coming back. More serious infections may require treatment by a periodontist who is a dental specialist with advanced training in gum treatment and bone and gum tissue restoration. Gum disease can easily be prevented with regular oral hygiene but if you notice any of the early warning signs, it should not be taken lightly. Seeking immediate treatment from your dentist in Toronto improves your chances of reversing damage and keeps it from progressing.

Do you have a hard time chewing your food? Or does it hurt when you open your mouth to yawn or speak? If so, you may be suffering from a joint disease known as temporomandibular disorder (or TMD). Your dentist in Toronto can confirm this condition through a detailed exam and x-rays as well as recommend treatment options.

Possible Causes of TMD

While the real cause of TMD may not yet be fully understood, the following factors are known to contribute to the condition:

• Stress: Emotional stress can lead to unintentional teeth clenching and tightening of muscles around the jaws. Prolonged muscle tension can eventually lead to pain in the area.
• Clenching or grinding teeth: These actions are accompanied by tightening of the jaw muscles, which if done often or habitually, can cause muscle pain.
• Trauma or injury to the face or jaws: A fractured jaw or jaw joint can lead to a misalignment of the jaw so you may feel pain when you move your mouth.
• Joint diseases: such as rheumatoid arthritis can affect the jaw joints and muscles causing pain with movement.
• Incorrect jaw growth: which causes misaligned teeth can also make it difficult to bite and chew and lead to TMD.
• Other factors: Worn or missing teeth, gum disease, ill-fitting dentures and biting hard objects may also lead to TMD.

Signs and symptoms

Pain and discomfort in the jaw area are the most obvious symptoms of TMD, as well as the following:

• Sore jaw muscles that are more severe when you wake up, clench your teeth, chew your food or yawn.
• Difficulty in opening and closing your mouth, in some cases you may experience a locked jaw
• Unexplained headaches and pain in your neck.
• Clicking or popping noise when you open your mouth, chew or yawn.

Treatment

Because other conditions exhibit similar symptoms, it is best to visit your dentist in Toronto who can make a correct diagnosis of your problem. Your dentist will make a thorough examination of your history and mouth to determine the cause of your symptoms.

Depending on the findings of your dentist, the following treatment options for TMD may be recommended:

• Referral to a specialist like an orthodontist to correct teeth alignment problems or a physiotherapist, chiropractor or behavioral therapist who can help ease muscle pain.
• Take pain or anti-inflammatory medicine to manage pain or relax muscles
• Wear a night guard or bite plate which prevents you from biting against your teeth. This also helps your jaw joints and muscles to relax.
• Referral to oral surgeon when none of the treatments work and you find it very difficult to open your jaw.

Canadians can be safe in the knowledge that their professional dentist in Toronto has the knowledge and experience to manage TMD.

Canadian kids can do a lot of crazy things to damage their teeth, as any dentist in Toronto will tell you. Here is a list of things that you should discourage your kids from doing, to help protect their teeth and gums:

1. Chewing on pencil erasers until the eraser comes out: the metal end of the pencil can scratch and chip their teeth and cut their gums;

2. Getting lip piercings: The items worn can chip their teeth;

3. Using pencil, pen and needle points to pick food out of their teeth;

4. Not wearing the appropriate protective head gear and mouth guards when participating in sports activities;

5. Removing bottle caps or opening pop cans with their teeth;

6. Frequently sucking on lollipops or other hard candies;

7. Drinking sports drinks and sodas excessively – drink water instead;

8. Neglecting to brush and floss their teeth before they go to bed;

Encourage your children and teenagers to take regular, proper care of their teeth and gums and make regular visits to the dentist. Should they sustain an injury to their teeth or gums they should get the problem taken care of by their dentist in Toronto immediately, even if the injury hasn’t caused them any serious pain.

Cuts on the gums can lead to infection, and scratches and cracks on teeth can bring on cavities or, more seriously, broken teeth.

Positive steps

Parents help when they:

• Have a good quality floride toothpaste always available.
• Make sure that toothbrushes are the appropriate size for their children’s ages, stages and any other special needs.
• Get a wide dental floss so it can be handled easier and reduce the risk of their children cutting their gums.
• Replace their toothbrushes regularly to protect gums from being scratched by ’shaggy dog’ toothbrushes.

It’s also good to encourage your children to rinse their mouths after they eat, and to drink plenty of water during the day to flush food residue out of their mouths. For more tips on what you can provide your children with for further oral protection consult your local dentist in Toronto.

Other than the neglect of your teeth and gums, improper diet is one of the most common causes of tooth decay and gum disease. Ask your dentist in Toronto (in fact, ask any dentist!), and they will tell you that staying away from sugar is good for your teeth.

However, its important as well to be aware of the different forms of sugar, and the foods that turn into sugar when they stay in your mouth for a long time:

• glucose
• fructose
• corn syrup
• molasses
• honey
• invert sugar
• refined carbohydrates (white flour products, white rice, white pasta) and to a lesser extent,
• whole grain carbohydrates
• fruit juices

The reason sugars (and foods that break down into sugars after sitting around on your teeth) are harmful is because when these sugars are combined with the bacteria in your mouth they become acidic and soak into your tooth enamel, thereby weakening it. This weakening leads to greater bacterial infestation if you don’t brush and floss regularly enough (brushing at least twice and flossing once per day). As this bacteria in your mouth increases, your teeth soon develop cavities, and your gums are at a greater risk of infection – which can lead to gum disease.

It’s also important to note that the acid in lemons, vinegar and sodas (both regular and artificially sweetened) can also damage your tooth enamel.

Beneficial Foods

There are foods, however that can help promote healthy teeth and gums.

Eat calcium rich foods such as low-fat milk, plain yogurt, cheese and nuts. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, and walnuts are all good for teeth. Fresh fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin A and C are also a good choice, these are usually the dark green or deep orange varieties; carrots, papaya, oranges, broccoli, mangoes, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, spinach and sweet peppers.

The other important thing to remember, but which is often overlooked, is drinking water. Drinking plenty of water, throughout the day flushes away much of the food residue that would otherwise stay in your mouth and result in plaque on your teeth. Your dentist in Toronto will tell you that prevention is the key to having good teeth and gums, and diet, alongside regular brushing and flossing, is vital if we want to protect them.

Experts recommend the assessment of young children by your dentist in Toronto, within 6 months of the appearance of the first tooth, or by the time the infant is 12 months of age.

The objective is to have this consultation before there are any problems with their teeth. Usually, a quick check up every 6 months will catch small problems early.

Why Do Young Children Need A Dentist Visit?
The main reason is to get into good habits. Your child certainly needs to see your dentist by the ages of 2 or 3 (when all the baby teeth have arrived) because:

• They will learn that going to the dentist is a normal part of life
• Any problems can be detected early
• Tooth care can be discussed in a child-friendly way

What May Happen At Your Child’s Visit To The Dentist?

It may be necessary for your dentist to take X-rays that will reveal any decay between the teeth. X-rays are also invaluable in showing if teeth are coming in properly. Care of teeth and gums may be discussed, along with the importance of fluoride and regular checkups.

Older Children

When your child’s permanent molars have come in, your dentist in Toronto may suggest ’sealing’ them. This procedure is painless and involves a type of plastic being applied to the chewing surface of molars. It helps prevent food and bacteria being trapped in the crevices of the teeth.

As more permanent teeth appear in your child’s mouth, the dentist will be alert to any that are crowding or crooked. As the jaw grows, crooked teeth will often straighten, but if they don’t malocclusion (bite problem) may result.

This may cause problems with facial appearance (and associated self-esteem), and with eating and cleaning.

Your dentist may need to refer such problems to a dental specialist like an orthodontist, who has received extra training in the rectification of these problems. Braces or plates may be recommended.

Trusting Your Dentist

Your dentist has undergone years of training in order to be the best person to advise you on your child’s dental care. So taking his or her advice on how to keep their teeth and gums healthy is one of the smartest moves a parent can make.

Good oral hygiene, good diet and regular visits to the dentist from an early age are the perfect combination to ensuring your children have happy mouths.

Canadian’s are blessed with high standards of specialist dental care, and should be confident that their dentist in Toronto will care for their children’s teeth with world class techniques and procedures.

If any of your teeth are broken, no matter how little or how much, have them attended to by your local dentist in Toronto as soon as possible. The longer a damaged tooth is neglected, the more the problem can increase. This can ultimately affect your other teeth and put you at greater risk for infection and gum disease.

Sometimes a cracked or broken tooth can be mended with a cap (or crown). However, if left untreated the partially damaged tooth can continue to break over time and become a more dangerous problem by exposing the pulp (nerve tissue). In this instance you may need to be prescribed antibiotics before any dental procedure can take place. This situation may result in the need for root canal therapy and become quite expensive.

Neglecting tooth decay and missing or broken teeth is inadvisable for so many reasons:

• they can be expensive to fix
• they can be painful
• they can predispose you to infection of the gums and even the sinuses
• tooth decay causes gum disease
• bad breath often results
• embarrassment or self consciousness over poor appearance

Dentures

Dentures are a solution to tooth problems that have been allowed to deteriorate, or which have occurred through accidental damage. Badly broken and missing teeth can create the need for dentures in order to prevent migration of the surrounding teeth into misalignment. But your dentist in Toronto will agree that the possiblity of replacing your own teeth with dentures doesn’t make it okay to let tooth decay get out of hand.

Dentures, whether they are a complete set of false teeth or partials, need just as much care as your natural teeth. The only difference is your man-made teeth won’t cause you pain if you don’t take proper care of them. It is important to understand that with or without dentures, you still need to care for your gums in order to prevent gum disease.

Your dentist in Toronto will advise you regarding the need for a new set of teeth, or, alternatively, bridge work. And once you have these new pieces in your mouth he or she will show you how to floss and brush around them.

Denture cleaning

If you have the detachable kind or full dentures, you’ll need to soak them to soften the plaque so you can brush it away. To soak them you’ll either use plain warm water, vinegar water or denture cleaner and soak them overnight, brushing them clean in the morning.

Whenever you are concerned about broken, chipped or decayed teeth, there can be no better first step that making an appointment at your friendly dentist in Toronto.

Dental hygiene is vital to a person’s quality of life.   The problem with a lot of tooth problems though is that they often start slowly and painlessly and aren’t noticed until they become painful.   One of the best things that smart Canadians can do to avoid dental health issues from sneaking up, is to visit their local dentist in Toronto every six months.

If you have problem teeth you can suffer from many of the following:

• tooth sensitivity
• gum disease
• embarrassment over unhealthy looking teeth and bad breath
• difficulty and loss of the enjoyment of eating
• tooth discoloration
• tooth pain varying from mild, intermittent pain to extreme constant pain
• tooth loss

Brush and Floss

So the most important things you can do for your teeth are brushing your teeth, gums and tongue at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste or gel and rinse your mouth several times when you’re done.

Whenever you can’t brush, try to rinse your mouth after eating.

Floss your teeth regularly – many people think that if they brush well they can get away with not flossing their teeth – but this is not the case.   By not flossing your teeth, you miss cleaning a third of their surface and in the most important areas – because it’s between your teeth that food and bacteria can get trapped and cause damage.

Diet

Your professional dentist in Toronto will vouch for the fact that diet is also important in the maintenance and care of teeth.

The most obvious dietary modification you should make is to avoid consuming too much sugar.   Nowadays sugar is in most foods and drink, especially in processed foods and beverages.   The reason sugar is harmful is because when combined with oral bacteria the sugar forms a kind of acid that helps to eat away your tooth enamel – the hard substance that protects your teeth from decay.

You should especially try to avoid drinking or eating anything that contains liquid/invert sugar and sticky foods that contain sugar as these tend to have more staying power on your teeth, allowing more time to encourage tooth decay.   To find out more about which foods are harmful and which foods you can eat that help support the health of your teeth and gums ask your dentist in Toronto.