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Do You Have Xerostomia? | Ottawa Dentist

Have you ever heard of the medical condition xerostomia? Dry mouth is a condition that may be a side effect of various medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth. But this isn’t the only symptom. It can also cause bad breath. Below are five easy ways to keep your breath fresh all day:

Stay hydrated. If you can’t brush your teeth after a meal, drinking a lot of water can help speed up the process of cleaning harmful bacteria and debris from between your teeth, by rinsing your mouth out as well. Drinking milk can even help deodorize some offensive breath odors.

Keep drinking a cup of joe to a minimum. It may be tasty, but coffee is a tough smell to get off the back of your tongue. If you feel like you can’t function without it, don’t quit completely. Instead, keep the intake to a minimum and have a toothbrush or sugar-free gum handy for afterwards.

Stave off tobacco products. Cigarettes, pipes, and snuff can not only make you more susceptible to health issues, but smoking gives people horrible breath. Keeping them out of your life will have multiple benefits.

Cut back on alcohol. Alcohol can lead to a dry mouth. Too much beer, wine, and hard liquor can make your breath smell less than fresh for up to eight to 10 hours after you finish drinking.

Chew sugarless gum. Wait for a good half hour after a meal before popping in a piece of sugarless gum. It can help with saliva flow, cleaning cavity-forming bacteria from your mouth before they can do any damage. Gum that’s 100% xylitol-sweetened can help reduce cavities, so feel free to indulge in this sweet treat after a good meal.

For more information about xerostomia, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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‘Tis the Season for Pictures with Santa | Ottawa Dentist

Ask any tiny human their favorite time of year and chances are you will likely hear that it’s Christmas. And what’s more fun than taking your little one to have a photo taken with Santa? Yes, this is a magical season destined for loads of tiny smiles. Not only do they get lots of presents from Santa and no school in sight, but everywhere they go there is another delicious treat waiting for them to eat. Between the cakes and sweets, the holiday season is a child’s dream. What isn’t dreamlike is a parent trying to keep their little one from ruining their smile during the holiday festivities. In fact, it can be downright tough to keep a smile on their child’s face while keeping that smile healthy. But a healthy smile starts with a good foundation. Here are some tips to start your little one off on the right foot:

Daily routines. Repetition is the best way to start a good habit, so make sure your child brushes their teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Supervisor their work until they can thoroughly do it themselves. Once teeth coming in begin to touch, introduce flossing.

First dental visit. The AAPD suggests baby’s first dental visit occur when their first tooth comes in, or around the age of one. Keeping them on a six-month dental schedule will not only ensure they keep a healthy smile but will also help prevent dental anxiety as they grow.

You are what you eat. We can instill all the dental knowledge we can, but if you have a bad diet, it won’t help. Same goes for your little one. Keep things in moderation. Limit the sugary snacks, cooked starches and sweetened drinks. 

For more information about holiday dental tips for kids, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants | Ottawa Dentist

When it comes to our teeth, it’s pretty safe to say, we aren’t all that familiar with things. We know to brush and floss daily to avoid cavities, but if something cosmetic is necessary, we are generally in the dark. That’s what dentists are for, right? What is a dental implant is, what does it do? Today, we answer your questions about this very versatile dental option.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are natural-looking and feeling and under proper conditions, such as placement by a diligent patient maintenance, implants can last a lifetime.

What do dental implants do?

  • Replace one or more teeth
  • Support a bridge and reduce the need for a partial denture.
  • Provide support for a denture, making it more secure and comfortable

There are two types of dental implants available:

Endosteal (in the bone): Most commonly used type of implant includes screws, cylinders or blades surgically placed into the jawbone.

Subperiosteal (on the bone): These are placed on top of the jaw with metal framework.

Esthetically, dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often happen with bridgework and dentures.

Neighboring teeth are not changed to support the implant as with a bridge. More of your own teeth are left untouched, a significant long-term benefit to your oral health. They are considered an excellent option for tooth replacement.

Dental implants are secure. You don’t have to worry when speaking or eating, and there’s no messy pastes and glue. You will go about your daily routine with confidence and comfort.

For more information about dental implants, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Is Gum Contouring Right for You? | Ottawa Dentist

We all desire an exceptional smile. In a world where a camera is readily available, we try to look our best at a moment’s notice. That said, having a great smile is key. And when our patients think of a perfect smile, they focus on bright, white, straight teeth. However, many patients realize that there’s another component as well: great looking gums.

Some patients may have gums that are too high, and others have gums that are too low. The causes vary – genetics plays a part, but certain prescription drugs can cause gums that cover more of your teeth than normal, and activities such as smoking can cause gum recession, causing your teeth to look longer than expected.

Gum contouring is typically considered a cosmetic procedure – most insurance plans do not consider it medically necessary and will not cover the costs. However, it is available from many dental and periodontal offices. For severe cases of gum recession, exposed tooth roots can cause gum contouring to be considered a medical necessity, as the receding tissue can contribute to long term problems such as tooth decay and tooth loss.

The procedure can be done with traditional surgical techniques or lasers – ask your dentist to determine which they recommend. In many cases, local anesthesia is sufficient, though general anesthesia may be considered for larger procedures. The recovery is typically straightforward – there is some bleeding and swelling expected, but generally the soreness will subside within a week.

At the end of the procedure, the patient can look forward to a gum line that is both healthy and cosmetically appealing.

For more information about gum contouring, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Back on the Grind with Your Smile | Ottawa Dentist

For many of us, grinding our teeth is a common habit we have during certain times of stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, grinding your teeth can begin to cause issues with your dental health. After all, dental wear on tear is very similar to a car’s tires. They don’t last forever if you don’t look after them. Bruxism is the excessive grinding of the teeth and/or excessive clenching of the jaw, generally while you sleep.

The problem is that many people don’t know they are grinding their teeth because they are sleeping. However, a dull, constant headache or sore jaw is a telltale symptom of bruxism. But many times, people learn that they grind their teeth by their loved one who hears the grinding at night. You dentist can also examine your jaw and abnormalities with your teeth.

So, why grinding your teeth harmful? In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in a fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. The chronic grinding may wear their teeth down to stumps. When these events happen, bridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed.

Not only can severe grinding damage teeth and result in tooth loss, it can also affect your jaws, result in hearing loss, cause or worsen TMD/TMJ, and even change the appearance of your face.

Don’t worry – there are ways to remedy your bruxism. For some, all it takes is a mouth guard while your sleep. For others, it may be fixed with meditation or a new sleep routine. If you have symptoms of bruxism, or if you are told that you grind your teeth while you sleep, contact your dental professional for a consultation.

For more information about bruxism, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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What to Know About a Smile Makeover | Ottawa Dentist

They say that first impressions are most important, and for many of these impressions, it begins with a smile. However, like most people, you’ve likely dreamt of having a better-looking smile – one that is straighter, and preferably, whiter. A smile that brightens a room!

So, how do we get this elusive Hollywood smile? It’s known as a smile makeover.

A smile makeover is a process whose main goal is to improve the appearance of the smile through a combination of various cosmetic dentistry treatments or procedures. The list of treatments includes, but are not limited to, dental veneers, composite bonding, tooth implants and teeth whitening. More than being a cosmetic procedure, though, a smile makeover carries a lot of functional and health benefits as well.

For example, those with malocclusions may find it hard to brush and floss their teeth, making them prone to tooth decay and gum disease. Correcting malocclusions through orthodontics can help solve that problem, as well as the other possible complications that come with malocclusion, such as speech impediments, accidental chipping and so on.

Cosmetic dental treatments alone are expensive enough, which makes it safe to say that a series of such treatments is bound to cost a lot – something that happens in a smile makeover. In fact, it would not come off as a surprise for patients to spend well over thousands of dollars just to get the smile they’ve always wanted.

Yes, a smile makeover is expensive, but as long as you see your smile as something that you’ll own and wear for the rest of your life, it should be easier for you to decide whether it is a worthy investment or not.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Why You Should Get Your Teeth Cleaned Regularly | Ottawa Dentist

Do you visit the dentist twice a year for a checkup and cleaning? Are you dodging the dentist all the time? If you knew just what is going on inside your mouth, keeping your appointments would be a necessity. Sure, we have a great dental hygiene routine, but that isn’t enough. Here are five reasons to reconsider evading the dentist’s chair:

Oral cancer prevention. Or, at the very least, early detection. Just like any form of cancer, your survival rate increases dramatically the sooner it is diagnosed. If you frequently drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, then it’s even more important to have your mouth checked every six months for signs of oral cancer.

Dental infections. Healthy mouths do not and never will bleed when flossing or brushing. Bleeding teeth and gums are one of the earliest signs of gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss and other complications if not treated early.

No more bad breath. If you find that your breath stinks regularly, sometimes to the point that it affects your sense of taste, that’s a telltale sign of an oral infection, something that only your dentist can treat.

Lowered risk for dental problems. Although dentists recommend paying them a visit every six months to lower one’s risk for dental problems, some people actually need to have their teeth cleaned much more often.

Keeping your teeth white and healthy. The first thing we notice upon meeting someone new is their smile. By visiting the dentist regularly, you can keep your teeth looking shiny and healthy, allowing you to smile freely without being self-conscious, giving your self-esteem, and your day-to-day life, a much-needed boost.

Schedule your appointment today. Call Dr. Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.urbandentalcentre.com.

Dr. Katia Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Keeping Your Smile as Bright as Possible Between Whitening Treatments | Ottawa Dentist

Do you find that your teeth continue to yellow, despite all of your daily hygienic efforts? You are not alone. There are millions of people suffering from the same problem. And it has nothing to do with your dental habits. This happens because the outer layers of your teeth get stained over the years by consumption of beverages with caffeine, soda, wine and smoking. When these outside sources of staining are left to sit on the teeth all day until your next brushing, the dentin on your teeth becomes yellowish or darkened. The best way to help your stained discolored teeth is professional tooth whitening.

There are some of the various ways our teeth begin to get a yellow tinge. If you find that yours are caused by medications, address this with your physician. But many lifestyle habits we have are causes to stain our teeth over time:

  • Caffeine
  • Discoloration due to a health condition
  • Excessive exposure to fluoride as a child
  • Internal bleeding due to trauma
  • Natural aging- as time goes by enamel gets thinner and thinner and will get a yellowish hue
  • Smoking
  • Soda
  • Tetracycline based antibiotics used before the age of 8 years old
  • Wine

It is best to consult your dental professional for advice on keeping your teeth white, especially after a professional whitening treatment. After all, you want your bright smile to last as long as possible. Here are some simple rules to live by to try and slow the yellowing process:

  • Visit your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings
  • Rinse your mouth out with water several times throughout the day
  • Use toothpaste with whitening agents

For more information about teeth whitening, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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What Is a Cosmetic Dentist? | Ottawa Dentist

When you hear the word cosmetic dentist, what do you think differentiates them from a general dentist? What makes them different, in particular, is just how they pay attention to the maintenance and improvement of the natural beauty of the smile of their patients.

Say you need a filling – a general dentist may recommend a metal composite restoration method because it’s been around for centuries already. However, most cosmetic dentists disagree with this.

For cosmetic dentists, porcelain is their material of choice when it comes to repairing any type of damage to their patient’s teeth because they’re malleable, easy to use, safe and most important of all, aesthetically pleasing.

Cosmetic dentists, unlike general dentists, make it their job to protect both the structural integrity and aesthetics of their patient’s smile. And, while elective, there are many cases where the treatments offered by cosmetic dentists provide much better restorative benefits compared to conventional methods, such as:

Correction of physical flaws. The procedures preferred by cosmetic dentists can help conceal, as well as correct plenty of dental problems, from misshapen teeth, chips, cracks, unsightly gaps and stains, and so on.

Improved self-esteem. Many agree that the one thing that stops you from smiling is a flawed smile. Cosmetic dentists can help fix that for you so that you can smile away all you want and be prouder of the way you look, giving your self-esteem a much-needed boost.

Future damage prevention. While most of the procedures are designed to help make teeth look beautiful, they can also affect it positively in other ways. Bonding can help improve the structural integrity of the teeth. By covering up hairline fractures or worn edges will not only improve their appearance but prevent further damage.

For more information about cosmetic dentistry procedures, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Do You Need a Cosmetic Dental Procedure? | Ottawa Dentist

On the quest for the ideal smile, there are many paths to take. Because smiles are like snowflakes – no two smiles are alike. This is how we know that your perfect smile is attainable, it may just take some time. So, if you are ready to take the next step towards a pristine pucker, it’s time to visit your dental professional to discuss a treatment plan. Here are some of the more common procedures:

  • Composite white fillings repair cavities without having silver filling in the mouth. Existing metal fillings can be replaced with modern white resin.
  • Bonding uses composite resin to help change the size, shape, or color of teeth. Because it attaches to teeth in the same way that composite fillings attach, bonding can be used to fix chips on visible front teeth.
  • Teeth that are discolored or stained can be whitened – either in the office or using take-home trays.
  • Veneers – a thin layer of porcelain on top of the tooth – can be used to change tooth shape, size, or color
  • Crowns can be used as a cap on top of teeth damaged by cracks or decay
  • Orthodontics – either traditional or Invisalign – can be used to permanently straighten teeth.
  • Gum tissue can be surgically altered – either added via grafts to help with recession, or removed to create a more appealing tooth length
  • For missing, broken, or severely damaged teeth, full implants can be used to provide a replacement tooth

Because modern dentists have implants as a final catchall, virtually any problem – even major problems involving multiple missing teeth – can be solved given enough time and room in the patient’s budget. However, your dentist will be able to guide you through the process by explaining the procedure’s pros and cons.

For more information about cosmetic dentistry procedures, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.