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Oral Care Accessories to Enhance Your Smile At Home | Ottawa Dentist

woman brushing teeth

In the ever-evolving technological age, there are a number of ways you can enhance the hygiene and aesthetic of your smile. There are also a number of gadgets on the market specifically designed to fill whatever gaps you feel are present as you strive to enhance your smile. These means essentially fall into two categories; hygienic and aesthetic. Of course, a well-rounded oral care routine is the first step towards attaining the smile you want, but if your hygiene is quite good, and you still aren’t seeing the results you want, these care additions may do the trick.

Hygienic

Electric Toothbrushes: Do you even complete your two-minute scrub and think “my teeth don’t feel very clean”? It may be because the traditional toothbrush just isn’t cutting it anymore. Electric toothbrushes have gained popularity because they are designed to provide brush strokes that work to give you a better clean in the same amount of time. It can go a long way to providing the basic care your teeth need.

Flossers: There are so many ways to floss available for your choosing. Traditional waxed or unwaxed threads are no longer the only option. Water flossers and plush threads are great alternatives (if not better alternatives) to the floss we commonly associate with.

Tongue Scraper: While there is no definitive rule that these need to be employed in your care routine, the benefit of incorporating one is the added removal of potentially harmful bacteria. Tongue scraping removes the same bacteria that feed on the sugars left between the teeth after a meal from the surface of the tongue, improving overall hygiene.

Aesthetic

At-Home Aligners: At-home aligners are an easy, effective means of straightening out your teeth for an enhanced aesthetic. While they aren’t meant for everyone, and you should speak with your dentist prior to incorporating at-home aligners into your oral care practices, they can gently move your teeth into their proper position and enhance your smile.

Whitening Trays: These work similarly to the teeth aligners mentioned above. Instead of working to straighten your teeth however, you simply mold the trey to your teeth, brush on the included whitening solution to the inside of the tray and allow it to rest on your teeth for the prescribed amount of time. Kits are easily accessible and when done properly can make your smile up to a few shades whiter.

UV Light: This is another means of enhancing the color and brightness of your teeth. Typically, when you employ a UV light, you first brush on the whitening solution and allow the light to rest on that set of teeth for a number of minutes. The solution and the light combination works to enhance your smile and can potentially do so up to a few shades whiter.

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

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

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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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A New Parent’s Guide to Pediatric Dental Hygiene | Ottawa Dentist

Many parents believe that the best time to establish good dental hygiene habits is right when their child’s first tooth appears. In actuality, the best time to start taking care of your child’s teeth is the moment that your child is born. Because even without teeth, bacteria can and will build up. And as more teeth come in, and fall out to make room for permanent ones, the dental hygiene routine will change. Here is a quick rundown of ways to care for your tiny human’s teeth from birth to the first dental visit:

After each feeding, wipe your baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth to remove excess milk and bacteria. Once your child’s teeth develop and break through the gums, it’s time to start brushing twice a day. Very similar to the way we brush our teeth but use a soft children’s toothbrush and baby toothpaste until they reach preschool-age, when the amount of toothpaste increases to the size of a pea. Little humans have a tendency to swallow the toothpaste, instead of spitting it out.

As they begin to eat, realize that they are going to love anything with sugar, so try to keep their favorites to something special. And since good habits start at home, start teaching your family good dental hygiene habits.

When it comes to baby’s first dental visit, parents should take their children as soon as their first tooth pops out, but no longer than the child’s first birthday. Doing this makes it easier for the dentist to look for any early signs and symptoms of problems with the child’s teeth and teach you important information about your child’s diet, the use of the right bottles, brushing, etc.

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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Wrapping Up the Summer with a Healthy Snack | Ottawa Dentist

Now that we are wrapping up the warm summer months, we need to begin to swap out our frozen snacks for a warmer one. The kiddies are back to school; you send them with an apple for the teacher. The leaves change from bright, vivid greens to more rust-like, “apple-y” colorations. It going to get chilly so it’s time to break out the cinnamon sticks for our apple cider.

Apples aren’t only a fruit used to sweet talk the teachers or keep away the doctors. They also help keep our smiles strong and bright. Apples are naturally full of vitamins A and C, key to keeping our gums nice and healthy. There is also a small amount of acid in the apple that acts as an astringent on your teeth when you bite into it. Just make sure to keep the peel on the apple. It needs the crunchiness of the skin to help clean your teeth. And that is why they are also known as nature’s toothbrush.

If you feel like snacking but don’t want an apple, you are just bored. An apple is an ideal snack. The fiber makes me fuller than something bad and will have less sugar (and calories) than some typical junk food.

Just because the apple is now our favorite go-to snack, please remember that these sweet fruits do have sugar content, so be sure to brush afterwards to make sure you get rid of the loosened plaque left behind by your apple. If you don’t have a toothbrush handy, do a quick rinse with some water. The more your mouth is rinsed, the less chance that plaque can become re-attached to your teeth.

For more information about healthy snack options, 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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Pediatric Dental Care for New Parents | Ottawa Dentist

Many parents believe that the best time to establish good dental hygiene habits is right when their child’s first tooth appears. In actuality, the best time to start taking care of your child’s teeth is the moment that your child is born. Because even without teeth, bacteria can and will build up. To prevent this from happening, the routine is simple – wipe your baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth after every feeding. Once your child’s teeth develop and break through the gums, it’s time to start brushing. Do it twice a day. Use a soft children’s toothbrush and minimal to non-fluoride toothpaste. As they reach preschool-age, feel free to start using fluoride toothpaste. But remember – too much fluoride toothpaste can leave permanent stains on the teeth.

We all know kids love sugar – try to keep their favorites as something special, not something expected. But that’s not all; there are other circumstances, like being born with low birth weight or premature, ongoing treatment for any special health care needs, brown areas and white spots on the teeth and infrequent trips to the dentist can all lead to the development of cavities.

To stop this from happening, start teaching your family good dental hygiene habits. Everyone needs to be involved in order to get the habit to stick. Other family members can pass on cavity-causing bacteria to both children and babies, so every family member has to make an effort to take care of their teeth properly.

When it comes to baby’s first dental visit, most dental practitioners agree that parents should take their children in for an appointment as soon as their first tooth pops out, but no longer than the child’s first birthday.

For more information about pediatric dental care, 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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The ABCs of Dental Emergencies | Ottawa Dentist

We all need to visit the dentist twice a year, but oftentimes your teeth don’t want to wait that long. These are what we call dental emergencies. Some require immediate treatment – others can wait for a scheduled appointment. Here’s some guidelines to help you know the difference:

If a tooth is knocked out completely, immediate care is required to save it. It’s possible that the tooth can be re-implanted if you get to the dentist within an hour or so. Rinse the tooth with water, and don’t touch the root. 

If you chip or break a tooth, call your dentist – they’ll likely ask you to visit the office in the coming days for inspection. It’s difficult to know the extent of the damage without x-rays and proper checkup, so even if you feel it’s minor, be sure to call your dentist for advice.

If the tooth is pushed inward or outward, GENTLY try to straighten it but do not try to force it into its socket, and call your dentist. If possible, stabilize the tooth with gauze or tissue on your way to the dentist.

If you’re experiencing a severe toothache, brush your teeth, and then rinse with warm salt water. If you’re experiencing swelling, you may have relief with a cold compress, and a pain reliever. It’s likely not an emergency, but you should have the tooth checked as soon as possible.

We can’t always avoid physical injury, but your dentist can help treat injuries as they happen. Try to stay calm, then call the dentist – they’ll provide the best possible care.

For more information about dental emergencies, 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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DIY Health Tips Using Essential Oils | Ottawa Dentist

While we are still struggling through this pandemic, it is important to have a good night’s sleep. It’s also nice to have a few natural remedies for ailments on hand while waiting for doctor appointments. One of the latest trends is essential oils. If you are suffering from sleep apnea, it is important that you seek medical advice, but here are the various ways you can use essential oils to relieve your sleep apnea symptoms:

  • Rubbing the oil into the heels of the feet
  • Rubbing the oil into your chest, neck or under your nostrils
  • Diluting the oil in a glass of water as a gargle mixture
  • Diluting the oil in a spray mixture
  • Using a diffuser near your bed—if you own a diffuser this a great solution as you can inhale the oil over longer periods.

There are a multitude of natural remedies that individuals who suffer from snoring or sleep apnea can use. In most mild cases, these following techniques can help or relieve this sleep disorder:

Valerian root. An herb used for calming and sedating properties, valerian is shown to be useful for insomnia and chronic sleep disorders.

Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted from the brain’s pineal gland. The gland regulates a person’s biological clock, particularly day and night cycles.

Kampo extract. Kampo is a concoction consisting of five medicinal herbs: Pinella, Hoelen, Magnolia bark, Perilla, and Ginger.

Vervain. Vervain is oftentimes used to relieve anxiety and depression. It has been shown to improve mild sleep apnea symptoms.

If you’re snoring or your sleep apnea gets worse and starts effecting your daily life, it’s time to make a dental appointment to evaluate your case.

For more information about essential oils, 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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Dental Emergency 101: Chipped Tooth Edition | Ottawa Dentist

We all know that accidents can’t be prevented. They spring up out of nowhere and all we have is to pivot in order to avoid any undue pain. But when it comes to our teeth, there is little more frustrating than chipping a tooth. It is just one of those accidents that happen and until it’s fixed, totally bums you out. Perhaps you it was an injury or maybe bit into that hard candy at a weird angle. Regardless of the reason, it’s time to visit the dentist.

When you chip a tooth, it is important to see your dentist right away because you could risk more damage to the tooth or even lose it entirely. A broken tooth will also be exposed to things that can cause more issues, like bacteria.

Luckily, your dentist will generally repair minor chips with a dental bonding. For larger chips, could lead to structure loss in the tooth and a more complicated remedy may be required, such as a root canal or crown.

When a cracked tooth goes unchecked, you’re opening your mouth up to the risk of developing an abscess. What is an abscess? Well, when a break (or cavity) in a tooth exposes a nerve, the nerve then eventually dies and causes the cells inside of the tissue to die and release their contents. This creates a backup of gases and purulent exudate, something you may also know as pus. Left untreated this could lead to the loss of the tooth in its entirety, not to mention severe pain, cost and time off from work.

A chipped or broken tooth may not hurt but it can potentially be a big problem. Always have your dentist inspect a fractured tooth.

For more information about dental emergencies, 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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Can Halloween Be Good for Your Dental Health? | Ottawa Dentist

We all know that Halloween is a tough one on the teeth when it comes to all of the candy consumption. But did you know Halloween can actually have some health benefits? You may carve your pumpkin with a crooked grin, but it can work wonders on your own.

One cup of cooked pumpkin has 1.8g of protein, barely any (0.2g) of fat, and 12 g of carbohydrate. You will also get huge chunks of Vitamins A and C, and also Vitamin E, riboflavin, potassium, copper, manganese, thiamin, B6, folate and niacin, along with iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.

But that’s not all – not only is eating pumpkin great for you but snacking on the seeds themselves are is fantastic too! These tasty seeds not only give your system lots of fiber (there’s more than 5g in 1oz of pumpkin seeds), but you also get protein and calcium. So, how does it benefit your smile? Here are just a few:

Zinc. A study that tracked toothpaste usage with 0.5% zinc citrate found participants suffered from less bleeding gums.

Iron. Iron, which is found in pumpkin seeds, keeps your tongue healthy, so snacking will keep your mouth nice and healthy.

Magnesium. In order to take care of your tooth enamel, Magnesium works with calcium to create a hard enamel that resists tooth decay.

Vitamin A. Key to healing, Vitamin A is helpful for damaged gums, and a cup of pumpkin gives you all the Vitamin A you need in a day.

And while we all know this is pumpkin spice season, flavorings and spices don’t have the health benefits of actual pumpkin.

For more information about the benefits of Halloween, 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.