Halitosis – What Is It and What to Do About It

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young woman checking her breath with her hand

Did you know that halitosis (bad breath) is the third leading cause for people seeking dental treatment and care in the world? When it comes to their dental and oral health, people are more concerned about what causes bad breath and how to treat it than they are about almost anything else (with the noted exceptions of tooth decay and gum disease). So why are we so concerned about our breath?

 

When you wake up in the morning, before you brush your teeth, you don’t expect your breath to be the freshest. However, with good dental and oral hygiene habits, you shouldn’t have to worry about your breath smelling bad throughout the day…especially if you haven’t eaten any garlic or raw onions with your lunch. With halitosis, though, that’s not the case.

 

When you suffer from this condition, you can chew gum, pop breath mints, and be as careful as you can about your diet, but your breath can still ruin your chances at your next big interview. So what causes this bad breath, and how can you treat it?

 

Bad Breath is Usually Related to Oral Health

 

To properly treat halitosis, you must first know what’s causing it. In most cases, the underlying problem has to do with your dental and/or oral health. Tooth decay and gingivitis can cause your breath to smell rank, as can a coating of plaque, food, and/or bacteria on your tongue, as well as pieces of food stuck to your tonsils (if you still have them).

 

If you want to know what’s causing your bad breath and how to treat it, and you haven’t been to a dentist in some time, it’s time to make an appointment. Going to a reputable dentist in Burlington like the ones at Dental Health Group can help you out immensely. Your dentist can examine your mouth and determine if you have cavities or gum disease and if these things are causing or adding to your halitosis issue.

 

If this is the case, your dentist will recommend regular cleanings and will discuss your dental and oral hygiene habits with you. He or she may recommend a different mouthwash, flossing more regularly, and/or buying a new toothbrush or changing your brushing technique. If your halitosis is caused by poor dental or oral health, getting proper dental care from your dentist and maintaining good dental hygiene should fix the problem.

 

Other Causes and Treatments

 

All that said, some cases of halitosis are related to your internal problems, rather than dental health problems. If you are diabetic or pre-diabetic or if you have chronic acid reflux, your bad breath could be related to these issues. These can also affect your dental health, though, so talk to your doctor about correcting them and then visit your dentist to ensure you’re doing everything you need to keep your teeth healthy and your breath fresh.


Now that you know what causes bad breath and how to treat it, you should never have to worry about your breath ruining your day again. Visit a dentist you trust today and get your breath minty fresh.

Different Kinds of Toothpaste – So Many Options!

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When it’s time to buy a new tube of toothpaste, do you stand in the aisle at the grocery store and stare at all the options? One says it’s perfect for sensitive teeth, while another boasts that it’s packed with fluoride. Still another one claims that it can whiten your teeth by several shades in a few weeks. Which one should you choose?

Everyone is different, and everyone has different oral and dental hygiene needs. The best toothpaste for you depends entirely on those needs. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, though, toothpaste companies market their products in this order: brands, “sub-brands”, flavors, and dental benefits. They rely more on their branding than on their products’ functions to sell toothpaste, which can make it hard to choose the right one for your needs.
Fortunately, however, whatever brand you prefer, most toothpaste producers make a range of products, each of which is designed to help specific oral hygiene and dental health issues. If you know what you’re looking for, you can read past the brands and sub-brands to see which toothpaste is the best for you. Let’s take a look at a few different types of toothpaste and why you might choose one over another.

Whitening Toothpastes

If your teeth are dull or dingy-looking, but they are generally clean, you may want to consider whitening toothpastes. These products use silica, enzymes, and/or trace amounts of bleach to scrub your teeth, lift stains, and give you a whiter smile. They aren’t as effective as going to your dentist in and getting your teeth professionally whitened, but they do produce some good results if you want to brighten your smile.

Macro close up of perfect teeth.

Fluoride and Anti-Cavity Toothpastes

It’s long been known that fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel and can make your teeth more resistant to cavities. If you’ve had issues with cavities in the past, an anti-cavity toothpaste with a fluoride count of at least 1000 PPM will probably be the best choice for you.

Anti-Plaque vs. Anti-Calculus Toothpastes

Calculus (tartar) occurs when plaque is left on teeth for more than three to five days. In this time, the plaque hardens and calcifies, and it cannot be removed without dental tools. If it is not taken care of at your next regular cleaning, it can lead to tooth decay and bone loss.
With that in mind, you might think that an anti-calculus toothpaste could perform better than an anti-plaque toothpaste. After all, if you’re brushing regularly, shouldn’t any toothpaste get rid of plaque? The difference between these two is that anti-plaque toothpastes prevent plaque from building up on your teeth in the first place, thereby preventing calculus from forming; anti-calculus toothpastes claim that their zinc citrate and/or pyrophosphate content can reduce the rate at which calculus forms.
If you’re still not sure which toothpaste is right for you, talk to your dentist. Dentists like the ones at Dental Health Group in Burlington can give you good advice about the best products to keep your teeth whiter, brighter, and healthier for years to come.

Dental implants

Dental Implants – What are they and when do you need them?

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Dental Implants are, in essence, teeth replacements.

Generally speaking, if you’ve lost one or more teeth as the result of an injury or any periodontal disease, you might be in need of these implants.

Compared to partial dentures, these implanted teeth offer lasting results and are permanently screwed to your jaw. You won’t have to worry about removing them before going to bed every night. The procedure is safe, painless and can be tailor-made to suit the needs of any patient.

What Are the Procedures Involved?

Think of dental implants as personalized dental solutions. Depending upon the number of missing teeth, the presence or absence of any diseases (such as diabetes and cirrhosis), and the type of implant chosen, you can go for:

  • Single Tooth Replacement: One implant and a crown can provide replacement for a single missing tooth.
  • Multiple Teeth Replacement: If you’re missing more than one tooth (or all of them), you can opt for an implant-supported full bridge or a full denture to get a new set of shiny white teeth.
  • Sinus Augmentation: If you’re missing teeth in your upper jaw, new teeth can be difficult to implant. This is primarily due to the insufficient bone quantity in the upper jaw and its closeness to the sinus track. Through this augmentation, however, you can easily raise your sinus floor and get the best results on your implants.
  • Ridge Modification: There may be certain deformities in your upper or lower jaw that can leave you with insufficient bone to place implants. Ridge modification involves removing the deformities and correcting the bone insufficiency level by adding bone or a bone substitute to your jaw. It’s one of the most advanced dental treatments and produces the best results.

What Does Teeth Loss Lead to?

If you opt for partial dentures or do nothing at all for teeth loss, you’re likely to suffer from bone loss as well. Just like all the other organs and body parts, your bones need stimulation to stay healthy and function well. In most cases, your teeth provide that stimulus to your jaw bone and the alveolar bone.

As an adult, when you lose teeth, the lack of stimulation leads to loss of alveolar bone. Dental implants, in such cases, provide support to your jaw bone and prevent bone loss, while retaining your smile and healthy dental functions.

What Do You Get from Implants?

This treatment provides you with the following benefits:

  • Healthy and (Almost) Natural Teeth: It restores all your lost teeth and brings back that sparkling smile on your face. They’re as natural as they can get.
  • All-purpose: Dental implants are not just for showing off. They provide all the functions of normal teeth. They help you smile, speak, chew and even grit in unpleasant situations!
  • No Diseases: Cavities and other dental diseases do not occur while using implants. However, make sure you consult your dentist on a regular basis for cleaning checkups, advices and tips.
  • Long-term Results: Compared to other treatments, this treatment provides you with lasting results and saves you from bone loss.

So if you’re living in Burlington, Ontario or any of its neighboring areas (such as Oakville, Milton or Hamilton), then do pay your friendly dentists a visit and learn more on the benefits of dental implants!

Children’s Denstistry – How to Get Your Child to Like Going to the Dentist

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Taking your child to the dentist doesn’t have to mean an unpleasant experience. Showing them that going for a dental checkup can actually be fun is easier than you might think. Starting early makes a big difference. It is best that your child’s idea of going to the dentist is a relaxing, positive thing, rather than something that means being in discomfort and pain. You can accomplish this with early routine dental visits. By starting early, your child can get used to going to the dentist without having a lot of anxiety about the process. It will also establish trust between the child and the dentist early.

Even though they don’t have their permanent teeth yet, a dentist can get a good idea of how your child’s permanent teeth are growing and coming in. Addressing early issues such as bottle mouth or early cavities, for example, can help prevent these issues from extending after the first 20 baby teeth fall out and permanent teeth start to come in.

Parents can also help by educating their children about why going to the dentist is so important. There are many wonderful children’s books about the first trip to the dentist. Reading time can serve to reassure your child that going to the dentist is not only something that has to be done but can actually be fun. Explaining what will be happening during reading time help them to feel less anxious. It’s best to focus on how the dentist will help their teeth, rather than telling them about what can go wrong with their teeth if they don’t go.

To make the first visits as non-threating as possible the decor and the overall feel of the office will be geared toward making children feel comfortable. Dentists also use tricks like offering movies to watch or giving them a video game to play that they can look at on the ceiling while they are examined. These kinds of distractions can take their minds off of something that they might have been nervous about. Finally, most dentists also offer some sort of prize or treat for a visit to further establish trust and help your child enjoy their visit.

Why Get Cosmetic Dentistry?

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If you regularly head to your dentist for checkups — you do come in for checkups once a year, right? — you’re already well aware that your dentists and dental hygienists wear many hats. But both can do much more than simply keeping your teeth in working order, whether that means cleaning them, filling cavities or doing major surgery. In fact, the dentists at DHG are seasoned experts when it comes to giving you a smile you won’t be able to stop flashing around to everyone you see. It’s called cosmetic dentistry, and it can truly make a big difference in your life. Let’s take a look at just what cosmetic dentistry is, who it’s for, and why you might want to ask your dentist to put together a plan for you. Read more →