Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dental Did You Know: The Increasing Rate of Caries (Cavities) in Children

The prevalence of dental decay in the United States (and presumably in Canada) in children aged 2-5 has increased 15.2% according to recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors that influence this rate include:

  1. Active dental caries in the primary caregiver
  2. Socioeconomic status  
  3. Dental IQ  
  4. Medical history 
  5. Dietary habits

Source: Cohn C, Why Does My Child Get So Many Cavities? What Can I Do About It?, Oral Health, January 2012, Vol 102, No 1, pg 46-53.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Here we grow again: New Hygienist!

We welcome Joni Nauss to our family practice. Joni has an easy going personality and has a style quite similar to our other hygienists. She will mostly work on Thursdays and Saturdays for us.



Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Dental Did You Know: Warfarin

Warfarin, a vitamin K antagonist has been an effective oral anti-coagulant for over 50 years. It was discovered in 1945 as a result of research at the University of Wisconsin looking into a pesticide for mice and rats. (Patients may need additional management involving certain dental procedures such as extractions)

Source: Feferman I, Healthline: End of an Era (Warfarin), Ontario Dentist, Dec 2011, Vol 88, No 10, pg 16-17.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Saw this infographic from Carrington College's Dental Assisting Program in California. I'm not sure I agree with the personality aspects of this graphic, but it's interesting to note what is out there in terms of information.


Source: http://carrington.edu/cccblog/programs/dental-assisting/teeth-and-your-personality/

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Happy New Year! Some Dental Resolutions for the New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone! May it be happy, healthy and prosperous!

Just wanted to give some dental resolutions that could be implemented with a little effort to ensure a great smile for the New Year:

  1. Brush 2 minutes twice a day...yes, I said 2 minutes (not 1 minute or 30 seconds or once a day). It really does take that long to clean the majority of surfaces your mouth decently.
  2. Floss...yes, I know you tend to do it before dental appointments. However, 40% of your teeth are not being cleaned if you don't do it and a substantial percentage of cavities start in those areas
  3. Clean your tongue. I would say 95% of patients don't do this. A couple of quick swipes on the tongue is usually enough.
  4. Reduce your intake of candies/sweets: it will reduce the incidence of cavities, improve your blood sugar and weight.
  5. Drink more water. In moderation, this a great thing, especially after staining drinks like coffee, tea and wine. Want to reduce all that coffee/tea stain between hygiene appointments? Take a sip or two of water after you finish your drink.
  6. Regular maintenance appointments. Seeing your Doc/Hygienist for a checkup and scaling is truly the dental version of the oil change. Prevention is always the best option.
  7. Get things fixed while they are small (don't procrastinate). Dentistry seemingly operates on an exponential cost scale as things get more involved and complex. Getting a restoration that costs a couple of hundred dollars (and is usually covered by insurance) is much better for you and your pocketbook than letting it turn into a multi-thousand dollar root canal/core/crown or implant
Again, all the best for the New Year! :) We will be back to normal operations on Wednesday Jan 4.


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100