Reasons People Don't go to the Dentist

The reasons people gave on why they haven't been to a Dentist in over three years:

1. Didn't think it was necessary ~35%
2. Cost ~18%
3. Haven't gotten around to it ~11%
4. Fear ~7%

(values are my approximation of the chart data)

Source: Papadopoulos C, The Latest on Dental Consultations in Canada, JCDA June 2007, Vol 73, No 5, p 391.

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

Dental Did You Know: Contact Rate with Dental Professionals

The contact rate with dental professionals (once in a 12 month period) for all Canadians 12 years and older was 63.7% in 2005. The 12-19 year old age group had the highest dental consultation rate at 78.6%, while the lowest was the 75 year and older group (40.8%). People from Ontario see their dentist the most frequently at an 85% rate.

Source: Papadopoulos C, The Latest on Dental Consultations in Canada, JCDA June 2007, Vol 73, No 5, p 391.


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

Counterfeit Toothpaste: Read the Label

In the category of "always read the label". There has been an epidemic of fake toothpaste around the world containing harmful chemicals. As a rule, always try to buy from a reputable supplier or major chain and look at the packaging. Virtually all major brands of toothpaste sold in Canada are made here or the US and are packaged with english and french labels (without spelling errors on the package i.e. Colgate becomes Coigate).

The Globe and Mail had an excellent article on this, here's the teaser quote:

Health Canada is investigating suspected counterfeit toothpaste found in Southern Ontario that is similar to a product at the centre of a health recall throughout the United States because of fears it contains an ingredient used in antifreeze.

Steve Janke, 40, bought a tube of what purports to be Colgate brand toothpaste labelled as being manufactured in South Africa from a dollar store in Guelph, Ont.

The packaging was missing the French translation found on most Canadian products and the 100-millilitre tube was labelled as being manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive (PTY) Ltd. [CL-N] in South Africa.

You can read the rest of the article here: Tainted toothpaste sparks probe

Source: Globe and Mail Online, June 19, 2007
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070619.wcolgate19/BNStory/National/home

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

The Tavistock Dental Health Group

Just wanted to throw a few pics online of the practice where I started working at after I graduated in 2002 (and the model of dental care that I use for my own practice in Mississauga.) The first pic is of the building and the second are the two great dental assistants that work with me: Megan and Sue.

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

Dental Did You Know: Second-Hand Smoking and Death

In Canada, more than 1000 non-smokers die from as a result of second-hand smoke.

Source: CTI Update, Ontario Dentist, June 2007, Vol 84, No 5, pg 36.

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

Dental Did You Know: Red Wine and Healthier Gums

Compounds in red wine called polyphenols which possess anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, may also have an effect on inflammatory periodontal (gum) disease. They work in part by scavenging free-radicals produced by immune cells in response to bacteria.

Source: Sevels I, Ontario Dentist, June 2007, Vol 84, No 5, pg 18-19.

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

Dental did you know: Milk and Teeth

Enhancing milk with fluoride reduced the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in a 21 month long study. Milk itself contributes to enamel remineralization (healing), prevents bacteria from attaching to teeth and forming biofilms.

Source: Sevels I, Ontario Dentist, June 2007, Vol 84, No 5, pg 18-19.

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

The Do it Yourself Dentist

Found this nice article on some of the ways you can deal with a few common problems in the mouth. However, you should always contact your dentist for further advice. Here's the teaser quote: 7 maladies of the mouth and how to treat them — yourself.


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

UWO Dental School Receives 1.2 million from the Ontario Government

It's always good to see a news story about the government funding our dental schools. Dentistry is one of the most expensive professions for a university to fund and teach due to the massive infrastructure needed for dental operatories.

Source: Western News, University of Western Ontario

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

Nice Dental Article: Getting Young Kids to Brush

I found a nice article online on getting young kids to brush their teeth from www.canadianparents.ca. Here's the teaser quote:

Dear Mr. Dad: Our five-year old refuses to brush his teeth-almost every night my wife and I end up screaming at him (and each other) and he ends up in tears. We're thinking about bagging the whole idea. Does he really need to be brushing his teeth at this age? If so, what can we do to make the process a little less miserable for all of us (and our neighbors, who probably think we're torturing our son)?

You can read the rest of the article here: Getting Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

Source: http://www.canadianparents.ca/CPO/SchoolAged/HealthWellness/2007/05/24/4205089.html

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

Cool Dental Website: Evidentista

Evidentista is a nice evidence based dental site helping practitioners access the latest information in the scientific literature on common clinical questions. The webiste has 2 lay individuals review the evidence while 2 oral health professionals provide a subsequent review.

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

Dental Did You Know: Mouthrinses, Plaque and Gum Disease

Initial studies have shown that over the counter anti-plaque rinses are not much more effective against plaque and gum disease than rinsing with water.

Source: AGD Impact, Factsheet, April 2007, p 51.

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

Periodontal Disease and Tongue Cancer

Hi everyone,

I saw this breaking story on gum disease and tongue cancer over the newswires. I decided to quote the Globe and Mail: Chronic gum disease linked to risk of tongue cancer

If the risk of losing all your teeth to gum disease isn't incentive enough, researchers have found another preventative reason to brush and floss religiously — tongue cancer.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo and Roswell Park Cancer Institute say they have found a possible link between long-standing periodontitis, or gum disease, and the risk of developing tongue cancer.

The study, published in the May issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology, found the risk of tongue cancer due to chronic periodontal disease increased fivefold with every millimetre of lost alveolar bone — the bone in the jaw that holds teeth in place.

... After adjusting for potential effects of age, smoking status and the number of existing teeth, researchers found that the men with chronic gum disease were 5.2 times (my emphasis) more likely to have tongue cancer with every millimetre of bone loss than those without gum disease.

Yikes! Yet another reason to keep great oral hygiene and regular visits to your dental office.

Take care,


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

Happy Victoria Day!

Hi everyone,

Happy Victoria Day (for Canadians)! Have a great long weekend! The office is closed today and will be closed as usual on Tuesday. Jodie will be back to work on Wednesday fielding your calls. For any emergencies, give the office a call to leave a message (or to get my emergency number), or visit our website to get emergency dental tips.

Take care,

Hans.

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

Dental Did You Know: Risks of HIV Transmission to Healthcare Workers

The risk of HIV transmission from infected patients is very low. Approximately 3 out of every 1000 cases (0.3%) in which a needle stick or other sharp instrument transmitted blood from infected patients to health care workers resulted in HIV transmission.

Source: Little J and Rhodus N, HIV and AIDS: Update for Dentistry, General Dentistry, May-June 2007, Vol 55, No 3, pg 184-196.

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

Cool Dental Site: Dental-Professional.ca

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to put up a link to a nice site for dental professionals (by Glaxo SK- makers of Sensodyne and other products). It has good information about their products and some patient friendly tools. However, as a company based site, it is natural that they will have a bias toward their products.

Take care


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

Botox for Bruxism?

Saw this in an issue of Chatelaine Magazine (March 2007, p 46). People with severe TMJ pain (the discomfort may extend to earaches, headaches, tooth pain, and facial/neck pain) may be able to get some relief by receiving Botox injections. However, multiple treatments may be required (at $400 a shot) and there may be side effects. My current recommendation is to stay with stress relief and the fabrication of a custom mouthguard if your case is mild to moderate.

Here's the teaser quote:

In the same way it paralyzes the muscles that cause wrinkles, Botox relaxes the tight, inflamed muscles around the jaw joint....patients usually see results in 2 to 3 weeks. Some people find long term relief after one session, while others need 2-3 sessions and then an injection every 3-6 months. The side effects can be...flu like symptoms for a day or two or some weakness in the face.

Take care

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

Dental Did you Know: Dental Attrition

Dental Attrition: the normal physiological wear of teeth from chewing and tooth-to-tooth contact, without any foreign substances intervening. The degree of attrition is usually associated with age.

Source: Asa R, AGD Impact, April 2007, V35, No 4, pg 54-58

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

Cool Dental Site: Acid Erosion

Glaxo has put out a nice site (in the UK) explaining the causes of acid erosion. There is a multimedia explanation of the current research as well as an opportunity to get a CD-ROM with the data. Well worth the visit.

Take care

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

Dental Did You Know: Smokeless Tobacco

Smokeless tobacco has over 3000 chemicals including 28 known carcinogens.

Source: Prevention Source BC Website: www.preventionsource.org

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