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The Effects of Autumn on Sensitive Teeth | Ottawa Dentist

Here we are – preparing ourselves for another autumn season. We swap out popsicles and lemonade for pumpkin bread and hot cocoa. For most of us, this is a welcomed treat as the weather begins to cool down. For others, this is a painful time of year for our mouths because of one reason – sensitive teeth. If you notice a painful zing in your mouth when you eat or drink anything cold or hot, you likely have sensitive teeth.

There are many reasons one could have teeth sensitivity, but it’s generally wear and tear that causes your gums to pull back, making your teeth sensitive. Tooth decay, gingivitis, and plaque buildup are various dental issues that make consuming hot or cold foods difficult. It isn’t what about the choice that you need to worry about – enjoy your favorite autumnal treats. It is the change of temperature in your choices that makes your teeth react.

Damaged teeth or worn teeth due to teeth grinding are also ways teeth can become sensitive. The sooner you fix these issues, the less likely there will be more damage caused because of the neglect. Use a mouth guard while you sleep to keep your teeth from wearing down. If you use teeth whitening products often, the chemicals can begin to wear down the tooth enamel. Acidic foods, like citrus fruit, can also contribute to wear and tear on tooth enamel. The key is to keep everything in moderation.

Wear and tear on your teeth are something not to be taken lightly. If you feel you have sensitive teeth, consult a dental professional for helpful tips so you can enjoy the warm and tasty treats this season has to offer.

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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Why You Should Go to the Dentist for Your Botox Treatments | Ottawa Dentist

As we age, our facial features begin to wrinkle and sag – it’s the natural progression of life. Many of us try to delay the inevitable and visit their cosmetic surgeon for Botox and/or facial fillers. What many patients don’t know is that you can get this treatment done at the dentist. But why? There are a few reasons to reconsider who is doing your anti-aging treatments.

Firstly, the differences between Botox and facial fillers. Botox is a protein injected into your facial muscles to not affect the muscles themselves, but the nerves that move the muscles. Facial fillers are injections used to replace fat and collagen in the skin.

Dental issues. Believe it or not, Botox and facial fillers help with more than a youthful look. TMJ, teeth grinding (bruxism), and other facial pain can be eased by these types of injections. This is also a way to retrain facial muscles for patients adjusting to dentures or orthodontic treatments. So, while you may think getting these injections is a cosmetic issue, many patients benefit from these injections.

One stop shop. We go to the dentist to improve our smile, because we know they are experts in making our teeth whiter, straighter and healthier. It only seems natural that we seek their help with other issues that have presented themselves around our mouth and face. Because we need muscles to smile, these injections really benefit patients that have issues doing so.

Knowledge is power. While we know that cosmetic surgeons are the ones to go to for aesthetics, dental professionals have a deep, thorough knowledge of facial anatomy and can deliver a quicker, less painful experience, which is a relief for a patient in dental pain.

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Grinding Your Teeth May Be Giving You Wrinkles | Ottawa Dentist

We all can admit that a telltale sign of old age is wrinkles. It’s a fact of life and there is nothing we can do to reverse time. They appear in various areas on our face – one such area is the corners of our mouth. There is a muscle that attaches the corners of our mouth to the border of the lower jaw that motivates facial expression. Specifically, it allows us to frown. And if we frown a lot, we are likely to over-develop this muscle. The consequence is “jowl lines”, wrinkles from the corners of the mouth to the bottom of the lower jaw. 

Unfortunately, jowl lines don’t mean you’re a grumpy person. You can get jowl lines just from unconsciously clenching and grinding your teeth, especially during sleep, but even during the awake hours. This unconscious habit is called bruxism. Your dentist can, with some confidence, diagnose you as having bruxism if you have obvious signs of excessive wear on your teeth that cannot be attributed to what you eat and chew. If you are told you have bruxism, don’t fight it. Excessive wear of your teeth is forensic evidence you are unconsciously doing it during the daytime, or you are doing it while you are in certain stages of sleep. 

So, what do you do with this newfound habit? Well, your dentist can make you a custom, calibrated oral appliance that gives you an ideal bite. This ideal bite will lessen the tendency to clench and grind. The bite appliances are not obtrusive nor obviously visible, especially if your dentist makes it to fit over your lower teeth. To repair developed jowl lines, ask your dentist about botox injections or dermal fillers at your next checkup. 

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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Alternative Treatment Options for Bruxism

 

When we don’t get enough quality sleep, it can begin to develop into other health issues because our bodies rest and heal in order to continue running at peak levels. So, if you are waking up with headaches or jaw pains, it is time to make a dental appointment to find out why. Likely, you have developed a sleep issue like bruxism, or teeth grinding. If this is the case, you will be advised to use a night guard while you sleep. This little gadget will keep your teeth from wearing down and causing more issues. But if you feel that the night guard isn’t making enough of a difference, there are other alternative treatment options that you can inquire to your dentist about, such as:

Teeth straightening. Maloclussions, or teeth that are out of alignment causing an overbite or underbite has been known to contribute to bruxism. Wearing braces can help in such cases.

Proper stress management. Bruxism is also likely to be caused by anxiety, so you may want to try out certain methods of relaxation such as meditation. Professional counselling, in severe cases, may also be necessary and useful.

Dietary changes. Stimulants, such as caffeine, have been known to cause teeth grinding, so your dentist might recommend avoiding such beverages. You may also be asked to stay off antidepressants, as they may make bruxism symptoms worse. This is a great time to remind you that during your initial consultation about bruxism, that you be honest with your dentist, especially when it comes to medication, so you can be told if it’s bad for you or be suggested an alternative.

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When You Get Facial Fillers at the Dentist | Ottawa Dentist

We all want to stop the hands of time, but sadly, it doesn’t. We age each and every day, no matter how much we don’t want it to. So, we have tips and tricks we do to give the appearance that we are more youthful than we are. Cosmetic procedures do not only involve a plastic surgeon. But, what do facial fillers, like Botox® or Juvederm®, have to do with dentistry? It’s not like teeth have wrinkles.

These days, more and more dental professionals have realized that function and esthetic go hand-in-hand in achieving optimal health. Our faces and mainly, our jaws do have muscles and they’re prone to suffering from constant muscle spasms. Conditions such as bruxism, TMJ and others involving facial pain have been proven to benefit from these injections, though not all dentists are aware of this.

Safe for treating conditions involving facial pain, dermal fillers have been effective to some extent in treating high line cases without having to resort to far more invasive and aggressive forms of treatment. In orthodontics, the teeth of patients with strong mentalis muscles are prone reverting back to pre-therapy positions. Botox can help with this by making the muscles weaker to allow more normal movement and prevent the undoing of the effects of the current treatment. Patients who are still getting used to dentures can benefit, especially if they suffer from strong and consistent muscle contractions.

If you are worried about risks, know that local anesthesia, which is far more frequently used by dentists, is also a lot more dangerous and have greater potential for complications.

If you would like more information about facial fillers, call Dr. Katia Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.lesplanadedental.com.

Dr. Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Getting Botox: At the Dentist? | Ottawa Dentist

It seems everyone is trying to keep their youthful glow these days and will try almost anything to keep it. From fad diets to surgical procedures, everyone is looking for that quick path to the fountain of youth. Because let’s face it – time waits for no man. So, we go to the doctors to fill in our wrinkles with collagen and Botox in order to keep it moving. But have you ever heard of getting Botox injections at the dentist? Sure, it isn’t the first treatment option you think of when visiting the dentist, but Botox is actually a very useful option in the dental world. Botox injections or Botox, for short, is used in treating all sorts of conditions in the medical field, because of its temporary paralysis of muscle activity components. But, it’s not like teeth have wrinkles, right? Dental professionals have begun to use these injections to treat conditions like bruxism, TMJ and others involving facial pain. Because it is safe for treating conditions involving facial pain, Botox injections may also prove useful in many other dental cases. In orthodontics, the teeth of patients with strong mentalis muscles are prone reverting back to pre-therapy positions. Botox can help by weakening the muscles to allow movement and prevent any of the results of the current treatment. Patients who are still getting used to dentures can also benefit from Botox as they transition. While some may be concerned about using Botox as a treatment option, know that the local anesthesia typically used during your dental visits has greater potential for complications and negative reactions than Botox or dermal fillers. If you would like more information about Botox, call Dr. Katia Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.lesplanadedental.com. Dr. Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.
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The ABCs of Tooth Sensitivity | Ottawa Dentist

As we progress into these chillier autumn months, our clothes begin to multiply, and our diet begins to change from ice cold drinks to piping hot beverages. For those that aren’t exactly fans of the heat, it is a welcomed season. For those that have trouble drinking those pumpkin spice lattes to warm us on these brisk months, this is a tough adjustment period.

There are some things you can do to prevent your teeth from becoming sensitive to your favorite autumn treats. Taking proactive measures will not only decrease your chances of developing tooth sensitivity, but will also maintain your mouth’s overall good health:

Avoid acids. One of the easiest ways to keep your smile is to improve your diet. Instead of junk foods and acidic drinks like sodas, try eating more fruits and dairy as snacks. They will naturally scour stains from your teeth while producing saliva to wash any sugars left away.

Be gentle. One of the main reasons your tooth enamel may be thinning is due to your brushing. Brushing harder doesn’t clean your teeth better. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. For best results, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and hold it at a 45-degree angle while you brush gently in a circular motion.

Cool it on bleaching. We all want bright, Hollywood smiles, but overbleaching will begin to have an adverse effect on your teeth as it begins to wear down your enamel, exposing the discolored layers hiding beneath.

Don’t grind your teeth. Believe it or not, if you find that you are clenching your teeth or waking with headaches, see a dentist. Clenching your teeth will wear enamel, so you may need a mouth guard.

If you would like more information about tooth sensitivity, call Dr. Katia Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.lesplanadedental.com.

Dr. Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.