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Improve Your Smile with a Picnic | Ottawa Dentist

There is nothing better than a day in the sun. And now that it’s summertime, loads of us plan on getting together with friends and family to enjoy the warm weather. So, we pack up a lunch and head out into the sun with our loved ones. What you add to that picnic basket will not only dictate a fantastic time, but it can also have an effect on your dental health. So, before you pack up your afternoon nosh, let’s take a look at things you can add to look after your smile.

A common staple to a picnic is a sandwich, and there are loads of options you can go with. Cold cuts are a great source of proteins protects tooth enamel, calcium-rich cheeses strengthen your teeth and jawbones and veggies like leafy greens containing high water content and fiber stimulates saliva production to wash away bacteria.

When it comes to snacks, we tend to reach for the junk food items, but there are lots of snack options that pairs well with an outdoor meal. Fruit, trail mix, veggies to dip are just a few of the greatest ways to get our vitamins and minerals to improve our dental health. So, indulge in your favorite foods – after all, it is a picnic – but have healthier options on hand as well to balance things out.

Because the weather is warm, it is important to make sure that you are staying hydrated. The best way to do that is drinking plenty of water. Sure, sugary drinks are tasty, but the sugar intake is dehydrating your system, so having water will not only keep you cool, but will keep your saliva production going as well. Smile – and enjoy your boost of vitamin D.

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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Do You Take Milk in Your Tea? | Ottawa Dentist

There are loads of reasons to enjoy a cup of tea. To warm (or cool) your insides, to gather with friends, to even get a good night’s sleep. No matter your reason, tea has become a favorite for people around the world. The problem is one similar to other dark drinks – they can stain your teeth over time. But it still doesn’t matter – tea is going to be a staple in everyone’s lives. So, to celebrate International Tea Day, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of our beloved leafy beverages…

First, let’s take a look at the pros: Black and green tea contain fluoride, which we all know helps ward off tooth decay while preventing cavities by controlling bacteria and reducing acid in your mouth. After all, saliva production is key to washing bacteria from inside our mouths. In fact, when making tea, use tap water for an extra fluoride boost!

Tea also contains polyphenols, which are micronutrients from plant-based foods that reduce gum inflammation and disease. Polyphenols are killing bacteria, while combatting bad breath better than a mint. If that’s not enough, tea is great for our overall health as it’s antioxidant-rich option that can even help slow the growth of certain kinds of cancer, including oral cancer.

And while this healthy drink can tinge our teeth, it isn’t a permanent feature. After your cuppa, why not give your teeth a quick brush? Not only will a teeth-whitening session improve your smile, but daily dental hygiene is the best way to slow down the staining process.

Do keep in mind that sugar and acidic add-ins can erode your teeth and make you more prone to cavities. So, try to limit the lemon, sugar and honey.

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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Let’s Celebrate World Oral Health Day! | Ottawa Dentist

We all know that our health is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, many of us don’t link oral health to general health, even though it’s DIRECTLY linked to our overall health. We breathe with our mouths, eat and drink with our mouths, if there is a way for a germ to get into our system, it’s likely through our mouth. And this is why it is so important to keep up with our oral hygiene.

According to the FDI World Dental Association, oral diseases affect nearly 4 billion people around the globe, including gum disease, oral cancer, and tooth loss. About 30% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have no natural teeth.

What better way to celebrate World Oral Health Day than to take stock of our dental health practices? You may think your dental professional holds the keys to your optimal dental health, but it is our duty to keep up with our dental hygiene in between dental appointments. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Brush regularly. You may brush your teeth daily, but it needs to last at least two minutes.

Flossing. Flossing your teeth on a regular basis is ideal to get food and debris in areas a toothbrush can’t reach.

Rinse with mouthwash. Using a mouthwash daily loosens leftover food debris and plaque, just make sure it is ADA approved.

Lose the tobacco. Avoid cigarettes and chewing tobacco, as these types of products contribute to gum disease.

Get healthy. Keeping up a healthy diet will provide the nutrients that are necessary to prevent gum disease.

Visit the dentist. Visiting your dentist regularly for checkups, teeth cleanings, and other dental procedures needed to keep your mouth healthy.

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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New Year, New Dental Hygiene Habits | Ottawa Dentist

Now that we have begun 2022, it is important to know that change is afoot for many of us. We all have some goals set for the new year, and many of them have to do with health. Unfortunately, many of us forget about our dental health when making these changes. But it’s true – dental health should be a top priority because our general health is directly linked to our dental one. And the first step? A clean toothbrush. 

The best way to limit the bacteria in your mouth is to brush your teeth. And what do we use to do this? A toothbrush. But if you’re neglecting your toothbrush, it begins to neglect you. The best way to keep those cavity creeps away is to replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. In fact, we need to swap out our toothbrushes every three to four months. If the bristles become frayed, you’re sick, or you have a weak immune system, it’s time to exchange our toothbrush. If you use an electric toothbrush, throw out the head as often as you’d discard a disposable toothbrush. 

As for habits, start and close each day with a clean mouth. Because every time you’re tempted to skip brushing and flossing your teeth, remember that bacteria lurk in your mouth – and that they cause gum disease, and decay, and bad breath. Make sure you’re brushing and flossing as often as possible to eliminate some of those bacteria. Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash before or after brushing can also help reduce plaque-causing bacteria that can lead to early forms of gum disease. It’s a new year – why not start with a healthy smile? 

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 Year with a Healthy Smile | Ottawa Dentist

As we wrap up 2021 and prepare for 2022, many of us take stock and set goals for the upcoming year. For some, it’s health while others try to work on lifestyle changes. All are great ideas, but one resolution seems to miss us is our dental health. Sure, many of us link health to nutrition, but the health of our smile plays an even more important role in our overall health. Think about it, many germs and viruses are often ingested via our mouth. If we take care of our smile, chances are good health will follow.

So, how do we keep our mouths healthy? Proper dental hygiene. It’s a new year – visit your dentist for a checkup. If you have an issues on the horizon, you can make specific changes to your typical dental routine. If you’ve passed your checkup with flying colors, then you can rest assured that you’re doing a great job.

For those that need a refresher course on proper dental hygiene, here’s a quick rundown:

  • Brush for at least two minutes.
  • Floss to remove food from hard-to-reach places.
  • Rinse with a fluoride mouthwash.
  • Keep your dental appointments.

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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Are You a Coffee Fanatic? | Ottawa Dentist

Do you wake up and head to the closest coffee shop for a quick fix of coffee? Does it affect your day if you don’t have your caffeinated beverage? You are not alone. Canadians everywhere love to have their Tim Hortons in the morning, and sometimes throughout the day. The problem is many of those beverages are terrible for your smile due to the amount of sugar. And for many, it can be a shocking discovery to find out just how much sugar is involved in their daily. For some, it’s comparable to eating a candy bar.

  • A Tim Hortons double-double has four teaspoons of sugar in it and another teaspoon of sugar from the cream, similar to a 50 g Caramilk bar.
  • Both the Iced Capp and the Iced Capp Light have 39 grams of sugar in their medium sizes — almost 10 teaspoons.
  • McCafe’s Vanilla Chai Iced Frappe has a whopping 19 teaspoons — or 79 grams — of sugar.
  • One medium Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie has about 14 teaspoons, or 57 g, of sugar, because it is made from concentrates and purees, not real fruit.
  • Many believe drinking matcha tea is a healthy choice, but Starbucks grande matcha tea latte has 6 teaspoons or sugar.
  • The grande caramel Frappuccino is more like a desert with its 13 teaspoons of sugar.

Because these drinks have become a daily favorite, and are so sugary sweet, they can really do some damage to our smiles, it is important to look after your teeth afterwards. Rinsing your mouth with water after drinking coffee if a toothbrush isn’t handy is a great rule of thumb. The longer sugar remains on your teeth, the easier it is for bacteria to do some damage.

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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Dental Tips for the Baby Ones | Ottawa Dentist

When becoming a new parent, there are loads of resources available to help guide you through every step of the way. But one area that tends to be overlooked, by even the most attentive parent, is dental care. If the baby doesn’t have teeth, why would this even be a concern, right? Wrong. Just because your tiny human doesn’t have teeth, doesn’t mean their mouth should be ignored. The more pristine the conditions are when teeth do decide to make their appearance, the healthier they will be.

In order to stay on top of your baby’s future smile, here are some tips to keep in mind as their teeth prepare to come in:

Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when sweet liquids, like juices or formula, linger around in your child’s mouth. When you put your child down for a nap with a bottle of formula, or dip a pacifier in some sugary syrup, bad bacteria indulge in the sugars they crave. This causes teeth to decay and become more prone to infection as they continue to come in. Water is a better option during sleeping hours.

But they’re going to fall out – does it matter if they fall out prematurely? Losing teeth too early can cause issues with speaking, eating or other dental issues going forward. We need to look after all of our teeth, regardless of when they show up.

As for a dental routine – if your child doesn’t have teeth yet, make sure to wipe down their gums with a cloth after they eat or drink anything. As teeth begin to come in, brush them without toothpaste. As they continue to grow, make their first dental appointment. You dentist will be able to offer any recommendations you will need going forward.

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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Using Essential Oils to Help with Sleep Apnea | Ottawa Dentist

When it comes to sleeping, we all know that it is important to make sure a solid night’s sleep each and every night. Unfortunately, many of us suffer from some sort of sleep issue. And for many, that sleep issue is sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when tissue in the back of the throat collapses, blocking the airway and reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to major organs, like your heart and brain. In severe cases, it will necessitate a CPAP machine while you sleep; for others, it can be aided through the use of essential oils. Here is a crash course in what you need to know about these various essential oils and the ways you can utilize them as you sleep:

  • Rubbing the oil into your chest, neck, beneath your nostrils and the heels of the feet
  • Diluting the oil in a glass of water as a gargle mixture or a spray
  • Using a diffuser near your bed — a diffuser this a great solution as oils can be inhaled over longer periods of time.

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.

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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Do You Like to Drink Tea? | Ottawa Dentist

Are you a fan of drinking tea? Is it the one hot beverage you go to when you want to warm up your bones? You aren’t alone. Every second, people around the world consume 25,000 cups of tea. That’s 2.16 billion cups of tea each day! Tea is loved so much that the United Nations declared May 21st International Tea Day to celebrate the importance of tea in our lives in order to promote its production and consumption.

You may not be aware, but tea is not only helping solve issues of poverty and hunger around the world. There are millions of families in developing countries that base their entire livelihood on producing tea for all of us around the world. And because tea is a way to stave off hunger, it is consumed by many remote, disadvantaged countries. Tea is not only fantastic with its health benefits, like preventing tooth loss, but is also a cornerstone to many cultures.

But it doesn’t matter if you love your tea hot or iced, if you’re a superfan, you know that it begins to stain your teeth after some time. This is why it is very important to keep up with your daily dental hygiene. Brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day, floss and rinse to ensure that your stains stay away for as long as possible. At your regular checkups, you can mention any whitening treatments you would like to brighten your smile. So, enjoy your cup of tea. Not only will it heal your body and soothe your soul, but it is also helping your fellow man.

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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Dental Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season

Now that we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, it is a good time to refresh on some dental tips to keep your smile healthy. After all, this may be a different type of holiday season, but that doesn’t mean we need to change all of our favorite things that this time of year brings: We all know holidays are jam-packed with loads of foods, but there are many ways you can damage your teeth if you overindulge in certain things. Candy canes, for example, are a classic holiday treat. But they are also a hard sugary candy, and that can damage your teeth if you aren’t careful. Stockings also tend to be filled with sugary sweets. Why not try to limit the treats in exchange for other options? Or better yet, gift them a new toothbrush! When it comes to snacks and meals, there are lots of options to keeping your diet and mouth healthy. Indulge in more fruits and veggies than cakes and cookies when grazing the snack table. They are not only filled with great vitamins, but chomping on them produces saliva, ideal for washing away harmful bacteria. Other holiday staples are cheese and turkey, and both of those are the perfect options as they contain lots of proteins and calcium to strengthen your teeth. When it comes to holiday beverages, keep things simple. If you are a wine drinker, white wine won’t stain your teeth like red. If soda is the option, try to limit these super sugary drinks, or opt for fizzy water. After all the festivities are done, make sure you practice proper dental hygiene. In fact, hum a holiday tune while you brush! Schedule your appointment today. 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.