How much tooth wear is normal over a lifetime? A recent study measured the length of 1239 permanent upper and lower front teeth and found tooth wear was estimated to average 1mm by 70 years of age. This is a comparison we use often in practice. If we see that a younger patient's teeth [...]
Burning Mouth Syndrome is the medical term for ongoing/recurrent burning in the mouth. This discomfort may affect the tongue, gums, lips, inside of your cheeks, palate or your whole mouth. The burning sensation can be severe. It is often described as a burning, scalding or tingling feeling in the mouth. Dry mouth or an [...]
This photo is a scanning electron micrograph image of the junction between enamel and cementum (root surface). When someone has gum recession, the root surfaces are exposed. While enamel is like glass, the root surface is like a sponge. In fact, root surfaces are 11x softer than enamel and thus more susceptible to cavities [...]
The Canadian Dental Association recently published a study done by Dr. Krystyna Adams out of Simon Fraser University on Dental Tourism. While we mainly see the negative consequences in terms of patient care resulting from dental tourism (to many countries, not just Mexico), there are other repercussions I hadn't realized or known about. One [...]
Charcoal toothpastes are still gaining traction so I thought I should repost about the risks of using them! I had a patient in this week that had recently switched to a charcoal toothpaste by Colgate. She almost immediately noticed an increase in tooth sensitivity, so much so that she booked an appointment to see [...]
We often get asked why we have such a detailed medical history for our patients. Many don't see the relevance... but every question we ask is an important one! Did you know that many allergies can have dental implications? For example, patients with allergies to certain foods such as avocado, kiwi, pineapple and banana [...]
We often have patients question why our medical history is so detailed. Every question is an important one, and withholding information can be dangerous for your health. One example I thought I would highlight today is the use of Cannabis products or Cannabinoids. Why do we ask this? First let me say that our [...]
The Canadian Agency for Drugs, Technology and Health (CADTH) recently undertook a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to comprehensively review the multidisciplinary evidence related to Community Water Fluoridation (CWF). This review sought to address whether community water fluoridation should be encouraged and maintained in Canada through an assessment of its effectiveness and safety, economic considerations, [...]
Would you like to learn more about how you can have a whiter, brighter smile? When we ask patients if there is anything they would like to change about their teeth, the #1 answer we get is that they would like their teeth whiter. But which way is the most effective? Does whitening harm [...]
Bad breath is a very common problem for people, everyone has it from time to time. We often get questions like "What is the best mouth rinse for bad breath?", "What can I do to prevent it?", and "What might be causing it?" Dr. Graas recently wrote an ebook on this topic. If you [...]
