NATIONAL CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. NCDHM messages and materials have reached millions of people in communities across the country.

This year's 2014 NCDHM campaign features the slogan "Join the Super Smile Team!". 
Meet K-9! He’s a frisky pup who cares as much about good oral health as his buddies Flossy and 
Buck McGrinn, and Den and Gen Smiley.
 One day the whole gang decided to play super heroes. They put on capes, made costumes, 
struck super hero poses and became The Super Smile Team! Even K-9 got in on the act!
 Of course, every super hero needs a mission. The Super Smile Team’s quest? To fight for good oral health by following this simple rule, “2min2x.”   That’s code for “brush your teeth two minutes, two times a day.”
 Flossy, Buck, Den, and Gen know the importance of good dental habits to keep their super smiles bright. They brush their teeth when they get up in the morning and again before they go to bed at night. They also floss their teeth once each day. Because Den wears braces, he is especially careful about keeping his teeth healthy so he has a sparkly smile when the braces come off. Being super heroes takes a lot of energy so the McGrinns and Smileys do eat snacks between meals but very few sugary ones. They usually stick to fruit and other healthy foods, and they choose water when they are thirsty instead of soda pop.
 Want to be a part of The Super Smile Team? Join in the fun by playing the games and doing the activities to learn how to take good care of your teeth. 
 And remember the code“2min2x”!
 For a super smile and healthy mouth, brush your teeth two minutes, two times a day.

We at McLeod Dental Care are passionate about your oral health give us a call at 
905-357-4995.

information & "The Super Smile Team" story from www.ada.org

ORAL CANCER PREVENTION

Cancer prevention is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your health and well-being. We are bombarded with reminders against breast cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer but what about oral cancer? Oral cancer rates are on the rise among women and non-smokers. Just like every other kind of cancer, there are things that you can do (or not do) to take an active role in preventing oral cancers.

Help prevent oral cancers of all kinds by taking the following precautions:

Keep your mouth healthy – Brush, floss and rinse to keep from developing decay and gum disease.

See your dentist on a regular basis – Part of the regular hygiene appointment includes a cancer check. We check your tongue, floor, roof and inner cheek for early warning signs.

Perform a self-check – Along with the other self-exams for cancer, include your mouth. Check under your tongue and inside your mouth for lumps, bumps, painful patches, red, white or gray patches or anything that doesn’t look, feel or taste right.

Avoid tobacco products – Tobacco product use, even casual use, can increase your chances of developing cancer in the mouth, tongue and throat.

Use sunscreen – When applying sun protection, don’t forget your lips. There are a wide variety of lip balms including SPF protection. Use them under your lipstick or try a tinted formula to replace your lipstick.

Choose cancer-fighting foods – Some foods offer phytochemicals and nutrients that help your body defend against cancer-causing agents. Pepper your diet with cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts), blue berries, garlic, green tea and dark leafy green vegetables.

Limit your intake of alcohol – Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your risk of developing oral cancer.

Exercise – It’s just logical that staying healthy, keeps you healthy. Exercise boosts your immune system and helps you fight against cancer causing agents.

Supplement with antioxidants – It can be hard to eat all of your necessary nutrients so add some antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q 10 and beta-carotene to protect your cells.

Protecting yourself against oral cancer is another important part of your dental routine. If you find any questionable spots in your mouth or just have questions about best practices, give us a call today. 

MILK TEETH

Baby teeth, sometimes known as milk teeth, are made to be discarded. They are tiny bony souvenirs for the tooth fairy and nothing more. So, this means that they don’t require the same care as secondary teeth, right? Just because those milk teeth aren't meant to last forever doesn't mean that they don’t need to be cared for.

Their first job is to serve as a place holder for the teeth that will be coming later. Baby teeth provide a guide for the larger permanent tooth to keep it straight until all of the new teeth are emerged. Because of this, it’s important to keep primary teeth healthy so that they don’t need to be removed before they are ready. If decay makes it necessary for a baby tooth to be removed early, a spacer can be employed to keep the neighbouring teeth from shifting.

Additionally, baby teeth are just as susceptible to cavities as adult teeth. Having untreated cavities can interfere with eating, speaking and the ability to sleep and concentrate. Being in pain can adversely affect important developmental milestones.

Baby teeth may be temporary but your gums are meant to last a lifetime. Neglecting to properly care for baby teeth can lead to gum disease and inflammation. Unchecked infection can erode the jawbone beneath, causing more serious problems.

Just as you would with adult teeth, schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings even before the first tooth emerges. This can help build a healthy foundation for teeth and gums throughout the lifetime of your child.

Don’t ignore decay just because it may not be painful to the child. All decay is bad and must be eradicated immediately. If you have not scheduled your child’s first dental appointment, give us a call today

SNORING - IT CAN KILL YOU!

Sure – snoring is annoying, but can it actually be deadly?

  

No – this does not mean being strangled in the middle of the night by a severely annoyed spouse or partner, as tempting as that may be! But the fact is, snoring is often related to sleep apnea, a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen during a night of heavy zzzzz’s.

One obvious problem this causes is being tired during the day, contributing to automobile and workplace accidents.  But even worse, sleep apnea, which is experienced by 30 million Americans, has been scientifically linked to obesity, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks and diabetes.  So if that low rumbling sound that keeps the entire neighbourhood awake isn’t enough, now there is much more reason for concern.

But wait – it actually gets worse.  A study performed at The University of Wisconsin School Of Medicine has just shown a significant link between sleep apnea and cancer, showing this condition increases the risk of cancer death by almost a factor of five! “This is really big news,” said Dr. Joseph Golish, a professor of sleep medicine with the MetroHealth System in Cleveland.  “It’s the first time this has been shown, and it looks like a very solid association,” he said.

There is no doubt that the snoring can be much more serious than just a night time disturbance.  So what can you do if you or a loved one may suffer from sleep apnea?

Fortunately, there are many ways to have this condition treated, all the way from simple dental appliances, to surgery, to wearing night time contraptions that make you look (and sound) like Darth Vader!  Your dentist and physician can recommend the appropriate treatment for you.

At McLeod Dental Care, we would be glad to take a look and discuss your snoring issues or any other dental questions you may have.  Just give us a call at 905-357-4995 and we will get you in right away!

Let’s make tonight a quiet one!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

              MCLEOD DENTAL CARE WISHES YOU A HAPPY & HEALTHY 2014

Yes, Virgnia, there is a Santa Claus

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.


 "DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. 
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. 
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' 
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

Newsman Francis Pharcellus Church wrote The Sun'sresponse to Virginia. VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

THAT'S A B+

If you are experiencing swollen tongue and frequent mouth ulcerations, you could have a folate deficiency. A lack of folate is bad for your entire system but -- it can be devastating to your oral health. Oral irritation can be one of the first signs of a deficiency. Extreme cases of it will lead to inflamed gums, weakened tooth enamel and eventually tooth loss.
Folic acid is essential for reducing the risk of stroke, macular degeneration and some cancers. Folate or Folic Acid (B9 vitamin) is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for growth and development. In particular, it is important for cell growth and red blood cell production. Being a water-soluble vitamin, your body needs a continuous supply of folic acid to maintain healthy levels.

The best way to get your fill of folic acid is through a healthy diet. Some good sources of folic acid are as follows:
    1.    Egg yolk
    2.    Leafy green veggies like spinach and kale
    3.    Legumes like beans and peas
    4.    Baker’s yeast
    5.    Sunflower seeds
    6.    Liver
    7.    Kidney
    8.    Fortified grain products

The first week of January is National Folic Acid Awareness Week (Jan 5-11, 2014)) but you can celebrate every day with healthy B vitamins and regular dental checkups.