dental hygienist

Put your money where your mouth is…

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Do you think the cost of a dental cleaning in Calgary is expensive? outrageous? or could you care less about the cost because your health and teeth are worth it?

If you think the cost of a dental cleaning is high, then you will find the cost of treating gum disease by a periodontist, or having one cavity repaired with a filling outrageous!!

For some of you reading this- you are going to question  “who would not spend money having their teeth cleaned?”   This blog is not for you –  you already get it. Your teeth and overall health are important, you would go without cable tv if you had to in order to afford dental cleanings. You probably drink your coffee through a straw so your teeth do not become stained. You take the Dr.Oz quiz “ How clean is your mouth” and you ace it!! You brag to co-workers about the wonderful flossing grade your dental hygienist gives you at your appointments. Or maybe you have dental insurance and have never given a second thought to the cost of a dental cleaning.

This blog is for those that value their oral health but don’t believe they can afford dental cleanings, or it is for those for those that don’t get it – yet. I want to highlight how the cost of dental cleanings can be viewed as an investment in oral health, and since your mouth is attached to the rest of the body – an investment in overall well-being. Who wants destructive mouth bacteria travelling the blood highway through the body? Yes- it is true the bacteria in your mouth causing bad breath, disease, bleeding gums loves to travel- where? to your heart, to the site of your knee replacement, your new hip – everywhere. It has been linked to pre-term delivery of babies (1).

 I suggest looking at the cost of preventative dental cleanings over a year, rather than on a  per visit basis.

 If you neglect your oral health, your teeth and your gums – you will pay for it at some point. Perhaps it will be in terms of bad breath, bleeding gums, decayed teeth, tooth abscesses, loss of teeth, time missed from work due to dental pain and emergency dental appointments, or maybe you will end up struggling with ill-fitting dentures and not being able to chew your food properly. Does this sound horrible? it should…and I haven’t even touched on the overall health conditions that are linked to gum disease. Hygienists provide oral cancer screenings. When was the last time your medical doctor checked the tissues inside your mouth?

Why do I say this? I hear comments and concerns from public that the costs of basic dental care, including examinations, xrays and dental cleanings can be prohibitive.  Dental Hygiene Clinics can help to ease the financial cost of prevention and treatment of gum disease, and keep healthy mouths healthy! You see the same Registered Dental Hygienists at Lifetime Smiles Dental Hygiene Clinic that you would see in dental clinics. You can also keep your diet in mind for an outcome of oral health. Inflammation plays a keey role in both gingivitis and periodontitis – read more about nutrition and inflammtion.

We answer many questions about the cost of dental cleanings. The cost generally works out to $35 month for 2 professional dental cleanings a year. There are those that do such a great job with their home care that the cost is less ( yes, it is true some people do actually floss daily- it is not a myth). This is without any type of reimbursement from your dental insurance or health spending account (if you have either). Obviously treating active gum disease is going to cost more, as is treating cavities and other dental conditions. The cost for childs dental cleaning is less.

 I see patients that are wearing implant supported dentures for dental cleanings. No teeth remaining. I unscrew the denture attachments- remove the dentures and then clean the build up from around the implants. So even people with out teeth remaining still need to see dental hygienists!  These patients could tell you what teeth are worth- or sorry, I should say they can tell you what the cost is to replace ill-fitting dentures that floated around in their mouths. One woman told me she has spent the equivalent of 2 automobiles on achieving dentures that fit well ( attached to dental implants), that allow her to chew properly, eat and speak in front of others with confidence knowing that her dentures are not going to move around or make a clicking noise.

 What could you trade each month that costs $35, to cover the cost of 2 dental cleanings a year? What are your teeth worth? What is your overall health worth? I would love to hear from you. I could easily go without Sushi..well maybe not easily.

Want a payment plan at our clinic? no problem- just ask. What if $35/month is still not feasible? There is assistance for low-income groups in Alberta for dental treatments, for children, and emergency dental treatment resources. Lifetime Smiles Dental Hygiene clinic sees children under 3years of age for their first visit at no cost. Ask us if your need dental help – we are a very resourceful group.

Journal Reference:

    1. Y. Fardini, P. Chung, R. Dumm, N. Joshi, Y.W. Han. Transmission of Diverse Oral Bacteria to Murine Placenta: Evidence for the Oral Microbiome as a Potential Source of Intrauterine Infection. Infection and Immunity, 2010; 78 (4): 1789 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01395-09

 

Home is where the heart is….and the toothpaste, and the floss..

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 I guess you could say a life of good dental hygiene starts at home. More specifically it starts with young children at home. That means parents, listen up. You have the power to provide your child with the tools and habits that can lead to a cavity free life. That’s right…no cavities. 

Kids love “cavity-free dental check ups“. It means no appointments requiring sleepy juice (freezing by injection with a needle) for a dental filling. No watching them after a dental appointment to ensure they don’t chew on their cheeks because they can’t feel it.

What?  Your kid loves to go to the dentist and doesn’t mind any of this?   That’s good because if they have a filling as a child, chances are that filling will need to be replaced more than one time in the future. When it is replaced, more natural tooth structure is lost, and every time this tooth is treated there is risk to the nerve in the tooth. What does that mean? This means the nerve could become damaged and root canal treatment required.  Then what? After a tooth has had  root canal treatment it is recommended that a crown be placed. It doesn’t end there, as a crown doesn’t last forever.  

But the good news is, you can spend a few minutes each day helping to prevent cavities. Dental hygienists  recommend toothbrushing for 2-3 minutes. Thus the timer on electric toothbrushes is 2 minutes long.  So, 3 times a day at 2 minutes = 6 minutes per child. More if they snack often. Piece of cake right?

 Now in reality, and having children of my own I know it is not 6 minutes per child. When my son was 2 -3 yrs old , it was 6 minutes of brushing and 10 minutes for my husband and I to hold him down. Thank goodness that stage didn’t last forever, as it was not something we looked forward to each day. 

This difficult stage I believed was pay back. Prior to having children I was a dental assistant and helped place fillings in children’s teeth. I once worked in a hospital setting with a dentist that placed many fillings, extracted decayed baby teeth, and placed stainless steel crowns on children’s teeth. Due to the amount of dentistry they required, and their young age, they were treated under general anesthesia in the OR. I remember thinking “why doesn’t someone just brush these kids teeth?”. Then I had children.

You can have the best intentions and limit sugary snacks, but essentially most foods can contribute to cavities. Fruit for example, contains natural sugars that supply bacteria in the mouth with fuel. The bacteria release acids, and the acids break down enamel, causing a cavity. Fermentable carbohydrates as well as sugars in children’s medicines are also fuel for bacteria. Bacteria love it, but tooth enamel doesn’t. 

Teeth need to be cleaned properly of food particles after eating to prevent or cut short this “acid attack”. One’s own saliva can neutralize the acid after approximately 20 minutes.  If a child is snacking frequently add up the minutes per day an acid attack is occurring to their teeth. In other words, for children that have a sippy cup – water is a great choice for drinking throughout the day, otherwise their teeth could be exposed to acids for a majority of the day.

 Children love to exhibit their independence at an early age, and despite their best negotiating don’t give in and let them brush their teeth “by themselves”. Don’t break down even if they use the puppy dog eyes…stand firm. If really young, they are likely only chewing the toothbrush, but that good let them have “a turn”, then its “parents turn”. Children do not have the manual dexterity to reach all the surfaces throughly. Thus, parents need to help until they are 8 or 9 years old.

Flossing is another story, they really can’t master this technique until they are 10 or 11 years old. I know I have seen some adults in the dental chair who haven’t mastered their own flossing despite their own self confessed once a week attempts for 30 years , so seriously, can your children do it?     Plastic floss handles are a great tool for both parents and children.

So if you have been at a loss because you thought that  brushing EVERY night was all that was required for your children, and yet they have had a cavity, consider how often they are snacking, and how many minutes their teeth could be under acid attack.

Remember to prevent children from getting a cavity (also called tooth decay) one must :

– brush and floss after eating   (only brushing at night  2 – 3 hours after last eating doesn’t cut it)

– adults need to help with toothbrushing until age 8 -9 yrs old

– adults need to help with flossing until 10-11 yrs old

Often children are taking medications, or using inhalers for medical conditions that can create a higher risk for cavities, if this is the case, ask for suggestions from your dental hygienist….. dental hygienists love to talk “prevention”….

Stick out your tongue…it could save your life

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When your dental hygienist asks you to stick out your tongue, it’s not rude to comply… they are screening for changes to the tongue and tissues inside the mouth that could be signs of oral cancer.  

 You know the drill, or hopefully you have had the experience of an “oral cancer screening”, they grab the end of your tongue with that gross tasting gauze..

If your hygienist or dentist doesn’t do this- ask for it. Some dental hygiene and dental clinics have cool equipment like velscope – that incorporates fluorescence visualization technology to help detect abnormal tissue , including cancer and precancer. Again more dental lingo I know- basically they shine a light inside your mouth and abnormal tissue fluoresces differently than normal tissue.

Often patients think hygienists are a bit overboard with concern, and it requires the attention of a Hollywood star being diagnosed with a “not talked about so much” disease to increase public awareness. Michael Douglas being diagnosed with oral cancer has done this. The Academy Award winner has recently been diagnosed with a tumour in his throat, and now faces an eight-week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy

I read this morning

“Hollywood star’s diagnosis highlights high risk of mouth cancer

This high profile case has brought oral cancers into the limelight, and oral health experts are keen to make the public more aware of the key risk factors and early warning signs.

Douglas quit smoking in 2006, after a long ‘half a packet a day’ habit. Yet, the possibility of developing oral cancer remains higher for ex-smokers than non-smokers for 20 years after quitting. Tobacco is considered to be the main cause of mouth cancer, with three in four cases being linked to smoking. Drinking in excess is also a known factor, with those who both smoke and drink to excess being up 30 times more likely to be at risk.

The chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter said: “It is crucial the public know about the risk factors and early symptoms as early detection can save lives. Survival rates can increase from just 50% to over 90% with early detection – yet over two thirds of cases are diagnosed at a late stage. “Many people have not heard of mouth cancer, and do not realise how common it is – latest figures show that over 5,300 cases are diagnosed in the UK in a year and that men over the age of 40 are twice as likely to develop the condition as women.”  ”

So stick your tongue out ….have a look…and please feel free to “stick your tongue out” at me in the dental hygiene clinic!!!