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At Sante Family Dental, we provide what has been missing in the world of dentistry.

Find out how your overall health affects your dental health and how your dental health affects your overall health.

Sante Family Dental Frequently Asked Questions

Your Total Dental Health Plan can involve hundreds of questions. Over our many years, we have compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions. We’ve also categorized your questions in order to make finding your questions easy and quick.

Maternity and Dentistry FAQ

What are some everyday items I should avoid while pregnant to reduce my exposure to heavy metals?

A few examples of ordinary everyday items you should avoid while pregnant to reduce your exposure to heavy metals are:

  • tuna,
  • conventional deodorants,
  • makeup,
  • hair sprays,
  • hair dye or perms, and
  • aluminum foil.
Should I avoid getting a cavity filled while pregnant?

You can still have a cavity filled while pregnant, but we recommend that you visit a dentist that will follow specific protocols. They will be able to ensure you don’t receive a mercury/amalgam filling, which could affect your health and the health of your unborn baby.

How do heavy metals affect the baby's development?

Heavy metals like mercury and aluminum can pass through the placenta and be delivered to your unborn baby. This can cause many side effects including affecting a baby’s oral health. Since heavy metals can also build up in the mother’s kidney, brain, lung, and liver, it’s best to try to avoid these as much as possible.

Should I not drink too much water while pregnant?

There is a common misconception that if an expecting mother has swollen feet, it’s caused by the amount of water she drinks throughout the day. Swelling feet is a result of other health issues, and we recommend seeing a family doctor for further investigation.

Drinking water is not the culprit.  In fact, drinking water can help expectant mothers as it offers a very gentle way to do a lymphatic flush.

What are some of the benefits of drinking water during pregnancy?

Drinking water is an excellent way to detoxify the kidneys and bladder of an expectant mom. That’s why we recommend that they try to drink as much water as possible throughout the day.

Are there certain types of fat that a mother should add to her diet?

Food cravings vary, but some of the healthy fats we would recommend are:

  • avocado,
  • BBQ wild salmon,
  • butter from pasture-raised cows,
  • eggs from pasture-fed chickens,
  • olive oil,
  • and soaked fatty nuts like cashews.
Why should expectant mothers consume healthy fats?

Healthy fats are development fuel for an unborn baby. Without these proper fats, a baby’s brain and other organs will not grow properly.

How much of a mother's nutrition is passed down to the embryo?

One hundred percent of a mother’s nutritional intake is passed to a developing embryo. That’s what it is so vital that expectant mothers understand how to develop a healthy, balanced diet. Improper eating habits can not only affect the baby’s development but also their oral health, even before they are born.

How can I help my unborn baby develop healthy teeth?

Mothers are the vessels in which the baby receives all its nutrition. We recommend a three-step approach to ensure proper tooth development, and we call the steps the three H’s. They are:

  • healthy fats,
  • hydration, and
  • heavy metals.

By making critical nutritional and healthy lifestyle choices, we can work together to ensure a healthy start for you and your baby.

Will my baby's teeth develop before the baby is born?

Yes, your baby’s teeth start to develop when the baby is about six weeks in utero.

Kids Aged 0 to 3

Are there more benefits to nursing outside of the emotional, behavioural, mental, and nutritional benefits?

Yes. Nursing actually helps your baby’s oral health development. It’s a great work out for the tongue, cheeks, lips and inner ear muscles. This helps for proper shaping of the arches, future teeth development, and even ear drainage, which can prevent ear infections.

Is it bad to use the same spoon as my baby?

This is a bad habit that needs to be broken.

The reason is that if you’ve ever had gum disease or a cavity, those bacterias are likely still living in your mouth.  This means you can potentially pass it on to your baby. Use a separate spoon to taste test your baby’s food.

There's a bubble forming over my baby's tooth! What is it and what should I do?

When the teeth are developing, especially around 6-18 months, it’s not uncommon to see a bluish soft-bubble form around your baby’s tooth.  It’s likely an eruption cyst.

Take your baby to the dentist. The dentist will either drain it or allow it to pop naturally when the tooth fully erupts. Get in touch with us if your baby is experiencing an eruption cyst.

When do adult teeth begin to develop?

Other than wisdom teeth, adult teeth actually begin to develop right away, between 0 and 3 years of age.

Kids Aged 4 to 6

When is it okay to give my child sugary snacks?

Giving your child a sugary snack isn’t a bad thing, so long as it’s limited and during the right time.

The right time is when your child’s salvia is most active, when they eat a meal. Salvia helps to break down food and sugars, which decrease the build-up in their mouth and on their teeth. This helps to prevent cavities and other oral health issues from developing.

What can I do if my child's teeth didn't develop properly during the first 3 years?

There are new options available to assist with develop of your child’s teeth. Using “pre-aligners”, dentists can now assist with the straightening of the crooked muscles that will cause crowding in your child’s mouth.

“Myobraces” retrain muscles that have become crooked due to compensating for other problems. This can help to either prevent the need for braces or to reduce the time and cost of braces in the future.

Why do kids suck their thumbs or soothers, and when should this be a concern?

There are 4 reasons babies suck their thumbs and soothers:

  1. Comfort and endorphins
  2. Airway opening issues
  3. Relief of cranial strain
  4. Relief of inner ear pressure

If you’re finding it difficult to break your baby’s habit after the first 3 years of development, you may want to consider booking an appointment with your MD or ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialist.

My kid snores. Should I be concerned?

Snoring, grinding of the teeth, or even tilting their head from one extreme to the other can be a sign of airflow problems such as—in rare cases—sleep apnea. You should take your baby to your pediatrician for a proper diagnosis.

It’s important to understand your child’s sleeping behaviours between the ages of 2 and 3 and especially between 4 and 6.

 

Kids Aged 7 to 19

How do I whiten my teeth at home?

From kid to teenager, it’s not uncommon to have stained teeth, usually looking yellow or darker than normal. These stains are generally just surface stains and can be easily whitened at home.

A great DIY whitener is activated charcoal and water. All you do is create a paste with a whip cream consistency, then brush it away. Plus, if your kids make a mess with it, it washes out of all clothing!

What type of peroxide should I use to whiten my teeth, and at what concentration?

Although many use hydrogen peroxide to whiten their teeth—and it works—we suggest using carbamide peroxide if you can. Be sure not to go over 10% of concentration for carbamide, and not over 8% for hydrogen.

Do I have to get my wisdom teeth removed?

If you have enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to grow in without disrupting your airway and leaving you more than enough room to clean around them for the rest of your life (70-80 years!), then no, you don’t necessarily have to have them removed.

However, this is uncommon in this day in age. In most cases, our jaws simply just don’t grow large enough to allow our wisdom teeth to come in well enough to clean them. So, yes, in the majority of cases, you will have to have your wisdom teeth removed at some point in your life. We’d highly suggest having this done before your wisdom teeth are fully developed to reduce pain and discomfort.

Should all my wisdom teeth come out at the same time?

While in some case it makes sense to remove all four wisdom teeth at the same time, it’s actually easier on you to have the lower wisdom teeth removed earlier, whereas the upper wisdom teeth are better to remove later.

Lower wisdom teeth generally are easier to remove between 14-16 years old, before the roots have fully formed. Upper wisdom teeth are easier to remove in your early 20s with minimal recovery time.

What are "Airway Focused Braces"?

To put it simply, airway focused braces are where we work to straighten your teeth as well as open the airway by addressing the underlying issue of your crowded teeth.

This is most often done in two phases.

  1. Using “pre-aligners”, we address any number of muscles or habits that are causing the crowding. We also address nutrition, looking at foods that could cause low-grade inflammation of the adenoid, tonsils and sinuses (among other things) that could be causing your muscles to compensate.
  2. Once we’ve addressed the underlying issue, we’ll reassess your airway, bite and appearance of your teeth. If all these check out, you don’t need braces!  However, if we still want to improve the bite and overall appearance of your teeth, we’ll move forward with braces knowing that we’ve already corrected the underlying issue.

Young Adult Dentistry FAQ

How do I whiten my teeth at home?

From kid to teenager, it’s not uncommon to have stained teeth, usually looking yellow or darker than normal. These stains are generally just surface stains and can be easily whitened at home.

A great DIY whitener is activated charcoal and water. All you do is create a paste with a whip cream consistency, then brush it away. Plus, if your kids make a mess with it, it washes out of all clothing!

What type of peroxide should I use to whiten my teeth, and at what concentration?

Although many use hydrogen peroxide to whiten their teeth—and it works—we suggest using carbamide peroxide if you can. Be sure not to go over 10% of concentration for carbamide, and not over 8% for hydrogen.

How do I know which filling option is right for me?

This depends on how big the filling is.

If the filling used was small and less than half of the tooth, all three options can work well (plastic, porcelain, gold). If you are looking for longevity, plastic fillings will only hold for 6 to 8 years on average, whereas porcelain or gold will hold over 6 to 8 years.

Do I have to get my wisdom teeth removed?

If you have enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to grow in without disrupting your airway and leaving you more than enough room to clean around them for the rest of your life (70-80 years!), then no, you don’t necessarily have to have them removed.

However, this is uncommon in this day in age. In most cases, our jaws simply just don’t grow large enough to allow our wisdom teeth to come in well enough to clean them. So, yes, in the majority of cases, you will have to have your wisdom teeth removed at some point in your life. We’d highly suggest having this done before your wisdom teeth are fully developed to reduce pain and discomfort.

Should all my wisdom teeth come out at the same time?

While in some case it makes sense to remove all four wisdom teeth at the same time, it’s actually easier on you to have the lower wisdom teeth removed earlier, whereas the upper wisdom teeth are better to remove later.

Lower wisdom teeth generally are easier to remove between 14-16 years old, before the roots have fully formed. Upper wisdom teeth are easier to remove in your early 20s with minimal recovery time.

How does Sante Family Dental fix a bad bite?

First, we start with a trial bite made out of plastic teeth. This is then built over the patient’s existing teeth. The trial bite typically stay in for 3 to 6 months while we tweak and find the most comfortable bite for the patient. Then, once we’ve found the comfortable bite, we convert the plastic crowns into porcelain crowns or covers.

What are "Airway Focused Braces"?

To put it simply, airway focused braces are where we work to straighten your teeth as well as open the airway by addressing the underlying issue of your crowded teeth.

This is most often done in two phases.

  1. Using “pre-aligners”, we address any number of muscles or habits that are causing the crowding. We also address nutrition, looking at foods that could cause low-grade inflammation of the adenoid, tonsils and sinuses (among other things) that could be causing your muscles to compensate.
  2. Once we’ve addressed the underlying issue, we’ll reassess your airway, bite and appearance of your teeth. If all these check out, you don’t need braces!  However, if we still want to improve the bite and overall appearance of your teeth, we’ll move forward with braces knowing that we’ve already corrected the underlying issue.
Do I need a root canal?

A root canal procedure is very common when approaching middle age. A root canal is when the soft tissue inside the root becomes inflamed or infected with bacteria. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes such as when there is an injury to the tooth or an untreated cavity. If you experience the following symptoms, you may need to have your mouth assessed.

  • Severe tooth pain upon chewing or pressure
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
  • Discolouration of the tooth
  • Swelling and tenderness of the gums

Adult Dentistry FAQ

How does Sante Family Dental fix a bad bite?

First, we start with a trial bite made out of plastic teeth. This is then built over the patient’s existing teeth. The trial bite typically stay in for 3 to 6 months while we tweak and find the most comfortable bite for the patient. Then, once we’ve found the comfortable bite, we convert the plastic crowns into porcelain crowns or covers.

How do I know if I have a bad bite?

As you know, fixing a bad bite can be a big commitment in time and cost. However, the effects are life-changing.

A bad bite can cause a person’s airway, posture and even balance to be affected. If you are worried about having a bad bite and are suffering symptoms, please let us know.

How do I know if I am missing jawbone?

Run your index finger along the gum line just in front and just behind your gums. If you traced your gum line over the area where your tooth is missing you should’ve felt a dip. A dip in the gum is actually a dip in the bone.  This meaning you’ve lost that amount of bone compared to the bone holding the teeth on either side.

I've had a missing tooth for a long time, but recently I've been experiencing some discomfort. What's happening?

Let’s say that for the past 25 years you’ve been missing a molar and didn’t have it replaced, or you had it pulled. This has caused the tooth above it to grow longer and caused some compression of your jaw joint. This compression is now causing gum problems around that missing tooth, which can cause major discomfort.

Even more concerning is that the damage also affects your jawbone and can cause your jawbone to deteriorate. Please let us know immediately if you think that this is happening to you.

Do I need a root canal?

A root canal procedure is very common when approaching middle age. A root canal is when the soft tissue inside the root becomes inflamed or infected with bacteria. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes such as when there is an injury to the tooth or an untreated cavity. If you experience the following symptoms, you may need to have your mouth assessed.

  • Severe tooth pain upon chewing or pressure
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
  • Discolouration of the tooth
  • Swelling and tenderness of the gums
What are the alternatives to a root canal?

There are many alternatives to a root canal, each one having different benefits such as:

  • Pulling the tooth and leaving a gap
  • Denture work
  • Bridging
  • Implants

If you are looking to seek which option is best for you, please call or book online for a consultation.

How do I know which filling option is right for me?

This depends on how big the filling is.

If the filling used was small and less than half of the tooth, all three options can work well (plastic, porcelain, gold). If you are looking for longevity, plastic fillings will only hold for 6 to 8 years on average, whereas porcelain or gold will hold over 6 to 8 years.

What is Amalgam made out of?

Amalgam consists of 50% mercury, 35% silver, and the rest is compiled of tin, copper, and zinc. For the last 40 years, Amalgam has been a controversial topic in the dental healthcare industry; the argument being that the material is harmful to your body and should not be used for fillings.

What are some alternatives to amalgam fillings?

The most common alternatives to amalgam fillings are:

  • Plastic
  • Porcelain
  • Gold
Is it normal for my fillings to feel like they're 'leaking'?

No, this is not normal, and usually found in patients with fillings made out of Amalgam. This is because the type of mercury used isn’t sealed and you could potentially be swallowing the substance. A study (Gray et al, 1981) showed that mercury leaks out of fillings at temperatures above 14 degrees celsius.  Since our mouths run at temperatures higher than this, once the filling is put in, it could be leaking from day one.

Seniors Dentistry FAQ

I suffer from dry mouth but don't want to take anymore medications. What can I do?

Adding more electrolytes to your water is a great way to increase the quality and quantity of you salvia without having to take any prescription or over-the-counter medication.

Electrolytes are minerals that are dissolved in water.  Compared to regular water, electrolytes  make it easier to enter our bloodstream via our kidneys. More water absorption means better quality of saliva.

I've had a missing tooth for a long time, but recently I've been experiencing some discomfort. What's happening?

Let’s say that for the past 25 years you’ve been missing a molar and didn’t have it replaced, or you had it pulled. This has caused the tooth above it to grow longer and caused some compression of your jaw joint. This compression is now causing gum problems around that missing tooth, which can cause major discomfort.

Even more concerning is that the damage also affects your jawbone and can cause your jawbone to deteriorate. Please let us know immediately if you think that this is happening to you.

How many dental implants do I need in order to eat anything I want?

You need a minimum of 3 dental implants in your upper jaw and 2 in your lower jaw. However, with just the bare minimum, you’ll likely still have some rocking, making eating some foods difficult.

In order to eat virtually anything you want, you’ll want 6-8 dental implants for your upper jaw, and 6 for your lower.

There are other variations;  get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss your denture options.

I need dentures, but how do I know what's right for me?

There are two types of dentures: anchored and non-anchored dentures.

Non-anchored are the ones we’re used to seeing in a glass.  As their name suggests, these dentures are not anchored to anything and are loosely placed in your mouth using your muscles or glue to hold them in place.

Anchored dentures are anchored into your jaw—where your teeth were—using dental implants, and therefore don’t require denture glue.

What are the benefits of anchored dentures?

Outside of not having to use denture glue, having anchored dentures allow you to eat a more robust diet. Since these dentures are anchored into your jaw, they’re more stable, and you will be able to eat crunchier foods like raw vegetables.

This directly links to eating a better gut nutrition-based diet, which means preventing neurological disorders as you age.

Why is "Gut Health" so vital as a senior?

The gut and brain are connected in a few ways. Therefore, the food you choose to eat can prevent future neurological disorders.

Throughout your earlier stages in life, you may have done some damage to your gut, causing leaks in your intestines. These leaks go into your bloodstream and inevitably, into your brain. Choosing the right gut-health-focused diet will help reduce your “leaky gut” and prevent more mental distress.

What should I eat to focus on gut nutrition?

Consider eating food that your parents and grandparents likely ate a lot of:

  • Bone broths and stews:
    • The gelatin actually fills in the gaps in your intestinal walls, repairing that “leaky gut”
  • Soaked and drained rice:
    • This removes the phytic acid that prevents good absorptions of minerals
  • Soaked nuts:
    • Soaking them overnight in warm water and salt will help you digest them properly.
  • Fermented vegetables, like pickles.:
    • This helps to restore a healthy ecosystem in your intestines, reducing body inflammation.
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