Question and Answer

Halloween is a thrilling time filled with costumes, decorations, and – of course – candy! While the excitement of trick-or-treating can be a wonderful experience for kids, it also brings challenges for dental health. With abundant sugary treats, parents need to adopt effective strategies to keep smiles healthy throughout the Halloween season and beyond.

In this week's blog, we’ll share tips on caring for your teeth after Halloween and ensure that everyone in the family can enjoy their candy safely!

Set a Candy Limit

Before the candy haul begins, it’s wise to discuss a plan with your child. Setting a limit on how much candy they can enjoy each day helps to prevent overindulging. Consider using a fun calendar or chart to keep track of their candy consumption. This way, they can enjoy their t

If my dental regulatory body does not state specifically, that I need to track and trace, then who is telling me to track and trace?

A terrific question for any busy dental office to pose … who is telling me to track and trace?  To answer the ‘who’ one must understand the ‘why’.  Once the ‘why’ is understood through a risk management lens and professional responsibility to keep the public safe, the who loses its debate as you will be the person telling yourself to track and trace! 

Tracking and tracing are linking a sterilized package to the client it was used on.  Why do we label packages with the date, sterilizer #, load #, contents, and initialize? It is not just to label to see when it was sterilized but also where it’s going or in past tense, has gone. The label is the first step of having a recall system in place, it’s the tracking of packa

As new parents, you may find yourselves filled with excitement as you anticipate your infant’s milestones: their first steps, first words, and undoubtedly, their first tooth! However, it’s essential to understand that oral care should begin even before those tiny pearly whites make their grand debut. Proper oral hygiene during the early months can significantly impact your child’s dental health for years to come. In this blog, we’ll explore how to care for an infant’s mouth before teeth emerge, how to navigate the teething phase, the importance of early oral care, and the early warning signs of dental issues.

Oral Care Before Teeth Erupt

The Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests that your child’s oral care should start even before their first teeth appear. Typically, babies don’t begin to get their milk teeth or

When it comes to our oral health, it's easy to get caught up in myths and misconceptions that can lead to misunderstandings and misinformed decisions. But what if we told you that some of the most common dental "facts" you've learned are just myths? In this blog, we're taking a closer look at some of the most common dental myths and debunk them with facts. From the idea that white teeth are automatically healthier, to the notion that sugar is the sole cause of tooth decay, we'll explore the truth behind these dental myths and what you can do to maintain optimal oral health. 

MYTH: White teeth are healthier.

Dental Fact: Having white teeth does not necessarily mean they are healthier. Teeth can appear white due to various reasons, including

Bruxism. It's a word that may sound unfamiliar to many, yet it affects millions of people worldwide. This condition, often referred to as teeth grinding or jaw clenching, can lead to a range of discomforts and dental problems. So, let’s take a look into what bruxism is, explore its causes and triggers, discuss available treatments, and offer practical ways to find relief.

Understanding Bruxism

Bruxism is a habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, typically occurring during sleep. However, some individuals also experience daytime bruxism. It can affect people of all ages, from children to adults, and can lead to various complications if left untreated. Understanding the underlying causes and triggers of bruxism empowers you to seek the appropriate treatments or practices necessary to alleviate its effects.

Dentists use dental dams as a barrier to isolate specific teeth or oral tissues during certain dental procedures.

The dental dam acts as a barrier to prevent saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids from interfering with the dentist's view and access to the tooth or oral tissue being worked on.

Dental burs are essential tools used in dentistry to remove and shape tooth and bone structures. Burs come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and materials, each designed for specific dental procedures. Understanding the different types of dental burs and their uses is essential for dental professionals to perform safe and effective procedures.

Should Leadership be Taught in Dental School Curriculums?

Absolutely!  The dentist running a practice must be the ‘scientist’ in dental sciences and deliver quality care. Also, the dentist has to be a ‘business’ savvy individual to ensure the practice’s financial health. What else does the dentist need to be … the team ‘coach’. 

It is either the dentist’s role or if the office has an office manager, it may fall upon the manager.  Nonetheless, it’s a reality that hand-in-hand with being a practice owner comes leadership.  So where does a practice owner ‘learn’ leadership? 

It would be fantastic along with DENT 3055 there would be a Leadership 101 course that teaches the practice owner how to navigate the various dynamics of a team to develop and strengthen that team. 

The question above in the title can be answered by a question… Who has first stated a DUWL system was needed and since when? The manufacturers of the DUWL’s have been the initiating source since the new design of equipment with a closed water system design. The water system is ‘closed’ to outside contamination...

Some provinces require an ACH test and some do not.

Some require adherence to a specific fallow time and some do not.

For the geographical areas that must adhere to a fallow time, the sequence of the operatory turnover and where and when the clinical notes are written is causing some confusion and must be addressed.

A common question is when does the fallow time begin?

The fallow time begins when the clinician and client leave the operatory.

It does NOT begin when the last AGP was performed.

Why?

The reasoning is while the client is still in the operatory conversing with no mask there could be a chance for airborne transmission.