Before your visit, you may have certain questions. Here we present the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions. During your appointment, please feel comfortable to ask questions and discuss your concerns with your dentist or dental hygienist.
That’s what we are here for!
A regular visit to the dentist can prevent problems and detect them before they become serious or cause pain. In general, a visit every six months is sufficient.
Gum diseases begin when plaque adheres to the junction between the gums and teeth. If the plaque is not removed every day by brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar, which can lead to bacterial infection.
The onset of this gum disease is called gingivitis. The gums become red, even though you may not feel any pain. Gradually, the inflammation grows and eventually the gums start to swell.
It is often at this stage that gums begin to bleed when you brush your teeth, although it is not yet painful.
Over time, the inflammation destroys the gum tissue and the underlying bone, so you could lose one or more teeth.
Using the right technique to clean your teeth with a toothbrush and floss is as important as the frequency of care.
The toothbrush: Brush gently, always from gum to tooth. Pay special attention to the junction between the teeth and gums and brush the face of each tooth well.
Flossing: Take a piece of floss about 45 cm long and loop it around your middle fingers. Using a clean piece each time, wrap it around each tooth to form a C with the thread, and scrape the tooth two or three times from the base up. Repeat the technique for each tooth.
The products sold in stores are not of consistent quality, and do not always produce the desired results. Whitening toothpastes have very little, if any, effect.
The kits sold in stores contain a powerful bleaching agent that can cause side effects. Their one-size-fits-all approach can cause a chemical agent to be released in the mouth.
On the other hand, the dentist uses an adjusted whitening agent and is trained to control the side effects.
The result is better protection for you! Furthermore, the products used by dentists usually produce better results.
They are very common! They affect 7 out of 10 people at one time or another in their life. That is why it is absolutely necessary to prevent them and stop them from getting worse. Keep your teeth and gums clean by brushing at least twice daily. Clean with dental floss at least once a day and visit your dentist regularly to eliminate any incipient inflammation.
Visiting the dentist should begin early enough for your child to understand that this is a regular part of healthcare. The general recommendation is to make the first visit six months after the appearance of the first tooth, i.e. at about 1 year. Dental care is free (reimbursed by the RAMQ) for children under 10 years, so they may as well learn to get used to it! (Link: http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citizens/health-insurance/healthcare/Pages/dental-services.aspx)
Choose a dentist who is comfortable with children – Bocarmonie is a sure choice – and realize that the first appointments are just to get to know the dentist and make the experience enjoyable.
An adult must ensure that the child uses the right amount of toothpaste, spits it out instead of swallowing and that they clean all regions well.
From 0 to 3 years, it depends on the level of risk of cavities in your child. The dentist can guide you in choosing a toothpaste. On the other hand, if your child is not at risk, it’s best to brush their teeth simply with water.
Children 3 to 6 years old should use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste (the size of a pea) and then spit it out.
Dental fluorosis changes the appearance of children’s teeth. It is caused by too much fluoride ingested during infancy. Fluorosis affects the appearance of the teeth producing small white spots. This is not a concern for the vast majority of children.
You can find detailed answers to these questions and plentiful further information on the website of the Canadian Dental Association:
http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/faqs/
The decision whether to take an X-ray is based on the dentist’s clinical judgement, after examining the patient. In dental radiology, the dentist always follows the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), which means a minimum. However, the radiation is not dangerous. In reality, it is no more than 3% to 5% of the non-natural radiation to which people are exposed. And it is not the most important source of artificial radiation.
Even if the doses are considered very low, we still prefer to minimize exposure to radiation. If you want to know more about dental x-rays and radiation, see:
http://www.sylvainchamberland.com/en/blog/dental-x-rays-clarifications-from-the-odq/
No. X-rays are needed to accurately diagnose any dental problems your child may have and plan the right treatment. Digital x-rays used in the clinic do not put your child in any danger.
Compared to traditional film radiography, digital radiography exposes the patient to much less radiation: smaller quantities, and shorter time. Digital units are more sensitive and more efficient, so they produce 70% to 90% less radiation than conventional equipment.
The images are available immediately and in larger size, speeding up procedures and allowing for more accurate diagnosis.
Negative impacts on the environment are reduced since the x-rays are displayed on a screen instead of on film. No chemicals are needed to develop the films nor plastic to print them, thus avoiding the release of approximately 200 litres of toxic waste and nearly 15,000 pieces of lead foil wrapping per clinic every 5 years. (Source: http://www.santedentairecl.com/radiographie-digital)
The standard dose of the X-ray/panoramic/CBCT machine is controlled by computer.
The medical staff calibrate the device for each patient depending on their size (height and weight) and age.
The ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection), an organization that sets the standards to be used to protect the public, recommends limiting non-occupational ionizing radiation exposure to a maximum of 1,000 pSv per year. The amount received by your child will be a fraction of that amount.
Bocarmonie makes your life easier by offering various payment methods. We also offer the option to pay in instalments using Dentoplan.
