Dental Learning Center Calgary | Health First Dental

A Calgary Resource for Oral Health Care

There is increasing evidence showing the link between Oral and Total Health. At Health First Dental we emphasize the mouth as an important part of your body’s bio-systems. The first step to ensuring you’re keeping your mouth and body in the best working order is to understand common oral health issues, what can be done to prevent them and some of the technologies we’re using today to make our patients lives a little better.

We’d like to share what we have learned over decades of helping Calgarians take the best possible care of their mouths and bodies so we have created the Health First Dental Learning Center. To make things easier, we have organized our articles by five key categories; Biological Dentistry, Oral Health Issues, Treatment and Services, Technologies and Common Dental Problems. If you have any questions or are concerned about a possible health issue, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Dental Learning Center

What is Biological Dentistry?

Holistic dentistry, also known as biological dentistry, combines the techniques and artistry of general dentistry with a focus on the implications oral health has on the entire body.

The IAOMT

The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) is a professional organization comprised of dentists, physicians, and allied health researchers throughout the world who are seeking to improve the quality and safety of dentistry.

What Are Silver Amalgam Fillings?

Silver amalgam has been the filling of choice for the past 150 years because of its ease of placement, its durability in the harsh oral environment, and its low cost. Today, about 73% of dentists in North America are still using silver amalgam as a dental restorative material.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth without metal bands, brackets, or wires. Invisalign combines the doctors clinical treatment plan with proprietary 3-D, computer-generated software to create a series of unique, custom-made aligners that move teeth in very precise increments.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. 70-90% of adults have some form of periodontal disease. People are rarely aware they have periodontal disease because there is no pain or noticeable symptoms.

Why We Do Not Use Fluoride

Many patients ask us why we don’t use fluoride. Our simple answer is that it is a poison. Furthermore its benefits in decreasing tooth decay are being questioned.

All About Abscesses

A tooth abscess is a bacterial infection of the centre (pulp) of a tooth. The main cause of an abscess is tooth decay that has penetrated the centre of the tooth. Other causes may be trauma, cracks in the tooth, or routine dental work that is in close proximity to the pulp.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to brighten your smile. Lifestyle and the aging process can yellow and darken teeth. Drinking coffee, tea, red wine, and cola drinks or smoking are significant contributors to teeth discolouration. Whitening agents work by breaking up the stains buried in the microscopic cracks of the enamel.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are the best alternative to natural teeth. A dental implant is a titanium post that replaces the root of a missing natural tooth. They are placed in the upper or lower jawbone and act as anchors for crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Preventative Care

Maintaining health is more important than treating disease. Our society has been programmed do believe in a concept of “false health”. We assume if it doesn’t hurt, everything must be OK. Unfortunately once symptoms are manifest, significant and often irreversible damage has been done. This is particularly true for the oral environment.

Sensitive Teeth

Tooth sensitivity affects 1 out of 5 adults. It occurs when the enamel is worn down until a different tooth structure called dentin is exposed. Dentin is comprised of thousands of fluid filled, microscopic tubules that contain cells called odontoblasts. Pain and sensitivity is felt when an odontoblast moves from a change in temperature, pressure, or pH in the mouth. Sweet or acidic foods like oranges and lemons commonly cause sensitivity.

What Is A Root Canal?

In the past, the only treatment for a painful or infected tooth was to extract it. Over the last several decades, endodontic, or root canal therapy has been developed into a highly reliable method of salvaging such teeth for a long, comfortable, and functional life. Nevertheless, the subject is complex, and there are potential complications.

How Lasers Heal

Unlike surgical lasers which cut and cauterize, low level laser therapy uses cold (subthermal) laser light energy to produce a healing effect called biostimulation.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is when breathing repeatedly stops as a result of throat muscles relaxing and closing off the airway during sleep. When breathing is interrupted, the brain senses a drop in blood oxygenation and briefly rouses a person from sleep to reopen the airway. Most people are unaware of this awakening because it is so brief.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer represents approximately 2.3% of all cancers in Canada. Unlike other cancers, the survival rate of oral cancer is extremely low, resulting in death in about 50% of cases. However, early detection from your dentist can increase the survival rate sharply to almost 90%.

Health Benefits of Digital X-Rays

Because your health is our number one priority, we have invested in digital x-ray equipment. This new equipment allows us to acquire the needed x-rays with 90 % less radiation than traditional x-ray equipment.

Uneven Gums

Low level lasers can be used at higher settings to remove soft tissue. So much emphasis is placed on having straight teeth that the contours and amount of gum tissue are often overlooked when evaluating a smile.

Teeth Grinding and What Can Be Done

Bruxism is clenching or grinding of the teeth. The cause is not completely understood; however, emotional stress seems to be the major trigger. It most often occurs during sleep and affects 50-95% of the population.

What Is A Cavitation?

Just as a cavity is a hole in the tooth, a cavitation is a hole in the bone. Read this article to learn more.

Bad Breath

Bad breath or halitosis is a condition estimated to affect 50 to 60% of the population Up to 90% of cases originate from sources in the mouth, including poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, tooth decay, coating on the tongue, impacted food, dry mouth, faulty dental restorations, and throat infections. The other 10% are due to systemic disorders, such as lung infections, liver or kidney disease, diabetes, or peptic ulcers.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars. They usually begin to emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. Frequently, the jaw is not large enough to allow complete eruption of wisdom teeth, and they become trapped or impacted.

TMJ Disorder

The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is the ball and socket joint on each side of the head where the lower jawbone joins the skull. Several muscles, ligaments, and discs make this complex joint smoothly work in a variety of positions.

Dental Technologies Overview

Have a quick look at some of the dental technologies Health First Dental is using to provide our patients the best possible care.

Snoring Appliance

Snoring is a major symptom of a dangerous disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sleep apnea and snoring can be treated with a dental appliance, which opens the airway by holding the lower jaw in a forward position during sleep.

Cosmetic Dentistry

The smile is the most eye catching feature of the face. Overall health and wellness includes feeling confident and self-assured. A beautiful smile can change the way you feel about yourself and the way others treat you. Cosmetic dental procedures can transform stained, chipped, or crooked teeth into stunning smiles.

NEW PATIENTS

Videos

VIEW ALL VIDEOS

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT