Category: Dentistry

Bad breath is something that affects many of us – and we often don’t realize it either. There are many causes of bad breath – most of which are avoidable. Fortunately, there are a range of ways of improving our breath, which include dental treatment, improved oral hygiene and keeping hydrated.

Bad breath is a difficult thing to live with – and for some people, it is a huge problem that affects them socially and mentally.

One of the main issues of bad breath is that most of us can’t smell our own breath. Therefore, if it is bad, we are reliant on others telling us. But this isn’t an easy topic to broach, and often the problem is not brought up.

Bad breath, especially in the morning, is very common. For example, it is believed that around 60million Americans have chronic bad breath [1].

If you have bad breath, it is important to look at potential causes. Fortunately, there are many ways of improving bad breath, with dental interventions typically the most effective.

What causes bad breath?

The main cause of bad breath is the effects of bacteria in the mouth. Bacterial by-products from anything that enters the mouth create a concoction that cause a foul odour to emit from mouth. In many cases, it can make it smell like rotten eggs [2].

The main emitter of this foul odour is the tongue. This is where the majority of bacteria latch to. After all, the back of tongue is pounced upon by bacteria, as it is able to feed on dead cells, saliva proteins and fluids from untreated gum disease.

Eventually, the bacteria builds up to the extent where our breath becomes impacted. With the tongue placed in a way that it automatically emits out of our mouth, bad breath is inevitable if the tongue is in poor condition.

It is therefore very important to have excellent oral hygiene. This can help improve our breath. Another contributing factor to bad breath is food particles being left behind. Flossing can greatly improve this issue.

Then there are also other places for unhealthy bacteria to thrive in. These include spaces between broken fillings, holes in teeth (cavities) and pockets in the gums that form due to gum disease.

Many people find that their breath is particularly bad when they first wake up. Saliva flow stops or at least slows when we sleep. Therefore, with little saliva, our mouth dries. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many medications too [2]. Moreover, some people breathe through mouth rather than nose while asleep, worsening the problem.

Other causes of bad breath that are worth looking out for include strong-flavoured foods like curry, onion and garlic. Smoking tobacco is another common cause.

Things you can do

There are many easy and practical fixes. Chewing sugar free gum throughout the day and keeping the mouth hydrated with water can be very helpful.

Avoiding tobacco and strong-smelling foods also helps. If you do have these foods, using a mouth rinse afterwards can be helpful.

But the easiest way to avoid bad breath is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly.

But, there is only so much that we can all do. Sometimes, there are deeper causes, which is when a dentist can help.

What can a dentist do?

Attending a dental check-up can be very helpful. This gives a dentist the chance to look at the state of your oral health, and recommend treatment if necessary.

They are also able to locate anything that is contributing to the bad breath – for instance broken fillings, cavities and pockets in the gums. They can provide treatment when needed, which may help to improve our breath.

Your dentist may give you suggestions that can help with bad breath – including cleaning or scraping your tongue. This can be particularly helpful for bad breath.

By attending regular dental check-ups, it will ensure that your teeth remain in strong condition. This is the best way of preventing bad breath.

Thinking points…

1) Taking care of our oral health is so important! Not only can it help to prevent bad breath, but it can also have many other benefits. Therefore, make sure you have excellent oral hygiene – including brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, and as we mentioned earlier, consider using a tongue scraper. Ensure too that you attend dental check-ups regularly, as this will give your dentist a chance to look for any issues. Consider booking an appointment now!

2) While it isn’t an easy topic to bring up, if you know someone who has bad breath, consider having a quiet word with them. You could share this article with them, or recommend some of the practical fixes that are mentioned above. Most importantly, try to persuade them to book a dental appointment, as these can help a lot for overall oral health, including bad breath. While they may not appreciate your comments in the short-term, they will be thankful in the long run.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that offers many services, including regular check-ups, cavity fillings and root canals.

We are also pleased to offer some cosmetic services. Here at our Calgary dental clinic, we offer treatments like tooth whitening, Invisalign™ and dental implants.

It is important for oral problems to be addressed early. Any issues can be identified at check-ups. If further treatment is needed after a check-up, our patients receive a clear treatment plan that is suited to their needs. Early detection helps to prevent the problem getting worse.

The best way of avoiding extra treatment is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing our teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and getting a dental check-up at least twice a year. Avoiding sugary foods and drink and not smoking also helps.

Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.

We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Colgate Professional. (2009). Bad Breath: Do You Have It? You May Not Know You Do. Available: https://www.colgateprofessional.com/patient-education/halitosis/bad-breath-do-you-have-it. Last accessed: 27th August 2022.

[2] Weerakoon, A. (2022). Why does my breath smell bad, and what can I do about it?. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-08-bad.html. Last accessed: 27th August 2022.

The Liberal Party has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks due to the inactivity on Canada’s new national dental care plan. Now, Government sources have revealed that the Liberal Party are likely to use a temporary solution in a bid to give them more time to produce a long-term solution. This plan may involve the federal government giving money for dental care straight to eligible families.

As the weeks go by, we seem to be getting no closer to the rollout of the promised national dental care plan. This inactivity has led to suggestions that the Federal Government will be unable to meet the requirement of having the first phase of the plan rolled out by the end of 2022.

Now, sources from the government have suggested that the Liberal Party are planning on using the temporary solution. This solution would involve giving money directly to patients as a way of meeting the deadline [1].

The deadline was agreed in earlier 2022, as part of the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) agreement to support the Liberal Party in a supply-and-confidence agreement.

The government will hope that this short-term fix will give them enough time to focus on a longer-term strategy. Therefore, they will hope this can be a short bump in the road towards a sustainable and effective implementation.

The Dental Care Plan

In March 2022, following the Canadian Election, the Liberal Party and NDP reached an agreement to launch a new national dental care plan [2]. This plan is for low and middle-income families in Canada – and aims to provide them with financial support for dental costs [2].

The Liberal Party agreed to spend $5.3billion over the next 5 years to launch the plan [2]. The intention is to assist families with an income of less than $90,000 per year [2]. The plan should include restorative and preventative services [2].

Recently, Canada’s federal government has reached out to companies in the private sector [3]. They did this to seek their support, as well as seeing what role these companies could play in the new plan [3].

Moreover, there has also been other suggestions made, such as how the government may outsource the healthcare plan, or ask the provinces and territories to take it over [3].

This dental plan was one of the central tenets of the NDP’s philosophy. They have threatened to withdraw their support if the Liberals do not meet the agreement. The first stage of the plan is expected to be in place by the end of 2022, with a full rollout eventually coming by 2025 [2].

A short-term fix

Numerous sources from the government have revealed that the government are unlikely to meet their deadline [1]. Instead, they are apparently planning on a stopgap solution until a long-term plan can be made.

The first stage of the agreement, which has the deadline of the end of 2022, focuses on offering coverage to children under the age of 12 whose annual household income is less than $90,000 per year [1]. But this is what the government is struggling to meet.

The sources suggested that at this stage, the likeliest outcome would see the government directly giving money to the families that qualify for the plan to fund oral health services for their children under the age of 12 [1].

This would obviously only be a short-term fix. If such an approach was used permanently, it would likely result in chaos. However, this short-term approach would then provide the government with more time to find an approach that would work in the long-term.

This situation is rather embarrassing for the government, who have been made to look incompetent thus far. When questioned, Canada’s Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos refused to deny the sources were accurate [1].

Instead, Duclos said that the Liberals are on track to deliver their plan [1]. Duclos’ team have said that the government are looking at several different options to ensure they meet the deadline.

NDP’s Response

The NDP have been somewhat worried about the lack of progress. The NDP’s Health Critic Don Davies has mentioned that when Parliament resumes in the fall, the NDP will be pushing the Liberals to implement their plan [1].

Jagmeet Singh, a fierce supporter of improved dental access, and Leader of the NDP, has offered a rather positive outlook. When speaking at a news conference, Singh said “we’re very confident we can achieve” the deadline “before the end of the year” [1].

Time is running out, but even a short-term fix would be better than the current situation – which is leading to so many Canadians struggling with their oral health. Eventually, the aim is for a full rollout, which the government will hope is highly-effective for its citizens.

Thinking points…

1) It can be tempting to think that any dental issues you have now will be fixed by the new dental plan arriving. However, this is simply not true. It is going to take a while for the plan to be implemented, meaning it is crucial to continue to have very strong oral hygiene. We strongly recommend that you arrange an appointment soon, as any problems can be detected and acted upon. Why not book up an appointment now?

2) One of the main barriers to dental care for many is cost. However, here at our Calgary Dental Clinic Savanna Dental, our fees are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide, which means we offer transparent and competitive costs to our patients. If you want to find out more about us, we recommend visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca! We have a range of services we can offer, and would love to speak soon!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that offers many services, including regular check-ups, cavity fillings and root canals.

We are also pleased to offer some cosmetic services. Here at our Calgary dental clinic, we offer treatments like tooth whitening, Invisalign™ and dental implants.

It is important for oral problems to be addressed early. Any issues can be identified at check-ups. If further treatment is needed after a check-up, our patients receive a clear treatment plan that is suited to their needs. Early detection helps to prevent the problem getting worse.

The best way of avoiding extra treatment is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing our teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and getting a dental check-up at least twice a year. Avoiding sugary foods and drink and not smoking also helps.

Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.

We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Osman, L. (2022). Liberals plan temporary solution to dental care program, sources say. Available: https://globalnews.ca/news/9044847/liberals-temporary-dental-care-solution/. Last accessed: 12th August 2022.

[2] Tunney, C. (2022). Liberals agree to launch dental care program in exchange for NDP support. Available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeu-jagmeet-singh-deal-government-1.6393021. Last accessed: 12th August 2022.

[3] Osman, L. (2022). Federal government seeks industry input for national dental care program. Available: https://globalnews.ca/news/9014597/federal-government-industry-input-national-dental-care/. Last accessed: 12th August 2022.

Missing teeth affect many of us, especially the elderly. It is important for any replacement tooth to simulate the exact characteristics of the original tooth. When we seek an implant or dentures, the dentist will go through a time-consuming design process. But now, researchers have developed technology using artificial intelligence, which could result in improved accuracy and success of false teeth – potentially improving the oral health of millions of people.

Having missing teeth presents a range of problems – including our appearance, the process of chewing, and our ability to bite, among other issues. Elderly people are typically affected the most.

Missing teeth is usually down to severe tooth decay or gum disease. However, trauma is also a possible cause. Either way, most people seek treatment for the problem.

The most common solution is to get either dentures or implants. These false teeth are time-consuming to create however, and unfortunately do not always work as intended for patients – owing to design issues.

But now, a team of researchers have found that Artificial Intelligence could greatly improve the accuracy and effectiveness of false teeth, which could herald a new era of better false teeth.

Missing teeth and their impact

Missing teeth can have a big impact on life. For example, research has showed that those with teeth missing have a poorer quality of life, self-esteem and wellbeing [1].

While most people will replace a missing tooth with either an implant or dentures, there are issues. For example, both treatments are costly, and accessing dental services remains challenging for many.

Moreover, for those that choose not to replace a missing tooth, it can result in many problems. For example, it can affect the mouth’s appearance, how we chew, cause jawbone muscle problems, biting difficulties and even impact the teeth around it [2].

But even for those who can get implants and dentures, they present their own potential problems. It is crucial for false teeth to resemble the patient’s original tooth closely. Therefore, this helps to keep functions in the mouth the same.

However, a big problem in dentistry currently is how time-consuming it is to design appropriate dentures and implants in order to ensure they are suitable for the patient. If they are not designed adequately, they can cause discomfort and problems for the patient [2].

Now though, researchers have looked at how artificial intelligence could revolutionize this process and improve both the accuracy and time spent while designing the false teeth.

The Research

Researchers from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong and colleagues at the Chu Hai College of Higher Education, worked together to complete the research. Subsequently, their work was published in the journal PLOS ONE [3].

The researchers sought to find out if the use of artificial intelligence could result in an improvement in the accuracy and performance of dentures and implants [3]. They hoped that they could eventually automate the design of individualized false teeth.

Their motivation was to enhance the effectiveness of treatment and improve the patient experience and outcomes. Ultimately, the aim of false teeth is to provide a solution to the permanent issue of tooth loss.

The researchers used technology based on 3D Generative Adversarial Network – a type of artificial intelligence [3]. The aim was to train the technology to be able to automatically create a design of false teeth.

The technology was tested on 175 participants from the University of Hong Kong [3]. They provided teeth models which were then inputted into the technology. This gave the technology a wide range of knowledge that it could use to gain an understanding of each tooth, its texture and ideal measurements.

The study showed that artificial intelligence technology was capable of reconstructing the shape of a naturally healthy tooth – which were those of the participants [3]. Therefore, it was also able to automate the process of designing false teeth with high accuracy [3].

The new approach only requires a digital model of a patient’s mouth to function. Impressively, the technology can learn the features of a patient’s individual teeth [3]. It can then generate a false tooth design that will look and act like the missing tooth [3].

What this means

By making the process of designing false teeth automated, it could have a great impact on dentistry. For example, patients would have better fitting false teeth, increasing their comfort. Getting more individualized treatment would ensure longer lasting teeth.

Meanwhile, dentists could see more patients, due to the fact that they would need to spend less time in designing false teeth. This is a situation which would benefit all parties.

Dr. Walter Lam took part in the research [2]. He commented on the findings by saying that the technology will “facilitate the treatment workflow for dentists in replacing a missing tooth, as the preparation and fitting process will require minimal time, and a patient will not need to stay at the clinic for long hours” [2].

This overall case is another example of how artificial intelligence is proving beneficial to dentistry. Hopefully as time goes on, the technology will be widely implemented, resulting in a range of benefits.

Thinking points…

1) It is important to remember that it is possible to avoid losing teeth. The best way of doing this is to ensure that you take great care of your oral health. As part of this, you should make sure that you attend regular dental check-ups. Any problems will be able to be addressed, with a treatment plan created if needed. We recommend booking an appointment soon!

2) Do you, or someone you know, have poor-fitting dentures? If so, it is important to not suffer in silence. Treatment is always available, and at the very least, a dental professional may be able to make practical suggestions to increase comfort. By seeing a dental professional, any treatment options can be discussed. Why not make an appointment with a dentist now?!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental Clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice aimed at improving oral health.

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website.

References

[1] Gerritsen, A. E., Allen, P. F., Witter, D.J., Bronkhorst, E., & Creugers, N. HJ. (2010). Tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 8 (126). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-8-126

[2] The University of Hong Kong. (2022). AI-designed single molar dental prostheses. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-ai-designed-molar-dental-prostheses.html. Last accessed: 22nd July 2022.

[3] Chau, R. C. W., Chong, M., Thu, K. M., Chu, N. S. P., Koohi-Moghadam, M., Hsung, R. T-C., McGrath, C., & Lam, W. Y. H. (2022). Artificial intelligence-designed single molar dental prostheses: A protocol of prospective experimental study. PLOS ONE. 17 (6): e0268535. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268535.