Creating a Positive Dental Experience for your Children

We see a lot of kids in our practice and parents like to know what we do to try and create a positive experience for young patients. Our goal is to help children develop proper oral hygiene and oral care habits. This includes positive experiences at the dental office so that they feel comfortable for life. Right from the beginning we’ll show them that coming to the dentist can be fun. Kids love to learn, explore and ask questions. By allowing them to explore the dental environment and how we work with them at their own pace, much of the fear and apprehension simply never develops. When this happens, they start to look forward to their regular hygiene appointments. Not only do the appointments become easy and routine for them, but they are very receptive to what they can do at home to keep their teeth healthy. Even in the healthiest of mouths, it is possible that a cavity or other dental concern can develop.  Dr. Forman and the Forman Dental Care team are even more focused on making sure that when dental work is necessary, the end result is a happy child who maintains their positive feeling toward the dental office. We’ll start off with the smallest filling first to show them how easy it is. Many early cavities can even be filled without the need for local anesthetic. When local anesthetic is necessary, we tell them stories and get them relaxed at the beginning. Most children don’t even know they received the freezing until they feel the sensation in their lip. Our favourite words to hear at the end of an appointment are, “that was easier than I thought”. As your child jumps out of the chair, a final high-five from the dentist sends them on their way. At times, it’s necessary to fix several cavities at the same time or remove a baby tooth. For some children this can be simple, but for others it causes anxiety. Our goal is always the same, we want to get the treatment complete as successfully as possible and maintain their positive outlook. Some of the techniques we use are laughing gas and mild sedation. In certain cases it is necessary to refer to our team of pediatric specialists to make sure the positive experience continues. The specialist environment for kids is geared totally for them and the office is completely kid-friendly.  This often reduces anxiety so that laughing gas or sedation isn’t even necessary. Our specialists work with anesthetists and can complete work on your child while they’re asleep if necessary. All of this is done so that a fear of the dentist never develops and that the best possible treatment is provided to your child. If a referral to our specialist is necessary, we work closely to ensure your child receives the highest standard of care. If you have any questions about dentistry for your children, call us today at (905) 303-9355, or click here to request an appointment.

3 Ways to Keep your Teeth and Gums in Good Health

We’re often asked what patients can do to minimize dental work and visits to the dentist.  At Forman Dental Care we believe what makes us successful, and the key to a great relationship with our patients, is keeping dental work to an absolute minimum. Helping people care for their mouths while they’re away from the dentist has a tremendous impact on the longevity of their natural oral health and any extra treatments they may have had. Bacterial accumulation is the number one factor causing teeth and gums to fall out of good health and allow disease to take hold. This bacteria causes cavities and gum disease. Both are true infections and won’t go away unless you take the necessary actions. Bacteria will continue re-populating, so you need to stay on top of your care to keep it under control. We believe there are three key things that a patient can focus on to substantially minimize the need for extra dental work. 1)   Create an excellent home care routine. As challenging as it can be to break old habits, or influence your family to do the same; it is vital that people consistently follow a great home care routine. There are 2 keys to successfully creating this new habit. A) The most effective way to change a habit is by replacing it with a new one. B) It takes an average of 21 days of repetition to create a habit. For kids, make it a game and for adults, it’s a challenge. In both cases success should be rewarded.  Make sure everyone brushes twice daily (don’t rush) and floss or use Soft-Picks once a day. If you follow this routine, your dental work will last longer before needing repair or replacement, and your gums will stay much healthier. This means far less risk of problems, and fewer visits to the dentist’s office. 2)   Wear prescribed appliances every day. We see a lot of patients with clenching and/or grinding habits. The number two factor that causes problems with teeth and gums is too much pressure. We recommend that many patients consider a night-time clenching/grinding appliance to protect their teeth. Studies show that only around 5% of patients will faithfully wear their appliance, many won’t even try it, and even more will only wear it occasionally. A lot of you have heard me say “I’ll take some appliance wear over no wear”.  I really mean it; the more the better. After working with patients for over 15 years, it’s obvious when an appliance is worn faithfully or neglected; and the benefits of faithful use versus neglect are drastic. With consistent use, fillings look healthier and last longer, gums bleed less and are less inflamed, and teeth are far less likely to loosen from stretching tooth ligaments. Wear your appliance as much as possible if you have one, and consider trying one if it’s been recommended. Patients who are consistent with their appliances get better results, and avoid serious restorations. 3)   Do your best to restore your teeth if it’s required. Teeth with very large fillings are more susceptible to breaking. Restoration with a crown will protect at risk teeth from breaking and often avoid unplanned and extensive dental work. The bottom line is controlling bacteria and pressure on your teeth on a regular basis will save you many times the dental work and cost over the long run. In summary, create a great home care routine, wear recommended appliances faithfully, and keep your teeth restored and protected. These three concepts will help keep your oral health at its best, which is precisely what we want for you. If there are any outstanding issues you need taken care of, please use our appointment booking tool, or call us at (905) 303-9355.