oral health

Why You Need an Electric Toothbrush

It’s true! We FINALLY have electric toothbrushes available to purchase at our office! Before we get into the models we carry at the office and why we love them, let’s chat about why you need an electric toothbrush in your life.

1.       Reliability

Electric toothbrushes can produce thousands of strokes per minute, where as your manual toothbrush can only work as fast as your hand.  This means more plaque removed from your teeth and a more reliable clean.

 

2.       Special Features

Don’t lie to us, most of you do NOT brush for a full 2 minutes like we recommend! Lucky for you, most electric toothbrushes have built in timers so you always know you are brushing for the correct time.  Other features may include pressure sensors which are great for those of you who tend to scrub really hard which can lead to gingival recession, different speeds and modes.

 

3.       Long Term Savings

Electric toothbrushes are an initial financial investment, however long term, they end up saving you.  Electric toothbrushes do not need to be replaced as much as manual ones, only the brush heads need to be replaced.  The brush heads for electric toothbrushes can be used for more time than a manual toothbrush, therefore you are replacing them less often.

 

4.       Ease of Use for Everyone

Electric toothbrushes do the work for you so they are beneficial for children and teenagers who don’t quite get to their back teeth.  They are perfect for patients who have limited dexterity due to conditions like arthritis, etc and for our “young at heart” patients who have mobility issues.  Have a child in orthodontics? Electric toothbrushes make brushing around brackets, wires, or attachments a piece of cake.

 

Now that you know why an electric toothbrush is the way to go, let’s chat about the options you have available to purchase at the office!

 

Oral B 500 – $45 (Available in Black, Mint, Lilac)

Why We Love It:

·         Although marketed as an adult toothbrush, we think this toothbrush is perfect for anyone ages 7 and up - basically anyone with adult teeth.

·         The wider handle with perforations for better grip is great for both kids and any patients with mobility or dexterity difficulty.

·         The round head is great for accessing those hard-to-reach areas.  The size of the head is not too small or big - just right!

·         Signals every 30 seconds to ensure a 2 minute clean every time.

·         It has three different speeds however we recommend only using the first two unless you want toothpaste splattered all over your mirror!

·         Comes with 2 heads with different coloured bands to place on them so siblings can use one brush, no need to purchase two!

 

Philips Sonicare 4700 - $75 (Available in White, Pink, Blue)

Why We Love It:

·         It’s exclusive! This model is only available at dental practices and the lower model retails for more! We recommend it for patients ages 16 and up.

·         We love the slim, streamlined handle and the longer, slimmer oval brush head especially for those with smaller mouths. 

·         Three different speeds and two different modes ensures it is perfect for anyone with any type of periodontal status.

·         Signals every 30 seconds and when you are using too much pressure.

·         A travel case is included which gives you no excuse when you travel!

 

Now that you are a pro on electric toothbrushes, come on down and grab yours! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, we are always ready to help you with your oral care.

 

Happy electric toothbrushing!

The Niverville Heritage Dental Gals

 

The Niverville Heritage Dental Centre Gift Guide!

It’s the most magical time of year - the holiday season! This means the hot chocolate is being poured, your tree is up, Mariah Christmas tunes are blasting and if you’re like us, endless cheesy holiday movies on repeat.

However, this also means the craziness of holiday shopping has begun. As most of us our moms, we get how crazy this time of year can be, finding kids gifts that are exciting, budget friendly, and fun.

Enter the NHDC gals.  We decided to do our first ever holiday gift guide! What if you could get your kids things they could be excited about AND promoted good oral health?! Sounds like a dream, right? Here’s some of our favourite picks for both gifts and stocking stuffers.


Kids Gift Ideas:

1. Kids Dentist Role Play Wooden Set

Who doesn’t want to play dentist? Imaginary play is so important for kids, so what’s better than pretending to be a dentist with this wooden play set.  Exposure like this also helps them become better prepared for coming to see us.  Who know, maybe your little will work here one day! Click here to buy!

2. Play-Doh Drill n’ Fill Set

We love play-doh for sensory play and this set is so fun! Sip your coffee while your kids are entertained making teeth and pretending to do some fillings.  You get a break and they aren’t bugging you.  It’s a win, win.  Click here to purchase!


Stocking Stuffer Ideas:

1.Character Battery Powered Toothbrushes

We all know the struggle of getting your little ones to brush.  Enter these Colgate, battery powered toothbrushes.  With a spinning head to reach those harder places and available in your child’s favourite character, this is an easy one.  Peppa Pig, Batman, Minions, Barbie, you name it, they got it.  Click here to buy!

2. Brushing Sand Timer

Let’s face it, none of our kids brush for two minutes straight cause it’s nearly impossible. Enter these adorable tooth, multicoloured, sand timers.  It comes in a set of 7 which means EVERYONE is getting one in their stockings! Click here to purchase!

3. Froggie Toothbrush & Toothpaste Holder

This froggie toothbrush and toothpaste holder is both so cute and practical.  It is only 6x6 inches so it’s perfect for sitting on the side of the sink.  It comes in a variety of colours and makes a great stocking stuffer! Click here to buy!

4. Unicorn Sparkle & Watermelon Toothpaste

Have a picky child when it comes to toothpaste flavours? Look no further than Hello’s unicorn sparkle fluoride that is bubble gum flavoured. Looking for a non-fluoridated toothpaste for your really young one? Try their watermelon flavoured one! Click here for unicorn sparkle and here for watermelon.

Still looking for more ideas? Lucky for you we now have an entire page on our website dedicated to oral health products we love and recommend.  We have everything on there from denture care, orthodontic products, oral hygiene products and so much more.  Everything is linkable and takes you straight to where you can purchase it! Click here for the products page!

Happy shopping!

The NHDC Gals

Heart Health & Oral Health - What's the Connection?

We are laughing into 2020!

We are laughing into 2020!

People use the beginning of a new year as a time to press the restart button.  Although we gals think any day is a great day to set new goals and intentions, we are all for New Year resolutions in which you make it a priority to take care of yourself!

At the center of our overall health is our heart.  Did you know that for years researchers have been trying to solve the link between gum disease and heart disease? Let us break it down for you:

Gum disease is inflammation of the gums and the surrounding bone which houses your teeth due to bacteria.  Similarly, heart disease is the inflammation of the heart’s arteries.  In some studies, people with heart disease have been found with traces of oral bacteria in their arteries, leading researchers to believe the bacteria from your mouth can travel through your body to your heart vessels causing an increased risk for cardiac episodes such as heart attacks and strokes.  Findings such as these strengthen the relationship between gum disease and heart disease.

Here’s the conclusion:  Many studies have linked gum disease to heart disease, however further research is needed to confirm if gum disease can actually CAUSE heart disease.  From the way the research is heading, it seems likely.

Your heart is at the centre of it all, but taking care of your teeth means taking care of your heart.Image via Pinterest.

Your heart is at the centre of it all, but taking care of your teeth means taking care of your heart.

Image via Pinterest.

What does that mean for you? Daily brushing and flossing along with regular hygiene appointments at your dentist can prevent and even reverse early stages of gum disease! Now if only you knew a fantastic dental office with amazing ladies that you could come to in order to have your teeth cleaned and help you control your gum disease… Oh wait! You do, us! Let us gals at Niverville Heritage Dental educate you about gum disease, help you combat it and show you the proper way of brushing and flossing.  We know now that oral health is somehow connected to overall health, so take care of your heart, teeth, and everything in between.  Click here to book an appointment.

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gum-disease-and-heart-disease-the-common-thread

https://www.cardiosmart.org/News-and-Events/2016/01/Gum-Disease-Linked-to-Increased-Risk-for-Heart-Attack

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/Dental-Health-and-HeartHealth_UCM_459358_Article.jsp?appName=MobileApp