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Season’s Greetings! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidaaaays…

What if it isn’t Happy or Merry?  What if this is one of the most stressful, if not the most stressful period of the year?

If you are feeling anxious, lonely or overwhelmed; you have mental health concerns or are grieving, what do you do at this time of year?  Here are some suggestions to help get you through. If you are having serious difficulty coping, please seek professional care or at least talk to a trusted confident.

 Get enough sleep: Make an effort to keep to a sleep routine. Rest is important to counter stress.

Exercise: Exercise outside, where the sunlight will help improve your mood and focus. Physical activity is a significant counter balance to the stress hormones and chemicals in our bodies.

Make time for yourself:  Holiday vacations could be a huge hassle. Figure out ways to have fun and enjoy your holidays by doing things that are significant and meaningful to you.

Holidays are supposed to be a time of peace, love and joy. Figure out what YOU need to do to keep holiday spirit rather than be a casualty of it.

If you still feel anxious and depressed, here are some links that you can visit for helpful information:

https://www.anxietycanada.com/sites/default/files/SleepHygiene.pdf

https://www.stjoes.ca/health-services/mental-health-addiction-services/mental-health-services/anxiety-treatment-and-research-clinic-atrc

https://www.hamiltondoctors.ca/anxiety-disorders/

https://www.hamiltonfht.ca/en/managing-my-health/Anxiety.aspx

We wish you and yours the Best of the Season, Happy Holidays and a Joyous Prosperous New Year!

Halloween is all about tricks and treats. The trick for parents is how to keep their kids healthy and safe. Considerations should include the type of costume, treat collecting route, and of course the weather. For kids Halloween means bags of free goodies. For parents it present challenges when it comes to the collected hoard of treats. Do I give them a little at the time, or do I let them indulge until they make themselves feel sick? That choice is yours to make, but it is important to have a plan.

Since we see the ravages of sweets, here are a few tips to consider so that the treats have less of an impact on your kids’ teeth:
Let the kids have their treats with meals or shortly after mealtime. This
allows saliva to wash away some of the harmful acids produced by treat fed
bacteria. Saliva changes at mealtime to provide a buffering effect against
acids which cause decay.

Choose the type of treat carefully. Avoid hard candy and suckers that stay
in the mouth a long time. Sticky candies like gummy bears and toffee get
stuck in the teeth and take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing
the risk of tooth decay. Sour candies are acidic. The acid causes erosion,
thinning the enamel of the teeth; this also makes them more prone to decay
and sensitivity.

Drink more water.

Help your children with brushing twice a day and flossing if they can’t do
this by themselves. If it is impossible to brush and floss after sweets,
chew a piece of sugar – free gum to stimulate saliva flow and neutralize the
acid produced by bacteria.

You and your child can come up with a plan on the number of treats they keep
and what to do with the rest.

For those of you giving out treats, you may want to consider healthier
alternatives. How about dollar store stickers or pencils? Another option
that is better than sticky candy is chips or pretzels or Doritos. Do check
the labels to avoid the worry of nut allergies!

If teeth should suffer, see your dentist don’t wait for their regular 6
monthly dental visit.

Happy Trick or Treating! 

Summer is almost over; the new school year is creeping ever closer. That means back-to-school shopping, appointments and scheduling your kid’s activities – Mom, did you remember signing up as a taxi driver? Dental checkups should be one of the appointments.

The number one health problem that keeps children from attending school is dental disease. In order to prevent dental issues that could contribute to missing school to see their dentist, ensure that your child has regular dental checkups. This is the key to catch bigger problems down the road. Their growth and development can be monitored, as well as age appropriate preventive measures such as fissure sealants can be initiated. Developing orthodontic concerns can also be addressed early – possibly saving a few dollars in the long run.

Will your child be participating in sports that require a mouthguard? Off the shelf boil and bite are ok in a pinch, but custom made athletic mouthguards are superior. It takes about a week to make one so book early. You wouldn’t want to miss a practice.

Now is the best time to visit dentist while there is no school to miss.
Ensure your child’s teeth sparkle on their first day back to school.
Schedule appointment for your child’s back-to-school checkup call
(905) 667 – 8707 or
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Oral wellness, whole health!

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and that means it’s time to find the perfect gift to show mom how much we care. Unfortunately, this task is no easy feat and we often end up resorting to the time-honored homemade cards or chore booklets. While most moms will appreciate any gift and enjoy the thought behind it, we need to challenge ourselves to find the perfect gift for mom this year. After all, she has been there to wipe our tears, offer band aids when needed, give hugs on days we were down, taught us to tie or shoes, made sure we had food and clean clothes, and the list goes on and on. So, it’s no secret that our moms deserve to be spoiled every now and then- even if it is only one day a year.

So let’s take a moment to think about how we can make mom feel special, let’s put her on the top of the list today and treat her to something she may not do for herself. Maybe we can give her a gift that she deserves, that is, time for her only! Why not buy her a gift certificate for a massage and spa experience; take her out for dinner so that she doesn’t have to cook, or you can set up an appointment for teeth whitening to make her smile brighter.

Here’s to all of the moms out there. May we humbly say that you’re simply the BEST MOM EVER! Thank you all for everything you do every day.

Your Halloween costume persona needs teeth –fangs, broken down teeth, or ’missing’ teeth. If you’ve rented a costume they may supply the extras to do this. If not, you are on your own to figure how and what to do for teeth. Your choices range from do-it-yourself to custom made.

If you want to spend some money, your dentist and his lab can produce whatever you need. It will be pricey, but will last for years, be custom made to your mouth and use mouth safe materials. Basically, it will be a removable false front sitting against your teeth between your lips and your cheeks. ’Veneers’ in essence, held in place by mechanical undercuts and your facial muscles. Talking may be difficult and eating will not be possible unless you are substituting theatrical dentures for your own. It’s not really a good idea to try to eat with costume teeth anyway.

You could also order kits from the internet or visit your local costume or hobby shop. YouTube has DIY videos available as it does for nearly everything else.

Some of the DIY websites offer suggestions for using straws, plastic forks and other similar materials cut to shape and size. Care should be used not to injure yourself when inserting the costume teeth into your mouth. Anything inserted between your teeth will be uncomfortable the longer it stays in place.

One recommendation that has been made is to use nail glue to adhere the false teeth to your real ones. Do not do this! Nail glue is usually ethyl cyanoacylate (crazy glue) and is toxic in the mouth. Using it against your teeth may also damage your teeth when trying to remove the costume teeth. The surgical grade version, octyl cyanoacrylate, is far too expensive for a Halloween costume.

Use only denture adhesives, orthodontic waxes or form fitting costume teeth to keep them in place. If you have braces, consider talking to your orthodontist about how to safely and securely wear the costume teeth.

Other dental work – dentures, bridges, porcelain veneers, etc., may also be an issue when trying to wear costume teeth. You may need to consult your dentist.

Remember to stay safe when partying or trick- or- treating! Like a good boy scout be prepared:

• a costume with good visibility in the mask,
• a flashlight,

• trick- or -treat in a safe neighbourhood,
• examine your haul before eating any of it,

• and if you are an adult partying, drink responsibly!

Happy Halloween!