With the school year beginning again in Vancouver, kids are once again gearing up for sugar-filled lunches and candy bar recess treats. For parents, it may be hard to control what goes into your child’s mouth and what kind of dental damage may occur.

“If your children just cannot resist a special desert with their mealtime, there are ways to minimize damage to teeth.”

At Atlantis Dental we have developed a candy guideline, helping parents make informed decisions when it comes to preparing lunchbox treats for kid’s to enjoy.

Of course, completely eliminating candy from the meal plan is always the ideal way to save yourself and your family the expense and pain of dental cavities. However, if your children just cannot resist a special desert with their mealtime, we have some tactics to help minimize damage to teeth. (This guide can also be useful for those adults with a sweet tooth!)

The Sweetest Sin

According to Dr. Ezzati, some of the worst candy for kids to consume is sour candy. The acids that are found in the candy can work to seriously damage your child’s pearly whites by dissolving enamel instantly.

In addition, hard and chewy candies are some of the worst sugar treats for your teeth. The bottom line being: the longer sugary sweets remain in your mouth, the more harmful the effects are to teeth and gums.

Lastly, and most surprisingly, raisins are a key link to causing dental problems. This is due to the fact that raisins are sticky, leading them to get caught in and can be damaging to past dental work such as retainers, fillings, Invisalign, or braces.

The Runners Up

While still not great for your teeth, candy bars are not found to be a leading cause for tooth decay. This is due to the fact that most candy bars are eaten quickly, allowing for less time for sugar to cause acid buildup.

Along with chocolate bars, powder candy is not nearly as bad for your teeth as most people would assume. Similar to chocolate, powdered sugar is typically swallowed quickly, meaning it will not stay in contact with teeth for a long time.

Best Choice

Not surprisingly, the best sweet treat for children and adults alike is sugar-free candy and gum. Products with the ingredient Xylitol can actually prevent cavities by triggering an increase in the production of saliva thus eliminating harmful bacteria.

Contact us today to learn more about preventing cavities and dental disease.

October 27, 2011 in Blog by Admin

In our continuous series of the best “ways to prevent cavities”, Dr. Ezzati from Atlantis Dental Centre explains why vending machines are causing more and more cavities in children and adults.

“Instead of this cavity-causing, sugar-filled, junk food, consider the following alternatives that will not only satisfy your sweet tooth, but limit cavities from occurring…”

Vending machines are quick, easy and cheap. Put in some of your extra pocket cash and instantly enjoy a chocolate bar, chip bag, or even a can of pop. That’s not the only thing you’re getting for cheap, vending machines are not only giving out sugar-filled treats; they are also giving out cavities!

When you choose to satisfy your hunger with a chocolate bar or bag of candy, the bacteria in your mouth starts digesting sugar, quickly turning it into acid. This harmful chemical stays on your teeth and begins to eat away at the natural enamel (the material that protects your smile from tooth decay). When enamel gets eaten, you get a cavity!

So what are some helpful ways to prevent cavities from occurring? Always remember to brush your teeth after eating any sugar-filled treat. If you don’t have a chance to brush, don’t even think about treating yourself!

Instead of this cavity-causing, sugar-filled, junk food, consider the following alternatives that will not only satisfy your sweet tooth, but limit cavities from occurring:

• Bread
• Sliced meat
• Milk
• Raw veggies and fruit
• Nuts and seeds

Subscribe to our blog for more helpful ways to prevent cavities, or contact the friendly team at Atlantis Dental to learn more about what causes cavities.

October 20, 2011 in Blog by Admin

It is a commonly known fact that smoking leads to health problems such as lung cancer, but did you know that smoking and oral health problems often go hand in hand?

In fact, smoking is the leading cause for almost 75% of gum disease in adults. This percentage includes adults who smoke from pipes and cigars, as well as those enjoying smokeless tobacco.

“As soon as you begin using tobacco products, you are more likely to experience these common problems that are tied with smoking and oral health problems”

As soon as you begin using tobacco products, you are more likely to experience these common problems that are tied with smoking and oral health problems:

• Bad breath
• Stained teeth and tongue
• Gum disease
• Gum recession
• Tooth loss
• Bone loss in the jaw
• Delayed healing process after dental treatment
• Mouth sores
• Decreased sense of taste and smell

At Atlantis Dental Centre we are always dedicated to helping you maintain optimal oral health, that is why we strongly recommend patients to quit using any tobacco products.

For the sake of your teeth, gums and oral health, use these steps recommended by the Surgeon General to help make quitting smoking easier.

• Be prepared
• Ask for help from friends/family members/co-workers
• Invest your free time in an interesting activity
• Be prepared for a relapse
• Get medication, if necessary, and use it correctly

The team at Atlantis Dental understand how difficult and time-consuming quitting smoking can be. However, we are dedicated to helping you protect your most valuable asset—your beautiful smile.

Contact our Vancouver dental clinic if you are in need of any support or advice on your journey to understanding smoking and oral health issues.

October 13, 2011 in Blog by Admin

Atlantis Dental Clinic in Yaletown has received a new patient review on Yelp Web Listings! A great community website, Yelp helps patients of Atlantis Dental Clinic and other dental clinics review and read unbiased testimonials of local Vancouver businesses.

Check out our latest patient review from Mark J.:

“I was looking for a dentist and decided why not use Yelp since I use it for a lot of things these days.  I  found Atlantis Dental Centre and I’m so glad that I did!

I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to dentists and I made that very clear when I made my initial appointment.  From my initial contact on the the phone to make my appointment I was greeted with warmth and kindness.  At first I thought it was too good to be true but when I arrived for my appointment I was welcomed to the office by everyone I had contact with. Dr. Karkanis was amazing!  He was very comforting and always let me know what was going on and explained everything I needed to know. He did all of this while making me at ease the entire time. Tuyet who did my cleaning was exceptionally friendly and once again always let me know what was going on and always explained everything to me. Tuyet had a great sense of humour which also helped to put me at ease.

The office has state of the art technology, I was able to see my x-rays instantly including ones that were taken with a panoramic camera. I had glasses to protect my eyes from the light and I was able to watch TV to help distract me from what was going on  The office was super clean and the staff were all very gentle.

When I was all done, Rea-Anne got me set up for my next visit which included an estimate so I would know what to expect.

I have to say that this was my most enjoyable dentist visit ever!   What was normally a scary thing for me ended up being an enjoyable experience.  I left there feeling as though I had been going there for years.  I have to say, I’m looking forward to my next visit!  I never thought I would say that about going to the dentist

I HIGHLY recommend Atlantis Dental Centre!  Oh, did I mention that you get Air Miles there too? Crazy!!“

Check out more Atlantis Dental Clinic’s patient reviews, or feel free to post your own review for Atlantis Dental Centre on Yelp!

October 12, 2011 in Blog by Admin

Has anyone ever told you that you grind your teeth in your sleep? Perhaps a parent or partner may even try to wake you up while you’re grinding. Unfortunately, most people who grind their teeth in their sleep, don’t even know they’re doing it.

Teeth grinding is one of the most common sleep disorders referred to in the medical profession as Bruxism. The symptoms for which are broad and far reaching, including: jaw stiffness and soreness, anxiety, stress, worn teeth, depression, headaches as well as insomnia. Your health partners at Atlantis Dental Centre want to empower you to combat Bruxism, so you wake up feeling rested, pain free and ready for the day!

Quality of sleep factors greatly into how you perform in your waking hours, whether at work or at home. If you are resting well, you are feeling well and needless to say the reverse is true as well. There are several ways dental professionals diagnose and treat bruxism. As with any other health problem, early detection is the key to treating this particular sleep disorder. There are various ways to test the frequency and duration of your grinding throughout the night. Most importantly, there are treatment methods available such as dental guards and splints which are typically worn on a long-term basis during each and every night’s sleep.

Over the counter mouth guards sold at drug stores, while inexpensive, are considered by dental professionals to be ineffective in preventing tooth erosion and further decay. A good nights rest is imperative to maintaining a healthy quality of life for you and your family. If you or your children experience bruxism, consult your Atlantis Dental expert for treatment options as your oral health depends upon it. For more information please see our previous post titled The Solution For Teeth Grinding.

Contact our Vancouver dental clinic to find out how we can help you get the rest you need.

October 6, 2011 in Blog by Admin