2014 ISSUE

Healthy Smiles in the CapitalOTTAWA

How to choose the right toothpaste for you!Find out on page 3

Helping the Community: Check out what the Dental Hygiene students

at Algonquin College are up to!

page 5

booking.com

HEALTHY SMILES IN THE CAPITAL 2014

Page 2

Page 2: Photography by Megan Gauley

CONTENTS .........................................................................Toothpaste 101 3

.............................Oral Health: How it affects overall health 4

.............................Algonquin College Dental Hygiene Clinic 5.........................................How Can You Help the Capital? ..... 6

HEALTHY SMILES IN THE CAPITAL 2014

Page 3

With so many options, how do you know which toothpaste is right for you?

You walk into a store to buy toothpaste; as you approach the shelf you see a huge variety to choose from. Which toothpaste should you choose? Toothpaste, also known as dentifrice, comes in gels, paste and powder. Toothpaste goes hand in hand with your toothbrush as crucial components to your every day oral hygiene routine. Toothpaste is used to remove plaque mechanically. Certain components are put into toothpaste for different oral conditions. It is important to read the label and look for an American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance when shopping for your toothpaste.

Importance of Fluoride

Fluoride is greatly beneficial to your oral cavity that it is even placed in community water supply. Fluoride has the ability to prevent tooth decay and remineralize the tooth surface. Over the years, prevalence of tooth decay has dropped significantly among the public due to this natural cavity fighting mineral. Fluoride can strengthen teeth by being used twice daily in your oral hygiene routine.

The American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance

In order for a product to obtain the ADA Seal of Acceptance it is looked

over thoroughly by experts to ensure efficacy, safety and promotional claims. Therefore, if you choose a toothpaste with an ADA Seal of Acceptance the box should clearly indicate the intent of that toothpaste in honesty. After your visit with your dentist you should have an idea of areas you need to improve. ADA seals allow you to make beneficial choices to achieve your full health potential. See the full list of ADA products on their website.

Choosing the Right Toothpaste

One third of toothpastes are abrasives which are responsible for the cleaning and polishing. Toothpaste abrasives come in different strengths. It is important to note some toothpastes with large abrasives such as small blue beads are detrimental to your gums. The beads tend to get stuck in the gum creating pockets. Certain abrasives aid in whitening stained teeth. However, whitening toothpaste should not be used daily because it breaks down enamel slowly. Detergents are responsible for loosening plaque and debris from the tooth surface. Those who tend to have a lot of plaque build up should look for ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium N-lauroyl

sarcosinate. Toothpastes are often flavoured with options such as spearmint, wintergreen and cinnamon to name a few. If you have gingivitis or infections in the mouth it is advised to stay away from other flavours excluding mint. Triclosan, pyrophosphates and zinc citrate are recommended therapeutic ingredients for everyone because it improves gum health. Tooth sensitivity, which is very common, can be treated by ingredients such as potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. Children from birth to 3 years of age should only use fluoridated toothpaste if they have a risk for dental caries; this topic should be discussed with your dentist.

ADA Spokesperson, Richard A. Price once said, “one almost needs a PhD degree to weather the dental aisle of confusion.” Hopefully you now can walk the dental aisle with confidence in choosing a toothpaste most suitable for you. It is very important to go to routine dental visits and talk with your hygienist about your oral condition. By becoming knowledgable regarding your oral health status you can do your part when shopping for oral hygiene aids.

Toothpaste 101By Megan Gauley

http://www.malmin.co.uk/blog/toothpaste-use.html

http://www.evanstondentist.com/blog/