Southeast Dental - Dentist in Markham, ON

Address : 70 Karachi Dr, Markham ON L3S 0B5
  Call Us : 905-471-2002

All Posts in Category: Family Health

5 Tips for Dental Health During the Holidays

The holiday season is a great time of year for family, friends, and food. And, of course, along with the food there are always desserts and treats that are hard to pass up – and we’d never tell you to! Instead, we’ve got 5 tips to make sure you take great care of your teeth this season, while still enjoying the sugary treats you love.

  1. Brush Whenever & Wherever You Can! – While brushing your teeth in public or at other people’s homes can seem a bit strange, it also means that you keep your teeth clean and prevent cavities on the go. Keeping a travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste with you is very handy, but if you’re not so comfortable with that, there are other options. Try chewing sugarless gum or using mouthwash!
  2.  Not All Holiday Snacks Have to be Unhealthy – Try balancing the cookies and baked treats with some items from the veggie and fruit trays! This will prevent you from eating too many sugars, and the fruits and veggies will also help clean your teeth.
  3. Stock Healthy Stockings – Instead of filling stocking with candies and treats for your kids, try including a fun new toothbrush or container of floss. Finding dental health tools with their favourite characters or in their favourite colours makes it an even better gift!
  4. Drink to your Health – High sugar content, tooth staining, bad breath and dry mouth are all problems with many of the drinks enjoyed around the holidays. So be sure to drink plenty of water to rinse out the sugars and residue, cleanse your mouth, and keep it hydrated and healthy.
  5. Come & See Us! – Booking a cleaning after the holidays is also a good idea – contact us today or use our online booking form.

Happy Holidays from your Markham dental team at Southeast Dental!

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Pregnancy & Dental Health

As we all know, there are a lot of changes that occur in a woman’s body when she is pregnant – and her mouth is no exception. Throughout those nine months oral health becomes even more important than ever, as it affects both the mother and baby. But there are easy ways to ensure that the mouth is well taken care of. Here are some tips to help!

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Dental Health on Vacation

Warmer weather often means vacations, such as camping and cottage trips for families. If that means you and your family, it’s important to remember to keep up your dental health routine during your time away. We know, it can be hard to remember to brush and floss and make the right food choices while you’re away, having a great time. But with these tips, we’re making it easier for you!
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Teenagers & Dental Health

Teenagers have more on their minds than ensuring that they stay on top of their dental health – so how do you keep your teens cavity-free? Here are a few ways that parents can help them keep tooth decay at bay.

Keep Soda Out of the House:

Soft drinks are a major culprit when it comes to cavities in teens. By keeping these drinks out of the house, or at the very least buying them less, you can encourage your kids to cut down on the sugary liquids and try drinking more water.

Stock up on Veggies:

We know – most teenagers refuse to eat their vegetables. That’s likely the case in your house, but showing them tastier ways to eat their veggies might be helpful. There are many delicious and healthy dips that can make vegetables much more palatable to teens, and even apples and cheese are good for their teeth. Healthy snacks can go a long way!

Make Meals A Priority:

Teens are busy. Between school, sports, and other extra-curricular activities, having sit-down meals can take a backseat to everything else. From a young age, it’s always a good idea to instill the importance of regular meals to your children. Otherwise, they’re more inclined to eat unhealthy, high-sugar snacks to replace proper meals – and these can wreak havoc on their mouth health.

Book Regular Cleanings: 

Of course, regular cleanings are one of the most important parts of a healthy dental care routine. To keep your teenager on the right track, give us a call at Southeast Dental in Markham to book their next appointment – or, use our handy online form to schedule a visit with our friendly and professional dental team

 

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Starting Early – Great Dental Habits for Kids

Staying healthy can be easy – and that includes oral health- it just takes the right habits and an ability to stick to them. That’s why we recommend starting proper dental hygiene early, so it becomes a lifelong practice. Here are a few tips to get your kids’ dental health on the right track from a young age.

Teach them the right way to brush:

Show them how you brush your teeth, demonstrating how you hold the toothbrush, and the angles needed to reach every surface. Teaching them to be gentler is important, as their young teeth and gums will be more sensitive and require a soft touch.

Flossing daily:

While flossing doesn’t need to be taught right away (it can be difficult for young children), it’s a good idea to get them into the habit whenever they’re old enough to handle it. For a step-by-step guide to flossing, follow these instructions from our blog.

Keep them away from sugar:

Did you know that it can take up to 30 minutes for a child’s saliva to neutralize the acidity from sugar’s bacteria? Try to limit their sugar intake, and help keep cavities at bay.

Regular dental visits:

Not only will regular dental visits help to keep you child’s teeth their healthiest, but at Southeast Dental in Markham, we can also show your kids how to properly care for their teeth. To book their next cleaning, call 905-471-2002 or use our online form. 

Make it fun!

Who says that teeth cleaning has to be a chore? Try letting them pick out a fun new toothbrush, or a flavour of toothpaste they’ll enjoy. And if you make tooth brushing a game, they’ll be more likely to look forward to brushing each day.

For more tips and information on oral health for the whole family, catch up on the Southeast Dental Blog!

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Pregnancy and Your Oral Health

When you’re pregnant, there are a lot of items on your health checklist to keep an eye on, all to ensure a healthy baby, healthy mom, and healthy delivery. But there’s one thing that is often overlooked during those important nine months – and that’s your dental health.

Did you know that pregnancy affects dental health quite a bit? It’s true. So to help out any expectant mothers out there, we’ve compiled a list of tips to ensure your oral health is at its best.

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Healthy Snacks for Kids’ Dental Health

Most kids don’t love their daily dental health routines – brushing and flossing their teeth is more like a chore than something beneficial for them. Luckily there are some ways that they’ll enjoy making their teeth healthier. Through healthy (yet tasty!) snacks, they can strengthen and clean their teeth… without even knowing they’re doing it.

Fruits:

Crunchy fruits like apples, pears, and even some strawberries are abrasive, and help to clean your teeth while you chew. Of all the crunchy fruits, apples are the best choice due to the vitamins and minerals they provide, and also because they stimulate the gums, increase saliva and fight plaque. An apple a day just might keep the cavities away!

Vegetables:

Just like the crunchy fruits, vegetable like carrots and celery are abrasive and help to clean teeth and gums. Another dental health bonus? They crate even more saliva due to extra chewing, and that helps to neutralize the acids in your mouth caused by bacteria.

Cheeses:

You may not think of cheese as being a great snack for teeth, but it is full of tooth-friendly vitamins, like calcium and phosphate. These not only help keep enamel strong, they also assist in the production of saliva, to kill cavity-causing bacteria.

Proteins:

Lean proteins contain a mineral called phosphorous, which balances the pH levels in the mouth, helps strengthen tooth enamel, and prevent bad bacteria from growing in the mouth. Chicken, eggs, and lean beef are all great options!

Even if your child is a picky eater, there are many different snacks to choose from on this list and many different ways to prepare them to make them more fun. If you have any questions about what foods would most benefit your child’s specific needs, our team at Southeast Dental in Markham would be happy to discuss options with you. Give us a call at 905-471-2002 or book an appointment online.

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Getting Your Kids to Stick to their Daily Dental Routine

Getting your kids ready in the morning can be a challenge, especially since most children aren’t likely to want to brush their teeth, get dressed, or go to school. (Can you blame them?) The same is likely true for nighttime routines – to a tired child, cleaning their teeth certainly doesn’t sound very fun.

But these daily routines are important, especially when it comes to dental health. Brushing every morning and night, flossing, and generally caring for their teeth is imperative as they grow. But if you find that you’re having a hard time getting your kids to stick to their dental routines, we have a few tips that just might make it a little less of a struggle.

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Dental Tips for Back-to-School

Summer may not be quite over yet, but with September getting closer that means it’s almost time for back-to-school! This time of year can be a chaotic one, with so much to do to get the kids ready for another school year – so to help make things a bit easier for parents, we’ve put together a few tips to make sure dental problems aren’t part of your new school year stress.

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The Flossing Debate – Is it Effective, or Not?

In the past year, there have been new studies coming out that have deemed flossing to be an unnecessary task – according to some, flossing doesn’t actually improve dental health at all. But there is some debate among dentists, and most continue to recommend daily flossing to their patients. Here’s why:

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