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If you love coffee, red wine, berries, Coke, and other dark foods and drinks, odds are, your teeth will start to show it over time. It’s unfortunate that some of our favorite foods can stain our teeth and turn them yellow, even if we brush and floss religiously. However, the good news is that there’s an easy fix: teeth whitening services and take-home teeth whitening kits. At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, we offer many different cosmetic dentistry services to help patients regain confidence in their smile, from Invisalign® and porcelain veneers to professional-grade teeth whitening gel.

Teeth whitening treatments and techniques have come a long way in the last few decades, and dental clinics now have access to the best teeth whitening technology available today. At Trillium Dental, we use Zoom!® whitening gel and specialized teeth whitening lights, which can bleach your teeth up to nine shades whiter in an hour (three 15-minute sessions). We also understand that bleaching your teeth from the comfort of your couch is more appealing to some patients, which is why we offer take-home teeth whitening kits for those who would rather do it themselves. That being said, here is a quick and easy guide for whitening your teeth at home!

STEP #1: GET A TEETH WHITENING KIT

These days, you can find teeth whitening kits nearly anywhere — but before you order that cheap teeth whitening kit online or try some kind of DIY teeth whitening method, make sure to do your research so you know what to expect. The internet is full of knock-off teeth whitening kits that aren’t very effective and are difficult to use by yourself, so if you’re looking to dramatically improve the look of your smile, it’s best to pick up a teeth whitening kit at your local dental clinic. At Trillium Dental, we are happy to provide you with a teeth bleaching kit so you can do the teeth whitening at home, so give us a call or stop by our Ottawa dental clinic if you’d like to try it for yourself!

STEP #2: FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS (AND DON’T GET GEL ON YOUR GUMS)

The most important thing to remember when whitening your teeth at home is that you are dealing with chemicals that should not be consumed or come into contact with your gums, which is why these kits require that you only squeeze a small amount of gel into the teeth whitening trays. Often, people will neglect to follow the instructions in their teeth whitening kit and put too much gel in the trays. This can cause you to accidentally get teeth whitening gel on your gums if you’re not careful, which can sting a little and cause irritation. That’s why many patients opt to spend a little extra on professional teeth whitening treatment — our dentists have the skills and experience necessary to do it right and produce great results without harming you.

When you’re bleaching your teeth at home with teeth whitening gel, make sure to only leave it on your teeth for as long as instructed, as your teeth can become sensitive if you leave it on too long. This can easily make the experience unpleasant. If you’ve invested in one of the best teeth whitening products available online or at your local emergency dentist’s office, you shouldn’t have to leave the teeth whitening gel on any longer than it says to in the instructions. Many of the best teeth whitening kits will also come with an LED light that you can shine on the gel to enhance its effectiveness, so take this into account when you’re tempted to leave the teeth whitening gel on longer than instructed.

STEP #3: COMPLETELY REMOVE THE TEETH WHITENING GEL

Once your time is up (usually one hour), take the teeth whitening tray out of your mouth and gently remove the gel. You can do this with a cloth, tissue, or whatever else came in the teeth whitening kit, but no matter how you do it, just make sure to get as much off as possible so you don’t consume any and get an upset stomach. Most teeth whitening bleach will continue to whiten your teeth for a while after it has been removed, which is another reason why you shouldn’t leave it on longer than the instructions recommend. Rinse your mouth thoroughly after use so you get as much teeth whitening gel out of your mouth as possible, and don’t forget to wash the trays so they are ready to go next time you decide to whiten your teeth at home.

PICK UP A TEETH WHITENING KIT AT OUR OTTAWA DENTAL CLINIC

Ready to try whitening your teeth at home? Drop by Trillium Dental in Ottawa today to pick up one of our take-home teeth whitening kits! We look forward to seeing you.

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Temporomandibular joint dysfunction, also known as TMJ disorder, is a very common condition involving persistent jaw pain and restricted movement of the muscles surrounding the jawbone. At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, we commonly treat patients with TMJ disorder and help them realign their jaw to its proper placement using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit and a custom-made orthotic. This TMJ treatment allows us to identify your ideal alignment and create a personalized mouthpiece for you to wear in order to retrain your jaw into its natural position.

Though TMJ disorder is very common among adults, not everyone knows what the causes and symptoms are, leading many to live with it and not seek treatment. At Trillium Dental, we strongly encourage patients to visit our Ottawa dental clinic if they are experiencing any kind of TMJ pain, as this could be indicative of a more serious issue. In most cases, TMJ disorder is nothing more than a jaw misalignment, which can easily be readjusted with specialized dental care. That being said, here are some factors that may have had a role in your TMJ disorder.

CAUSES OF TMJ DYSFUNCTION

• Jaw injuries
• Jawbone deterioration
• Joint disease (arthritis)
• Bruxism (tooth grinding and clenching)
• Stress and muscle tension
• Dentures that are not the right size or shape
• Nervous habits, such as biting nails

According to the Canadian Dental Association, there are many causes of TMJ disorder, and each type of disorder has its own set of consequences. Those who experience pain in the muscles around the temporomandibular joint, for example, may experience different symptoms than those who suffered a jaw injury while playing sports. Nevertheless, some of the most common symptoms of TMJ disorder include the following.

SYMPTOMS OF TMJ DYSFUNCTION

• Jaw pain
• Soreness in the ear, facial muscles, and temples
• Popping or cracking jaw when you open your mouth
• Grinding or crunching noise when you chew
• Restricted jaw movement and trouble opening your mouth
• Headaches and migraines

SEEK TREATMENT FOR TMJ DYSFUNCTION AT TRILLIUM DENTAL IN OTTAWA

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of TMJ disorder listed above, such as persistent jaw pain, jaw popping, or restricted jaw movement, it’s worth a trip to your local dental clinic to find out whether or not you have a TMJ disorder. Contact us today to learn more about our neuromuscular dentistry services, and book your dental appointment today at Trillium Dental in Ottawa. We look forward to helping you live a life free of jaw pain!

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As a family dental clinic, we understand that visiting the dentist for the first time can be a big step for kids. In fact, going to the dentist can be a dreaded experience for children, what with all the metal tools, drilling noises, and masked dentists poking around in people’s mouths. However, visiting our Ottawa dental office for your child’s first general dentistry appointment doesn’t have to be scary — we’re here to make their dental experience comfortable, easy, and even fun!

Of course, there are things you can do at home to prepare your child for their first dental appointment so they know what to expect, which is why our team at Trillium Dental is dedicating this blog post to helping you ease their nerves before visiting our Ottawa dental clinic. Continue reading to learn more, and contact us today to schedule your child’s first dental appointment!

SPARK CURIOSITY

One of the best ways to prepare your child for their first dental appointment is to spark their curiosity about oral health and dental care through books, games, kids’ TV shows, and other fun activities. You can do this by “playing dentist” at home with your child when it’s time for them to brush and floss their teeth, where you pretend to be the dentist to show them how it’s done then provide a small reward when they do it for themselves. There are also lots of popular children’s TV shows and books that feature the main character’s first trip to the dentist. Some of these include:

• The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
• Peppa Pig — “Peppa’s Pearly Whites”
• Arthur — “Arthur’s Tooth”

For kids, watching their favorite characters overcome a fear of the dentist and turn it into an adventure can spark curiosity about the dentist and get them excited for their first dental appointment. If Peppa Pig can do it, so can they! Knowing a trusted emergency dentist in Ottawa gives parents peace of mind.

TAKE THEM EARLY

As with most other medical practices, the best thing you can do to prevent your child from feeling anxious about their first dental appointment is to start them early — ideally, before they turn one year old. Once your child reaches toddlerhood, their imagination starts to mature and they are much more likely to develop an irrational fear of the dentist, the pediatrician, and other medical professionals who use scary-looking tools. To avoid this, it’s best to bring your child in for their first dental appointment before their first birthday so they can become familiar with our family dental clinic and our friendly staff of dentists and dental hygienists.

LET THEM TAG ALONG AT ONE OF YOUR APPOINTMENTS

Lots of families bring their children in during their dental appointments to give them a firsthand account of what general dentistry is all about. Our dentists and dental hygienists are more than happy to meet your child and explain all our fun gadgets to them as we clean your teeth. This also gives us the chance to answer any questions your child might have about dentistry, like why it’s important to practice good oral hygiene at home, what flavors of toothpaste you can find, and why going to the dentist is fun. They’ll be pleased to know that the electric toothbrushes we use tickle, not hurt!

BRING THEIR FAVORITE STUFFED ANIMAL

In the event that your child does experience some anxiety when you sit them down in the dentist’s chair, it’s good to have their favorite stuffed animal or blanket on hand to make them feel more at home. Kids find a great deal of comfort in these items, which can help them get through their first dental cleaning appointment if they are nervous or start to cry. Our dentists and dental hygienists are great at comforting kids and making their dental experience fun, but it’s always a good idea to have their stuffed kitty or bunny in your bag if they need it. Our goal is to make each and every child’s first dental experience a fun adventure, and we welcome any comfort items that will help them enjoy the experience.

SCHEDULE YOUR CHILD’S FIRST TEETH CLEANING AT TRILLIUM DENTAL IN OTTAWA

Now that you have some tips and tricks up your sleeve to prepare your child for their first trip to the dentist, it’s time to schedule their first dental appointment at Trillium Dental in Ottawa. We look forward to meeting your child and showing them around our family dental clinic!

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Have you ever found yourself with a toothache, a broken tooth, or any other kind of dental emergency? If so, you likely know how stressful it can be to try and get emergency dental care when your local dental clinic is all booked up for the week. At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, we do our best to fit in dental emergencies with the rest of our appointments so that each and every one of our patients leave the clinic with beautiful, healthy smiles. That being said, here are some of the most common reasons why patients end up in an emergency dental clinic.

BROKEN TEETH

Many patients who seek emergency dental care have broken or chipped teeth and require re-implanting, porcelain veneers, fake teeth, or another kind of cosmetic dentistry solution. Although the teeth are some of the strongest and most durable parts of the body, they can break and chip for a number of reasons. These include chewing things other than food such as hard candy like jawbreakers, using your teeth to pry things open, grinding your teeth, having a misaligned bite, or suffering any kind of trauma to the face during a sports-related injury, accident, or physical fight.

CUTS

Another reason patients rush to the emergency dental clinic is because they have some kind of laceration in their mouth that requires emergency dental care. For example, if you have experienced some kind of mouth trauma that resulted in a major cut on the inside of your cheek, on your tongue, or along the gumline, an emergency dentist will be able to address the issue and stitch you up right away. Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, however, a trip to the emergency room may be required.

TOOTHACHES

Toothaches and dental emergencies like tooth decay, an abscessed tooth, damaged tooth fillings, fractured or broken teeth, and persistent teeth grinding are all reasons to visit your emergency dental clinic. Often, toothaches will go away after a few days if you have been maintaining good oral hygiene, however, they can also be indicative of a much bigger problem. Because of this, it is always a good idea to visit an emergency dentist if you have persistent toothaches so they can get to the root of the issue.

JAW PAIN

Jaw pain is another problem that frequently brings patients to their emergency dental clinic. Jaw pain can occur for a number of reasons such as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), teeth grinding, arthritis, nerve problems, and dental conditions like cavities, gum disease, damaged teeth. It can be difficult to determine the cause and solutions for jaw pain, toothaches, and dental emergencies of this nature, which is why you should skip the guesswork and consult an emergency dentist.

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