What does your smile and your heart have in common?

Both are affected by the bacteria present in your mouth.  Studies reveal that patients who experience bleeding gums have a higher risk of developing heart disease.

The bacteria that is present in the mouth, travels around the body in the blood stream, and can therefore create systemic issues such as heart attack and stroke.  So how do you lower your risk for heart disease – by reducing the bacteria in your mouth.

Quitting smoking, controlling diabetes, watching medication intake and controlling your level of stress can all help in reducing gum inflammation and bleeding. But seeking regular cleanings, with an experienced hygienist, to remove and control bacterial levels is essential.

Remember when you have inflamed, bleeding gums you have a compromised system.

Don’t let bleeding gums put you in cardiac arrest – seek a Calgary Dental Team who can help you move towards a healthier mouth and a healthier body.

Dr. Danny Secter and his team are experienced in addressing the many causes behind periodontal (gum disease) concerns and look forward to helping you attain whole body health.

Our last blog described the air purification unit that Dr. Danny Secter has installed in his downtown Calgary dental office to remove mercury vapors from the environment.

Remove Your Mercury Fillings Today

Why are some dentists concerned about the presence of mercury? This Calgary Dentist can answer this question easily “We are often asked why we don’t use amalgam (mercury) in our practice. There are many answers to this question but the bottom line is that it’s considered bio-hazardous waste. We can’t throw it out in our regular garbage so it doesn’t belong in the human body.” Dr. Danny Secter

Calgary Dentist Installs Professional Air Purification Unit

Ever wondered about the quality of air in your dental office? Calgary Dentist, Dr. Danny Secter, doesn’t want his patients to ever worry about air quality so he’s installed the latest air filtration device.

The IQAir Dental Hg FlexVac was specifically developed for pollution control in dental offices.

This room air purifier uses five filtration stages to help eliminate common dental office contaminants, such as bacteria, viruses, VOCs, disinfectant odors and mercury vapors. It is designed to be placed anywhere in a dental office and clean the air by constant recirculation within the office.

The Dental Hg FlexVac is a mobile air cleaning system with a flexible suction duct. The unit is designed to capture drill aerosols, abrasion powder and mercury vapors during dental procedures. The flexible suction duct is typically placed on the patient’s chest from where it directly captures drill aerosols and mercury vapors before they can spread.

This additional step in providing comfort to patients is recognized by the IAOMT – International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology –  and is being used as an effective step to removing mercury vapors when replacing amalgam fillings.  Dr. Secter has been providing mercury free dentistry for over twenty years and understands the impact it has on a patient’s overall wellbeing.

Dentists in Calgary are often questioned by their patients on how to treat ongoing headaches, neck, muscle and jaw pain. These symptoms are usually present when an person is suffering from bite dysfunction and/or TMD (temporal mandibular disorder).

Bite dysfunction refers to a lack of balance between upper and lower arches and teeth.  If someone is missing teeth, or teeth are not in correct alignment, anatomy is lacking from teeth due to grinding and clenching, of ill fitting dentistry is not fixed, an imbalance in the bite is present.  This causes the jaw to either avoid moving in a certain way, or for the muscles of the head, neck and face to become over worked and stressed due to having to help compensate for the imbalance.    If you’re wondering why you always wake up with a headache and stiff neck and shoulder muscles, it might not be your mattress, but symptoms of an imbalanced bite and jaw joint instability.

Can relief be offered to address these symptoms and live pain free – yes.  The first step is to focus on treating the cause of the discomfort – not the symptoms – to bring pain control and relief.  Once the pain has gone, a plan for making sure it doesn’t return is formulated.

Dr. Danny Secter and his team have spent years helping patients address the signs and symptoms of bite dysfunction and jaw pain. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, call today for a consultation and start the process of discovering a pain free day.

403-245-9099

TMJ or Temporal Mandibular Joint is the joint in the body that allows the lower jaw to hinge to the skull.  It’s also a joint that can take a beating when the movement of the lower jaw is not smooth and balanced.

Do you ever get clicking, popping and a grinding sensation when you open or close your mouth? These are classic indicators that the joint is not in a stable position and/or the protective disc is not doing it’s job.

If you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms you are probably suffering from TMD – Temporal Mandibular Disorder – a condition that is common amongst people of all ages.  It isn’t always associated with someone who has ‘bad teeth’ but can also present in people who have a healthy dentition.  That’s because this condition is to do with the mechanics and tissues of the jaw joint.  But, there are solutions available to individuals who suffer from TMD.

Dr. Danny Secter has a special interest in diagnosing and treating all signs and symptoms associated with TMJ issues and TMD.

Straighten out your jaw pain by Straightening out your teeth

What is the link between crooked teeth and jaw pain?

The relationship between your teeth and jaw joint comfort, or discomfort, should never be overlooked.  The dental system, like all other systems in the body, works in harmony with teeth, ligaments, soft tissue and bone.  When the system is not functioning optimally, signs and symptoms of this dysfunction appear.  One symptom is jaw joint pain along with clicking, popping and other ‘joint’ discomfort.

When we start to unravel the reason behind the jaw joint discomfort, we often find teeth out of alignment, or crooked teeth.  Teeth are meant to be in correct alignment with opposing teeth (teeth in the opposite arch) and teeth on either side of them.  This correct alignment creates the natural arch form.

But when teeth are not in their proper place, due to crowding, drifting, over eruption or missing teeth we often develop ‘jaw issues’ due to the system not functioning in harmony.  Seeking treatment to straighten teeth and address any bite dysfunction proves to be highly successful in relieving the stress and force on the jaw joint; so reducing pain and discomfort.

Why does grinding and/or clenching your teeth lead to jaw and TMJ pain?

Habitual clenching and grinding puts stress or ‘force’ on the jaw joint and surrounding tissues – ligaments and muscles.  This stress on the jaw joint can cause remodelling of the joint and/or wear of the disc that prevents bone hitting bone.

The cycle of clenching and grinding tends to prevent the individual from finding any long-term relief without seeking professional help.  However, help is available and there are options for addressing the signs and symptoms of a clenching grinding pattern.

Dr. Danny Secter has a special interest in addressing the causes behind jaw, teeth and TMJ issues.  Call today for a consultation and learn how we can help you end your TMJ discomfort.

You wake every morning with a searing headache, pain in your neck and shoulders, your facial muscles are in knotts and to top it off, your jaw clicks and pops with your first yawn.  Throughout the day your ears are ringing and the morning headache hasn’t gone away.

These are classic symptoms of bite dysfunction and TMJ issues.  When a dental system is overworked, or out of ‘harmony’, the surrounding tissues, muscles and skeletal framework is put under tremendous strain.  Bite dysfunction and TMJ issues aren’t necessarily exhibited with ‘tooth’ pain – it can be associated with abnormal reactions of the entire dental system.

If you display any of the above symptoms – contact Dr. Secter today – help is available.