Friday, January 4, 2019

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The spring equinox is one out of only two days each year when the days and nights are both exactly 12 hours long. Throughout the winter months, the sun sets much earlier than it does during warmer months and as the calendar crawls closer towards spring the sun stays out for a little bit longer each day.
When the day of the spring equinox is finally reached, the amount of daylight is equal to the amount of darkness during the night. In fact, this is why we use the term equinox as in latin “equinox” means “equal night”.
Not only does the daylight match the nighttime, but during the spring equinox the sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west. This is because during the equinoxes, the Earth is exactly parallel to the sun, meaning that neither axis is more towards the sun than the other, tilting the Earth, but rather are perfectly on end.


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With the sun popping out, flowers blooming, and birds chirping away, the world seems to be finally waking from its winter slumber. We can feel the days getting longer and know that spring is just around the corner, exciting us with the prospect of warmth and sunshine.
In fact, the first day of spring this year will be March 20th, also known as the spring equinox. If you are wondering what exactly the spring equinox is and why we mark it, read on and let us enlighten you!

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One of the best tips for avoiding a dental emergency is to be prepared. Especially if you’re dealing with some tooth pain before you depart, it’s best to practice a few precautions for your trip:
  • Go in for a checkup: If you have a history of gum disease or cavities, go in for a cleaning and let your dentist know you’re leaving for a trip soon. The dentist can look for signs of problems you’ll need to monitor while traveling and give you tips for how you can care for your teeth and respond to an emergency. It’s recommended to undergo any necessary serious procedures, such as a root canal, well before you leave the country.
  • Get some dental insurance: Many insurance policies don’t provide coverage overseas. An additional temporary dental plan may be needed to protect you while traveling.
  • Travel prepared: Travel with all you need to practice good oral health while you’re away from your dentist. If you’ve been struggling with pain, in addition to seeing your dentist before you leave, travel with over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Also travel with plenty of toiletries, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, and mouthwash, to care for your mouth while you travel.
  • Mind your diet: You can decrease your likelihood of an emergency by minding your oral habits overseas. For example, you should avoid chewing on hard candies and similar foods that could cause a crack or chip. If you’ve been dealing with sensitivity, abstain from coffee, tea, and other acidic beverages while traveling to avoid aggravating the problem and needing to visit a dentist abroad.
A dental emergency is a scary experience — especially while traveling. But with some initiative and planning, you can care for your teeth before you leave and know how to respond should a disaster strike. Schedule a checkup before you depart, and ask your dentist about other oral health tips to follow on your journey.

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If you have a dental emergency in BC, be sure to call our 123Dentist emergency line at 604-805-2500. If you’re travelling elsewhere in Canada, the U.S., and many other countries, you can rest assured that a certified dentist is nearby who can handle the problem. Countries in Europe have similar dental standards and capabilities as the U.S. and Canada, so you should have no problem finding a dentist who can treat you.
If you picked up travel insurance, your first step should be to call your provider and ask for a referral to a nearby dentist who will accept your coverage. You can also speak with the hotel concierge, call your country’s Embassy or Consulate, or research the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers for recommendations on the closest dentist who can treat your emergency.


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If an emergency knocks a tooth out entirely, follow these steps:
  • Hold the tooth by the crown.
  • Rinse the root if it’s dirty, but don’t touch the tissue fragments or place it in a cloth.
  • Hold the tooth in the socket, if possible, or transport the tooth in a cup of milk and go see a dentist immediately. Responding quickly is key, as the likelihood of saving the tooth decreases after about 30 minutes.

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Breaking or cracking a tooth is a dental emergency that requires immediate action. Rinse your mouth and apply a cold compress on the outside of your cheek to treat any swelling. Then find a dentist or emergency room in the area and go in for an urgent visit.

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If you’re flying, you’re likely to experience some tooth pain because of air pressure imbalances. This occurs when air enters your teeth through a crack, cavity, or space in your filling, and then it expands because of the pressure changes while flying. This type of toothache is common, but it should go away when you land and only affect pre-existing problems.
If you have a toothache while flying and it doesn’t go away when you land, rinse your mouth and use floss to dislodge anything that might be stuck in your teeth. You can take painkillers to help with the pain. However, if the ache lingers and you can’t wait for a fix until you return home, you may need to see a dentist.

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No matter how prepared a traveler is, no one can plan for dental emergencies. All you can do is research ahead of your trip and know how you should respond to an emergency. In addition to finding a local dentist, you should take the following actions to address an immediate emergency.

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It’s important that you prepare, as best you can, for every possible situation while traveling. Dealing with a toothache abroad, however, can be a bit challenging. What exactly counts as a dental emergency? When do you need to call a dentist, and which office should you visit? Here’s what you need to do if you have a dental emergency while traveling.


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You need to carefully brush your permanent dental appliances, the same way you brush your natural teeth. Your dentist will recommend specific brushing techniques, but getting all surfaces of the tooth and brushing for at least two minutes is recommended.
Cleaning removable appliances is a bit different. For some, you can brush them with toothpaste and rinse them before putting them back in. Others you can clean in denture cleaning solution and store in a safe case when you’re not using them. Your dentist or orthodontist will go over the cleaning specifics. Always make sure you clean your appliances well, because bacteria can grow on them, putting your oral health at risk.
Dental appliances help to fix oral problems that many people face. If you’re wondering about getting a dental appliance to straighten your teeth or help with sleep, talk to your dentist today. The right treatment plan and appliance could significantly improve your quality of life.

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Retainers keep your teeth in place after having orthodontic work done. When you have your braces removed, your orthodontist will fit you with a retainer. Typically you wear the retainer at night to keep your teeth in place, though some patients have to wear it day and night for a while after having braces removed.
If you’ve ever considered Invisalign braces, this technology uses a series of retainers that slowly reposition your teeth. You wear Invisalign braces day and night until your treatment is done, removing them only to brush your teeth, clean the retainers, and eat.
If your child loses a baby tooth too early, your dentist or orthodontist may recommend a removable space maintainer. Without the adult tooth to push through the gum, the space the baby tooth leaves can cause the other tooth to move out of alignment. The removable space maintainer keeps that space open for the adult tooth. Your child only has to wear it until the adult tooth comes in.

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Nighttime teeth grinding is just one oral problem people face while sleeping. Snoring can signify you’re not breathing as well as you should while you sleep, and it can disrupt your partner, too. Snoring dental appliances will change the position of your jaws or tongue while you sleep, opening up your airways and cutting back on the soft tissue that vibrates and causes snoring. As a bonus, you can’t grind your teeth while you’re wearing one of these devices, either.
Snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, too. If you have sleep apnea, your doctor and dentist might work to come up with a dental appliance solution to this issue. Sleep apnea can be a dangerous condition which leads to heart problems and in extreme cases, death. Dental appliances are only one treatment option for sleep apnea, and may be used in conjunction with other treatments.

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Mouth guard typically means the type of guard you wear during sports events, but there are also night guards that protect against tooth grinding that happens during sleep. Whether you wear a mouth guard for sport or to keep you from grinding your teeth at night, that guard counts as a dental appliance.
Another type of guard, called the tongue thrust guard, prevents you from pushing your tongue against your front teeth while your mouth is closed. This kind of behavior can result in crooked teeth and bite problems.

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The most common type of prosthetic dental appliance is dentures. Dentures exist in several forms: partial and full. Partial dentures fit in part of your mouth where there are missing teeth. The new style of partial dentures are constructed of a flexible material that moves more naturally and easily with your mouth. Full dentures replace complete tooth loss on the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both jaws.

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While not permanent for your entire life, braces are permanent in the sense that they remain on until your teeth have been moved into alignment.

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A bridge is fixed between your existing teeth when you’ve had to have a complete tooth extraction or are missing one or more teeth in a row. Unlike partial dentures, you do not remove your bridge. It remains a permanent part of your teeth, both to maintain your bite’s existing structure and to keep daily tasks like eating easy and normal for you.

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Though you may not think of crowns and fillings as “appliances,” they’re dental devices that replace missing tooth parts once you’ve had a cavity repaired.

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Dental appliances are common parts of dentistry and orthodontics. A dental appliance refers to any device that helps with your treatment plan for you. These appliances can be permanent or removable. They help to repair damaged teeth, straighten crooked teeth, and replace missing teeth. Dental appliances are fitted to your mouth specifically to give you the best outcome from your orthodontic care.