Access Dental Hygiene Services-Care Provider

02/04/2026

Choosing a toothpick to use for interdental cleaning is a topic that is very polarizing for dental professionals. So many will say a hard no to their patients!

How do you think the remote tribes look after their teeth and gums without the modern comforts of a thousand commercial options available to order online??
They use a piece of wood like a toothpick!

I have seen many people do a great job with toothpicks for regular maintenance of their dentition.

Some of the considerations if you choose to use a toothpick...
1. You should have good hand dexterity so you don’t poke yourself and you can do a thorough job
2. You should review your technique with your hygienist so that you are being effective in all areas and not “remodelling” gum tissue (that CREATES spots for food to get stuck)
3. Be careful around dental work, there is never a need to be heavy handed with a toothpick, soft sticky biolfilm removal takes a light handed pressure

01/30/2026

Pregnancy is a time of remarkable change, and oral health plays a vital yet often overlooked role in supporting both maternal and fetal well-being. As oral-systemic educators, registered dental hygienists frequently emphasize that the mouth is not separate from the body, especially during pregnancy....

01/27/2026

Remember the Golden Girls tv show?
I am taking care of the dental hygiene needs of a couple ladies who share this single family detached home in Calgary.

They have a full time caregiver and it’s a very small and personable way to receive assistance with activities of daily living.

Also…kinda fun taking an elevator up the second story to see them!

01/16/2026

Ewwwww, coated tongue!

Do you perform tongue hygiene often/daily?

The tongue is like a s**g rug.

Let’s leave that there a moment…

A coated tongue can have a variety of systemic causes but in an average individual it stems from low saliva flow or chronic mouth breathing and can be related to one’s diet. Overgrowth of bacterial plaque is common in these cases and management of the amount of accumulation should be on the to-do list.

You can:
1. Adopt tongue-brushing at each brushing session
2. Utilize a tongue scraper (carefully and sparingly)
3. Stay hydrated
4. Nasal breathing at all times if possible
5. Manage dry mouth effectively

The problem can come and go but if you get in the habit of regular tongue hygiene,
your mouth will feel and taste fresher for longer after you’ve brushed.

Careful not to be aggressive with your tools and complete removal of biofilm is not neccessary. (The reason for this is a whole other post to come at a later date)
Just aim to keep the accumulation to a minimum.

Happy scraping!! 😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛

12/27/2025

We’re seeing a generational shift — smaller jaws, narrower faces, and compromised airways.
These aren’t just cosmetic changes. They affect how we breathe, sleep, and function.

Mouth breathing, poor sleep, behavioural issues, and orthodontic crowding often share a single root cause: underdeveloped jaws and restricted airways.

It’s time to stop calling it “normal” and start asking why.

🫁 Airway health starts early.
👶 Growth is the window of opportunity.

12/15/2025

Baby teeth need more than routine brushing.

These measures are critical because primary teeth directly influence nutrition, speech development, facial growth, and the health of permanent teeth.

Clean your baby’s gums with a clean, damp gauze or soft cloth after feeds.

This helps reduce early bacterial colonization and prepares the child for future brushing habits.

Why it matters:
Harmful oral bacteria establish early ,often before the first tooth even appears.

From the first tooth, use fluoride toothpaste:

• Rice-sized smear (under 3 years)
• Pea-sized amount (3–6 years)

Fluoride strengthens enamel and prevents early childhood caries (ECC).

Common myth: “Fluoride is unsafe for babies.”
Reality: Correct dosage is safe, evidence-based, and protective.

Avoid:
• Bottle or breastfeeding to sleep after teeth erupt
• Frequent sipping of milk, juice, or sweetened drinks

Encourage water between meals.

Key concept:
It’s not how much sugar, moreso it’s how often teeth are exposed.

10/30/2025

(op of the day!) Hung out with the great folks at Aspen Heights retirement today! The pool across the hall looked so inviting!!

10/24/2025

One of my favourite pictures!

10/24/2025

How do oral probiotics work?

Your mouth hosts millions of bacteria, both good and bad. When there's an imbalance—too many bad guys and not enough good ones—issues may arise.

Oral probiotics work by introducing good bacteria into the mouth to help create a balanced microbiota—just like how gut probiotics support digestive health.

Activated by your saliva, the oral probiotic bacteria ‘wake up’ and multiply, forming a team of millions of tiny invisible helpers that crowd out the bad bacteria.*

Taking oral probiotics daily is smart, as these good bacteria are naturally expelled after two to three weeks.

BioGaia’s brand is easily accessible online and has an excellent reputation for being a solid choice.

Do you have one that you use? what brand is it?

09/18/2025

Don’t you just LOVE science!!?

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder of the strong connection between oral health and systemic disease, including breast cancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Dental...

09/14/2025

Wisdom teeth, often seen as useless and problematic, may actually be tiny vaults of "medical gold." Inside their dental pulp lie mesenchymal stem cells — versatile building blocks capable of transforming into bone, cartilage, nerve, muscle, and even fat cells. These cells carry immense potential for regenerative medicine, offering hope in repairing tissues that were once thought to be beyond healing.

What makes them special is accessibility and quality. Since wisdom teeth are commonly removed at a young age, the stem cells harvested are fresh, healthy, and more potent. Unlike invasive bone marrow extraction, collecting them is simple, non-invasive, and they can even be cryopreserved — stored for future use when needed.

(Courtesy Dental Daily on facebook)


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10938947/

08/31/2025

You see! Spit IS powerful!!

https://dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/saliva-test-shows-promise-for-breast-cancer-screening/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMhdt5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhanjpQpCNSDSfE4tKX2i09TkBN_g5PCxtaNMI__KshDOBpVGAGne7fB7GGP_aem_PPT04lHg4iFANgBVPL2U9Q