Spotlight on Oakville 1: Delicious Healthy Food in Oakville

All of the talk on this blog about teeth and keeping them healthy has gotten us here at Oakville Place Dental Office thinking about what teeth are really for, and that's eating! Eating healthy food is important to maintaining a good quality of life (and, of course, to protect your teeth as well), and there are many great places right here in Oakville ready to satisfy any healthy appetite

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One type of food that is always satisfying AND healthy is sushi (as long as you avoid the tempura!), and our favorite sushi place in Oakville is definitely Crazy Sushi. At first, the name might make you think that the sushi might be fired out of some sort of cannon, sliced in the air by a kamikaze sushi chef, and then caught in the mouth of the customer (or some other "crazy" scenario), but the only thing crazy about this place is how crazy we are about it! They always use the freshest ingredients, never have any MSG in their food and they even have a teppanyaki room (that's the style of cooking where the chef grills the food right in front of you and then puts it right on your plate; can't get any fresher than that!).

One of the first things one usually orders at a Japanese restaurant is miso soup, and right from the start Crazy Sushi will impress. We recommend trying the spicy salmon miso noodle soup (no fried noodles) or the spicy chicken miso noodle soup, which are both as good as they sound. But, alas, what would a place with a name like Crazy Sushi be without something unusual? For that we favor the highly original concept of the sushi pizza! That's right, sushi pizza features a delicious crisp rice patty for the crust, topped with fresh salmon sashimi & sweet roasted garlic aioli. For more appetizing selections, check them out on the web at http://www.crazysushioakville.ca/ . Bonzai!

When it comes to eating out, sometimes you just have to find a place that really goes the extra mile in the dining experience, and for us that equals a visit to the Twisted Fork (http://www.twistedfork.ca/). Fresh, high quality and often organic cuisine is served in an atmosphere that is sophisticated, yet casual at the same time. When it comes to Italian fusion cuisine, these guys do it all, from fresh seafood linguine to something we love called "basa cantalan," which is fish slow-cooked with capers and a delicious sauce served over basmati rice. And, best of all, they specialize in catering to any healthy eating plan that you may have.

Of course, sometimes you have to just go all out, and Twisted Fork is there for the occasion. They also provide catered food for special events, and are going to be putting something extra-special together for your next holiday meal: turducken! That's right; a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken, with stuffing all throughout! How's that for going all out?!

So, why not go out right now and treat yourself to some great, healthy food made right here in Oakville. All this talk about food has gotten us hungry, so we're going to go eat!

Bon appetit!

Cure Your Odontophobia Today!

Nervous about your next trip to the dentist? Keep cool in the dental chair during your next visit by heeding the following advice:

1. Find a Dentist you are Comfortable with.

Now, if you are one of those people that have developed a fear of the dentist (officially known as "odontophobia"), you definitely need to have a dentist that you are comfortable with in the first place. Your dentist should have a good bedside manor and make you at ease as much as possible, and if you fear the dentist more than most, you should communicate with them about this issue. Alternatively, if you do not like your dentist's style and way of treating patients, then find another dentist! I know that this may seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many people don't take matters into their own hands when it comes to this.

2. This Ain't the Wild West!

An additional fact to keep in mind is that much of our fear of the dentist probably springs from the past, from times before the existence of the high-tech, vastly more advanced methods for dental procedures and of pain relief that thankfully exist today. Relax, we've come a long way from Doc Holiday with his nasty pliers and only his bottle of Jack Daniels to help you get through the dental experience! You can take comfort in the fact that dentists use the latest technology to make dental work as safe and as efficient for the patient as possible.

3. The Power of Positive Thinking.

Finally, an important aspect of overcoming fear of the dentist is the power of realistic, positive thinking. After all: you are actually going to the dentist to AVOID pain, because if dental problems go undiagnosed and untreated, the person afflicted will almost certainly suffer as a result. The dentist is there to fix your teeth so that they are pain-free, as well as to make them more beautiful to both the world and, most importantly, to you. In fact, skipping dental appointments is what should scare us!

-DC

The Many Different Types of Dentists

If you tell someone that you are a medical doctor, chances are they will respond to you by asking, "what type of doctor are you?" But, if you were to say that you are a dentist instead (I would only recommend that you do this if you actually are a dentist!), chances are they would probably not inquire as to what area of dentistry that you practice. The simple fact is, most people wrongly assume that all dentists are general dentists. However, besides being accredited as a general dentist, there are a plethora of other areas that dentists often go on to specialize in. Therefore, I would like to shed a little light on some of the many different types of dentists and the areas they specialize in.

Pediatric dentists specialize in caring for children. These dentists are experts at putting young patients at ease. That first trip to the dentist can sometimes be a nerve-wracking experience for a young child, and these folks are studied experts at dealing with these sorts of situations. In addition to their training at dealing with children, pediatric dentists also have special training for dealing with those folks with extreme phobias of the dental chair, as well as those with mental or physical disabilities.

Another dental specialist that many have heard of, and been treated by, is the orthodontist. As you probably know, these are the professionals that deal with the misalignment issues of the teeth and jaws. If you had braces as a child, it was the orthodontist who applied them. However, orthodontists perform more than just the cosmetic task of making a smile better to look at. For example, orthodontists treat misaligned teeth, which can effect a patient's ability to perform such common everyday tasks as eating and talking. Also, sleep apnea, a dangerous and quite common condition in which one temporarily pauses breathing during sleep, can also be the purview of the orthodontist.

Speaking of surgery, the specialists when it comes to dental surgery of all kinds are called oral and maxillofacial surgeons. These folks are responsible for using surgery to treat a wide variety of problems concerning the areas of the teeth and jaw. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (maxillofacial, by the way, means the upper-jaw and face) specialize in everything from difficult tooth extractions to treating TMJ.

Endodontists, with the "endo" being Greek for "inside" and the "dontist" part meaning teeth (don't worry, there will not be a quiz after this blog post!), are dental experts who have special skills when it comes to dealing with the insides of teeth. If you have a problem with the interior of a tooth, these dentists are the specialists who can get to the "root" of the problem (couldn't resist that pun).

And there are many more types of dentists including:

Periodontists: Experts when it comes to your gums.
Oral Pathologists: Dentists who deal with diseases of the mouth.
Prosthodontists: Dentists who specialize in creating replacement teeth such as dentures and bridgework.

I could go on and on, but I think that you get my point. Being a dentist does not necessarily mean being a general dentist. So perhaps the next time you are meet a dentist, you can now proudly ask him or her, "what do you specialize in?"

The Top 10 Reasons People Avoid Going to the Dentist

We surveyed 100 people during lunchtime last week in beautiful Oakville, Ontario to find out why some people don't want to go to the dentist. The following ten reasons were listed most often by our survey participants as to why people avoid the dentist:

10. I can't find a dentist
9. Dentists are too expensive
8. My teeth don't need regular checkups
7. I am too busy
6. I haven't been to the dentist in a long time
5. Electric toothbrush works just fine for me
4. My teeth look white enough
3. My teeth feel fine
2. I floss and brush my teeth, that should be enough
1. I am scared of the dentist

Basically, the people we surveyed seem to think that their teeth are in good shape, don't have the resources to get to a dentist, or even have a fear of getting a dental checkup. Though we work at a dentist office, the reasons listed above don't seem strong enough to us to keep someone from getting regular dental checkups.

No matter what the reason is that you may have been avoiding getting a dental checkup, your teeth are too important to leave unchecked by a dentist. The Oakville Place Dental Office offers affordable and convenient dental services in a friendly and professional environment. Visit our website at http://www.dentistoakville.com today to make an appointment, learn about our dental services, and meet our staff.