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Info on the above recall can be found here:

OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising Canadians that Church & Dwight Canada has initiated a voluntary recall of its "Spinbrush Pro Clean SONIC Recharge Toothbrushes" (see photo below) distributed in Canada and the U.S. The company has advised Health Canada that the recall is due to the risks, including fire, shock or burns posed by the charging base overheating.

This recall is limited to specific lots of the product (DD9355 to 9365 and DD0002 to 0122) that were distributed between February 2010 and October 2011. Church & Dwight Canada has received six consumer reports of overheating in the U.S. and one report in Canada. According to Church & Dwight Canada, to date there have been no reported injuries or fires associated with use of the device.

Church & Dwight Canada is advising consumers who have the affected toothbrushes to stop using them and return them to the company for a full refund. For further information or to determine if your toothbrush is part of this recall, you may wish to call            1.888.709.4100       or visit  Spinbrush Rechargeable SONIC toothbrush recall.

Health Canada will monitor the recall by Church & Dwight Canada. Should new information be identified, Health Canada will continue to provide an update to Canadians.

source: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2012/2012_68-eng.php

The consumption of sports and energy drink is increasing sharply especially among youth, causing irreversible damage to teeth, due to their high acidity. An article in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry highlights these concerns, and the Academy of General Dentistry's press release can be found here : 

CHICAGO (May 1, 2012)—A recent study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth—specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

“Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda,” says Poonam Jain, BDS, MS, MPH, lead author of the study. “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

Researchers examined the acidity levels in 13 sports drinks and nine energy drinks. They found that the acidity levels can vary between brands of beverages and flavors of the same brand. To test the effect of the acidity levels, the researchers immersed samples of human tooth enamel in each beverage for 15 minutes, followed by immersion in artificial saliva for two hours. This cycle was repeated four times a day for five days, and the samples were stored in fresh artificial saliva at all other times.

“This type of testing simulates the same exposure that a large proportion of American teens and young adults are subjecting their teeth to on a regular basis when they drink one of these beverages every few hours,” says Dr. Jain.

The researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure to sports or energy drinks, although energy drinks showed a significantly greater potential to damage teeth than sports drinks. In fact, the authors found that energy drinks caused twice as much damage to teeth as sports drinks.

With a reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens consuming energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent consuming at least one sports drink per day, it is important to educate parents and young adults about the downside of these drinks. Damage caused to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities, and more likely to decay.

“Teens regularly come into my office with these types of symptoms, but they don’t know why,” says AGD spokesperson Jennifer Bone, DDS, MAGD. “We review their diet and snacking habits and then we discuss their consumption of these beverages. They don’t realize that something as seemingly harmless as a sports or energy drink can do a lot of damage to their teeth.”

Dr. Bone recommends that her patients minimize their intake of sports and energy drinks. She also advises them to chew sugar-free gum or rinse the mouth with water following consumption of the drinks. “Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal,” she says.

 Also, patients should wait at least an hour to brush their teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks. Otherwise, says Dr. Bone, they will be spreading acid onto the tooth surfaces, increasing the erosive action.

A study came out this week discussing the safety of dental xrays. We found the below, courtesy of the American Dental Association, to be of value when analyzing the study.

For the third year running Ottawa has been ranked the best city to live in Canada according to Money Sense Magazine. http://www.moneysense.ca/2012/03/20/canadas-best-places-to-live-2012/

We are in the final stages of our renovations. Some of the many improvements include: more treatment rooms, a bigger waiting area, and a fresh modern look. Thank you for your patience as we continue to improve. 

Happy new year to all. We are in the process of renovating and expanding our office to better meet the needs of patients and staff. Pictures to be posted shortly:)

People sometimes confuse canker sores and cold sores, but they are completely unrelated. Both can be painful, but knowing the differences can help you keep them in check. To learn the difference between canker sores and cold sores, visit us at http://centrumdental.ca/patient-education/oral-health-problems/cankercold-sores.

An estimated sixty-five percent of Americans have bad breath. Over 4 million Canadians have "chronic halitosis," which is persistent bad breath. Ninety percent of all halitosis is of oral, not systemic, origin. Canadians spend more than $100 million a year on over the counter halitosis products, many of which are ineffective because they only mask the problem. For information on how to prevent bad breath, visit us at http://centrumdental.ca/patient-education/oral-health-problems/bad-breath-halitosis.

Brushing is the most effective method for removing harmful plaque from your teeth and gums. Getting the debris off your teeth and gums in a timely manner prevents bacteria in the food you eat from turning into harmful, cavity causing acids. For tips on effective brushing techniques, go to http://centrumdental.ca/patient-education/dental-care/brushing.

Everyone knows that sweets are bad for your teeth. But, did you know that the amount of sweet food you eat is not as important as the length of time your teeth are exposed to sweets? Eat sweets at mealtime rather than between meals. The amount of saliva produced at that time will help protect your teeth. 
To see the rest of this article go to http://centrumdental.ca/patient-education/dental-care/a-tip-for-the-sweet-tooth.