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13 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,A ugust 19,2021 insidehalton.comwww.concretetrimmings.com CONCRETE FREE ESTIMATES 905-844-5518 1-888-944-5518 uality At Its Best! Call Fernando 1-888-944-5518 www 1-888-944-5518 • DRIVEWAYS • FRENCH CURBS • PATIOS • STEPS • WALKWAYS • GARAGE FLOORS ExposEd aggrEgatE (pebble) ADVERTORIALNICE TO MEET YOU *Statistics shared were correct at the time of writing and serve to emphasize the many considerations related to optimal dental practices. Fall is a great time to put positive health habits in place -- and regular dental check-ups should be at the top of the list, according to Dr. Vineet Bhandari of Bhandari Dental in Oakville. "Patients are sometimes surprised at how thorough we are in our six-month check-up examination. But oral health and general health are directly related and we want to catch anything that may cause problems now or in the future." Dr. Bhandari says this is especially important for children. Regular check- ups are a good way to teach children about health and oral hygiene. Also, when it comes to orthodontic work "if you catch things early and at an early age, you can fix teeth quicker and faster." Here is Dr. Bhandari's health checklist: • Dental scaling and cleaning: Cleaning teeth entails removing plaque and calculus from teeth by the hygienist, polishing and flossing, and sometimes reviewing brushing and flossing techniques. • Teeth and mouth: Dr. Bhandari will look in the mouth for tooth decay, broken and loose fillings and signs of periodontal disease which is an infection of gums and bone caused by bacteria. • Disease red flags: He will also check the face, tongue, gums, lips, neck, lymph nodes and temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the lower jaw to the skull, for signs of other disease such as cancer including oral cancer. In the past five years, Dr. Bhandari has diagnosed cancers, cardiac problems, thyroid problems, diabetes and osteoporosis in patients. • Specific for children: Dr. Bhandari will make sure teeth are coming through in proper sequence. Sometimes a muscle can cause separation and misalignment of teeth. "This is called frenum and if caught early, we can relieve the muscle so it doesn't cause interference." If a child will need braces, it is important to do this work during the pre-pubertal growth period, when children are still growing, says Dr. Bhandari (in girls, this is usually between 7 and 9 years old; in boys, around age 10 or 11). • Digestive issues: "Digestion starts in the mouth, not in stomach". Before food goes to the stomach, teeth and digestive enzymes in the mouth break down food. If food is not broken down sufficiently due to teeth pain or other problems, there's no way you can absorb vitamins, nutrients and enzymes that you need, says Dr. Bhandari. • Bad breath: Not brushing or flossing is the most common cause of bad breath. It is also the result of bacteria utilizing microscopic food on the tongue and releasing odorous products (brushing and wiping the tongue regularly is important). Bad breath can also occur due to acid reflux, which can be caused by diet or sleep apnea. Surprisingly, a lot of children have it, says Dr. Bhandari. Children with sleep apnea tend to get acid reflux when they are sleeping. The dentist will check for signs of wear and damage in the mouth. Home Care Rx: Along with 6-month dental check ups, Dr. Bhandari recommends a good oral hygiene routine at home. Brush for two to three minutes at least two times a day (an electric toothbrush is recommended as it removes plaque better). Floss daily to remove plaque and food between the teeth. Avoid smoking and eat a healthy diet low in sugar and including fruits and vegetables. In the 6-month check up, the doctor or hygienist will teach how to best brush teeth and floss. For more information, visit bhandaridental.com. The practice offers high quality and pain-free dental work for the whole family. Bhandari dental 2525 Old Bronte Rd. Suite 470, Oakville 289-813-8239 | www.bhandaridental.com Whyyou should schedule your 6-month dental check-up noW If your mouth is healthy, says Oakville dentist Dr. Vineet Bhandari, the chances are your general health is good too When Austin Smeenk crossed the line in 15.19 sec- onds earlier this year, it was a significant accom- plishment for the Oakville athlete. After almost two years without an official compe- tition, he had done more than set a personal best and lowered his Canadian record in the T34 wheel- chair 100-metre event. Smeenk had recorded the second-best time in the world this year. At just 24, Smeenk is a veteran racer and holder of three Canadian records. He qualified for his first Pa- ralympics at 15. Smeenk was still competing in a borrowed race chair and he and his coach at the time made the difficult decision to skip the Paralympics, believing it would be better for his development. The following year, he demonstrated his promise, turning in four top-10 fin- ishes at the world champi- onships. Smeenk, born with spastic paraplegia -- a he- reditary disease that causes progressive stiff- ness and contraction in the lower limbs -- has contin- ued to rise in the world rankings since then. He had top-eight finishes in both his events at the 2016 Paralympics (sixth in the T34 100m, eighth in the 800m). At the last world cham- pionships, he had three top-fives, including a fourth in the 800m, which he will also race at the Pa- ralympics. But so far, the podium at a major champi- onship has remained just out of his reach. Now Smeenk heads to Tokyo having recorded a time that would have put him on the podium in 2016. PARALYMPICS 2021 SMEENK READY TO CHASE DOWN SUCCESS Austin Smeenk will compete in his second Paralympics,with a strong chance at a medal in the 100m. Mike Cowley photo WHEELCHAIR RACER RANKED SECOND IN 100M SCAN THIS CODE FOR MORE ON AUSTIN SMEENK HERB GARBUTT hgarbutt@metroland.com