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Cool Dental
in Lethbridge, Alberta

Dr. Karstan Lachman

Dr. Lachman is a general dentist whom has taken numerous extensive post-graduate courses in craniomandibular and temporal mandibular joint disorder diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Lachman has a special focus on various treatment modalities for treating temporal mandibular joint disorders and works closely with other health practitioners.
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General Dental Services Lethbridge, Alberta

Dr. Karstan Lachman

Whether your dental needs are a complete exam and cleaning, a full-mouth restoration, or anything in between, we promise to provide you with exceptional care as we enhance the natural beauty of your smile. Come in and find out how we can help.
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(403) 382-2273

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice, and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C), Health Canada and the Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.

To ensure the health and well-being of our patients and team members, we have installed 2 different types of air purifiers at our dental office. Both of these are manufactured by the Canadian company, Surgically Clean Air.

CASCADE WHITE - The Cascade White is the first unit you will see when you enter our office. We have placed this in the waiting area because this is the largest room in our office. The Cascade White is able to filter up to 576 cubic feet per minute.

The Cascade White filter has 6 stages of filtration including UV sterilization, plus two additional negative ion chambers to ensure the air is as fresh as possible. These six filters capture 99.998% of dust particles, pollen, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), mold, allergens, viruses, odors (like formaldehyde and smoke), bio-aerosols, laughing gas, and many other pollutants that are found in the inside air. The negative ion generator makes the indoor environment feel more pure, clean, and energized.

JADE - The Jade filter is what you will find in each of our operatories. The Jade filters still have the same 6 stage filtering system and will move 383 cubic feet per minute. This means the Jade will filter all the air in a 10 x 10 room in about 2 minutes.

Both of these filters perform their duties without being loud, (an industry-leading low level of about 55DB) or creating a “breeze” that can be uncomfortable for our patients.

Some additional changes you may also see when it is time for your next appointment. For example:

Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. We will not allow patients to enter our office who have symptoms or have traveled outside of Canada in the last 2 weeks.
We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
In the interest of physical distancing, we are advising all adult patients to attend the office alone to prevent crowding.
Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
For our safety and yours, we currently cannot accept walk-ins.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at (403) 382‑2273.

So come on in to get your dental work done and enjoy Surgically Clean Air!

Oral Piercings and how they affect your oral health

Oral piercings may look cool as a form of self-expression, but they can become dangerous for your oral health. The tongue is a moist environment where millions of bacteria are present. Poor handling of the piercing site can lead to infections.

Risks involved with oral piercings

Here are some of the several oral health risks involved with oral piercings.

● Infections. Plastic balls cannot be sterilized. Over time, bacteria can grow inside the plastic and cause infection. Proper handling and changing of the plastic balls at least once per year are crucial.

● Damaged nerves. Your tongue may feel numb after getting an oral piercing. It should be temporary but can be permanent sometimes. Injured nerves can affect mouth movement and your sense of taste.

● Damaged vessels. Blood vessels may be punctured during the process and cause excessive bleeding.

● Chipped or cracked tooth. Biting down on or clicking the jewelry can cause your tooth to crack or chip. Fillings or dental work, such as crowns, can also get damaged. Plastic balls are softer than metal and are less likely to damage teeth. However, they will harbor bacteria eventually.

● Damaged gums. Piercings can also lead to gum recession and may make you more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum diseases.

● Allergies. If you’re using metal balls, the site can also develop allergic reactions.

● Excessive drooling. When you have oral piercings, you may also experience excessive saliva flow.

● Speaking and swallowing difficulties. Oral piercings may also interfere with speaking and chewing.

● Choking. The jewelry can break off at any time. You could swallow it and cause choking or it could be inhaled into the lungs.

● Pain and discomfort. The tongue can swell due to infections and cause pain and discomfort.

● Endocarditis. Bacteria from an infected oral piercing can reach the bloodstream, find their way to the heart, and result in inflammation.

● May interfere with diagnostic procedures. You need to remove the jewelry before getting diagnostic procedures, such as x-ray and ultrasound. Otherwise, the results may be distorted.

Oral piercings and narrowed airways

The normal airway is approximately the size of a garden hose. Some people tend to expand their oral piercing once the site heals and put on a larger accessory. Doing so can compress the airway to the size of a small straw.

Swelling of the tongue due to bacterial infection can also block the airway and cause breathing problems. If the airway is obstructed, you may experience shortness of breath and increase your risk of developing health issues, such as sleep apnea.

What to do if you already have oral piercings

The best thing to do is not to get your tongue pierced or to remove the accessory if you already have it.

Dental professionals don’t recommend getting oral piercings. But if you decide to do it, go to a professional piercer. See what options they have for the jewelry and seek aftercare instructions.

Be fully aware of the impact getting oral piercings has on your oral health. No material is ‘safer’ or ‘better’. Dental problems can occur regardless of the type of material used.

Plastic balls may be less likely to cause damage to the teeth, but they attract bacterial growth over time. Metal balls, on the other hand, are less likely to attract bacteria. But using them, especially the old school ones, can cause a lot of damage to the teeth and gums.

Here are some ways on how you can minimize the risk of developing dental issues:

Always keep the area clean. Brush at least twice a day and rinse your mouth regularly.
Don’t touch the piercing with unclean hands.
Always check if the oral piercing is tightly fastened to avoid choking.
Avoid playing with the jewelry with your teeth.
Remove the jewelry if you are to participate in sports activities.
See your dentist regularly for routine examinations and hygiene cleanings.

Oral piercings are extra work and can be too risky for your oral health and general health. Don’t do it on a whim or due to peer pressure. Should you experience issues with your existing oral piercings, get in touch with your dental team right away.