Toronto Star: Making her own mark with special teeth
Excerpt from the Article:
Ali Sigal is not waiting to graduate before she makes a difference in the field of dentistry.
The University of Toronto dental student, who just completed her first year, is working to raise $2 million over four years to benefit Mount Sinai’s Dental Program for Persons with Disabilities.
Her Oral Health, Total Health campaign,
launched last September and backed by the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation, aims to raise money and awareness about dental care required by patients with special needs.
“I want to advocate, educate and improve the oral health of persons with disabilities,” says Sigal, 23, a summer research student at the Mount Sinai clinic where her father, Dr. Michael Sigal, is dentist-in-chief…
Oral Health, Total Health.
With your generosity,
we can
make a difference.
Did You Know?
-
To ensure proper oral hygiene,
try brushing your teeth
how they grow:
FROM the gum line,
and onto the teeth. -
The gum line is the area most missed when brushing;
coincidently it is
of importance for
one’s oral health. -
The most important
time to brush your
teeth is before
you go to bed. -
You can boil a rubber door stop and try using it as a mouth prop to assist in brushing the
teeth of individuals
who may not be
willing to open
their mouths. -
Use a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste when brushing, it is okay
if this small amount
is swallowed. -
When brushing the teeth of a person with special needs, if possible, have the
individual sit so
you can stand
behind them. -
The oral cavity plays a prominent role in an individual’s quality of life as it pertains to communication, nutrition, emotional expression, taste, social appearance and self-esteem
-
Increasing numbers of people with mental retardation no longer live in institutions, and
are dependent on
dentists in
private practice
for care. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities have greater levels of
periodontal
disease. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities present with a poorer state
of oral hygiene. -
In Ontario, with over 12 million residents; approximately
1.85 million people
have a disability. -
In Canada in 2006, 14.3% of the population had a disability representing
4.4 million people.





