What to do after a tooth or wisdom tooth extraction

1. You may experience soreness after a tooth extraction – over-the-counter painkillers can help with the pain or you may request prescription painkillers from your dentist at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown in Burnaby if you find the pain to be too much.

2. Cold compresses will also help keep the pain and swelling down after a tooth extraction.

3. It’s very important that you don’t touch the extraction site, chew heavily around the area or smoke at all. It is recommended that you drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. Simply follow these simple steps to ensure proper healing and a happy, healthy smile.

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If it isn’t practical or possible to repair a tooth, our team of dental experts at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby may be required to do a dental extraction. Teeth that are extremely damaged by cavities or extensively chipped/broken will generally be extracted if root canal therapy isn’t a viable option.

Dental extractions are a must for a tooth that’s suffering from advanced periodontitis or gum disease because the chances of the tooth infecting surrounding tissues are high.

Wisdom teeth that are impacted (i.e. won’t be able to develop normally) or that simply don’t have room to grow are generally extracted.

If you are nervous or anxious about dental extractions, our dental clinic offers sedation dentistry for a stress-free dental appointment. To learn more about sedation dentistry, contact our dental clinic for more information.

Please contact Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby if you have any questions or would like to book an appointment.

Despite the fact that most patients understand the answer to “Why Should I Floss”, there is still a lot of confusion surrounding the proper techniques on how to floss.

It is important to carry out flossing as a part of your regular oral hygiene routine; brushing alone is not enough to remove all the food particles and regular flossing ensures that there is no buildup of plaque on the teeth. Plaque buildup can lead to gum disease, gingivitis or periodontitis. Dental floss can be flavoured or unflavoured, waxed or unwaxed. Talk to a hygienist at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby if you’re not sure which dental floss is right for you.

If you are not sure of the right way to use dental floss or if you are still wondering “Why Should I Floss?”, then contact Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby or come for a  consultation to learn how to floss correctly. Here are a few starter tips:

1. Floss must be held taut and guided between each tooth and also under the gums to ensure that all food particles and plaque are removed. However, be sure the floss doesn’t scrape too much on the gums or it could cause gum bleeding. It is also important to change the strip of floss for each tooth to ensure that bacteria are not transmitted from one to the other.

2. It is important to buy dental floss that’s the right thickness. Floss that’s too thick or thin won’t give you the best cleaning.

3. Use dental floss every day after brushing, preferably before bedtime, as an effective precaution against gum disease, halitosis and dental cavities. Dental floss also helps to reduce the incidence of harmful bacteria in the mouth and hence lessens the risk of associated heart disease.

4. If you generally consume a lot of meat, you’ll want to floss at least once a day to remove the fibres that can get stuck between your teeth and cause cavities and gum disease.

You might notice bleeding the very first time after using dental floss, but this is normal and stops after the first few times. Regular bleeding, on the other hand, isn’t a good sign and you should consult an oral health professional at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby to ensure that you are using dental floss correctly.

The video below, courtesy of Colgate, explains how to floss properly:

What causes receding gums?

Typically, gum disease plays the largest role in causing receding gums. In simple terms, bacteria that enters the oral cavity as a result of gum disease starts to form plaque. Plaque accumulation can cause inflammation of the gums and this inflammation results in erosion of gum tissue – giving your gums a recessed appearance.

How to prevent receding gums?

Luckily, gum disease is very easy to diagnose. If you have noticed a receding of the gum line, then you should make an appointment at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby to confirm the diagnosis and start proper treatment. Sensitive teeth, especially increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods, are another symptom of gum recession – the sensitive roots of the teeth become exposed and that’s why you might feel pain.

Gum recession can be a slow progression, but the end result can be quite serious and drastic. In the initial stage, the gums are pink and appear scalloped around the teeth. Afterwards, the gums turn a bright pink or red, soften and begin to bleed.  You can actually see the gums receding away from the teeth as days go by. The teeth also loosen and liquid begins to collect in the space between gums and teeth. The final stage of receding gums is when the roots become visible along with increased pus formation. This is extremely painful and causes severe bleeding along with tooth sensitivity.

Is there treatment for receding gums?

Don’t delay and book an appointment with a health care professional at Metroplex Dental Centre for proper diagnosis and treatment. There is no one product or medication that offers a cure for receding gums. The treatment usually focuses on gum disease – treating gum disease will usually also treat receding gums. However, you might require gingival flap surgery, tissue graft, bone graft and cosmetic dentistry to save your teeth as well as to restore the appearance of your gums and teeth.

The best treatment for receding gums is to understand the importance of a good and healthy oral routine to prevent and curb gum recession. Most often, there is no special treatment undertaken if the gums have begun to recede. Practice a good oral regimen to control the condition followed by periodic visits to the clinic to ensure that the recession has not progressed and that your gum disease is under control.

Receding gums can turn out to be a major problem if not treated immediately, so contact Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby for an appointment today and we will help you keep your smile beautiful and healthy.

Did 
you 
know?

• Oral
 Cancer
 is 
the
 13th most common
 cancer
 reported in Canada?
• Men
 are 
more
 susceptible to 
Oral 
Cancer
 than women?
• A 
screening
 for 
Oral Cancer 
only 
takes
 2
– 3
 minutes?

Are
 you
 at 
risk?

Male 
smokers
 over
 the
 age 
of 
40
 are 
the
 most 
susceptible 
to 
Oral 
Cancer
 but everyone’s 
at 
risk
 – something
 as
 simple
 as getting too
 much
 sun, 
smoking
 or drinking
 alcohol
 may
 increase
 your
 chances
 of
 suffering 
from
 Oral 
Cancer.

What
 Can
 You 
Do?

With 
Oral 
Cancer,
 prevention
 and
 early
 detection
 is 
key. 
Practice
 correct
 oral
 health care 
by
 brushing
 twice
 daily
 and
 flossing every
 day
 and
 come 
in 
for
 your 
FREE VELscope 
oral 
cancer 
screening
 at 
your
 nearest 
123Dentist.com
 Community
 Dentist Network practice.

Mark
 the 
Date

As 
part
 of 
Oral 
Health
 Month,
 members 
of
 the 123Dentist.com
 Community
 Dentist Network are 
offering
 a 
FREE
 Velscope
 Oral Cancer
 screening
 on
 April
 26,
 2012. VELscope
 screenings 
typically 
take
 only 
a
 few
 minutes 
and
 are 
completely 
pain‐free.

Reserve
 your 
FREE 
Oral 
Cancer
 screening
 appointment 
or 
find
 the 
nearest participating 
location
 near
 you 
by 
clicking 
here.

The
 VELscope
 system
 is 
a 
laser
 device
 that 
was
 invented
 by
 the 
BC 
Cancer
 Agency
 as 
a 
tool 
to 
fight
 Oral 
Cancer
 through
 early
 detection.
 Oral
 Cancer
 is
 a
 potentially
 deadly
 disease
 and
 early 
detection
 and
 early 
treatment are
 key 
in 
the 
fight
 against Oral 
Cancer.

The 
VELscope
 oral 
cancer
 scanner 
works
 by 
using 
fluorescent
 light 
technology
 to help
 detect 
signs 
of 
cancer 
and
 precancer
 that 
are 
not 
visible
 to 
the 
naked 
eye. 
Quick and
 painless,
 an 
oral 
cancer
 screening
 often 
takes 
just 
2 
to 
3 
minutes.

Consider
 this: over
 3,400
 new
 cases
 of 
oral 
cancer
 were 
found
 last 
year 
in 
Canada
 alone.

Take 
just 
5 
minutes 
out 
of 
your 
day
 on
 April 
26,
 2012 
to
 ensure 
you 
have
 a
 safer
 Oral 
Health 
Month.

For 
more 
information
 about 
our
 Free
 VELscope
 Oral 
Cancer
 screening
 on
 April 
26
 or
 to 
reserve 
your 
appointment, please 
click 
here.

In fact, the U.S. Center for Disease Control cites a study that says there has been a 15.2 percent increase in tooth decay during the last 10 years for children under six.

Various things cause tooth decay for younger dental patients at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby, most notably sugar intake, severe stress, contents in baby bottles and infant feeding habits.

Children’s oral health worsens when they are sent to school. At school, there is more chance of them getting a soda from vending machines. Our culture is shifting so that there is minimal parental supervision and convenience foods are way too readily available, and this is all having a severe effect on oral health.

There are many things parents can do to stop their kids from getting cavities. Daily oral care is essential, and can be achieved at minimal cost.

Here are some additional healthy dental habits for kids:

Making sure your child gets the proper oral care. Pregnant women who eat a balanced and nutritious diet are already helping their children and leading them on the right path when it comes to oral health. Preventive care is ideal after the baby’s first feeding and should continue on as the child gets older. Children are not able to remove plaque themselves until they are eight, so a parent needs to help them brush and floss twice a day.

Sugar is hurting your child’s teeth. Kids can get cavities as early as nine months of age. Their upper front teeth are first affected and this can quickly spread to the other teeth if a child is feeding on a bottle containing sugar. If food surface is not removed from the teeth, your child’s teeth will start to decay quickly.

Bring your child to the dentist before they turn 1. Before a child turns one is the ideal time to take them for their first dental visit. This is a good idea for you too, parents – this appointment can help educate you on what you can do to make sure your child’s oral health is the best it can be.  We can also help you identify signs of early problems while they are still in a stage that is easy to treat.

Dental checkups for your child at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby are essential, so contact us and make an appointment today.

What are dental sealants?

Sealants are made of durable, stain-resistant plastic and are bonded to the grooves of your teeth. After a dentist at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown in Burnaby seals the tooth, the grooves are smoothed down and make it hard for plaque to build. Sealants make brushing teeth easy and efficient.

Dental sealants are safe for children and are a great way to prevent tooth decay after their permanent teeth have erupted. Sealants, however, can only be placed on healthy teeth. Sealing permanent teeth is much more common that sealing baby teeth; however, each person has different needs and your local Burnaby dentist at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown can tell you if dental sealants are a good option for you or not.

Sealants last for a few years, although it is common for adults to have older sealants that are still functional. A dental sealant is only effective when it is in good shape, so if your sealant falls out, let your dentist know and book an appointment so we can reseal your teeth.

To learn more about dental sealants, or to book an appointment with your local Burnaby dentist at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown to reseal your teeth, contact us today.

If you’re worried that your sweet tooth might turn into tooth decay, don’t be! You can enjoy your Easter treats and keep your teeth healthy! Just keep in mind these simple things when hunting for your Easter eggs:

• Pick Dark Chocolate - dark chocolate can help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Avoid Anything Gooey - candy that sticks to your teeth is more likely to feed the bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities
• Water It Down - water can help wash away-cavity causing bacteria, so be sure to keep a glassful close at hand.
• Practice Good Oral Health - be sure to brush twice a day for 3 minutes, floss daily before bed and visit Metroplex Dental in Burnaby for your dental hygiene appointment every 6 months or if you suspect that you might have a cavity.

The dental health team at Metroplex Dental wishes you and your family a sweet Easter filled with smiles!

Ludwig’s angina is an infection in the bottom of the mouth caused by bacteria, and occurs after your tooth has been infected, an injury to the mouth, an oral procedure or an unnecessary hazard to your health. When you get an oral piercing, the mouth develops an open wound for bacteria to travel through your blood. Bacteria has the power to make the bottom of the mouth swell quickly which blocks the airway or stops you from swallowing your saliva.

Endocarditis comes from bacteria traveling in the blood through the hole that has been pierced. This can be an infection in the heart, and people who have a history of heart problems are at risk for this disorder.

Most professionals will not recommend piercings, but if you do get a piercing, be sure to take good care of it. Unclean piercing equipment can cause other infections, like hepatitis. Make an appointment at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown in Burnaby to ensure that you are getting the follow-up care you need.