Your children’s oral health is important, and keeping teeth and gums healthy is crucial on so many levels. Recently, experts have discovered that children’s teeth might be able to help treat Parkinson’s disease and diabetes because of stem cells located in the pulp chambers of the teeth. Clearly, your child’s teeth are vitally important and the dental team at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby want to make sure your children’s oral health care is top notch.

Practicing proper oral health care

If you’re wondering when the right time is to start brushing your baby’s teeth, we have some tips for you.  Regular dental cleanings should be done after your baby has their teeth. After you have breastfed or bottle-fed your baby, take a damp washcloth and softly rub your baby’s gums. To make cleaning easier, you can wrap the cloth around one of your fingers to remove all those food scraps from your baby’s mouth.

As soon as your baby’s first tooth comes, a baby toothbrush will be needed. You can easily find special children’s oral health care toothbrushes at your local drugstore. These brushes are gentle and have only a few bristles. You don’t have to worry about buying toothpaste, you’ll only need water to clean your child’s teeth.

Children’s oral health care experts have determined that when more teeth start to come in, that’s when toothpaste becomes necessary. You will only need a very small amount and be sure that there is no fluoride in the toothpaste for the first few years. A great exercise is to have your child pretend to spit out toothpaste after brushing – then they will have already formed good habits when it comes time to use fluoride toothpaste which is hazardous when swallowed.

Here’s a great informational video about baby teeth:

For more questions or concerns about proper children’s oral health or your baby’s teeth, call or visit us at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby. 

Metroplex Dental Centre is proud to be a sponsor and participant in events in our community, and we’re proud to support the next generation of community leaders and the future of dentistry.  Recently, Metroplex Dental’s very own Dr. Deljoui attended the Grand Opening of the 123Dentist.com Study/Conference Room donated by the 123Dentist.com Community Dentist Network to the Faculty of Dentistry at the prestigious University of British Columbia.  Dr. Deljoui is pictured below with Dr. Charles Shuler, the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry.  

For more photos of the wonderful event, please visit the 123Dentist.com Facebook page.

Did you know: February is National Children’s Dental Health Month?

February is the month to raise awareness about the significance of your oral health. With National Children’s Dental Health month beginning in Cleveland in 1941 and extending to a month-long program since 1981, it is especially important to take care of your child’s oral health. The dental team at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby support National Children’s Dental Health Month and encourage you to follow up with regular checkups and proper oral care.

In February, Metroplex Dental Centre and other dentists around the world are concerned with preventative oral care, especially when it comes to children. It is important to remember that having good oral health habits when you’re young and having periodic dental appointments will get your children on the right track to keep those teeth and gums healthy.

If your child hasn’t been to Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby in the last six months, be sure to contact us and make an appointment.

If you’re pregnant and wondering what effect your oral health might have on your unborn baby, the dental health experts at our dental practice want patients to know the facts about how oral health can impact pregnancy.

There has been evidence that shows a correlation between gum disease and premature babies. Researchers have revealed that pregnant woman who have gum disease are more likely than other pregnant women to have a premature birth.

There needs to be more research on this subject, but it does seem that gum disease is detrimental to fluids that induce labour. If gum disease worsens during pregnancy, the risk will be greater of having a baby born too early or too small.

The dental health team at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre encourages pregnant women to visit our Burnaby dental practice for regular dental appointments so that oral health issues can be treated before they have an impact on pregnancy.

While you are pregnant, the team at our Burnaby dental practice will pay close attention to your teeth and gums. In order to keep your mouth healthy, brush and floss on a regular basis and make sure your diet is nutritious. Ensure that you visit Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre for your regular checkups and to prevent dental issues.

Aside from gum disease, another issue that women may develop during pregnancy is gingivitis. This occurs when plaque is stored in the teeth, causing gums to be irritated. Symptoms of this dental problem are red, swollen and bloody gums, and inflammation.

Gingivitis is a major concern for pregnant women who visit our Burnaby dental practice because the high level of hormones make the way gums respond to plaque much worse. It should be noted that plaque is the major cause of pregnancy gingivitis, not hormones.

If you are diligent about keeping your teeth clean, this will reduce your chances of gingivitis. Make sure to pay special attention to the gumline, as it attracts plaque and bacteria the most.

Let the Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby know about your pregnancy when you make your appointment.

It is common for parents to wonder whether it is bad for kids to be sucking their thumbs or fingers. Lots of households have at least one “thumb-sucker” and we at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby are here to set the record straight about the problems that arise from thumb sucking.

The big question is, should you worry about your child if they are sucking their thumb? For the most part, there is nothing to worry about. Thumb sucking is completely natural for most children, making them feel secure and content and even being quite relaxing for them. This habit is something that most kids can easily grow out of when they hit the ages of two to four.

However, thumb sucking does become a problem when your child continues to suck their thumb after they’ve received their permanent teeth (usually around the ages of four to six). This habit can become quite problematic at this point, causing pressure inside their mouth and preventing teeth from growing or aligning properly.

If you think that thumb sucking is becoming a problem for your child, contact the dental team at Metroplex Dental Centre in Burnaby and we can evaluate what’s happening and give you some helpful tips on how your child can stop this habit.

Click here for a helpful video about thumb sucking and what you can do to discourage it.

Bad breath can scare away a variety of people, whether it be your boss, family, or a potential new love interest. The team at Metroplex Dental at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby are always available to share the latest tips and tricks on how to freshen bad breath.

At Metroplex Dental, we know that many patients are worried about how their breath smells. However, while some cases of bad breath are persistent and chronic, bad breath can typically be kept at bay.

The following video thoroughly explains the causes of bad breath and how it can be prevented. Most of the time, bad breath can be stopped if you brush your teeth twice a day after eating and floss regularly. The video focuses on morning breath and how this can be controlled, providing tips such as brushing inside the cheek and tongue where most of the bacteria accumulates. It is also recommended to drink plenty of water to encourage saliva production.

Watch the video below for more tips on how to get rid of bad breath.

To learn more about proper oral health, feel free to contact Metroplex Dental in Burnaby if you have any questions.

Along with maintaining proper oral health, fitness is essential for people to improve their lifestyle. We here at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Mall in Burnaby want our patients to get active by exercising or playing sports. However, when participating in contact sports, it is incredibly important to wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and jaw bone.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human services suggest people exercise one hour each day, engaging in moderate physical activities, for example: a brisk walk or playing sports. People should also spend 1 hour and 15 minutes doing high intensity exercise like going for a run or dancing.

Staying in shape is vital for feeling great and looking great too. With daily exercise and a stunning smile from Metroplex Dental, you will be able to make any of your lifestyle or work goals a reality. At Metroplex Dental, we create custom mouth guards for your unique smile. Safer, stronger and more durable than store-bought mouth guards, our customized mouth guards will work to protect your most valuable asset.

Stay safe while exercising with a custom-mouth guard from Metroplex Dental at Metrotown Mall in Burnaby. We want to make sure you are living the proper lifestyle with a healthy, beautiful smile so you can be the best version of yourself.

If you are constantly suffering from painful headaches, neck pain, or jaw pain, you might have Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) and not even know it. At Metroplex Dental at Metrotown Mall in Burnaby, our dental team can diagnose and help to relieve your symptoms so that you can stop suffering.

The Temporomandibular Joint works to attach your lower jaw to your skull, and can often become misaligned. Headaches can sometimes correlate with a stiff jaw so if you are one of these people, you may be suffering from a disorder relating to this joint called TMJ.

Our trained TMJ specialist at Metroplex Dental in Burnaby will analyze the alignment between your bite and jaw, and if your signs and symptoms match, you may be suffering from TMJ. There are things you can do at home to alleviate your pain and the team at Metroplex Dental will teach you a variety of techniques.

The follow are some signs and symptoms of TMJ:

-a sore or painful jaw that worsens when you first wake up or around midday
-pain when you chew, bite or yawn
-popping sounds when you move your mouth
-difficulty opening or closing your mouth
-if your jaw locks or is difficult to move
-an aching ear without infection
-and the most common symptom: headache and a painful jaw

To find out more about TMJ, come in for an evaluation at Metroplex Dental at Metrotown Mall in Burnaby.

If your child is 1 years-old or their first teeth have come in, be sure to take them to their first dentist appointment. Giving your child the proper oral care is essential to their well-being.

We all know that maintaining oral health is important, especially when it comes to children. Experts suggest that parents should start taking care of their children’s oral health at age 1 or as soon as their first teeth come in. However, a report from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital indicates that the majority of children from ages 1-2 have not even begun seeing a dentist.

At Metroplex Dental Centre, we want to encourage our Burnaby patients to bring their children to our dental office as soon as they turn 1 or as soon as their first teeth come in. We will give your child the proper oral care they need, so they can lead healthy lives with a lifetime of smiles.

The reason that children may not be getting the proper oral care is because parents may be oblivious when it comes to early dental care. At Metroplex Dental, we can discuss your child’s proper oral care and what steps you need to take to ensure your child is getting the dental care they need.

If you would like to book an appointment or for more information about proper oral care at Metroplex Dental Centre at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby, please click here.

1. Put a thin layer of toothpaste on your already-moist toothbrush.
2. Brush your back teeth first, especially focusing on the front of the teeth.
3. Hold the toothbrush alongside your teeth, and point the bristles where the tissue is located. Your bristles need to be applied near the gum line.
4. Brush using a round motion for about 10 seconds.
5. When you’re done this step, sweep the bristles away from the gum line.
6. Continue these steps until the top and bottom teeth are clean.
7. Clean the inside surfaces of your teeth, and repeat steps 2 to 5 on your upper and lower molars.
8. Brush your front teeth by moving the tip of the toothbrush from the gum line down. Repeat twice or three times.
9. Do step 8 for the lower front teeth, but be sure to guide away from the gum line. Repeat twice or three times.
10. Brush towards the back of your tooth so you reach the biting surface.
11. You can softly brush your tongue and cheeks if you wish.
12. Rinse with either water or mouthwash.

Brushing at least two times a day is key- we recommend you do this in the morning and before bed. If your bristles look worn out, be sure to replace your toothbrush. You should also get a new toothbrush every 3 months. If you get the cold or flu or any kind of sickness, be sure to get a new toothbrush.