Please be advised that effective May 1, 2013 this clinic and all other clinics that are members of the 123Dentist.com Community Dentist Network will no longer be offering Air Miles(tm) reward miles.

If you have any questions, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Thank you!

If it isn’t practical or possible to repair a tooth, our team of dental experts at Highgate Dental, your Burnaby dentist, 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.

Please contact Highgate Dental 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 your Burnaby dentist, Highgate Medical Dental 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 your Burnaby dentist, Highgate Medical Dental 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 Highgate Medical Dental, your Burnaby dentist, to ensure that you are using dental floss correctly.

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

What is a Root Canal?

The Root Canal is the name for the space within the root of the tooth, it is a hollow area that contains soft tissues (the pulp and nerves). The number of these hollow canals (one to four) in a tooth depend on the type of tooth and the pulp nourishes and hydrates the tooth.

Why do you need Root Canal Therapy?

However, if your dental pulp is exposed, through a cavity or fracture, or becomes infected (abscessed) for any reason, it will likely require root canal therapy to allow you to actually keep the tooth instead of extracting it. These days, root canal therapy is relatively pain- and stress-free and can be done in as little as one appointment.

What to do if you need Root Canal Therapy?

Contact Highgate Medical Dental, your Burnaby dentist, if you have any questions about root canal therapy or if you would like to book an appointment.

Subscribe to Highgate Dental’s blog for more dental secrets and contact us today to take care of your oral health care. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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 your Burnaby dentist, Highgate Medical Dental, 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 Highgate Medical Dental, your Burnaby dentist, 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 your Burnaby dentist Highgate Medical Dental for an appointment today and we will help you keep your smile beautiful and healthy.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way at all – and we at Highgate Medical Dental, your Burnaby dentist, certainly don’t believe going to the dentist is a terrifying ordeal for any of our patients. But don’t just take our word for it! Check out some of our testimonials.

Our oral health care experts do their very best to make your every experience at the dentist a memorable one – in a good way!    We know why people dislike going to the dentist and we’ve worked to make our office, our staff and our technology into a perfect combination of excellent patient-focused care and excellent oral health care.

If you’re afraid of going to the dentist, we offer you several dental treatment options and we believe in honest, open communication between you, the patient and us, the oral health care professionals. Let us know when you’re uncomfortable and we’ll do everything we can to make you comfortable and relaxed.

If you’re afraid of pain, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that current dental technology has made going to the dentist a virtually pain-free experience. Extractions, root canals and even routine cleanings are now the most efficient and stress-free possible.

If you’re worried you’ll be judged for your oral health care regime, we promise you’ll only get a better understanding of oral health care, not a scolding! We’re thrilled you’ve chosen our Burnaby dental clinic as your partner in your quest for a healthy, happy smile.

Contact your Burnaby dentist, Highgate Medical Dental, and finally “feel like you’re on cloud 9″ when you’re going to the dentist.

Subscribe to our dental blog for more dentist secrets and oral health care advice. We’re social, too! Find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Offer Yourself a Mint or Two

If you suffer from dry mouth, try a sugar-free mint, preferably one that has a strong and natural flavour such as spearmint. Mints should help encourage saliva production and as a bonus, you get minty-fresh breath!

Find Yourself a Tall Drink of Water 

Water is excellent for promoting saliva production and has myriad excellent benefits for your oral and overall health. If you find that your mouth is getting dry, make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and sip accordingly. Drinking plenty of water means that you won’t suffer from dehydration or a dry mouth during the summer.

Give Yourself a Pick-Me-Up with Fruits and Vegetables 

If you’re dealing with a dry mouth, snack on fruits and veggies – which are full of water and vitamins – and keep your oral and your overall health in top shape over the summer.

Dry mouth can increase your chances of gum disease, tooth decay and mouth infections so if you find that your dry mouth persists, contact Highgate Medical Dental, your Burnaby dentist, as soon as possible.

Subscribe to the Highgate Dental Blog for more secrets straight from your dentist. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

]]> http://www.highgateclinic.ca/06/dry-mouth-heres-what-you-can-do/feed/ 0 http://www.highgateclinic.ca/06/what-to-do-after-a-tooth-extraction/ http://www.highgateclinic.ca/06/what-to-do-after-a-tooth-extraction/#comments Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:00:32 +0000 admin http://www.highgateclinic.ca/?p=626 After a tooth extraction (removal) has been completed by one of our dental health professionals at our Burnaby dental clinic, it’s important to take proper care of the site to prevent infection, control bleeding and allow the gum tissue to heal well enough that it can accept a denture or dental implant.

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 Highgate Medical Dental 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.

Subscribe to Highgate Medical Dental’s blog for more dental secrets and contact us today to take care of your oral health care. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The simple act of smiling comes with a lot of benefits. According to a recent TED Talk given by Health Tap founder and CEO Ron Gutman, several studies support the theory that smiling improves your health and longevity. One study found that the width of a smile can be used to predict longevity – in other words, the wider your smile, the more likely you are to live longer. If you’re not happy with your smile and don’t smile often or at all, contact Highgate Medical Dental clinic in Burnaby to book an appointment and improve your life, one smile at a time!

Studies also found that smiling is contagious – which is a good thing, because a single smile can make you feel as good as winning $2500 dollars or eating around 2000 bars of chocolate! Children tend to smile a lot more often that adults do, so if your goal is to live a longer, happier life, get in touch with your inner child and smile.

But if your current smile doesn’t really want to make you…well, smile, come in to Highgate Medical Dental for a custom smile makeover that’s sure to leave you grinning ear to ear. Smiling can lower stress levels and increase your attractiveness, so don’t miss out on the benefits of a smile and contact Highgate Medical Dental clinic today!

Enjoy the  TED Talk below, entitled the Hidden Power of Smiling, for more fascinating smile research:

Subscribe to Highgate Medical Dental clinic’s blog for more dental secrets and contact us today to take care of your oral health care. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

• If your gums are bleeding, there’s a very high chance you have periodontal (gum) disease. Come for an appointment as soon as possible!
• An oral health care checkup at Highgate Medical Dental Clinic every 6 months applies only to healthy gums. If you don’t have healthy gums, you’ll want to schedule a checkup at least every 3 months.
• Pay attention to your back teeth when brushing/flossing. We’ve found that patients at Highgate Medical Dental Clinic focus too much on their visible front teeth.
• Proper oral health care includes 10 minutes of careful brushing and flossing.
• Mouthwash that contains alcohol can dry out your mouth and actually worsen your bad breath.

Subscribe to Highgate Medical Dental Clinic’s blog for more dental secrets and contact us today to take care of your oral health care. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.