Patient Information from your Dentist West Vancouver, BC

Your Dentist West Vancouver Patient Information & Support

If you have any other questions or would like to schedule an appointment with a West Vancouver dentist, we would love to hear from you. For more patient information please contact our West Vancouver dental office today at (604) 922-3232 or book online.

Payment Options

We accept all major credit cards, ATM cards and cash. Please call our office to make an appointment and we will answer any questions you may have.

Post-Op Instructions

Visit our page here for all our post-op information.

West Vancouver Dental Office

Your Dentist West Vancouver Dental Office

 

Our office is conveniently located on 702 Park Royal North and is accessible via all major roads. We are proud of our office for the technology and sterilization system we use, and the source of water for our dental units is distilled water (bottled water) which removes any chance of contamination from regular tap water like that used in most dental offices.

Our West Vancouver friendly and competent dental staff is dedicated to patient comfort and quality care. We provide the full range of technology and treatment options. We manage patient information carefully, and provide gentle, family-oriented dental care to the adults and children of this community.

In addition to General Dentistry and Cosmetic Dentistry, we work with specialists in Periodontics (gum diseases), Implant Dentistry, and Endodontics (root canal treatments), as well as other specialists. Our team emphasizes comprehensive quality care and preventive dentistry.

We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful dental office in West Vancouver.

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Book an appointment with your West Vancouver dentist today!

Bad Breath

There are a few different causes of bad breath. Ranging from stomach problems to diet and teeth problems, most of the causes can be found in the mouth. They are:

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Tongue (when bacteria grows in between the papilla)

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Gum diseases

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Teeth cavities (especially when food particles get stuck in them) 

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Alcohol and tobacco

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Extraction sites during healing

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Dentures when not cleaned properly

If you or someone you know is concerned about bad breath, the first step is a dental check-up. Your dentist West Vancouver, BC, will be able to confirm or rule out the source of the bad breath.

Patient information is important to find the cause. When the cause is found, treatment will be determined and explained by your dentist. If the source of the bad breath is your mouth, there is little chance that mouthwashes or mints can treat the problem. They usually mask the problem for a short period of time, and can sometimes exacerbate the situation (mouthwashes that contain alcohol cause dry mouth and usually make the bad breath worse).

These are a few other, non-dental reasons that cause bad breath:

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Sore throat

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Tonsillitis

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Some food

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Infection of air passages

Updating patient information, following a good oral hygiene routine and receiving regular dental checkups are the best ways to prevent bad breath. If you live in or around West Vancouver, give us a call today to schedule an appointment and get rid of bad breath forever!

Book an appointment with your West Vancouver dentist today!

Dental Health and Your Diet

Sugar is the main cause of dental decay when bacteria are present. However, the frequency of your sugar consumption is more significant than the amount of sugar you eat.

 

West Vancouver Dental Health

Probably the worst thing you can do to your teeth is to drink a soda and have a sip every few minutes over a long period of time; the same is true for snacking. It is recommended that if you want to have a snack, soda, or juice, it is better to have it after food, as dessert, or have it in one sitting. Eating or drinking something sweet over an extended period of time creates a constant supply of sugar for bacteria that causes tooth decay!

It is important to be aware of all the possible sources of sugar out there. It is not just everything that is sweet, but anything that can turn to sugar, like pieces of bread. Cutting down your sugar intake is good for cavity prevention, as well as your general health.

But what about when you have to have sugar? The best way to avoid cavities is to prevent the sugar from staying next to your teeth. Brushing after eating sugar, rinsing your mouth with Fluoride mouth wash, or chewing sugarless gum can help. However, nothing has the effect of avoiding sugar!

Is there any kind of food that prevents tooth decay? Well, not really. Some people believe that chewing foods like apples and carrots may have some plaque removal effects, but they still contain some sugar, so any advantage is not clear.

Another group of food that causes significant damage to teeth structure is acidic food. If in frequent contact with teeth, things like limes, lemons, and grapefruits can cause serious irreversible damage (erosion) to your teeth.

If you live in or around West Vancouver, don’t hesitate to call us with your oral health questions.

West Vancouver Dental Advice - Device

Electric Brush versus Manual Brushes

There have been multiple studies comparing the effectiveness of manual brushes and electric brushes.

Although not all electric brushes are the same, these studies conclude that, in general, electric brushes are more efficient in controlling plaque than manual brushes. Theoretically, you can do a very good brushing with a regular hand brush, but the movements of an electric brush make the task easier and more
effective.

Also, some electric brushes (Sonicare) produce sonic vibrations that are difficult to mimic with a hand brush! Other electric brushes like Oral-B and Rotadent have small heads that help you access hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. This aspect is more important when you are talking about someone with orthodontic braces or a history of gum disease.

If you have any questions about electric toothbrushes and you live in West Vancouver or the surrounding area, give us a call today!

Book an appointment with your West Vancouver dentist today!

How to Brush Your Teeth

The first step is to choose a good toothbrush. You always want to use a soft brush with a small head. A soft brush is hard enough to remove plaque, yet gentle enough not to damage your teeth or gums.

 

West Vancouver Dental Advice - Brushing

The next issue is to select good toothpaste. In general, any toothpaste that contains Fluoride will do the job, unless you have special needs that are determined by your dentist. Two of the best brands of toothpaste are Colgate Total and Crest Multicare.

The first rule of brushing is to start from a specific location and work your way to the opposite side, continuing all the way through the whole mouth so that you end where you started. This way you won’t miss any area. Usually, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is enough. An adequate brushing should take at least 2 minutes and preferably around 4 minutes.

There are a variety of techniques for brushing your teeth, but one of the most popular ones is described here:

Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle toward the teeth and gums. Gently press against the gums so the tips of the bristles go in between the gum and the teeth. Then apply a few lateral strokes and roll the brush down to sweep the plaque away from the teeth and the gum. Repeat this motion 6 to 10 times and move on to the next area of 2 to 3 teeth. If your mouth is full of foam, spit it out and continue brushing. Your brushing is completed when you have brushed all the surfaces of your teeth, not when your mouth is full! On chewing surfaces, short strokes work best to get the plaque out of the grooves and pits. When brushing the back side of your front teeth, hold your brush vertically to be able to reach the teeth better.

As far as frequency of brushing is concerned, ideally you want to brush your teeth after each meal. But if you can’t, brush at least twice a day – after breakfast and before going to bed. If you live in or around West Vancouver, give us a call today to schedule your oral health evaluation exam.

West Vancouver Dental Advice

How to Floss Your Teeth

The surfaces between teeth are not easily accessible by toothbrush; therefore, the best way to clean them is by flossing. The ideal frequency for flossing is like brushing: ideally after each meal, though one time a day (before going to bed) is the minimum necessary.

To start, cut a piece of dental floss (approximately 2 feet). Wrap both sides of the floss around your middle fingers. Using your index and thumb, glide the floss in between all of your teeth one by one. When flossing, make sure you are not cutting your gums. The goal is to clean the teeth surfaces, not the gums. In the space in between the teeth, press the floss against each side of the tooth (hug the tooth) and gently move it back and forth and up and down. Then move to the opposite surface of the adjacent tooth.

If you have any questions about flossing your teeth and you live in West Vancouver or the surrounding area, give us a call today!

 

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Not ready to book yet? Learn more about our team, our treatments, and what to expect as a West Van Dental Group patient.

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