Have you been informed that you need root canal therapy? It is necessary to understand exactly what root canal therapy includes so you do not feel any sort of unnecessary worry when you come for your root canal treatment at your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry.
Just 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 4) in a tooth depend on the sort of tooth. The pulp nourishes and hydrates the tooth.
Why do you need Root Canal Therapy?
Nonetheless, if your dental pulp is exposed through a cavity or fracture or comes to be infected (abscessed) for any reason, it will likely need root canal therapy to enable you to keep the tooth instead of extracting it. These days, root canal therapy is reasonably pain-free and can easily be done in as little as one dental appointment at your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry.
What to do if you need Root Canal Therapy?
Contact Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry if you have any sort of questions about root canal therapy or if you would like to schedule an appointment.
Subscribe to our dental blog for even more dental secrets and contact us today to look after your dental health care. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
After a tooth extraction (removal) has been completed by one of our dental health professionals at your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, 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 Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist, 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 Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry’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.
Dental extractions (removing teeth) may be a necessary procedure to prevent tooth misalignment in the case of wisdom teeth or to maintain the health of your other teeth and gums. Extractions nowadays are relatively quick and painless, so if you suspect you have a tooth that might require removal, contact your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry today to book an appointment.
If it isn’t practical or possible to repair a tooth, our team of dental experts at Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam 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.
If you are nervous or anxious about dental extractions, our Coquitlam dental clinic offers sedation dentistry. To learn more about sedation dentistry, contact our dental clinic for more information.
Please contact your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, if you have any questions or would like to book an appointment.
“Why should I floss?” is a frequent question asked by many patients at Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist. In fact, flossing is one of the most important habits in any good oral health routine. Dental floss helps remove any food particles trapped between the teeth and lowers your chances of plaque build-up.
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 Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist, 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 Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General & Sedation Dentistry, 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 Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist, to ensure that you are using dental floss correctly.
The video below, courtesy of Colgate, explains how to floss properly:
One of the most common questions asked to dental professionals is: “what are receding gums?”. In simple terms, receding gums are a result of gum disease — causing your gums to have a “receding” appearance.
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 Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam sedation dentist, 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 your Coquitlam sedation dentist, Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, 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 Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam Sedation dentist, for an appointment today and we will help you keep your smile beautiful and healthy.
If you’re looking for a way to improve your health, your social relationships and your overall well-being, smiling is your best bet!
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 your Coquitlam dentist, Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry 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 Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist, 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 our Coquitlam dental clinic today!
Enjoy the TED Talk below, entitled the Hidden Power of Smiling, for more fascinating smile research:
Subscribe to Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry’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.
Your oral health is important and at Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist, our team of oral health care experts want to share with you the most important oral health secrets that will give you a healthy smile you’ll be proud to show off everywhere.
Subscribe to Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry’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.
Regular visits to your dentist at Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry are incredibly important for both your oral health and your general health. Why go to the dentist? Poor oral health has been link to poor general health, so come in for an appointment at our Coquitlam dental clinic and get a great smile and something to smile about.
Still wondering “why go to the dentist”?
Prevention is key to most oral health care issues. You can avoid cavities, plaque building, gingivitis and a whole host of oral health care issues simply by practicing proper oral hygiene and booking your regular oral health checkup at Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, your Coquitlam dentist.
Invest in your oral health and come in for a regular checkup at Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry.
Subscribe to the Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry dental blog for more information and secrets straight from your dentist. We’re social, too! Find us sharing oral health care tidbits on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
One of the most common causes for worn teeth is bruxism. Bruxism refers to tooth grinding or jaw clenching, especially during sleep, which wears down your enamel at an accelerated rate. You may have bruxism and not be aware of it, so contact our Coquitlam dental clinic for an appointment and we’ll let you know if your teeth are showing signs of bruxism and what you can do if that’s the case.
Abrasion is another common cause of worn teeth. Simply put, abrasion describes tooth enamel that is worn down by foreign objects in the mouth. Toothbrushes are the most common type of abrasive objects. If you brush your teeth too vigorously, you risk wearing down your enamel too much. Chewing pens or fingernails can cause teeth to lose enamel fast as well, as can an oral piercing or tongue ring.
Erosion is the third common cause of worn teeth. Erosion is caused by any substance that dissolves the enamel. Citric acid is the number one eroding agent of tooth enamel, but if you or a loved one has made a habit of purging, the gastric acids in your stomach can also dissolve your enamel.
At our Coquitlam dental clinic, we offer several dental solutions for your worn teeth, but it’s our policy to work with you to address the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms. Take care of your teeth and contact Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry today for an appointment.
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 CGS Dentistry, we want to encourage our Coquitlam 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 Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry, 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.
For more information about proper oral care at Coquitlam General and Sedation Dentistry or to book an appointment, please click here.
At CGS Dentistry, we’re very proud and fortunate to be members of BC’s own 123 Dentist – Community Dentist Network.