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 Pacific Centre Dental Group in Vancouver. 

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 Pacific Centre Dental Group in Vancouver support National Children’s Dental Health Month and encourage you to follow up with regular checkups and proper oral care.

In February, Pacific Centre Dental Group 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 Pacific Centre Dental Group in Vancouver in the last six months, be sure to contact us and make an appointment.

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 Pacific Centre Dental Group  encourages pregnant women to visit our Vancouver 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 Vancouver 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 Pacific Centre Dental Group 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 Vancouver 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 Pacific Centre Dental Group team at Pacific Centre in Vancouver know about your pregnancy when you make your appointment.

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 Pacific Centre Dental Group in Vancouver 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.

At Pacific Centre Dental Group, 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 Pacific Centre Dental Group in Vancouver. 

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 Pacific Centre Dental Group, you will be able to make any of your lifestyle or work goals a reality. Stay safe while exercising with a custom-mouth guard and make sure you are living the proper lifestyle with a healthy, beautiful smile so you can be the best version of yourself.

If you have any questions or if you would like to book an appointment, please contact Pacific Centre Dental Group.

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 Pacific Centre Dental Group, we want to encourage our Vancouver 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 Pacific Centre 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.

For more information about proper oral care at Pacific Centre Dental at Pacific Centre Mall in downtown Vancouver, please click here.

Knowing how to brush your teeth properly is important so you can avoid conditions such as gingivitis and tooth decay.

Bad brushing technique can lead to tooth abrasion, which wears away the surface of the tooth. Because gum tissue is so delicate, it can be damaged from the bristles on your toothbrush and lead to tooth sensitivity.

These instructions will help you brush your teeth the right way:

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.

If you constantly have bad breath and think there’s nothing you can do about it, think again. These helpful tips can assist in keeping bad breath at bay.

Halitosis, or bad breath, can be seriously humiliating. You don’t have to live with it forever! Simply by brushing and flossing at least two times a day, particularly after you’ve eaten, can help. The tongue collects a lot of bacteria and gunk so be sure to brush it – you can even use a tongue scraper. If you rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash after, that will do you wonders.

Contact us at Pacific Centre Dental at Pacific Centre Mall in Vancouver if you have any questions or want to book an appointment.

In a recent Forbes magazine article, executive smile makeovers were a prominent feature. Even though these types of makeover aren’t all that trendy, they are getting more media attention in conjunction with other cosmetic surgery procedures. Having a smile you can be proud of gives you the self-confidence you need to succeed in the business world.

Executives also want a natural smile which will work to make them look younger. Business is turning into a more competitive field worldwide which has even Japanese executives turning to cosmetic dentistry. Even though everyone is unique, achieving a great executive esthetic smile has common threads that people share.

Many executives like being at the center of everything, but they seem to be more subtle when choosing a new smile. The look executives lean towards is natural and youthful–a step above their actual smile. With advanced cosmetic dentistry procedures from Pacific Centre Dental, your smile will help you appear younger, and give a more professional appearance when dealing with clients or prospective clients.

Because corporation presidents and CEO’s are generally older, teeth bleaching alone is not effective enough. Stains have become implanted on the tooth after being built up over the years and cannot be whitened. Executive restorations for patients at our dental clinic in Vancouver are more successful when veneers or crowns are used. These cosmetic dentistry procedures can be utilized depending on how much healthy tooth a patient has and whatever their desired outcome may be.

One great thing about cosmetic dentistry is the ability for dentists to make each procedure individual and customized for every unique patient. A unique smile makeover is possible because of recent advancements in dentist technique and smile design, dental materials used, and laboratory expertise.

Whatever your smile makeover aspirations, Pacific Centre Dental in Vancouver can help you create the smile you’ve been looking for. Give us a call today to make an appointment.