The good news is, there are some tried and true toothache pain relief methods and here they are, brought to you by the caring team of oral health care experts at ValleyFair Dental.

• Cold Compress

Applying a cold compress to your jaw should alleviate a toothache. The cold reduces blood flow to the site and therefore reduces swelling and pain. Apply a cold compress as often as necessary until the pain subsides.

• Pain Medication

Pain medication can help relieve a toothache but be sure not to exceed the recommended dose. Pain relievers such as aspirin and Advil typically contain anti-inflammatory medicine which can reduce the pain and swelling associated with a toothache.

• Warm Salt Water and Baking Soda 

Salt and Baking Soda combine to make an excellent anti-bacterial mouth-rise that can help reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth and potentially reduce the swelling and pain that stems from a toothache.

• Clove Oil and Garlic 

Pure clove oil, available in most drugstores, can act as a numbing agent if applied directly to the tooth. Don’t apply to the gums or apply too much as clove oil can be poisonous in too-high quantities. If you don’t want to use clove oil, a clove of garlic is an excellent substitute – simply hold it against the tooth for a few minutes and rinse with warm water afterward.

Simply make a $100 charitable donation to any of these wonderful charities below:

• J and M Acres Horse Rescue (604 466-9179)
• Katie’s Place Cat Shelter (604 463-7917)
• Friends In Need Food Bank (604 466-FOOD)

and forward the receipt to ValleyFair Dental. Your high quality art print of beautiful Maple Ridge photographed by Dr. Chherawala will arrive at your charity of choice in 2-4 weeks.

Prints are 12×18 and printed on mounted hardboard, ready made to be hung and admired in your home.

Visit the ValleyFair Dental Charity Photo Gallery to choose the stunning Maple Ridge print you would like and thank you for your generous donation. We hope you enjoy your new artwork!

Fruits & Veggies:
Apples, celery and cucumbers are all excellent super snacks for your dental health. These super snacks are nutritious and will help keep clean the surfaces of your teeth and massage your gums, improving circulation.

Dairy products:
Milk, cheese and calcium help with preventing cavities. These super snacks are rich in calcium and help neutralize acids in the mouth, reducing the incidence of cavities and tooth decay.

Other Great Snacks:
Nuts are excellent super snacks for oral health because they provide calcium and phosphate – elements that help keep dental enamel strong.

Dental professionals recommend avoiding any sugary snacks because sugar feeds the bacteria in the mouth and causes cavities. If you have any questions about which snacks are appropriate and which aren’t, or if you would like to book an appointment at ValleyFair Dental in Maple Ridge to learn more about preventing cavities, please click here.

Subscribe to ValleyFair 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.

Nail biting is a common habit within certain age groups, including children, teens and young adults. Stress often triggers nail biting, and can diminish as you get older. However, nail biting should be stopped at a young age because it is unclean and unhealthy.

Biting your nails can be detrimental to your oral health for a variety of reasons:

It’s unsanitary. Nails are filled with dirt and they’re even filthier than your fingers. If you bite into your nails, germs will easily get into your mouth and help the spread of bacteria.

Chewing objects is bad for your teeth - When you bite your nails, your teeth will be chewing constantly. The motion of chewing wears down teeth quite fast and puts stress on your teeth which can cause them to misalign.

They harm braces - If you have braces, you know how much pressure is placed on your teeth. If you want to add to this pressure, biting your nails is a great idea! This will stress your teeth out and weaken them, harming your  orthodontic treatment and your overall bite.

It can end up costing you -  You wouldn’t think that nail biting would be an expensive habit, but it can end up costing you thousands of dollars in extra dental bills during your life!

So what can you do about your problem? Just knowing the facts and how damaging nail biting can be should help you take action and kick that habit for good. The dental team at ValleyFair Dental Clinic in  Maple Ridge can answer any questions you might have about nail biting. Contact us today!

]]> http://valleyfairdental.com/oral-health-care-is-nail-biting-really-bad-for-your-teeth/feed/ 0 http://valleyfairdental.com/x-rays-a-necessity-for-your-oral-health-video/ http://valleyfairdental.com/x-rays-a-necessity-for-your-oral-health-video/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:00:07 +0000 admin http://www.valleyfairdental.com/?p=285 X-rays are essential to a person’s oral health, and at ValleyFair Dental in Maple Ridge, we want to ensure that people are getting regular X-rays for their teeth.

So what is the big deal about getting X-rays? X-ray exams reveal the state of your teeth, and the composition of the bones in your face. They are also able to spot gum disease and abnormal growths (including cysts and tumors). X-rays can also locate where impacted and unerupted teeth are, and can find cavities or disease that a simple checkup couldn’t.

X-rays for Maple Ridge dental patients at ValleyFair Dental can be vital for maintaining oral health. For most patients, they will receive a full set of mouth X-rays to determine the state of their oral health. Patients may need to follow up so we can analyze the condition of their gums or their odds of tooth decay.

Our patients’ health is important to us, so schedule an appointment at ValleyFair Dental today to book your X-ray. Here’s a wonderful video that explains the many benefits of digital X-rays:

Did 
you 
know?

• Oral
 Cancer
 is 
the
 13th most common
 cancer
 reported in Canada?
• Men
 are 
more
 susceptible to 
Oral 
Cancer
 than women?
• A 
screening
 for 
Oral Cancer 
only 
takes
 2
– 3
 minutes?

Are
 you
 at 
risk?

Male 
smokers
 over
 the
 age 
of 
40
 are 
the
 most 
susceptible 
to 
Oral 
Cancer
 but everyone’s 
at 
risk
 – something
 as
 simple
 as getting too
 much
 sun, 
smoking
 or drinking
 alcohol
 may
 increase
 your
 chances
 of
 suffering 
from
 Oral 
Cancer.

What
 Can
 You 
Do?

With 
Oral 
Cancer,
 prevention
 and
 early
 detection
 is 
key. 
Practice
 correct
 oral
 health care 
by
 brushing
 twice
 daily
 and
 flossing every
 day
 and
 come 
in 
for
 your 
FREE VELscope 
oral 
cancer 
screening
 at 
your
 nearest 
123Dentist.com
 Community
 Dentist Network practice.

Mark
 the 
Date

As 
part
 of 
Oral 
Health
 Month,
 members 
of
 the 123Dentist.com
 Community
 Dentist Network are 
offering
 a 
FREE
 Velscope
 Oral Cancer
 screening
 on
 April
 26,
 2012. VELscope
 screenings 
typically 
take
 only 
a
 few
 minutes 
and
 are 
completely 
pain‐free.

Reserve
 your 
FREE 
Oral 
Cancer
 screening
 appointment 
or 
find
 the 
nearest participating 
location
 near
 you 
by 
clicking 
here.

The
 VELscope
 system
 is 
a 
laser
 device
 that 
was
 invented
 by
 the 
BC 
Cancer
 Agency
 as 
a 
tool 
to 
fight
 Oral 
Cancer
 through
 early
 detection.
 Oral
 Cancer
 is
 a
 potentially
 deadly
 disease
 and
 early 
detection
 and
 early 
treatment are
 key 
in 
the 
fight
 against Oral 
Cancer.

The 
VELscope
 oral 
cancer
 scanner 
works
 by 
using 
fluorescent
 light 
technology
 to help
 detect 
signs 
of 
cancer 
and
 precancer
 that 
are 
not 
visible
 to 
the 
naked 
eye. 
Quick and
 painless,
 an 
oral 
cancer
 screening
 often 
takes 
just 
2 
to 
3 
minutes.

Consider
 this: over
 3,400
 new
 cases
 of 
oral 
cancer
 were 
found
 last 
year 
in 
Canada
 alone.

Take 
just 
5 
minutes 
out 
of 
your 
day
 on
 April 
26,
 2012 
to
 ensure 
you 
have
 a
 safer
 Oral 
Health 
Month.

For 
more 
information
 about 
our
 Free
 VELscope
 Oral 
Cancer
 screening
 on
 April 
26
 or
 to 
reserve 
your 
appointment, please 
click 
here.

Some of our Maple Ridge patients are surprised when their previously healthy, pink gums start to turn red and begin to bleed, but an individual’s oral health can change at any time. This is why gum disease prevention must be an ongoing effort on your part.  Without daily flossing and brushing, plus regular checkups and cleanings at ValleyFair Dental, you’re likely to be at risk for  periodontal disease. Make sure you brush at least twice a day, as well as floss daily, to avoid plaque build-up. Plaque, a film containing bacteria and acids, ruins tooth enamel as well as causes periodontal disease. Food particles can become trapped in plaque and further the progress of the disease, so it’s important to get regular hygienist cleanings plus gum disease prevention support from your dentist, who may recommend fluoride or other decay-preventive solutions.

Getting tips and checkups at ValleyFair Dental is an easy way to prevent gum disease and avoid destroying the structure of your teeth. Without regular professional care, moderate and late stages of gum disease may occur. If the gums aren’t healthy, they can’t adequately support the teeth. In the moderate stage of periodontal disease, gums tend to recede and expose large portions of the upper teeth–negatively affecting the tooth structure. Teeth often become loose at this stage. You’ll need to see your oral health expert to help avoid the advanced stage of gum disease. This stage of periodontal disease is the main cause of adult tooth loss and pain is typically present due to infection being built up deeply within the gums. 

Don’t put off the state of your oral health! Contact the team at ValleyFair Dental to book an appointment for personalized gum disease prevention and treatment.

Here’s a great video about what you can do to prevent gum disease and keep your smile healthy!

“Why is dental plaque so bad for me?”

When dental plaque builds up, it can cause tooth decay and gum disease, which is why the dental team at ValleyFair Dental in Maple Ridge recommends that you use dental floss regularly, every day.

“How do I floss properly?”

Here are some strategies on using dental floss most effectively:

- Give yourself about 18 inches of floss and wrap it around both of your middle fingers. Leave an inch or so of dental floss that you can maneuver.

- Hold the dental floss in a flexible way and keep it between your thumbs and index fingers. Be gentle when sliding it up and down between your teeth.

- Take the dental floss and put it around the base of each tooth so you get into the gumline. Do not be forceful with the floss because it can harm gum tissue.

- When you move between teeth, be sure to use the clean section of the floss.

-Removing the floss from your mouth is easy: use a similar back-and-forth motion so you can move the floss up and away from your teeth.

The two kinds of floss you can use are Nylon floss or PTFE. With nylon floss, you can choose between waxed and unwaxed, and there are many different flavors. The problem with nylon floss is that it can sometimes tear easily, but this won’t happen with PTFE floss. PTFE floss is more expensive but worth it because it maneuvers easily between teeth and won’t shred. However, both kinds of floss are efficient in eliminating plaque.

For any questions about dental floss and clean teeth, contact us at ValleyFair Dental in Maple Ridge and we can give you all the information you need.

So, do you have the answer to “How do I floss properly” yet? If not, check out this informative video from Colgate: