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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta to learn more about preventing cavities, please click here.

Subscribe to Nature’s Design Dental Spa’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.

1. When not wearing a protective mouthguard, 60% of athletes are more likely to experience major damage to the mouth and teeth?
2. It is estimated that faceguards and mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and college football.
3. Mouthguards which are bought at sports stores without any individual fitting, provide only a low level of protection, if any. If the wearer is rendered unconscious, there is a risk the mouthguard may lodge in the throat potentially causing an airway obstruction.

Mouthguards help absorb most of the shock if a person receives a direct blow to the mouth. Mouthguards protect the teeth, gums and the inside of the cheek. Mouthguards can reduce jaw damage and concussion as well and help the wearer avoid costly oral surgery.

In addition, mouthguards can be effective when protecting teeth from bruxism (teeth grinding). Bruxism wears down the enamel, makes your teeth more prone to cavities and can cause jaw, head or shoulder pain.

If you play contact sports or suspect you grind your teeth, contact Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta for an appointment to fit a custom mouthguard today.

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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta if you have any questions about root canal therapy or if you would like to book an appointment.

Subscribe to Nature’s Design Dental Spa’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 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa’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 it isn’t practical or possible to repair a tooth, our team of dental experts at Nature’s Design Dental Spa 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 dental clinic offers sedation dentistry for a stress-free dental appointment. To learn more about sedation dentistry, contact our dental clinic for more information.

Please contact Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta to ensure that you are using dental floss correctly.

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

If you’re worried that your sweet tooth might turn into tooth decay, don’t be! You can enjoy your Easter treats and keep your teeth healthy! Just keep in mind these simple things when hunting for your Easter eggs:

• Pick Dark Chocolate - dark chocolate can help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Avoid Anything Gooey - candy that sticks to your teeth is more likely to feed the bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities
• Water It Down - water can help wash away-cavity causing bacteria, so be sure to keep a glassful close at hand.
• Practice Good Oral Health - be sure to brush twice a day for 3 minutes, floss daily before bed and visit Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta for your dental hygiene appointment every 6 months or if you suspect that you might have a cavity.

The dental health team at Nature’s Design Dental Spa wishes you and your family a sweet Easter filled with smiles!

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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa 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 Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta for an appointment today and we will help you keep your smile beautiful and healthy.

Oral Health Month is an annual reminder (throughout the month of April) of the relevance and importance great oral health habits have with respect to you and your family! With gum disease, oral cancer and poor oral hygiene on the rise, your oral health partners at Nature’s Design Dental Spa are here to provide a wide variety of dental services to restore and enhance your oral health, which in turn will boost your overall health and vitality.

Of all the investments you make, investing in your health is the key to attaining and maintaining the enhanced lifestyle you can enjoy for the rest of your life! Your dental experts at Nature’s Design Dental Spa are committed to joining with you in achieving your oral and overall health goals to keep you smiling for years to come.

From our preventative oral cancer screenings, to individualized oral hygiene programs – we provide oral health education and solutions which are guaranteed to enrich the lives of our valued Tsawwassen and Delta, BC patients.

Along with daily brushing and flossing, our dental experts perform routine hygiene treatments with ultrasonic cleaners, which are an essential part of optimum oral health. We recognize the intrinsic link between a healthy smile and a healthy body and we seek to do our part in ensuring our patients success in all areas of life starting with their health thus positively influencing their social, professional, and outdoor recreational lifestyle.

We are always interested in hearing about upcoming events in your life and career so we can help out in whatever capacity (for example professional whitening treatment). Be sure to schedule appointments for you and your family today, allowing us to do our job in enriching your health, maximizing your smile potential and achieving the lifestyle you deserve.

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.

These tips should help you with brushing your teeth properly, but if you find yourself having any teeth issues, book an appointment at Nature’s Design Dental Spa in Delta and we’ll be happy to take care of you.