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Dental fears? Don’t be afraid — we can help!

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Fear of the dentist is a common problem, but it shouldn’t stop you from getting the care you need. You can take measures to reduce your anxiety and have a pleasant dental visit if you avoid the dentist because of fear.

Maintain open communication with your dentist.

To get over dental phobia, talk to your dentist about your concerns. They will be able to explain the process to you and allay your fears. Sharing your concerns with your dentist will allow them to tailor their approach to your needs and alleviate your anxiety.

Dental sedation may be an option.

To help patients feel more at ease during dental procedures, sedation dentists may prescribe medication. Those who suffer from severe dental anxiety or have a low pain threshold may benefit greatly from this method.

Learn how to relax

Try some deep breathing exercises or meditation in the hours leading up to your appointment to help you unwind. Taking a deep breath like this before your appointment can help you relax and feel more at ease.

Get something to take their mind off it.

Many dental clinics have TVs or music playing to help patients relax. Bring headphones and your choice of music or an audiobook if your workplace doesn’t provide such entertainment options for your convenience.

Pace yourself

If you need a break during your dental procedure, don’t be embarrassed to ask for it. You may find that you feel more at ease and relaxed after spending some time outside the treatment room.

Don’t forget that your dentist is there to help you take care of your teeth. You can get the dental care you need even if you’re terrified of dentists by talking about your worries, getting plenty of rest before the procedure, and keeping your mind off of it.

Make your appointment today with Dr. Rob Andrew and Urban Smiles Family Dental. 780.989.6030

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Surprising Dental Health Benefits of Chocolate

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Anthocyanins are found in dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate’s robust flavour and purple colour are derived from these vibrant fruits. The many health advantages of dark chocolate are due to these anthocyanins. They promote blood pressure reduction, heart health, and diabetes prevention. Anthocyanin-rich dark chocolate stimulates the body’s production of specific enzymes that can help lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.

The antioxidant qualities of dark chocolate are also a result of anthocyanins. When your body’s supply of antioxidants is low, you are more prone to developing certain illnesses. Due to its high antioxidant content, dark chocolate can shield you from oxidative stress and illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and cognitive deficits brought on by brain aging.

Procyanidin Is Found in Dark Chocolate

The aroma of dark chocolate is a result of procyanidins. They are incredibly fragrant, with notes of apple, orange, and peppermint. Additionally anti-inflammatory, procyanidins can aid in cavity prevention. By lowering plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth, they can also aid in gum disease prevention.

Procyanidins have antioxidant qualities as well. They can shield your body from the cellular harm that free radicals can do. You feel more energized and less worn out as a result.

Anti-oxidants are found in dark chocolate.

Antioxidants found in dark chocolate can protect your health and ward off disease. Strong antioxidants known as anthocyanins can prevent heart disease. They can reduce inflammation in the body, blood pressure, and platelet aggregation. They also have anti-inflammatory qualities that can lessen arthritis-related joint pain.

Dark chocolate has cavity-preventing qualities.

It has been demonstrated that many of the nutrients in dark chocolate have anti-cavity properties. These include polyphenols that are anti-gingivitis, anti-plaque, and anti-plaque. Additionally, they contain flavanols with anti-gingivitis qualities. Dark chocolate contains flavanols that, like those in red wine, can help prevent tooth decay by preventing the growth of the bacteria that cause plaque and gingivitis.

The properties of dark chocolate can improve mood

Antioxidants found in abundance in dark chocolate can support mood regulation. According to research, people who eat a lot of foods high in antioxidants tend to be happier. This is due to the fact that they have more energy to use on enjoyable activities like spending time with friends and family.

Dark chocolate contains two main antioxidants that have been shown to have mood-enhancing effects. These anti-oxidants are flavanols and epicatechoic acid (also known as epicatechaetin).

Zinc is a great source in dark chocolate.

An essential mineral, zinc is required for immunity and good health. It can aid in defending your body against bacteria, fungi, and viruses by constructing the immune system’s protective cell walls. Additionally, it can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes and is necessary to ward off common infections like the common cold.

Minerals like zinc are abundant in dark chocolate. Additionally, it contains advantageous antioxidants, which makes it an excellent addition to your diet. To reap the health advantages, eat a small amount of dark chocolate each day.

Antioxidants found in dark chocolate can help prevent heart disease and low blood pressure. Additionally, it can reduce your risk of diabetes and safeguard your teeth from tooth decay. Zinc is a crucial mineral that strengthens the immune system’s protective cell walls, assisting in defence against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

In addition to having mood-enhancing qualities, anti-cavity properties, and high levels of minerals like iron and manganese, dark chocolate also has these qualities. Don’t forget to include dark chocolate in your diet; it has many health advantages.

Make your appointment today with Dr. Rob Andrew and Urban Smiles Family Dental. 780.989.6030

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Do You Have Smile Anxiety?

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Have you ever posed for a group shot, only to show up with a scowl on your face and your lips tightly clenched, rather than a radiant grin?

Anxiety over showing one’s teeth may be to blame for some people. Your dentist has assisted many patients in feeling more confident about their smile by developing individualized treatment regimens. Here are some frequent factors that contribute to smile anxiety, as well as some solutions that may help improve your teeth’s appearance.

Anxiety and Poor Dental Hygiene as Potential Roots of a Smile.

If a person has bad breath, they may shy away from others, slur their remarks, or even stand farther away from a gathering of friends or coworkers. If you suffer from bad breath, there is good news: it is often a straightforward problem to fix once the underlying reason has been identified. Sometimes, the cause might be something as simple as not drinking enough water or as complex as a reaction to a certain medicine.

Unpolished Teeth

Do you avoid smiling for pictures because you are self-conscious about how yellow, black, or discoloured your teeth are? With in-chair teeth whitening, our professional staff makes use of cutting-edge equipment to brighten smiles by a number of shades in just a single visit to the dental clinic.

Absent or broken teeth

When they are missing teeth, particularly front teeth, some individuals make an effort to hide their grins. This is especially the case when the missing tooth is at the front of the mouth. Fortunately, there are many alternative treatment techniques that may assist in revitalizing teeth that are missing. [Citation needed] Depending on the specifics of your case, a dental implant or dental bridge can be the optimal way to address the problem.

Poor Dental Alignment

At any moment in your life, the position of your teeth in their sockets may shift slightly. Even if you’ve had braces at some point in your life, shifting teeth may still lead to crooked or crooked-looking smiles at times. Ask us about the orthodontic solutions we have available, such as transparent aligners!

Are You Prepared to Makeover Your Smile?

Your dentist is there to assist you and lead you through the process of displaying a beautiful smile to the world. Get in touch with the receptionist at Urban Smiles Family Dental as soon as possible to set up an appointment so you can find out more about the individualized treatment options they provide.

Always remember:

Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time…. Floss everyday.
Change your toothbrush when it looks used.
Visit us every six months.
Eat a healthy diet.
Stay hydrated all day long, and don’t smoke.

Make your appointment today with Dr. Rob Andrew and Urban Smiles Family Dental. 780.989.6030

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The Effect of Stress on Your Smile

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When we think about stress, we often think of the symptoms that are associated with it, such as worry, tension, racing thoughts, inability to sleep, and elevated blood pressure, to name a few. But you may not realize it, but even your grin can give away signals of stress.

Everyone on the planet has been under a lot of pressure during the last two year’s, and this fact is not hidden from view. As your partner in oral health, we want to help you recognize the effect stress may have on your mouth while also giving options to help you overcome it so that you can shine brightly.

The likelihood of you having gum disease may be exacerbated by stress. The reason for this is that when you are under pressure, your body creates more of the hormone cortisol. When there are significant quantities of cortisol created, your body prioritizes maintaining its own survival over all other functions. Your capacity to fight infections wherever in your body, including in your mouth and gums, is diminished as a result of this.

Have you found that when you’re under a lot of pressure, you seem to get headaches more frequently? Bruxism, often known as the habit of clenching one’s jaw or grinding one’s teeth, might be the cause. The majority of the time, we grind our teeth when we’re asleep. Teeth grinding and clenching our jaws too firmly may lead to a variety of health problems, including headaches in the morning and worn down teeth.

When we’re under pressure, some of us need comfort foods even if we wouldn’t ordinarily go for them. Ice cream, sweet desserts, and drinks might temporarily improve our mood, but consuming an excessive amount of these types of foods and beverages can have a long-term adverse effect on dental health. They have the potential to cause your teeth to become yellow, develop cavities, and accumulate plaque.

We are here to help you if you feel that your smile is beginning to reflect the effects of stress. Get in touch with our staff right away to get further information on our services and to discover how we can assist you. We are looking forward to catching up with you in the clinic very soon.

Always remember:

Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time…. Floss everyday.
Change your toothbrush when it looks used.
Visit us every six months.
Eat a healthy diet.
Stay hydrated all day long, and don’t smoke.

Make your appointment today with Dr. Rob Andrew and Urban Smiles Family Dental. 780.989.6030

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Oral Hygiene is a Must

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Good oral hygiene is necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy. It involves habits such as brushing twice a day and having regular dental checkups.

Your own everyday habits are crucial to your overall oral health. Still, even the most dutiful brushers and flossers need to see a dentist regularly. At minimum, you should see your dentist for cleanings and checkups twice a year. Not only can a dentist remove calculus and look for cavities, but they will also be able to spot potential issues and offer treatment solutions.

It’s no secret that the general recommendation is to brush at least twice a day. Still, many of us continue to neglect brushing our teeth at night. But brushing before bed gets rid of the germs and plaque that accumulate throughout the day.

The way you brush is equally important — in fact, doing a poor job of brushing your teeth is almost as bad as not brushing at all. Take your time, moving the toothbrush in gentle, circular motions to remove plaque. Unremoved plaque can harden, leading to calculus buildup and gingivitis and early gum disease.

Treat flossing as important as brushing

Many who brush regularly neglect to floss. Flossing is not just for getting little pieces of food or broccoli that may be getting stuck in between your teeth, as It’s really a way to stimulate the gums, reduce plaque, and help lower inflammation in the area.

Flossing once a day is usually enough to reap these benefits.

Don’t neglect your tongue. Plaque can also build up on your tongue. Not only can this lead to bad mouth odor, but it can lead to other oral health problems. Gently brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth.

We shouldn’t have to say this but smoking harms the body’s immune system, which makes it difficult for the body to heal tissues, including those in the mouth. People who smoke may experience slow healing after a dental procedures. Smoking also affects the appearance of the mouth, leading to yellowing of the teeth and tongue, and it can give breath a bad odor.

Water continues to be the best beverage for your overall health — including oral health. Also, as a rule of thumb, we recommend drinking water after every meal. This can help wash out some of the negative effects of sticky and acidic foods and beverages in between brushes.

Ultimately, sugar converts into acid in the mouth, which can then erode the enamel of your teeth. These acids are what lead to cavities. Acidic fruits, teas, and coffee can also wear down tooth enamel. While you don’t necessarily have to avoid such foods altogether, it doesn’t hurt to be mindful.

Visit Urban Smiles Family Dental and lets keep smiling.

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Ways to Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids

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Kids love games and, depending on their age, they are often excited about doing activities where they can bond with others—especially their parents. Unfortunately, children associate toothbrushing with bedtime. And we all know how most kids feel about bedtime.

Starting a routine and sticking to it is key. You may be tempted to let your child skip brushing after a long day or during times when your normal schedule is off but keep at it. The more second nature brushing becomes the easier it will be to make sure your child is brushing twice a day for two minutes.

family that brushes together, has brighter smiles together! By making brushing a family activity that everyone has to participate in, your child will be more inclined to want to brush their.

Set a good example for your kids. Let your child watch you brush your teeth and see how you go through your daily oral health routine. Allow them to see how fun and rewarding brushing your teeth can be by explaining what you are doing and showing them your pearly white smile when you are finished. Kids want to be like their parents so make sure to set an example you want them to follow.

Practice Makes Perfect. Allow your child to practice by letting them brush your teeth. This shows them that brushing teeth can be an exciting experience and that there is nothing to be afraid of. Make brushing seem fun and enjoyable for you and they will want to join in on all the fun as well.

What motivates your child? If its stickers, make a reward chart and let him add one every time he brushes. If he’s a reader, let him pick out the bedtime story. Maybe it’s as simple as asking to see that healthy smile, saying “I’m so proud of you” and following up with a huge high five.  

Go Shopping. Let your child pick out his or her own toothbrush and toothpaste. Choosing a character toothbrush might make brushing more fun, and fluoride toothpastes come in a variety of flavors and colours.

Brushing your teeth does not have to be a dreaded chore. With these fun and creative ideas, you can encourage your kid to practice good oral hygiene and make brushing their teeth something they look forward to every day.

Feel free to reach out to Urban Smiles Family Dental or explore the remainder of our website to find many answers to your dental questions.

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Worst Halloween Candy for your Teeth

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With Halloween right around the corner, it’s the time of year in which little ghosts and vampires, from all over, take part in the door-to-door quest for sweets. While this is always an exciting and of course spooky time of year for kids, for parents it can be a bit spooky for a totally different reason!

The only downside? Candy is still bad for our teeth. The reason candy is harmful to teeth is that bacteria in your mouth burn the sugar, creating acid as a byproduct. That acid then dissolves tooth enamel, and that’s what causes cavities.

The Bad

Sticky candy – The worst offenders? Chewy candies like taffy and anything gummy because they linger on the teeth, which gives them more time to cause tooth decay. Caramels are in this group too and all of these can do damage to fillings, braces, and orthodontic appliances.

Sour candies – These are bad for teeth in two ways since they contain both sugar and acid. The acid breaks down tooth enamel, which is the hard outer shell that protects teeth.

Lollipops – Like their cousins, hard candies, these are meant to be enjoyed slowly, meaning teeth are exposed to sugar for a lot longer than they are with treats you chew quickly. And if you dare to bite down on one, the American Dental Association warns it can fracture a tooth if you’re not careful!

The Good:

  • Chocolates – It turns out one of the tastiest things to find in your kids’ Halloween haul is actually one of the best when it comes to oral hygiene. Dr. Messina explains that because chocolate doesn’t linger on teeth for too long, it’s less of a risk for tooth decay than some other candy options.
  • Candy Corn
  • Even though candy corn is a Halloween candy trademark, it is one of the worst Halloween candies for you teeth. Candy corn has lasting negative effects on your teeth because it has a high amount of sugar, which can lead to tooth decay.
  • Caramel Apple Suckers
  • Caramel apple suckers are also a huge symbol of Halloween. However, as good tasting as they are, they are extremely bad for your teeth. Not only do they have a caramel coating that can get stuck in your teeth, but they also have a high amount of sugar that can cause tooth decay.
  • Chewy Candy
  • Chewy candy like Starburst and gummy bears can hit the spot sometimes, but also cause cavities in your teeth. Chewy candy is one of the worst candies for your teeth because it gets stuck in the crevices of your teeth, unable to be removed by your toothbrush alone. This can lead to tooth decay.
  • Filled Chocolates
  • Candy bars are one of the most popular items to give out on Halloween, and will fill the majority of your basket. However, chocolates filled with caramel, cream, or coconut are bad for your teeth. They stick to your teeth like chewy candy, allowing bacteria to feed on it and cause tooth decay. 

Remember be safe and when black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween.

Come make Urban Smiles Family Dental your new dental home.

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Ways to Provide Patient Hospitality at Urban Smiles Family Dental

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Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests or visitors.

We also think of the hospitality at Urban Smiles Family Dental and what a difference it’s made with our patients and how we treat them when we have them in our clinic.

A welcoming entrance

The front office team members “dental concierge” that welcomes the patients by calling them by their name as they enter the practice and check them in?

It makes our patients feel important because they are, and they light up when you greet them by their name before we ask them.

We provide free WiFi.

Patients typically arrive at Urban Smiles Family Dental with their own distraction tool, their smartphone. While you don’t have to provide this type of entertainment, we can improve this experience for our clients by offering free WiFi. Allow patients to connect to our free customer WiFi so they don’t have to drain their data while they

wait.

Ease patient anxiety by creating a relaxing environment.

It’s no secret that most people don’t enjoy going to the dentist. It can even lead people to feel anxious or uneasy. To help our patients overcome these negative feelings, we work by providing a comfortable and relaxing environment. Offer cozy seating, soothing refreshments, and a calm atmosphere, and play the kind of music that improves mood and decreases anxiety.

It’s just as important for our dental team toshow the same hospitality toward one another as we do toward our patients.

It’s very easy for our team members to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks and not realize our impact on one another.

If the vibe we’re sending to our fellow team members is negative, this will only affect overall office morale and individual performance.

If we’re showing great hospitality to our patients, don’t we owe it ourselves to show the same great hospitality to one another?

A very important part of our dental patient experience happens after the patient leaves the office. It relates to how well the patient maintains their dental care. Part of your job as a dental provider is to help patients properly care for their teeth. You want to prevent them from having problems and encourage them to keep up healthy habits. One way to do that is by increasing patient engagement. By offering digital portals, resources, and reminders, you can help your patients get move involved with their health, which leads to better healthcare outcomes.

Come make Urban Smiles Family Dental your new dental home.

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Having White Teeth Matters?

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In the world today, many people are becoming more and more obsessed in whitening their teeth. Mass media shows people the importance of having white teeth because it could make you look more attractive.

You often see in the television ads, in billboard signage, print, and Internet ads the faces of celebrities who often flash out their wonderful and bright smiles which makes you think that you also want to be as attractive as them.

Whenever you talk to someone what do you notice first? The way they smile? How white are their teeth? That’s because nowadays, having white teeth doesn’t boost your esthetic appearance, but it also boosts your self-confidence and self-worth as well.

People with brighter smiles often leave a good lasting first impression making them more noticeable during college interviews and eventually in job interviews as they progress in life. A set of whiter teeth also helps you attract a potential love interest and a life partner later in life.

Why aren’t your teeth white anymore?

Normally, your teeth are milky white in colour; however as you age, the enamel of your tooth wears out because of daily use. The enamel then becomes translucent and over time, your teeth become darker or appear to be yellowish in color.

There are other factors that affect the colour of your teeth. Foods and beverages with high sugar and acidic content and staining properties such as tannins and polyphenols can discolor teeth with frequent use. Bad habits such as smoking and chewing tobacco can also stain your teeth.

Urban Smiles offer’s Zoom whitening?

In-Office Zoom Whitening $299!

Most bleaching products are peroxide-based and are actually capable of altering the colour of the tooth itself. However, not all tooth discolorations respond to tooth-bleaching treatments. Individuals contemplating tooth-bleaching should consult with a dentist to determine the cause of the discoloration and whether a bleaching treatment will have the desired result. This step is especially important for patients with fillings, root canal treatments, crowns and/or extremely dark stains on the anterior teeth. Here at Urban Smiles family dental, we offer a range of options to achieve a whiter smile, such as a one-hour in-office treatment, custom-fitted trays that you take home (or a combination of the two), or our new Gemini™ teeth whitening accelerator kits. Consult with our knowledgeable staff to determine which of these options is best suited to your needs.

Always remember Teeth are always in style.

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Never Too Sure

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On a recent business trip, Joe didn’t feel himself.  Perhaps it’s the jet lag, or perhaps the recent meal from the hotel is about to come back to haunt him.

He excused himself from his clients, and went to the washroom to splash water on his face.  He noticed a lump on his neck he’d never before seen. 

When Joe returned home, he felt worse than he did before.  He planned to hit the ground running this week, especially with the huge deal he landed during his recent trip.  He had to get better.  Immediately. 

When Joe proactively took it upon himself to make an appointment with his physician, the doctor asked him the usual questions about his health, lifestyle, symptoms, etc.  Joe recalled feeling progressively worse since the first day of his recent trip.  And then he mentioned something even more alarming.

Joe told his doctor that he had noticed recently that a few of his teeth had loosened.  He had planned to visit his dentist, but work, and life just seemed to get in the way.

We often ignore dental issues, rather than treating them as we would with other health issues.  And infrequent visits to the dentist are equally alarming because sometimes, health issues can be identified in correlation through oral health.

A visit with his dentist, and the dentist could have identified the loose teeth, the lump on the neck, and perhaps some growths or sores inside the mouth, which would’ve led to further investigative questions about health, etc.  These are all symptoms of oral cancer.

For the purpose of ending this story on a lighter note, the loose teeth were simply infected, and needed to be extracted, and the sickness just a flu he’d likely caught en route to his recent business trip.  And lastly, the lump on his neck: a cosmetic skin issue, that could easily be remedied with consistent washing and skin care products.  Perhaps a better diet, as well.

We are never too sure about our health.  Ask your dental and healthcare professionals about scheduling regular checkups. 

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