However, it doesn’t have to be that way at all – and we at Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley certainly don’t believe going to the dentist is a terrifying ordeal for any of our patients.

Our oral health care experts do their very best to make your every experience at the dentist a memorable one – in a good way!    We know why people dislike going to the dentist and we’ve worked to make our office, our staff and our technology into a perfect combination of excellent patient-focused care and excellent oral health care.

If you’re afraid of going to the dentist, we offer you several dental treatment options such as sedation dentistry and we believe in honest, open communication between you, the patient and us, the oral health care professionals. Let us know when you’re uncomfortable and we’ll do everything we can to make you comfortable and relaxed.

If you’re afraid of pain, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that current dental technology has made going to the dentist a virtually pain-free experience. Extractions, root canals and even routine cleanings are now the most efficient and stress-free possible.

If you’re worried you’ll be judged for your oral health care regime, we promise you’ll only get a better understanding of oral health care, not a scolding! We’re thrilled you’ve chosen our dental clinic as your partner in your quest for a healthy, happy smile.

Contact Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley and finally “feel like you’re on cloud 9″ when you’re going to the dentist.

Subscribe to our dental blog for more dentist secrets and oral health care advice. We’re social, too! Find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Offer Yourself a Mint or Two

If you suffer from dry mouth, try a sugar-free mint, preferably one that has a strong and natural flavour such as spearmint. Mints should help encourage saliva production and as a bonus, you get minty-fresh breath!

Find Yourself a Tall Drink of Water 

Water is excellent for promoting saliva production and has myriad excellent benefits for your oral and overall health. If you find that your mouth is getting dry, make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and sip accordingly. Drinking plenty of water means that you won’t suffer from dehydration or a dry mouth during the summer.

Give Yourself a Pick-Me-Up with Fruits and Vegetables 

If you’re dealing with a dry mouth, snack on fruits and veggies – which are full of water and vitamins – and keep your oral and your overall health in top shape over the summer.

Dry mouth can increase your chances of gum disease, tooth decay and mouth infections so if you find that your dry mouth persists, contact Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley as soon as possible.

Subscribe to the Thunderbird Dental Blog for more secrets straight from your dentist. We’re social, too! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley 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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley 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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley to ensure that you are using dental floss correctly.

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

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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley 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 Thunderbird Dental Group 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 Thunderbird Dental Group today!

Enjoy the  TED Talk below, entitled the Hidden Power of Smiling, for more fascinating smile research:

Subscribe to Thunderbird Dental Group’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.

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.

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 Langley dental patients at Thunderbird Dental Group 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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley today to book your X-ray. Here’s a wonderful video that explains the many benefits of digital X-rays:

Some of our Langley 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 Thunderbird Dental Group, 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 Thunderbird Dental Group 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 Thunderbird Dental Group 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!

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 Thunderbird Dental in Langley for your dental hygiene appointment every 6 months or if you suspect that you might have a cavity.

The dental health team at Thunderbird Dental wishes you and your family a sweet Easter filled with smiles!

“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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley 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 Thunderbird Dental Group in Langley 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: