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Monday 7:30am - 6pm Tuesday 7:30am - 7:30pm Wednesday 7:30am - 7:30pm Thursday 7:30am - 7:30pm Friday 7:30am - 4pm Saturday 8am - 4pm

Urban Smiles Family Dental, 8003/104 Street NW, Edmonton, AB (2026)

10/17/2026

How To Make Your Teeth Stronger Naturally

Most of us only think about our teeth when something hurts.

A twinge with cold water.
A sore spot when you chew. That quiet worry that something might be starting to go wrong.

The good news is that strong teeth are built every day, through small choices that cost almost nothing.

Start with what you eat. Sugar and acid feed the bacteria that wear down enamel, so swap soda and juice for water whenever you can.

Fill your plate with calcium-rich foods like cheese, yogurt, milk, leafy greens, almonds and canned salmon.

Add vitamins A and D and phosphorus from eggs, fish, beans and colourful vegetables. Crunchy fruits and veggies like apples, carrots and celery even help scrub your teeth as you chew.

Keep your saliva working for you. Saliva is your mouth's natural defence. It washes away food and helps repair early enamel damage.
Sip water all day, rinse after meals, and chew sugar-free gum to keep it flowing.

Step away from to***co. Smoking and chewing to***co stain teeth, dry out your mouth, and raise your risk of gum disease, decay and tooth loss. Quitting is one of the best gifts you can give your smile.

Be kind to your gums. Alcohol, sugary snacks and acidic drinks can dry out and irritate gum tissue. If your mouthwash stings, ask us about an alcohol-free option.
Let fluoride do its job.

Fluoride helps rebuild weakened enamel and makes teeth more resistant to decay.

A fluoride toothpaste is a great start, and we can tell you whether an extra fluoride treatment makes sense for you.

And keep the basics simple.
Brush twice a day for two minutes.
Floss every day.
Replace your toothbrush every three months, or sooner if the bristles fray.
Stay hydrated and skip the to***co.

See us every six months.
Your smile is often the first thing people notice about you.

Give it the care it deserves.

🗓️
"Strong teeth aren't built in the dental chair. They're built at your kitchen table, at your bathroom sink, and in the hundred small choices you make every day.
Our job is to cheer you on and catch the little things before they become big ones."
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/16/2026

Winter is hard on your teeth, and most people don't notice until something hurts.

Dry furnace air, more coffee and tea, less water, and a steady stream of holiday treats all work against your smile at the same time.
Each one is small on its own. Together, over a few months, they add up to sensitivity, staining and cavities that weren't there in the fall.

Here's what we see in the chair every winter, and what you can do about it:
Dry mouth. Saliva is your teeth's natural defence.

When indoor air dries you out, bacteria get the upper hand. Keep a water bottle within reach and consider a humidifier in the bedroom.

That zing when you step outside. Cold air hitting sensitive teeth is your mouth telling you something. Sensitivity toothpaste helps, but if it's new or getting worse, come see us.

Staining. Hot coffee, tea and red w**e are winter comfort. A rinse with water afterward goes a long way.

The sugar creep.
A treat isn't the problem. Grazing all day is. Enjoy it, then give your teeth a break.

And the basics still win:
Brush twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.
Floss every day.
Swap your toothbrush every three months, or after a cold.
Book your checkup and cleaning every six months.
Stay hydrated and don't smoke.

🗓️
"Most winter dental problems I see in the spring didn't start with a bad habit. They started with small changes nobody noticed, like drinking less water and more coffee. A few simple adjustments in November can save you a filling in March."
- Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/15/2026

Personalized Care That Goes the Extra Mile
Nobody walks into a dental office as a blank slate.

Some people arrive carrying years of putting things off. Some come in with a specific worry they've been quietly Googling at midnight.
Some have a wedding coming up, a new job, a photo they hated.

Some just want to finally stop thinking about that one tooth. And some aren't sure what they want at all, only that something needs to change.

That's why we don't hand anyone a one-size-fits-all plan.

At Urban Smiles Family Dental, care starts with a conversation, not a lecture. We want to know what matters to you: your goals, your concerns, your budget, your comfort level, and your timeline. We walk you through your options in plain language, explain the why behind every recommendation, and answer every question, including the ones you think are silly. (They never are.)

From there, we build a plan around your life, not the other way around. Modern dentistry gives us incredible tools, but technology is only half of it. The other half is making sure you feel heard, respected, and in control of every decision about your own mouth.
Because confidence in your smile starts with confidence in the people caring for it.

🗓️
"The best treatment plan in the world means nothing if it isn't built around the person in the chair. My job is to listen first, then help you get where you want to go.”
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/14/2026

Thanksgiving dinner is behind us. The pumpkin pie, the stuffing, the "just one more" piece at 9 p.m. Here's what most people don't realize: whatever plaque your toothbrush missed last night is already on the clock.

Plaque can harden into tartar in under 48 hours. Once it does, no toothbrush, floss or mouthwash on earth will take it off. Only a professional cleaning can. That one fact is why a ten-minute daily routine matters more than any expensive gadget you can buy.

Here's the routine
Dr. Rob Andrew walks his patients through in our Old Strathcona office:

MORNING
* Brush for two full minutes with fluoride toothpaste, bristles angled at 45 degrees toward the gumline
* Clean between your teeth with floss, interdental brushes or a water flosser
* Finish with a fluoride mouthwash carrying the Canadian Dental Association Seal

AFTER MEALS AND SNACKS
* Rinse with water. Edmonton's tap water is fluoridated, so it's working for you
* Had coffee, citrus or w**e? Wait 30 minutes before brushing. Acid softens enamel, and brushing too soon scrubs it away

EVENING
* Two more full minutes of brushing
* Floss carefully, especially tight contacts and along the gums. Brushing alone misses about 35% of your tooth surfaces
* Make fluoride rinse your last step before bed

WEEKLY
* Check your brush. Frayed or splayed bristles mean it's done. Replace it every three months regardless
* Look at your gums in the mirror. Redness, puffiness or bleeding is your body asking for attention
* Clean or replace your tongue scraper

Most people do well with a cleaning every six months.
If you've dealt with gum disease before, every three to four months can make a real difference.
And with Halloween around the corner, now's a good time to get the habit locked in before the candy bowl shows up.

🗓️
"Nobody gets a gold star for perfect brushing once a month. It's the boring two minutes, twice a day, every single day, that keeps you out of my chair for the big stuff. Do the small things well and your smile will take care of you for life."
- Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/10/2026

Thanksgiving has a way of slowing us down long enough to notice what really matters.🦃

For us, it's the people.
It's the patient who walked in nervous a few years ago, barely able to sit in the chair, and now jokes with our hygienists like old friends. It's the parents who trust us with their kids' very first checkups.

It's the grandparents who still bring us stories (and sometimes baked goods). It's every person who chose to give us a little bit of their trust, and kept coming back.

And it's our incredible team.
The ones who show up early, stay late, remember your kids' names, notice when you're anxious before you say a word, and make this place feel less like a dental office and more like a second home. None of what we do happens without them, and we don't say thank you enough.

To our neighbours in Old Strathcona, our fellow local businesses, and everyone who has shared our posts, sent a friend our way, or simply waved as you walked by: thank you. Being part of this community is one of the greatest privileges of our lives.

From all of us at Urban Smiles Family Dental, we wish you and your loved ones the happiest Thanksgiving weekend.
May your tables be full, your hearts be fuller, and your smiles be the biggest thing in the room.

🗓️
"Every smile that comes through our door is a gift. Our patients trust us, our team pours their hearts into caring for them, and our community has embraced us like family.
This Thanksgiving, I'm simply grateful. Thank you for letting us be a small part of your story."
- Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/09/2026

Halloween Survival Guide: How to Have a Mouth-Healthy

Halloween
Picture it. The costumes are off, the kids are buzzing,
and a pillowcase full of candy has been dumped on the living room floor and sorted into piles like it's a trading floor. It's one of the best nights of the year.
And somewhere in the back of your mind, a small voice asks: what is all of this doing to their teeth?

Here's the good news.
You don't have to be the parent who confiscates the bag. A few smart habits let your kids enjoy every bit of Halloween while keeping cavities out of the picture.

Seven simple ways to protect little smiles this Halloween (and all year long):

1. Pair treats with meals
Timing matters more than most people realize. Your mouth makes more saliva during a full meal, and that saliva helps wash away sugar and neutralize the acids bacteria produce. A few pieces of candy for dessert is far easier on teeth than the same candy spread across an entire afternoon.

2. Break the grazing habit
Every time sugar hits the teeth, an acid attack begins. Constant snacking means teeth never get a break. When the kids want something between meals, reach for cheese, veggies, fruit or whole grain crackers. On packaged snacks, check the % Daily Value for sugars in the Nutrition Facts table: 5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot.

3. Skip the sticky, chewy and sour stuff
Toffee, caramels, gummies and hard candies linger on teeth long after the last bite. Sour candies are a double hit: sugar plus acid strong enough to wear down enamel, the protective outer layer of the tooth. Unless they're sugar-free, these are the ones to trade away.

4. Chocolate is the better pick
Good news for chocolate lovers. Chocolate rinses away more easily than sticky candy, and dark chocolate generally has less sugar than milk chocolate. In moderation, it's one of the friendlier options in the bag.

5. Don't keep a stash
Out of sight really does mean out of mind. Let each child choose their favourites, then share or give away the rest. Some families do a candy trade, where kids swap their extras for a small toy, a book or a fun outing. It turns letting go into something to look forward to.

6. Chew sugar-free gum
Chewing sugar-free gum for about 20 minutes after eating gets saliva flowing, which helps clean teeth and neutralize acids. Gum sweetened with xylitol is a great choice for kids old enough to chew gum safely.

7. Hand out something other than candy
Stickers, glow sticks, mini colouring books, pencils and temporary tattoos are a hit with trick-or-treaters and last a lot longer than a chocolate bar. Keep a few toddler-safe options on hand for the little ones. Kids with food allergies will be especially happy to see them.

And one bonus tip: brush before bed, especially on Halloween night.
Two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and a quick floss makes a big difference after an evening of treats.

🗓️
"Halloween isn't about saying no to candy. It's about teaching kids that how and when we enjoy treats matters just as much as what we eat.
Let them have the fun, then brush, floss and let the memories be the thing that lasts."
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/08/2026

They ask the same question five different ways.
Will it hurt?
How long will it take?
Can you come in with me?
Others don't say a word. They just go quiet, and their stomach starts to ache on the drive over.
If that sounds like your child, you're not alone.

Research suggests about 1 in 5 kids feel real fear about going to the dentist. In one study of 421 children seen across 21 pediatric dental practices, 20% had dental fear.

That fear isn't misbehaviour, and it isn't something to push through. It's a child's nervous system doing exactly what it was built to do: bracing for something unfamiliar, in a strange room, with a stranger's hands near their face.

A few things that often help:
Talk about the visit calmly and simply.

Skip the "it won't hurt" promises. Kids can tell when we're over-reassuring.

Watch your own words.
Children pick up on a parent's dental nerves quickly.

Start early with easy visits.
A first appointment that's just counting teeth and riding the chair builds trust before anything needs fixing.
Give them some control. Knowing they can raise a hand to pause can make all the difference.
Tell us ahead of time.

If your child is anxious, we want to know so we can slow down and plan the visit around them.

When fear is met with patience early, it tends to shrink. When it's ignored, it often follows kids into adulthood, showing up years later as skipped checkups and bigger problems.

At Urban Smiles Family Dental in Old Strathcona, we'd rather take an extra ten minutes to earn a child's trust than rush through and lose it.

🗓️
"A scared child isn't a difficult patient. They're telling us they need us to slow down. When we listen, explain, and let them set the pace, that fear usually turns into curiosity, and sometimes a little pride on the way out."
- Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/07/2026

A twinge when you sip your morning coffee.
A tooth that seems to look a little longer than it used to.
A darker band near the gumline you don't remember seeing before.

Most people notice these things and quietly decide it's just part of getting older. Often, it's gum recession.

Gum recession happens when your gum tissue slowly pulls back from your teeth and exposes the roots underneath. Roots aren't protected by enamel the way the rest of your tooth is, so they're more sensitive to hot, cold and brushing, and more vulnerable to cavities.
It can affect one tooth or many, and it can range from mild to severe.

What causes it? More than most people expect:

✅ Brushing too hard or using a stiff-bristled brush
✅ Gum disease and plaque buildup
✅ Smoking or va**ng
✅ Grinding or clenching your teeth
✅ Genetics (some people simply have thinner gum tissue)

The hard truth is that gums don't grow back on their own. The good news is that recession can be stopped, and the earlier we catch it, the more options you have.
How we can help at Urban Smiles:

✅ A gentle, thorough gum assessment so you know exactly where you stand
✅ Deep cleaning to remove buildup below the gumline
✅ Antimicrobial rinses and treatment for gum infection when needed
✅ Coaching on brushing technique and the right toothbrush for you
✅ Night guards if grinding is part of the picture
✅ Referral for gum grafting when recession needs to be repaired

If your teeth have started feeling sensitive or your smile looks a little different than it used to, don't wait for it to get worse. A quick visit can protect your teeth for decades.

🗓️
"Gum recession is quiet. It rarely hurts until it's already advanced, which is why so many people don't realize it's happening. You can't undo it with a new toothpaste, but you absolutely can stop it in its tracks. The patients who come in early are the ones who keep their teeth for life."
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/06/2026

Watch someone laugh at a dinner table and you'll see it.

The hand that comes up over the mouth. The smile that stops halfway.

Most people who do it don't even know they're doing it anymore. It started years ago with a chipped tooth,
a gap, a stain, a crown that never quite matched.
Slowly it became a habit.
A tiny, automatic act of hiding.
And it costs more than people realize. Fewer photos. Shorter laughs.

Holding back in job interviews, on first dates, at family gatherings. Grandkids growing up with pictures of you with your lips pressed tight.

Here's what we've learned: people rarely come to us because of pain. They come because they're tired of hiding.

At Urban Smiles Family Dental in Old Strathcona, Dr. Rob Andrew starts with one question: what do you want to change?

Not what we want to sell you. What bothers YOU when you look in the mirror.

Sometimes the answer is a cleaning and whitening. Sometimes it's bonding on one chipped tooth.

Sometimes it's Invisalign, veneers, or an implant to fill the gap you've been covering for a decade. Whatever it is, we'll explain it straight, give you real options at different price points, and let you decide.

No pressure. No upsell. No judgment about how long it's been.

Just a plan to get you laughing with your whole face again.

New patients and families always welcome.

🗓️
"The best moment in this job isn't finishing the work. It's a few weeks later, when someone laughs in my chair and forgets to cover their mouth. They don't even notice they did it. I do."
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

10/03/2026

That Sound in the Dark: What Toddler Teeth Grinding Really Means

The Sound That Stops You in the Hallway
You tiptoe past the crib to make sure he's settled.

Then you hear it.
A scraping, crunching sound, like gravel under a boot, coming from a little boy who is not even two years old.
If you're a parent or grandparent, your mind goes straight to the worst case.
Is he in pain? Is he wearing down the teeth that just came in?
Did we miss something?
Take a breath. In the vast majority of cases, that sound is far scarier than what is actually happening.
Here is what's going on, what you can do, and when it's worth having us take a look.

It Has a Name, and It's Very Common
Dentists call teeth grinding bruxism. In toddlers, it usually happens during sleep, and the child has no idea they're doing it.

It is one of the most common things families ask us about. Studies report it in a large share of young children,
and most of them simply grow out of it, often by the time their adult teeth start arriving.

Why a Child This Young Grinds
At around 22 months, a toddler's mouth is changing almost week to week. The usual reasons are ordinary ones:
* Teething. The big back molars often arrive between 18 and 30 months. Grinding can be a way to rub sore gums.
* New teeth, new bite.
Top and bottom teeth are meeting for the first time. Little ones grind to figure out how everything fits together.
* A growing jaw. The jaw and teeth are developing at different speeds, and the bite shifts as they do.
* Discomfort elsewhere. An earache or a stuffy nose can trigger grinding, much like an adult clenching through pain.
* Big changes in his world. A new sibling, a new daycare, or a disrupted routine can show up at night. Toddlers feel more than they can say.

One reason deserves a closer look: breathing.
A child who snores, breathes through the mouth, or seems to struggle for air at night may grind because the airway is partly blocked, often by enlarged tonsils or adenoids. That isn't a reason to panic, but it is worth mentioning to your dentist and family doctor.

Is It Hurting His Teeth?
Usually, no. Baby teeth can show a little wear from grinding, but serious damage in toddlers is uncommon. Those teeth are also temporary, and the habit tends to fade before adult teeth come in.

Night guards, which help many adults, are generally not used for children this young.

Their mouths are growing too quickly for a guard to fit for long. For toddlers, the best approach is to watch, comfort, and check in with your dentist.

When to Bring Him In
Most grinding needs nothing more than patience. Book a visit if you notice:
* Teeth that look chipped, flattened, or noticeably worn
* Signs of pain when chewing, or complaints about his jaw or ears
* Loud snoring, mouth breathing, or pauses in breathing at night
* Daytime tiredness, crankiness, or trouble focusing that suggests poor sleep
* Grinding that is getting louder or more frequent over time
And if he hasn't had his first dental visit yet, this is a perfect reason to book one. The Canadian Dental Association recommends a first visit by age one, or within six months of the first tooth. At 22 months, a quick, gentle check gives everyone peace of mind.

The Bottom Line
That sound in the dark is usually just a little boy growing up, one tooth at a time. Your instinct to check is a good one. Most of the time, the answer is reassuring.

🗓️
"When families bring in a toddler who grinds, the first thing I see is worry. Nine times out of ten, I get to send them home with good news. And if something does need attention, catching it early is exactly how we keep a small concern from becoming a bigger one."
— Dr. Rob Andrew

🦷
Family Dental
🪥
📍8003 104 St NW
📍
💻 https://UrbanSmiles.ca
📲 (780) 989-6030

Urban Smiles Family Dental

10/17/2026

10/16/2026

10/15/2026

10/14/2026

10/10/2026

10/09/2026

10/08/2026

10/07/2026

10/06/2026

10/03/2026

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Monday	7:30am - 6pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 7:30pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 7:30pm
Thursday	7:30am - 7:30pm
Friday	7:30am - 4pm
Saturday	8am - 4pm