$5K claim against Vancouver bakery fails at tribunal

9 Grain Artisan Bread Loaf - Photographed on a Hasselblad H3D11-39 megapixel Camera System

A man who claimed there was a piece of wood inside bread he bought from a Vancouver bakery has failed his attempt to get $5,000 in dental expenses and damages at the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal.

The applicant alleged that he bought a loaf of bread made by Terra Breads Inc. from a local retailer on April 29, 2023, and “suddenly bit into a hard object,” which he claimed was a piece of wood, according to the CRT decision issued Thursday. The bakery denied there was a piece of wood in the bread.

Tribunal member Alison Wake had issues with the applicant’s credibility as to whether Terra’s bread actually contained a wood fragment, but ultimately did not need to make a finding on whether his allegation was true because she dismissed his claim on other grounds.

“I say this because even if I accept that there was a piece of wood in the bread, I find (the applicant) has not proven that the wood caused his claimed damages,” Wake wrote.

According to the decision, the applicant provided photos of the piece of wood he said was in the bread, and the loaf itself, but it was “impossible to determine” the size of the wood fragment because there were no other objects in the photo for reference.

The man said he was prescribed two kinds of medicated mouthwash at a clinic, but did not claim a specific amount for the treatment or provide a receipt to show how much it cost, according to the decision.

“I infer that (the applicant) relies on the fact that he was prescribed mouthwash as evidence that his mouth was injured by Terra’s bread as he alleges,” Wake wrote.

“(He) provided a May 3, 2023 prescription, which I accept shows that he was prescribed mouthwash. The difficulty for (him) is that he did not provide any medical records or other evidence to show that the mouthwash was prescribed as a result of the alleged wood in the bread.”

The applicant told the CRT he “immediately suffered dental discomfort and bleeding gums,” and continues to experience sensitivity, but the tribunal member noted the symptoms are not referenced in the prescription, nor was any other evidence submitted to prove them.

In addition, the man claimed the wood chipped and damaged a tooth he previously had a root canal on, and provided undated photos of his teeth.

“While I accept that these photos show damage to (the applicant’s) teeth, (he) provided no other evidence in support of his argument that the damage was caused by a piece of wood in Terra’s bread. For example, he did not provide a statement from the dentist he says examined his teeth, or any dental records discussing the damage or its cause,” the decision reads.

The applicant provided two estimates from a dentist dated April 3, 2025—two years after the alleged incident—which he said were to repair the chipped tooth and root canal. Wake noted that the estimates don’t refer to a root canal or chipped tooth. Instead, one was for a tooth removal and implant and the other for “surface bonding” on multiple teeth.

“While these procedures may be standard to repair a chipped tooth or a damaged root canal, I find this is not obvious from the estimates. I find expert evidence is required to prove the cause of (his) tooth damage and what is required to fix it,” Wake said.

The man also claimed “unspecified” damages for emotional distress, saying that he now has anxiety when eating bread and has “lost confidence” in food safety—but the tribunal dismissed that as well for lack of evidence.