Diamons

saliva

Photography by Dr. Padval

Alcohol, Your Teeth, & Your Health

While some studies might find benefits in moderate drinking (such as antioxidants in red wine), you can surely obtain these supposed positives through other, more healthy options. In fact, alcohol consumption has mostly adverse effects on our well-being. Most people know this but still drink due to the cultural and social aspects. Of course, moderation is key. Taking it too far and drinking in excess can pose dangers to both your overall health and your teeth as well. Alcohol & Overall Health In the [...]

By |2022-12-20T08:00:47-08:00December 20, 2022|Patient Education|

What’s In Saliva?

Why Do We Have Saliva? And why is it important to teeth? Saliva plays a critical role in the digestive process. While the jaw and teeth do the hard work of chewing, saliva is there to provide moisture, lubrication, and help break down food. Then, of course, it also makes swallowing the food a whole lot easier. Saliva is consists of about 98% of water. The rest is a particular combination of ingredients to help carry out its functions. These include mucus for lubrication [...]

By |2022-04-26T08:00:42-07:00April 26, 2022|Patient Education|

Saliva Protects Your Teeth

Dental Benefits of Saliva A healthy flow keeps you good to go! Saliva provides many benefits to teeth, which usually go unnoticed in a healthy mouth. However, the discomfort of chronic dry mouth (xerostomia) is impossible to ignore! If you experience this condition, contact our office today at (916) 483-5900. Saliva helps lubricate the teeth to keep food debris from sticking between teeth and gums. This healthy flow, in turn, prevents cavities. It also contains calcium and phosphorous, which works as a topical treatment [...]

By |2021-04-06T08:00:57-07:00April 6, 2021|Patient Education|

Chronic Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

Dry Mouth Can Be Harmful Oral health includes a healthy flow of saliva. Dry mouth (also called xerostomia) is usually just a short term symptom of dehydration. However, if reduced saliva flow becomes a chronic issue, it can lead to more serious dental problems. That's because saliva coats teeth to provide a protective layer against bacteria, so reduced saliva leaves teeth more vulnerable to cavities and tooth decay. Anyone can experience reduced saliva, but it occurs more as we age and tends to affect [...]

By |2020-10-27T08:00:06-07:00October 27, 2020|Restorative Dentistry|

Analyzing Bad Breath

Bad breath (or halitosis) happens to all of us from time to time, and nobody likes it. As well as being a social embarrassment, bad breath can also be a warning sign of more serious dental problems. By analyzing the type of bad breath patients complain of, we can help determine its cause. What Causes Bad Breath? External Factors Food - If your breath is especially strong after fragrant meals with as garlic or onions, there's unfortunately not much to be done except to [...]

By |2019-10-01T08:00:08-07:00October 1, 2019|Restorative Dentistry|

Do You Have Bad Breath?

When Bad Breath is Something to Worry About Morning breath...dragon mouth...onion breath...there are about as many descriptions of halitosis as there are reasons for it occurring. Chronic bad breath is usually not just too much garlic for lunch. Here's a list of common bad breath causes, and what you might consider doing about each: Garlic or other Strong Smelling Foods If your breath overreacts, go easy on these foods. Following them with mints or parsley has little effect, and may make matters worse. From [...]

By |2018-09-18T00:00:09-07:00September 18, 2018|Restorative Dentistry|

Saliva… Fantastic Fluid!

Your salivary glands make up to three pints a day of this fantastic fluid. Why so much? Because saliva plays an important role in keeping your teeth and gums fit and smiling. Saliva helps fight cavities by prevent food from sticking to teeth and gums, it also helps neutralize stomach acid preventing heartburn. Saliva even helps strengthen teeth by providing supplemental calcium and phosphorus. Unfortunately, some people are plagued by chronic dry mouth, often called xerostomia. While medical professionals no longer believe that old [...]

By |2018-08-28T00:00:45-07:00August 28, 2018|Patient Education|

Every Mouth is Different

Custom Dental Care for Your Needs No two of us are alike. We all have our own smiles, speech patterns, eye and hair colorings. But we're just now beginning to learn how unique our mouth environments really are. Turns out, they're as distinctively different as fingerprints. One patient can go a year between checkups, while another might need to turn as often as every six weeks. The difference? The unique bacterial/chemical mix of each person's mouth. Professionally we call these differences "individualization." Tartar builders, [...]

By |2018-07-03T00:00:10-07:00July 3, 2018|Preventative Dentistry|

Help for Dry Mouth Sufferers

Does your mouth seem uncomfortably dry? Or have you actually been diagnosed with dry mouth (as a side effect of certain types of medication or radiation therapy for cancer)? Either way, here's what you need to know about your condition: A dry mouth is not only uncomfortable, it's a cavity-prone environment. Normal saliva flow is the body's natural way of flushing plaque between brushings. Dry mouth can result from normal aging, some medications, or simply dehydration. All our patients should be drinking at least [...]

By |2017-07-04T00:00:37-07:00July 4, 2017|Restorative Dentistry|

Do You Have A Salivary Stone?

A healthy flow of saliva is critical for chewing and digestion, bathing gums, and bacterial control. And we owe it all to salivary glands, three pairs of organs in the cheek and floor of the mouth. Each gland secretes saliva into the mouth via a tube, and this is where trouble can begin. Sialolithiasis—whew—names the condition that results from a small calcified stone blocking the salivary duct. Clearly, a kink in the duct will cause swelling of the gland itself. And swelling usually means [...]

By |2017-03-21T00:00:10-07:00March 21, 2017|Restorative Dentistry|