Diamons

Blog

Photography by Dr. Padval

Waiting to Exhale

It’s not the best way to deal with bad breath... Do you have bad breath, aka halitosis? If so, what are you doing about it, besides turning your face away from anyone who comes near? Finding the cure means first finding the cause. In many cases, food particles and bacterial plaque accumulate toward the back of your tongue and go bad there. But you might also be suffering inflamed gums, infection, saliva deficiency, stomach upset, even anxiety. Dieting can bring it on, as can [...]

By |2015-02-17T00:00:28-08:00February 17, 2015|Restorative Dentistry|

EMERGENCY! Save that Tooth!

Dental emergencies happen. If a permanent tooth is knocked out, don’t delay. Call us immediately for an emergency visit. Re-implanting a tooth works best when done within 30 minutes. After two hours, the procedure is unlikely to be successful. Call us after any blow to the mouth. A chipped tooth can be repaired, and any blow hard enough to chip a tooth is hard enough to move teeth out of alignment, even break the jawbone. Other dental emergencies include pain, swelling, or a lost [...]

By |2015-02-10T00:00:04-08:00February 10, 2015|Patient Education|

Fast Facts About Dry Mouth

Here are some facts about dry mouth, which can be a frustrating condition... We call it xerostomia—and it can be a serious problem. It tends to happen as we age—but it doesn't have to. Besides being uncomfortable, dry mouth makes teeth more cavity-prone. It can be the side effect of some medications or radiation therapy for cancer. Fight dry mouth by drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily. Also, try sugarless gum or lozenges—mouth-wetting agents. There are prescriptions product to combat dry mouth. So feel free to [...]

By |2015-02-03T00:00:43-08:00February 3, 2015|Restorative Dentistry|

Periodontal Disease—It’s More Than Just Sore Gums

And periodontal health is more than a dazzling smile. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums has become more important than ever. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation of the gums that not only can lead to tooth loss but can even interfere with other systems of the body. Periodontitis, aka gum disease, has been associated with such other chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. You can assess your risk for periodontal disease at perio.org. Good news! Periodontal disease is treatable. [...]

By |2015-01-27T00:00:59-08:00January 27, 2015|Periodontal Dentistry|

Crowns—Dental Workhorses

Most dentists will agree that crown restorations are at the heart of general dentistry. We've all studied crowns in dental school, and some of us have done our best work replacing missing teeth and saving the rest. Research has given us the wherewithal to achieve virtually ideal restorations. They are natural looking, comfortable and stable in the moist environment of the mouth. We’re better equipped than ever to build strong, long-lasting and cosmetically superior crowns. What is a crown? A crown (or cap) is a restoration [...]

By |2015-01-20T00:00:35-08:00January 20, 2015|Restorative Dentistry|

What Your Mouth “Tells” Us…

About Your Overall Health Recent studies, including the Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health, confirm what our team has known for a long time: There are so many connections between oral health and overall health that your next dental visit can be the next best thing to a physical examination! Your mouth is both an early warning system and a window to the health of your heart, your circulation, and your healthy well-being. A dental exam gives us the chance to recognize potentially serious [...]

By |2015-01-13T00:00:03-08:00January 13, 2015|Preventative Dentistry|

Dental Resolutions for the New Year

Stop smoking. Lose 30 pounds. Exercise at the gym three times a week. No wonder most "New Years' Resolutions" barely make it to January 31. Lighten up on yourself. And make some dental New Years' Resolutions you know you can keep: A hygiene visit every six months. It's the simplest way to prevent developing dental problems. You don't have to do a thing except show up! Brush and floss in the morning, and again before bedtime. Practicing dental hygiene twice daily more than doubles [...]

By |2015-01-06T00:00:07-08:00January 6, 2015|Preventative Dentistry|

Toothpicks: a Pointed Problem

What’s long, slender, hard, sharp, indigestible and potentially hazardous? That common and seemingly harmless sliver of wood called a toothpick. Reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association point to toothpicks as causing thousands of injuries a year, mostly to young children. Youngsters aged five to 14 were most likely to be injured by toothpicks, and children under the age of five were 20 times more likely to seriously injure their eyes or ears. Adults should also treat the toothpick with a little [...]

By |2014-12-23T00:00:25-08:00December 23, 2014|Patient Education|

Heart Disease and Dental Care

Do I need to take an antibiotic before my dental appointment? Patients who have had rheumatic fever, heart murmur, heart valve replacement or orthopedic joint replacement are at risk for a condition called infectious endocarditis. The American Dental Association recommends these patients take a “pre-med” prior to dental work. Here’s why: Bacteria which normally inhabit a mouth can get into your bloodstream during the simplest dental procedure. When that bacteria travels to the heart it might affect the heart or joints. Pre-medication works to [...]

By |2014-07-15T00:00:49-07:00July 15, 2014|Patient Education|

Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?

The answer could be “yes!” Many patients, today, from teenagers to active retired people, enjoy the benefits and advantages of dental implants. Whether you’re missing just one tooth, several teeth, or all of your teeth, you may be a patient who could benefit from the esthetic and functional enjoyment of dental implants. Using the latest treatment techniques and materials available, we can surgically implant a space-age material, such as titanium, into your jawbone as an anchor for the replacement tooth or teeth (such as [...]

By |2014-07-08T00:00:01-07:00July 8, 2014|Restorative Dentistry|