Diamons

cavities

Photography by Dr. Padval

Alcohol and Your Teeth

Dentally speaking, is drinking alcohol a good thing or a bad thing for your teeth and gums? As with everything alcohol related, there are positives and negatives. On one hand, a mixer-free shot of vodka is probably less hazardous than caramel candies, which coat the teeth with a sticky goo that practically begs for cavities. On the other hand, every kind of alcohol—most notoriously drinks with sugary mixes—are chock-full of their own types of sugar. Sugar is the main source of energy for plaque [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:04:52-08:00June 18, 2024|Patient Education|

Mouthwash FAQs

Whether it's to mask bad breath, fight cavities or prevent the buildup of plaque, the sticky material that contains germs and can lead to oral diseases, mouthwash serves a variety of purposes. Or so we think. Though they may leave your mouth with a clean, fresh taste, some washes can be harmful, concealing bad breath and unpleasant taste that are signs of periodontal diseases which cause inflammation and degeneration of the supporting structures of the teeth and tooth decay. Your dentist will tell you, [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:04:43-08:00June 11, 2024|Preventative Dentistry|

Tooth Colored Fillings—Now You See ‘em…

For those of you who feel a mouth full of silver or gold fillings is cosmetically appealing, you need not read any further. However, if you’re like me, and prefer your fillings to look like natural teeth, then I have good news for you. Due to advances in dental technology, we can place tooth colored fillings in almost every tooth in the mouth. These synthetic porcelain-type fillings can be a real pleasant surprise; proving to be very strong as well as esthetically pleasing. After [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:03:10-08:00March 26, 2024|Cosmetic Dentistry|

Fluoride & Your Health

What is fluoride, and why is it good for my teeth? Fluoride is a compound of the element fluorine, which is found universally throughout nature in water, soil, air, and in most foods. Fluoride is absorbed easily into tooth enamel, especially in the growing teeth of children. Once teeth are developed, fluoride makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which aids in repairing early decay before the damage is even visible. "Systemic" fluoride is ingested when added to public [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:02:58-08:00March 19, 2024|Preventative Dentistry|

The Routine Smile Exam

Good For More Than Just Your Teeth! When you visit our office for that routine smile exam, our team does a lot more than just probe for cavities. In addition to caring for your teeth, we’re giving you the next best thing to a complete physical examination. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen your family physician, it just could prove a lifesaver! How’s that possible? Your mouth is a unique meeting place of teeth, skin, muscle, fluids, and germs. It gives us [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:01:52-08:00February 6, 2024|Preventative Dentistry|

Putting the Squeeze on Toothpaste

Why is brushing with it important? Brushing with toothpaste is important for several reasons. First and foremost, a toothpaste and a correct brushing action work to remove plaque, a sticky, harmful film of bacteria that grows on your teeth that causes caries, gum disease, and eventual tooth loss if not controlled. Second, the toothpaste contains fluoride, which makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which aids in repairing early decay before the damage can even be seen. Third, special [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:01:26-08:00January 9, 2024|Preventative Dentistry|

Metal Free Fillings

Are Yours to Choose! The esthetic result is beyond compare: with tooth colored fillings, your teeth will look as fresh, white, and natural as when they first grew in. Chewing puts incredible stresses on teeth. That’s why, in the past, filling cavities and restoring damaged teeth involved a tradeoff—usually between strength and good looks. You don’t have to be a dentist to know that gold or silver is not a natural component of teeth. Today, you have a choice of restoration options. The most [...]

By |2023-12-22T15:01:16-08:00January 2, 2024|Cosmetic Dentistry|

Tooth Decay: A Preventable Disease

What is tooth decay, and what causes it? Tooth decay is the disease known as caries or cavities. It is not life threatening and is although it is highly preventable, it will affect most people to some degree during their lifetime. Tooth decay occurs when your teeth are frequently exposed to foods containing carbohydrates (starches and sugars) like soda pop, candy, ice cream, milk, cakes, and even fruits, vegetables and juices. Natural bacteria live in your mouth and forms plaque. The plaque interacts with [...]

By |2023-11-21T08:00:08-08:00November 21, 2023|Preventative Dentistry|

Dental Sealants for Kids

Why Sealants are Simply Good Parenting Of course we want the best for our children, and most of us work at good parenting every day: quality schools, solid values, a sense of family. Time and money may put limits on what we can do for our kids’ health and happiness, but not when it comes to sealants. Sealants are, well, a bargain. Sealants are a risk-free, wear-resistant, and painless resin coating that actually bonds to the surface of teeth, sealing out decay. A child’s [...]

By |2023-11-14T08:00:00-08:00November 14, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Baby Teeth Q&A

Answers to some frequently-asked questions: Q: Why do we have two sets of teeth? A: A child needs teeth long before his or her jaw is big enough to accommodate the full set of adult teeth. Baby, or deciduous, teeth are “starters” in every sense of the word. Q: Why worry about cavities if baby teeth fall out on their own? A: Baby teeth are important “guides” that help frame the development of adult teeth, even the jaw. In fact, the beginnings or “buds” [...]

By |2023-10-24T08:00:00-07:00October 24, 2023|Children's Dentistry|