Tracy Dentist - Could blackberries prevent tooth loss? - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Blackberries could play a role in the prevention and treatment of gum disease.
That's according to new research¹ published in the Journal of Periodontal Research, which shows the antibacterial properties of blackberry extract could help to prevent or aid in the treatment of gum disease, which, if left untreated, may result in tooth loss.

Natural extract from blackberries have previously been linked with blocking the spread of cancer cells, and, when measured against blueberry, raspberry, red currant, and both cultivated and wild strawberries, blackberries showed the greatest total antioxidant capacity.

Blackberries join a growing list of foods that could help prevent oral health problems. Strawberries and green vegetables have been linked to reducing the chance of developing oral cancer, while other studies have discovered fish and fish oil can fight gum disease.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, thinks the research highlights the importance of indulging in a healthy, balanced diet.

Dr Carter says: "Having a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals and fresh produce to provide anti-oxidants is something we should all be striving to achieve. It can help to prevent a number of oral health problems including gum disease and oral cancer, not to mention potential heart problems too. Given we are only a few days into the new year, if you have not adopted a New Year's resolution it is well worth considering improving your diet.

"Although the study is promising, it is important to remember that any use of blackberries in preventing and treating gum disease should be as well as maintaining a good oral hygiene routine. Prevention is a really important word when it comes to oral health and it is fairly easy to keep on top of. It does not take up too much time or a lot of money, yet it is surprising how many people actually forego basic oral hygiene principles, including brushing for two minutes twice a day.

"Gum disease and tooth decay are both totally preventable by following a simple daily routine. The earlier you learn this the better. Brushing your teeth two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend, and cleaning in between teeth using interdental brushes or floss will really help to develop good oral health. Having a healthy, balanced diet with at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day and cutting down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks will benefit both the health of your mouth and body."

source: http://www.dentalhealth.org/news/details/672

http://www.smilesbydesigninlivermore.com

Editor's Notes

1.González, O. A., Escamilla, C., Danaher, R. J., Dai, J., Ebersole, J. L., Mumper, R. J. and Miller, C. S. (2013), Antibacterial effects of blackberry extract target periodontopathogens. Journal of Periodontal Research, 48: 80-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.2012.01506.x

Livermore Dentist - Causes of Teeth Staining and How to Avoid Them - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Causes of Teeth Staining and How to Avoid Them

Dentists hear of many different complains from their visiting patients, with one of the most common being discolouration of teeth. Stained or discoloured teeth can have a very negative impact on some people’s lives. In extreme cases people can become very depressed and give up on social interaction because they feel so self conscious and embarrassed at having stained teeth. Not being able to laugh, smile or talk too closely to someone in fear of them seeing their discoloured teeth can have a huge negative effect on their mental health. In this article I will be covering the most common causes of stained teeth, followed by some tips on how to get rid of and avoid getting them.

I would just like to start off by saying that yellow coloured teeth do NOT mean unhealthy teeth. In fact, some research has concluded that yellow teeth are more resistant to decay that gleaming white teeth.

What are the causes of teeth staining? And more Importantly, how do we get rid of them?

Causes of teeth staining
There are two main types of teeth staining which are called “extrinsic staining” and “intrinsic staining”. The difference between the two is that extrinsic staining is on the surface of teeth while intrinsic staining refers to stains inside the structure of teeth.

There are many things that can cause staining of the teeth that most people are unaware of. There are some people who take matters into their own hands and adopted bad teeth cleaning practises in the hope of whitening their teeth but they can actually be doing more harm than good.



Most people believe that brushing immediately after eating is the best way to prevent stains from forming and I have also heard people advise others to do this, but sorry, this is one of the worst times you can choose to brush your teeth. After eating some acidic foods, for example fruits or juice it can weaken the tooth enamel. By brushing your teeth when the enamel is at it’s weakest you can brush the protective enamel away. It’s a good idea to brush before breakfast as your tooth enamel will be strong and coating your teeth in fluoride will help avoid dental corrosion. Leave it at least one hour after eating until you brush.

Before I talk about some of the things you can do to clear and avoid teeth of stains, I’m going to talk about causes.
Examples of things that cause extrinsic staining

• Build up of plaque from poor brushing routine
• Excessive exposure to Antibacterial chlorhexidine found in some mouthwashes
• Drinks such as red wine, coffee, tea, cranberry juice and fizzy soft drinks
• Foods such as some acidic fruits and vegetables
• Rich sauces such as curry and Soy Sauce
• Some sweets that have strong colouring
• Some antibiotics such as tetracycline

Note: Just because certain things such as coffee, red wine and fizzy drinks are more prone to cause staining, it does not mean you have to completely avoid them to keep your teeth white. As long as these things are consumed in moderation and you follow a good brushing routine you should not experience any problems. I personally enjoy a cup of coffee and manage to keep my teeth white because I have good oral hygiene.
Examples of things that cause intrinsic staining

• Excessive exposure to fluoride during tooth development
• Thinning of tooth enamel in old age

Examples of combined extrinsic and intrinsic
Smoking can cause both surface stains and deeper intrinsic staining within the structure of teeth
Bad tooth decay can cause surface stains and allow stains to penetrate into the to structure also causing intrinsic staining

The worst Culprits for Teeth Staining

Food: One of the biggest offenders that can cause staining of teeth is food and drinks. Red wine for example is notorious for its staining ability, even white wine promotes staining. Wine contains tannins and chromogens, is acidic and rich in colour ranking it among one of the worst teeth staining drinks. A dentist University in New York conducted a study that found teeth became significantly more stained by tea after being exposed to wine.

Just like wine, sugary fizzy drinks such as Cola are very rich in colour, chromogen and acidic. This is a potent teeth staining cocktail. Like the wine mentioned above, even light coloured soft drinks can promote staining because of their sugary and acidic properties. You may also be interested to know that I found information on a study that was carried out by Nutrition major in their bacteriology lab where they tested a variety of popular soft drinks such as Diet Coke, Fanta, Ginger Ale and regular Coke to find out which one faired the worst at causing tooth decay. They found that Regular Coke was the worst at causing bacteria growth in the mouth and concluded that Regular Coke would lead to tooth decay the quickest when compared to the others.

Dentists use Phosphoric acid to corrode tooth enamel for etching just before applying a composite white filling. This Phosphoric acid will cause erosion of tooth enamel, and guess what? Phosphoric acid is an ingredient in Coke and other fizzy, sugary drinks. So not only can fizzy drinks cause staining of teeth but they can seriously damage them too.
It’s ironic that we say people who like sweets have a “sweet tooth” when sweets themselves can cause problems with teeth such as cavities and staining. However, not all sweets cause staining, it’s sweets that are very rich in colour that are the offenders here. I think we have all seen a child with a blue or red tongue from eating sweets at some point. It’s these kind of strong coloured sweets that dentists say can cases staining.

Smoking: Bit of an obvious one, we all know how bad smoking is for our overall health and I’m sure most are well aware that this will cause staining of teeth. Before I talk about how smoking affects the colour of teeth, I want to take this opportunity to talk about other important oral problems that come from smoking.



Smoking is not only a sure way to get very stained teeth but to make things worse can also cause bad breath, bone loss, mouth sores, and reduced sense of taste and up to 4 x more likely to develop oral cancer. People who smoke have far more hardened dental plaque than non smokers. Tobacco contains substrates called cytotoxic that destroy our body’s cells and studies have also shown that smoking can lead to gum disease. Smoking also causes vasoconstriction which is the narrowing of blood vessels. This narrowing reduces circulation and has been shown to be reduced blood flow by up to 70% during smoking.

Genetics: Some people just have genetically darker coloured, yellow grey or off white teeth compared to others. They are not stained from food, smoking or poor oral hygiene, it’s just that some people have brighter or ticker tooth enamel then others.

Things like the amount of calcium in teeth can have an impact on their colour. The development stages of teeth as a child can effect their colour as an adult. Such things as over exposure to fluoride as a child can cause a condition called Dental fluorosis, which can results in mild to severe discoloration. The risk of overexposure to fluoride that leads to this Dental fluorosis is most likely between ages of 3 and 8 years.

Poor Oral hygiene: Poor oral hygiene can be a contributing factor to stained teeth, irregular and poor brushing technique can lead to discoloration. However, even people who follow a good brushing routine and care greatly for their teeth can have staining through some of the points mentioned above. Dentists recommend that we brush our teeth for at least two minutes and replace our brush every 3 months. It’s my guess that many people don’t follow these crucial recommendations.

How to Avoid and Clean Stained Teeth

Now that we have covered some common causes of teeth staining I’m going to give 3 tips on how to avoid and remove them.
Tip 1: Adopt a good brushing routine for improved stain removal and prevention.
Step 1: Rinse your mouth out with water before brushing to remove any chunks of food hiding between teeth before brushing.
Step 2: Use a good quality electric toothbrush such as an oral B Triumph 5000 as studies have shown that this toothbrush can remove twice as much plaque compared to manual brushing. This kind of toothbrush will ensure you get an even and thorough clean across all teeth and below the gum line. Another advantage of using this toothbrush is that it automatically tracks and alerts you after 3 months when it’s time to change brush heads, ensuring optimum brushing conductions are maintained at all times. Use EB18-4 3D White Oral B toothbrush heads which are specially designed to help remove stains.
Step 3: Use a good quality toothpaste such as Arm & Hammer Brilliant Sparkle which contains baking soda. This particular toothpaste has been shown to remove over 80% more plaque than a leading brand. Test and dentists conclude that backing soda found in this toothpaste has a bleaching effect that removes stains and whitens teeth.
Step 4: Finishing off your brushing routine by rinsing with a Tooth Whitening Mouthwash such as Listerine Total Care plus.
Don’t over do it when brushing! As I have already mentioned, intrinsic is staining which is within the structure of the tooth, brushing is not going to remove this kind of deep internal staining. You should seek advice from a dental profession if you have excessive or intrinsic staining that you wish to remove.
Tip 2: Chew sugar free gum during the day between brushing. It has been proven that chewing sugar free gum can reduce tooth decay. It does this because chewing gum stimulates the production of more saliva in the mouth. This extra saliva acts as a natural buffering agent which helps to wash teeth. The extra saliva also neutralizes harmful acid which is responsible for tooth decay. Chewing sugar free gum during the day between brushing can help keep your teeth clean and free from the build up of stains.
Tip 3: If you are fond of coffee, red wine or fizzy drinks it would be a good idea to cut back on these teeth staining culprits if you think you are drinking more than you should. By all means, enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of red wine at night, but drinking coffee all day could lead to discolouring of teeth. Take note of how much of these stain promoting drinks you are consuming each day and look at where you could cut back.


source: http://bestelectrictoothbrushesuk.co.uk/causes-of-teeth-staining/

http://www.smilesbydesigninlivermore.com
 

Tracy Dentist - Diabetes and dental care: Guide to a healthy mouth - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Diabetes and dental care: Guide to a healthy mouth

What do brushing and flossing have to do with diabetes? Plenty. If you have diabetes, here's why dental care matters — and how to take care of your teeth and gums.

When you have diabetes, high blood sugar can take a toll on your entire body — including your teeth and gums. The good news? Prevention is in your hands. Learn what you're up against, and then take charge of your dental health.

Cavities and gum disease

Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar level is key. The higher your blood sugar level, the higher your risk of:

• Tooth decay (cavities). Your mouth naturally contains many types of bacteria. When starches and sugars in food and beverages interact with these bacteria, a sticky film known as plaque forms on your teeth. The acids in plaque attack the hard, outer surface of your teeth (enamel). This can lead to cavities. The higher your blood sugar level, the greater the supply of sugars and starches — and the more acid wearing away at your teeth.
• Early gum disease (gingivitis). Diabetes reduces your ability to fight bacteria. If you don't remove plaque with regular brushing and flossing, it'll harden under your gumline into a substance called tartar (calculus). The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more they irritate the gingiva — the part of your gum around the base of your teeth. In time, your gums become swollen and bleed easily. This is gingivitis.
• Advanced gum disease (periodontitis). Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious infection called periodontitis, which destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. Eventually, periodontitis causes your gums to pull away from your teeth and your teeth to loosen and even fall out. Periodontitis tends to be more severe among people who have diabetes because diabetes lowers the ability to resist infection and slows healing. An infection such as periodontitis may also cause your blood sugar level to rise, which makes your diabetes more difficult to control. Preventing and treating periodontitis can help improve blood sugar control.

Proper dental care

To help prevent damage to your teeth and gums, take diabetes and dental care seriously:

• Make a commitment to managing your diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for keeping your blood sugar level within your target range. The better you control your blood sugar level, the less likely you are to develop gingivitis and other dental problems.
• Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Brush in the morning, at night and, ideally, after meals and snacks. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride. Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums. Consider using an electric toothbrush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush well.
• Floss your teeth at least once a day. Flossing helps remove plaque between your teeth and under your gumline. If you have trouble getting floss through your teeth, use the waxed variety. If it's hard to manipulate the floss, use a floss holder.
• Schedule regular dental cleanings. Visit your dentist at least twice a year for professional cleanings.
• Make sure your dentist knows you have diabetes. Every time you visit your dentist, remind him or her that you have diabetes. Make sure your dentist has contact information for your doctor who helps you manage your diabetes.
• Look for early signs of gum disease. Report any signs of gum disease — including redness, swelling and bleeding gums — to your dentist. Also mention any other signs and symptoms, such as dry mouth, loose teeth or mouth pain.
• Don't smoke. Smoking increases the risk of serious diabetes complications, including gum disease. If you smoke, ask your doctor about options to help you quit.

Managing diabetes is a lifelong commitment, and that includes proper dental care. Your efforts will be rewarded with a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums

source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes/DA00013
by Mayo clinic staff

Livermore Dentist - Dr. Richard Howes dds - Maintaining Good Dental Care Habits - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Maintaining Good Dental Care Habits

Your dentist is only a partner in your dental health. You need to do your part at home to keep periodontal disease at bay

Taking care of your teeth at home can help you maintain your dental health and prevent periodontal, or gum, disease from developing.

Richard H. Price, DMD, spokesperson for the American Dental Association and a former clinical instructor at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, says regular home care should include daily brushing and flossing.“My advice is to brush thoroughly, at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening before going to bed,” says Dr. Price. “Be sure to floss at least once a day. I do it after every meal when I can.”Proper dental care at home, combined with seeing your dentist regularly, is your ticket to good dental health, says Price, who is retired from a 35-year private group dental practice in Newton, Mass.

Dental Health at Home
“Use products that have the ADA (American Dental Association) seal," says Price. "This means that the products — toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc. — are safe to use as directed and will keep your mouth healthy — no gum disease, no cavities."

Here are some basic principles to follow:

• Spend at least three minutes brushing your teeth two times a day. Use a timer if you have to to ensure that you're spending enough time on your oral care routine.
• Use floss at least once a day every day to clean between your teeth.
• Buy ADA-approved dental cleaning tools and toothpaste.

“Basically, brush and floss, and do it correctly,” says Price.
The goal of regular home care is to combat the buildup of plaque in and around your teeth and gums, and fight bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Adults who neglect their teeth and who let plaque build up often develop infections in the delicate tissue around their teeth, Price explains.

A whole arsenal of dental health tools is available in drugstores to help you clean your teeth at home. These range from regular toothbrushes to power toothbrushes, inter-dental cleaners (picks, etc.), waxed and unwaxed floss, oral irrigators, and mouth rinses. You should ask your dentist which of these tools you might want to include in your daily cleaning routine.

Consequences of Poor Oral Hygiene
Poor oral hygiene invites plaque to accumulate around the base of your teeth and gum line, causing your gums to become red and inflamed.

"Plaque is the bacteria-laden film that, if allowed to accumulate on teeth and gums, will cause tooth decay and gum disease," Price explains.

If you neglect the care of your teeth at home and fail to go to the dentist regularly, accumulated plaque could potentially lead to the development of empty spaces around your teeth. These spaces could eventually lead to the destruction of bone and other fragile tissues supporting your teeth, and you could lose your teeth.
The good news is that being diligent about your dental health care and getting regular dental checkups can prevent plaque from forming and even reverse early gum disease. "A plaque-free mouth is a healthy mouth,” says Price. Along with regular dental checkups, “proper bushing and flossing are the only effective ways I know of preventing plaque buildup.”

source http://www.everydayhealth.com/dental-health/101/taking-care-of-your-teeth-at-home.aspx

By Clare Kittredge

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

 

http://www.smilesbydesigninlivermore.com

Pleasanton Dentist Dr. Richard Howes dds - 8 bad brushing habits that harm your teeth - Smiles by Design in Livermore

8 bad brushing habits that harm your teeth

Are you hurting instead of helping your teeth when you brush? We pinpoint common brushing mistakes—and how to protect your pearly whites.

Photo: Jupiter Images

 

It’s not exactly a newsflash that one of the most important reasons to brush your teeth is to fight off cavities (not to mention prevent bad breath). But what if the way you brush your teeth actually makes you more susceptible to cavities, tooth decay and gum disease? Scary.

Turns out, there are a host of common mistakes that many of us make morning and night that can damage teeth and turn a healthy smile upside-down. Find out what you’re doing wrong — and how to break these bad habits for better teeth.

You don’t brush for long enough

Most people don’t spend nearly enough time brushing their teeth, notes prosthodontist Michael Lenchner. Most dentists recommend brushing for two or three minutes, but few people ever make it to that. Next time, check your watch see how long your routine takes. Chances are, whether you’re rushing to get to work or ready to collapse into bed, you’re only brushing for a minute or so. To go the distance, bring an egg timer into the bathroom and set it for two or three minutes before you get started, or use an electric toothbrush (like Sonicare) with a two-minute timer.

You’re not watching what you’re doing

Make a point to look in the mirror while you brush your teeth and see where the brush is actually going. It’s easy to miss the area right at the gum line, which is the most important part. That’s where plaque, tartar and bacteria can build up, which cause the gums to become inflamed and infected (aka gingivitis). Also keep a close eye on the back molars. If the brush head hits your cheek before you get to them you could miss them completely. Bonus: Paying better attention to your chompers will increase the likelihood that you’ll notice if something is awry, like chips, cracks or “bruxisms,” which are cupped out or overly shiny areas where your upper and lower teeth might be wearing into one another. Wearing away can also be a sign of TMJ problems, clenching or sleep apnea. Mention any unusual observations at your next dentist appointment.

Your technique needs a major makeover

Enamel is made of tightly packed, glass-like rods that extend out toward the surface of the tooth. When you brush side-to-side, these brittle rods can break, leading to cracks and weakening teeth. Dr. Lenchner likens it to sawing down a tree. Remember: Teeth are not trees. Hold the brush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the teeth and brush in small circles. Focus on a few teeth at once, then move on to the next set, continuing around from one side to the other, top and bottom, front and back. It’s okay to brush in straight lines on the chewing surfaces. After completing your circles, brush away from the gum line to clear off loosened plaque and bacteria.

You’re brushing too hard

The chances of enamel breakage are greater when you brush too hard. And if you have a tendency to clench or grind, the stakes get even higher. Those habits combined with hard sideways brushing can cause notches near the gum line called abfraction lesions. With continued pressure, they can deepen into the tooth’s inner dentin and cementum layers. What’s more, aggressive brushing can be traumatic for sensitive gums, causing irritation and recession.

You’re using the wrong brush

Be sure to buy soft or ultrasoft brushes to minimize damage. Lenchner warns, though, that even soft bristled toothbrushes can cause abrasions if used incorrectly. He recommends Oral B or Sonicare soft brushes. “All of the electric toothbrushes are great tools if they help you brush longer and get you to the right places,” he says. If you’re willing to invest — to the tune of nearly $189 — he is a big proponent of the newly released Emmi-Dent, which looks like an electric brush, but uses ultrasound pulses to kill bacteria without any brushing at all.

If you have a Water Pik, keep it on the lowest setting, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s doing much. Anything higher can erode your gum line. If your dentist gives you a special brush for cleaning implants or crowns, only use it as directed so you don’t disrupt proper gum growth.

As horrifying as it may sound, your toothbrush can be a veritable haven for germs, including strep and staph. You should replace a regular toothbrush every three months — sooner if the bristles look worn, frayed and bent. Over time, the bristles get damaged, like split ends in your hair, and bacteria nestle in those tiny tears. To minimize germs’ day-to-day growth, rinse your brush with hot water after use and allow it to dry completely.

You have the wrong toothpaste

Baking soda toothpastes are good at getting stains out because they are abrasive — but that also means they’re hard on enamel. It’s a trade-off that might not be worth it. As for whitening toothpastes, Lenchner says that to his knowledge they don’t hurt your teeth.

You’re failing at flossing

Flossing gets between your teeth where toothbrushes can’t reach. Cavities form most often on the surfaces where two teeth touch. Bacteria get stuck there, feed off the sugars from food particles, colonize and produce chemicals that eat away at enamel and can work into the soft layer of dentin underneath. This can eventually lead to tooth decay. In other words, as odious as it may be, flossing isn’t optional — and it’s the best way to keep these cavity-creating colonies at bay.

Start with a full foot of floss, twirling the ends around the middle finger on each hand. Use your thumb and forefinger to gently work the floss between two teeth, being careful not to pull it roughly or saw it back and forth, both of which can injure the gum. Wrap the floss around one tooth and wipe up and down to loosen and remove plaque. Then do the same on the next tooth and repeat.

Once you’ve got the correct flossing technique down, you don’t have to do it standing at the sink, notes Lenchner. You might try flossing in front of the TV to make it feel like less of a chore.

You don’t rinse after

Effective brushing and flossing unbind bacteria-laden plaque from the surface of teeth. Rinsing afterward is a key step to make sure that bacteria leave your mouth for good. Swish with a germ-killing, alcohol-free mouthwash, such as the new Listerine Zero, which doesn’t burn like regular Listerine. Or use a fluoride rinse to strengthen and fortify tooth enamel and prevent cavities. If you don’t have mouthwash, a good rinse-and-spit with water is better than nothing.

 

source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/8-bad-brushing-habits-that-harm-your-teeth

by YouBeauty.com

 

 

http://www.smilesbydesigninlivermore.com

 

Dentist Pleasanton Dr. Richard Howes dds - Why do I get so Many Cavities - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Why Do I Get So Many Cavities?

Does it seem like you’ve always gotten more than your fair share of cavities?

Are you the one who always brushes and flosses diligently, but still get more cavities than anyone else in your family, office, neighborhood!?

Don’t despair, there is new technology and products that will be of benefit for you.

The dental profession has long recognized the role of sugars and bacterial plague as causative factors in getting cavities.  For the past 30 years we’ve also recognized that some people are more prone to cavities due to poorly mineralized permanent teeth and/or deep grooves in the chewing surfaces that trap food and bacteria and subsequently end up decaying.

Now a new causative factor is recognized and being addressed!

Just as salt on the roads leads to rust on your car.  Acidity in your mouth (or the pH of your saliva) has come to the forefront of playing a huge role in cavity formation.  I’ve long recognized that kids and adults who indulge in daily soft drink consumption are prone to large and fast cavity formation.  Mountain Dew is notorious, and the newer energy /pep drinks are claiming their notorious place in dental history.  While soft drinks are laden with high sugar content, the acidity(pH) levels of these drinks and their continuous exposure (daily sipping on a soft drink) combines for an extremely detrimental environment to ENAMEL!

THE SOLUTION:

1. Recognize that soft drinks are much more harmful than earlier thought.   So when you indulge yourself, drink it, rinse with water to neutralize the acidity, and wash away the sugar residue.
2. Neutralize your saliva pH!  Although that may sound difficult it isn’t. Carifree product line has a home care kit, 3 month regimen, that only requires you to use twice a day, brush and rinse, with an acidity reducing rinse, and xylitol containing tooth gel.  Easy andeffective!
3. Eliminate unnecessary sugars in your diet.  Gum chewing w/ sugar gum has to be replaced with xylitol containing gums.  The xylitol is a non sugar sweetener that also changes the microbial environment of the mouth making cavities less likely to occur.

source: http://www.calmingfears.com/indianapolis/why-do-i-get-so-many-cavities

 

 

Dentist Livermore Dr. Richard Howes dds - How to Take Care of Your Dental Crowns - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Tooth Crown or Dental Crown (fake tooth, false tooth, gold crown, temporary crown, porcelain crown, porcelain tooth, dentist crown, tooth cap, teeth cap, dental crown cap,  “cap”) is the permanent dental restoration of the teeth using materials which can be fabricated by indirect methods.

This dental crown is cemented on your tooth to cap or completely cover it.

Your teeth being crowned are prepared really specific way (filing down the tooth to create room for crown) by the dentist.

Records of this dental procedure are shown to a dental technician to make the dental crown, which could then be inserted and cemented at another dental appointment.

The Main Advantages of the Indirect Technique of Tooth Restoration: you don’t need to be in the dental chair, using materials that require intense heat being processed with superior mechanical properties, including gold and natural looking porcelain, create a restoration of great importance and high quality

Indication to Restore using a tooth crown: when dental cairies is first detected, the most common action taken with the dentist is use a tooth filling or “cavity filling” (intra-coronal restoration) within the remaining tooth structure.

The restoration has a quantity of materials, including silver-colored amalgam, tooth-colored resin or gold. Inlay can be intra-coronal restoration.

If you have insufficient remaining solid tooth structure after tooth decay, fracture, chipped or sensitive teeth,  it could adequately have to have a tooth crown or perhaps an extra-coronal restoration.

One’s teeth must also be protected with a crown due to root canal therapy.  After root canal, your tooth becomes brittle and much more more likely to fracture.

Should you be receiving the crown after root-canal treatment, your dentist may insert a post-and-core foundation. The crowns also provide an improved seal against invading bacteria and germs.

Crowns can also be used to improve the look off natural teeth which can be malformed, mal-positioned or discolored  (compromised esthetics) to create improve your beautiful  smile.

Once placed and properly included in the bone, implants are able to be fitted having a dental crown.

Metal Tooth Crown: the strength of a metal crown can be a tremendous advantage. Crowns made of metal, can consist of different materials.

Full Gold Crowns (FGCs): known as a gold crown. This crown includes gold alloy with a minimum of 75% high noble metals: gold, platinum, palladium. In addition, it contains and not limited base metals: silver, copper and tin.

Metal Alloys Crowns &ndash palladium and  Stainless Steel  or base-metal alloy – nickel or chromium.

Benefits: full gold crowns have better when they’re loaded with noble content, metal crowns cause less wearing away of neighboring teeth than other crowns, and also require less filing on the teeth than other crown materials.

Metal also is likely to last the longer, resisting breaks and chips much better than many other materials. They may be durable and sometimes used for less visible teeth.

Downside: the well-known issue with metal crowns is their metallic (non-esthetic) appearance.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM): crowns incorporate a metal core inside as well as a layer of porcelain outside blended together. PFM crowns look much like normal teeth.

Benefits: unlike purely metal tooth crowns, shade will be matched towards the color of the teeth already there, porcelain offers the most natural final appearance of any other dental crown material.

PFM crowns can be used on the hidden and prominent teeth, are of better made when they’re an excellent source of noble metal inside. They may be durable and also have enough the strength.

Downside: porcelain can wear away at neighboring teeth, weaker to chipping and breaking than metal, porcelain’s translucence sometimes permit the inside metal core to indicate through.

There exists more a problem at the crown-gum line, particularly if the gums recede with time.

Metal-Free Tooth Crown or All Ceramic Restorations: dental crowns made complete of porcelain or ceramic result in the most natural final appearance.

Materials: Vitadur Alpha – In-ceram – Procera – Empress &ndash CEREC

Benefits: all-ceramic crowns look the same as normal teeth, perfect for prominent teeth, the safest for patients who might have an allergy to metals.

Downside: not really proof against breaking and chipping, can cause some wearing away of neighboring teeth.

Resin Crowns: such a crowns include the least pricey than other materials, but they are also the most vulnerable to wear, breaks, and chips.

Temporary Tooth Crowns: at the time of the visit dentists will make temporary crowns for better appearance prior to the final crowns are ready. The temporary crowns are usually constructed with acrylic or prefabricated stainless steel.

Longevity of Tooth Crown: at a second visit, the temporary crown is taken off as well as the permanent dental crown is cemented to your tooth. The brand new crown might be mildly sensitive to cold temperatures for a couple of weeks.

Although, if the sensitivity is serious, will not recede, or maybe the bite feels tight, get hold of your dentist. Extra adjustments may be necessary.

Be determined by the ability of the dentist and the lab technician, permanent tooth crowns can actually last approximately living of the patient (half a century or more) with proper care.

The typical lifetime of a tooth crown is about 10 years. Many dental insurances in america allows a crown to be replaced after only 5 years.   Full gold (high in noble content) crowns last the longest.

PFM’s, or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns have a higher chance of problem when compared to a full gold crown, because they incorporate brittle porcelain.

Good Care Tools and Best Products: the key factor affecting the lifespan associated with a dental crown is the continuing oral care done by the person.

A crowned tooth is just not protected from oral cavities or periodontal disease!   To assist fight bacterial plaque, dentists recommend the essential tools and dental products as interdental or between teeth and crowns cleanings:

Latex Free Gum Stimulator, Interdental or Interproximal Brushes, Waterpik Ultra Dental Water Jet (WP-100W) is a safe unit and effective oral care tool for those that can’t or won’t use dental floss.

Prepared for publishing by Dentist Aleksandr Melekhin, DDS, www.oralcareshop.com

Dentist Tracy Dr. Richard Howes dds - Why should you brush your tongue - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Why Should You Brush Your Tongue?

We clean our teeth so we don’t get cavities.  We clean the surfaces of our teeth, we clean between our teeth, and we even clean our gums – the tissue in which our teeth are rooted.  We make sure to rid these areas of potentially dangerous bacteria.  It would also make sense that we would clean our tongues as well, but often we do not.

The moist ridges of a tongue create an excellent environment for bacteria to thrive.  Though not in direct contact with the teeth most of the time, the bacteria on our tongues can still be problematic.  Additionally, the toxins that these bacteria release are a major contributor to halitosis or bad breath.

There are a number of simple solutions, however, that require little effort yet yield a high reward.  Tongue brushers and scrapers are relatively common, and cheap, solutions available over the counter in a number of locations.  These tools remove not only bacteria, but also any remaining food items, and dead cells.  What is left is a clean tongue surface.

Additionally, there are Tongue Gel options that help to loosen hard to reach bacteria.  These gels are also available over the counter, and can be a great addition to your brushing routine – though may not be appropriate or necessary for everyone.

Dentists agree that for complete oral care, the tongue should be included in the cleaning routine.  Take care of your tongue and clean it regularly.  You’ll be happy you did.

source: http://www.wpfdental.com/oral-hygiene/why-should-you-brush-your-tongue/