Livermore Dentist - Helping Your Child Overcome Their Dental Phobia - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Helping Your Child Overcome Their Dental Phobia

Dental phobias are said to affect around ten percent of the population, with many children falling into this group. Very often, children hesitate to go to a dentist if they have had a bad experience previously. However, in some other dental phobias may stem from other more complex issues. Parents and dentists can work together to remove the common fear children have of dentists and dental treatment.

What Can Parents Do to Help?

A great deal of patience and compassion is needed when handling a child with dental phobia. Parents should talk to the child about his/her fear and try to understand the reason for the fear. Parents can help immensely by persuading their children to understand that the dentist is a friendly person who has their best interests in mind, and how only a dentist can help them maintain good oral hygiene and thereby overall health. It is important that parents are not themselves anxious or worried because this will be immediately picked up by the child. It is up to the parents to try and convince the child that dental treatment is of absolute importance and not that painful.

Friendly Conversation with the Dentist Prior to Treatment Can Help

The dental practice, the instruments, and the atmosphere – all these might create fear in the child, mainly a fear of the unknown. This can be alleviated by arranging a visit to the dentist just for the purpose of talking to your child. During such conversations, the dentist will come through as any other friendly person and the child will understand that there is nothing to worry about. However, inform your child that you are going to visit the dentist just to have a conversation and find out if he/she has any misgivings. Ask them to tell you what exactly they fear and try to remove that phobia. In short, your child has to be well prepared for the appointment.

The dentist himself can help remove the children’s fear by talking to them in a very friendly voice. The procedure could be explained to the child in a very simple manner. Once the child is familiar with the dentist and his ways, dental phobia will be considerably reduced.

What Can Be Done During the Actual Procedure

During the actual treatment, parents can create a calm and relaxing environment for the child by skillfully distracting them. Reading a story to them or talking to them about things that interest them can help in diverting their attention from any discomfort they might be feeling. Another practical way to reduce fear during a dental appointment is to ensure your child that you could ask the dentist to stop if at all he/she was feeling uncomfortable. For this, a code could be created between your child and yourself, and of course, you should inform the dentist about this.

Dentists can use distraction techniques to lessen the child’s phobia. These include showing a toy to the child or telling him/her a funny story. They can also tell the kids how easy the process is and how they will be getting a very beautiful smile. Gentle and compassionate dentists can contribute a lot to removing a child’s dental phobia.

It is important to help your children overcome their dental phobia at an early stage itself. Otherwise this fear will increase and the child will grow up into an adult who will shy away from dentists. This can have serious consequences on their oral health. Therefore make sure that you find a friendly dentist who is supportive and can help you in removing your child’s dental phobia.

source http://www.neactionforhealthykids.org/helping-your-child-overcome-their-dental-phobia/

by Mark Fields

http://www.chiltonautobody.com

 

Pleasanton Dentist - Smoking and What It Does To Your Teeth - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Imagine buying a new tube of toothpaste and squirting the following out onto your toothbrush: Tar, acetone, cyanide, lead, formaldehyde, ammonia, arsenic, butane, chloroform, carbon monoxide and nicotine. Would you brush your teeth with this vile mixture? Of course not! Yet every day, millions of Americans inhale mouthfuls of these chemicals every time they light up a cigarette. Naturally, this has profound consequences on their teeth. 
Let’s talk about some of the effects that smoking has on teeth:

A dingy yellow smile: That’s right—one of the most obvious consequences of smoking is yellowing of teeth. The yellowing occurs as cigarette smoke increases the growth of bacteria in plaque. 

Damage to gums, bones and teeth: Because bacteria build up faster in a smoker’s  mouth, gums recede faster, teeth crumble faster and even the bone below the gum line can be damaged.

Missing teeth: For serious smokers, the damage to gums and teeth can continue until some or all of their teeth fall out.

Bad breath: That’s right, smoking causes bad breath, too. All of those bacteria living in the plaque can kick up a real stink.

Related health issues: Studies have shown that dental decay due to smoking can contribute to heart disease and other health problems. Some smokers must go so far as to have all of their teeth removed and replaced with dentures. Smoking also leads to oral cancer and lesions in the mouth.

All of that is scary stuff, but there is hope for smokers. What can they do to slow down and prevent tooth decay?

Switching doesn’t help. Contrary to urban legend, switching to cigars or pipes has not been shown to reduce tooth decay. Smokeless tobacco (i.e. chewing tobacco) also has profound consequences for health, and switching to “non-tar” or “low-tar” cigarettes won’t make any difference either.

Quit, if you can. The best way to prevent tooth decay from smoking is to quit smoking as soon as possible.

If you can’t quit, cut back. Even a small step can make a big difference. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Smokers who smoked less than half a pack per day were almost three times more likely than nonsmokers to have periodontitis. Those who smoked more than a pack and a half per day had almost six times the risk.” This makes sense; the fewer nasty chemicals you inhale, the less damage they do to your body.

If you can’t cut back yet, practice good hygiene anyway. If cutting back isn’t an option, try cleaning your teeth thoroughly every day. This includes brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash. Experts suggest that a fresh, clean mouth will feel so nice that you’ll be less tempted to pollute with smoking.  

A dentist can help. Of course, your dentist can’t help you quit smoking, but once you have stopped poisoning yourself, your dentist or periodontist can help you correct some of the damage. Your teeth can be thoroughly cleaned, and damage to your gums can often be addressed through surgery. Stained teeth can be whitened and severely stained teeth can be capped. If you’ve already lost a few teeth due to cigarettes, you can have them replaced with false teeth using a bridge.

The bottom line is that even organic cigarettes are hazardous to your health because the worst of the chemicals are created during the refining and smoking processes. If you can quit or cut back, now is the time to do so. Your teeth will thank you for it.

source: http://www.dental.net/dental-nutrition/smoking-and-what-it-does-to-teeth/
by Dental.net Editorial Staff


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Tracy Dentist - Impacted wisdom teeth - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Impacted wisdom teeth are third molars at the back of the mouth that don't have enough room to emerge or grow normally.

Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to come into the mouth (erupt). Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — two on the top, two on the bottom.

Impacted wisdom teeth can result in pain, damage to other teeth and other dental problems. In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth may cause no apparent or immediate problems. But because they're hard to clean, they may be more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease than other teeth are.

Impacted wisdom teeth that cause pain or other dental complications are usually removed. Some dentists and oral surgeons also recommend removing impacted wisdom teeth that don't cause symptoms to prevent future problems.

 

by Mayo Clinic Staff
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wisdom-teeth/DS00679

 

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Livermore Dentist - Having the wrong bacteria in your mount can effect areas of your healthat may surprice you - Smiles by Design in Livermore

In The Sacramento Bee, an article was published discussing how having the “wrong bacteria” in our mouths could lead to tooth decay and gingivitis, and could even have detrimental effects on our hearts and kidneys.

One option that can help is building up the “good bacteria” our mouths.  Stratum Nutrition’s BLIS ingredients, BLIS K12 and M18, are oral probiotics that can supply good bacteria to your mouth not only for fresh breath, but also for supporting immune health, teeth and gums.  BLIS K12 is one of the most numerous and beneficial bacteria found in the mouth of healthy individuals – it provides a natural long term protection from bad breath as well as supports our oral immune system’s natural defenses. BLIS M18 actually populates the oral cavity providing a less conducive environment for bad bacteria like, Streptococcus mutans. M18 produces unique enzymes that allow it to help protect against dental plaque and neutralize acid that can be harmful to teeth and gums.

Read the Sacramento Bee Article

 

source: http://www.esmingredients.com/main-feed/having-the-wrong-bacteria-in-your-mouth-can-effect-areas-of-your-health-that-may-surprise-you/

 

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Tracy Dentist - Flossing once a day helps fight gum disease and tooth decay - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Flossing once a day helps fight gum disease and tooth decay

Flossing teeth is the single most important factor in preventing gum (periodontal) disease. Gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease, and advanced gum disease affect more than 75 percent of the U.S. population.

Benefits of flossing

• Reduces risk of gum disease
• Freshens breath
• Removes plaque between teeth (when done every 24 hours)
• Polishes tooth surfaces

Flossing every 24 hours is just as important as brushing because it helps remove the plaque and debris that adhere to teeth and gums between the teeth. Flossing also helps polish the tooth's surface and control bad breath.

Whether waxed or unwaxed, flavored or unflavored, wide or regular size, floss of any type helps clean and remove plaque. Wide floss, also known as dental tape, may be a better choice for people with bridgework. Dental tape also is recommended when people have wider-than-average space between their teeth. Waxed floss can be easier to slide between closely spaced teeth. Unwaxed floss will squeak against cleaned teeth, indicating plaque has been removed.

Although mechanical flossing tools have been introduced, most dentists contend there is no substitute for manually flossing one's teeth.

Oral irrigation tools should not substitute for brushing and flossing because they do not remove plaque. However, such tools are useful for people who can't floss due to gum disease pain.

Information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry.source: http://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_health/flossing2.html
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Pleasanton Dentist - What is Gum Boils - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Definition

Gum boils are a generic term that refers to various types of swelling or tissue overgrowth that occurs in the mouth. Gum boils may be fluid filled or made of solid fibrous gum tissue. Color may appear normal or the gum boil area can appear red and raw. Some gum boils may be due to dental abscesses due to gum disease, effects of prescription medication, salivary gland blockages or congenital.

Causes

What causes gum boils? Gum boils have different causes and variations. They may also be called tumors. Knowing what causes gum boils in your mouth can help you treat them appropriately.

• Gum overgrowth may be due to a side effect of prescription medications, ill-fitting dentures, or wearing braces. These are probably the most common form of gum boils.
• A common form of gum tumor is a “pregnancy tumor” on the gums, induced by hormone levels during pregnancy. These quickly go away after the pregnancy is completed and hormone levels return to normal.
• Congenital gum boils may be present at birth.
• Dental abscesses due to severe decay and infection of the tooth nerve may appear as a boil on the gums.
• Boils caused from severe periodontal disease are present when oral hygiene and plaque levels are poor.

 
 

Signs And Symptoms

Gum boils in the mouth may appear in several different forms:

• Swollen, hard areas of fibrous tissue
• Soft, swollen fluid-filled blisters
• Light pink
• Dark red
• No bleeding, lack of blood supply
• Bleeding during oral hygiene

source: http://www.trustedhealthproducts.com/health-resources/oral-health/gum-boils/#sthash.ZfEYwHVy.dpbs

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Livermore Dentist - 4 foods that are bad for your teeth - Smiles by Design in Livermore

4 foods that are bad for your teeth

Could one of your favorite foods be destroying your teeth?

 

Sugar

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s refined white sugar, brown sugar or honey, sugar is sugar,” says Nicoll. “It’s not the amount, but how often you eat it.” Sugar creates an acidic environment in your mouth, which persists for about two hours after it’s consumed. If you eat or drink a little bit of sugar every few hours, your teeth will be continuously bathed in the acid, which directly dissolves tooth enamel.

And watch out for high amounts of sugar found in many processed foods, including ketchup and spaghetti sauces. Be aware that juices that have no added sugar still contain natural sugar.

The fix: If you are eating foods with lots of sugar, it’s better to consume them during meals rather than as snacks because your mouth produces more saliva during meals, which helps neutralize acid production.Twenty minutes after eating is the ideal time to brush your teeth. That’s because, by that time, saliva has remineralized the enamel that has been dissolved by acid.

Raisins, dried fruit

These are high in sugar. Plus, they can get stuck between teeth and stay there for hours, causing decay.

The fix: If you are having raisins or dried fruit and can’t brush immediately, floss, or rinse your mouth with water.

Alcohol

Alcohol dries out your mouth and reduces saliva production. It’s also acidic, which dissolves enamel.

The fix: Be sure to brush your teeth about 20 minutes after drinking alcohol.

Soft drinks

They’re considered so damaging to teeth that the World Health Organization says one of its main challenges is educating people that the increase in the erosion of teeth is due to the increased consumption of soft drinks—which all contain acid, whether they are sugar-free or not. “When we see someone with tremendous decay, we often find that soft drinks are the problem,” says Nicoll.

The fix: Don’t drink them; have water or unsweetened tea instead. But if you can’t resist them, don’t brush your teeth right afterwards because acid softens the structure of teeth and makes them more susceptible to abrasion, says Nicoll. 

source: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/oral-health/4-foods-that-are-bad-for-your-teeth?slide=2

By Georgie Binks

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Tracy Dentist - Early Orthodontics May Mean Less Treatment Later - Smiles by Design in Livermore

Look at yearbook or prom pictures from the 1950s or '60s and you'll see many smiles framed with heavy metal braces. It's a sight that's less common in high schools today. Why the change? Children today tend to get braces at a much earlier age. Some patients with special problems begin orthodontic treatment at age 7 or younger.

"The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that all children receive an orthodontic screening by age 7," says Thomas Cangialosi, D.D.S. "Permanent teeth generally begin to come in at age 6 or 7. It is at this point that orthodontic problems become apparent.

"Because bones are still growing, it's an ideal time to evaluate a child," Dr. Cangialosi says. "Then we can determine what orthodontic treatment, if any, may be needed either now or in the future."

Dr. Cangialosi is chairman of the Section of Growth and Development and director of the Division of Orthodontics at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.

Making Braces Hip

To make braces more acceptable and fun for young people, manufacturers have made brightly colored elastics. These are the tiny rubber bands that hold the wires to the braces. Children can choose elastics with their school colors or a holiday color scheme, such as orange and black for Halloween.

Choosing the color of the elastics allows patients "to feel that they are more involved in their treatment," Dr. Cangialosi says.

Still Take Getting Used To

Braces today tend to be less uncomfortable and less visible than they used to be. But they still take some getting used to. Food can get caught around brackets and in wires, and flossing and brushing can take more time. After adjustments sometimes the teeth may be a little sore. Tooth discomfort can be controlled by taking a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Tylenol and others) or aspirin if necessary. The use of lighter and more flexible wires has greatly lessened the amount of soreness or discomfort during treatment.

As more and more children get braces, schoolyard nicknames such as "tin grin" and "metal mouth" are heard less often. Because treatment has become more socially acceptable, embarrassment may be less of a concern.

Beyond Braces

Orthodontic treatment in young children is known as interceptive orthodontics. Intervention may begin as early as age 6 or 7. At this age, teeth are still developing. The jaw is still growing. That means certain conditions, such as crowding, may be easier to address.

Before permanent teeth have come in, it may be possible to help teeth to erupt (emerge through the gums) into better positions. It's common, for example, for the dental arch to be too small to fit all of the teeth. A few decades ago, the solution for crowding was almost always to extract some of the permanent teeth to make space. Then fixed braces were used to position the teeth properly.

Early intervention takes advantage of the fact that a child's jaw is still growing. For example, a device called a palatal expander may be used to expand the child's upper dental arch. Once the arch is the proper size, there's a better chance that the adult teeth will emerge in better position. Sometimes teeth still may be crowded after all of them have erupted. In such cases, some permanent teeth may still have to be extracted to make room to align the teeth properly.

So-called early treatment also may be useful when the dental arches and jaws are not in the correct position. Functional appliances may fix or improve these problems. More treatment usually is needed later on, but it may be shorter and less involved.

"It is important to note that children who receive interceptive orthodontics generally still need braces or other orthodontic appliances later," Dr. Cangialosi says. "However, this early treatment may shorten and simplify future treatment in selected cases." This is commonly known as two-phase treatment.

It is important to note that early treatment does not apply to all orthodontic problems. However, it may help in certain cases.

Two conditions that require early intervention are crossbites and protruding front teeth. A crossbite can cause the jaws to grow unevenly. Front teeth that stick out may be fractured or injured in an accident, such as a fall.

source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Popular-Topics/Orthodontics/article/Early-Orthodontics-May-Mean-Less-Treatment-Later.cvsp

 

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Pleasanton Dentist - Tooth Discoloration - What is it? - Smiles by Design in Livermore

What Is It?
Your teeth can become discolored by stains on the surface or by changes in the toothmaterial. There are three main types of tooth discoloration:

• Extrinsic discoloration — This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) is stained. Coffee, wine, cola or other drinks or foods can stain teeth. Smoking also causes extrinsic stains.
• Intrinsic discoloration — This is when the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) darkens or gets a yellow tint. You can get this type of discoloration if:
  • You had too much exposure to fluoride during early childhood.
  • Your mother used tetracycline antibiotics during the second half of pregnancy.
  • You used tetracycline antibiotics when you were 8 years old or younger.
  • You had trauma that affected a tooth when you were a young child. A fall, for example, may damage the developing permanent tooth.
  • You had trauma in a permanent tooth, and internal bleeding discolored the tooth.
  • You were born with a rare condition called dentinogenesis imperfecta. This causes gray, amber or purple discolorations.
• Age-related discoloration — This is a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Dentin naturally yellows over time. The enamel that covers the teeth gets thinner with age, which allows the dentin to show through. Foods and smoking also can stain teeth as people get older. Finally, chips or other injuries can discolor a tooth, especially when the pulp has been damaged.

Symptoms
Symptoms include stains on the enamel. They can range from white streaks to yellow tints or brown spots and pits. If the enamel has worn away, and dentin is showing through, you may notice a yellow tint in the dentin.

Diagnosis
No special tests are needed. A dentist or other dental professional can diagnose tooth discoloration by looking at the teeth.

Expected Duration
Some tooth discoloration can be removed with professional cleaning. An example would be the stains caused by coffee. Many stains are permanent, however. Teeth sometimes can be whitened with a bleaching gel. In some cases, if the discoloration is severe, a crown or veneer may be required to cover it.

Prevention
Brushing your teeth after every meal will help to prevent some stains. Dentists recommend that you rinse your mouth with water after having wine, coffee or other drinks or foods that can stain your teeth. Regular cleanings by a dental hygienist also will help to remove surface stains.

Intrinsic stains that are caused by damage to a nerve or blood vessel in a tooth sometimes can be prevented. You may need to have root canal treatment to remove the inner part of the tooth (the pulp) before it has a chance to decay and darken. However, teeth that have root canal treatment may darken anyway. To prevent intrinsic stains in children, avoid too much early exposure to fluorides. Once the enamel is formed, fluoride will not discolor teeth.

Treatment
Many extrinsic stains caused by food and drink can be removed by regular professional cleanings and home care. Good home care includes brushing, flossing and rinsing after meals.

Discoloration often can be removed by applying a bleaching agent to the enamel of the teeth. One technique is called "power bleaching." With this method, the dentist applies a light-activated bleaching gel. It causes the teeth to get significantly whiter in about 30 to 45 minutes. Several follow-up treatments may be needed, or take-home bleaching trays may be provided.

It's also possible to remove discoloration at home. You will use a bleaching gel and a mouth guard given to you by your dentist. The bleaching gels designed for use at home aren't as strong as those applied by your dentist. This means that the process takes longer — usually two to four weeks.

You also can buy whitening products over the counter. They contain a weaker bleach than the products you can get from your dentist. The whitening agent is applied as a gel placed in a mouthpiece or as a strip that sticks to your teeth. Over-the-counter mouthpieces fit less securely than the kind you get from your dentist.

Whitening toothpastes may remove minor stains. They do not actually change the overall color of your teeth.

If your tooth has darkened after a root canal, bleaching the enamel won't help. Your dentist can apply a bleaching material to the inside of the tooth, or you may consider a crown or veneer.

Bleaching will not lighten some stains, such as tetracycline stains. In this case, your dentist may recommend covering the discolored areas. This also may be useful when the tooth is chipped or badly damaged.

A tooth can be covered with a color-matched composite bonding material. Another option is to get veneers. These are thin ceramic shells that cover the outer surfaces of the teeth.

When To Call a Professional
Tooth discoloration is mainly a cosmetic problem. Visit a dentist if you're unhappy with how your teeth look. Any change in a child's normal tooth color should be evaluated by a dentist.

 

source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/Oral-and-Dental-Health-Basics/Common-Concerns/Tooth-Discoloration/article/Tooth-Discoloration.cvsp

 

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