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Teeth Brushing Mastering Tips

February 11, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS.

Teeth Brushing Tips

Teeth brushing is such a daily habit, few people think twice about it. You’ve been doing your your teeth brushing your whole life, but are you getting the most from your efforts? The following technique will help you get the most thorough clean. But as with any habit, you can get sloppy, and that can lead to cavities and gum disease.

How to Master Your Teeth Brushing:

Begin your teeth brushing by placing the head of the brush beside your teeth, with the bristles at a 45 degree angle against the gum line (where the teeth and gums meet). Think of the brush as a both a toothbrush and a gum brush. With the bristles contacting both tooth and gum, move the brush back and forth several times across each tooth individually.

Teeth Brushing Image 2Use a short stroke and a gentle scrubbing motion, as if the goal were to massage the gum. Don’t’ try to force the bristles under the gum line; that will happen naturally, especially with a brush that has soft, flexible bristles.

While doing your teeth brushing, start with the outer surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. Then use the same short back-and-forth strokes on the inside surfaces. Try to concentrate harder on the inside surfaces; studies show they’re more often neglected. For the upper and lower front teeth, brush the inside surfaces by using the brush vertically and making several gentle up-and –down strokes over the teeth and gums.

Finish up by lightly scrubbing the chewing surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. While doing your teeth brushing, you should also brush your tongue for a fresher breath. If you have any questions regarding this or any other aspect of your dental care, please feel free to call upon any member of our dental team. We are dedicated to providing you with the finest in dental care. Please let us know how we can help.

 

What Tooth Brush to Use:

Hard bristles were once recommended but are now thought to be too abrasive to the teeth and gums. We now suggest a soft, rounded-end nylon bristle brush. Be sure to discard brushes when the bristles are bend or frayed or approximately every three to four months.


Dental Flossing Mastering Instructions

February 11, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS.

Dental Flossing Mastering Instructions

With all of the wonders of modern man available to you there is no better way to clean the sides of your teeth than DENTAL FLOSS; inexpensive, readily available and easy to use. A modern wonder, maybe not. But it is and has always been an excellent tool in the fight against dental decay and periodontal disease. There are many types of dental flossing tools and techniques available in your local drugstore. We recommend waxed flosses, and Glide.

How To Master Your Dental Flossing

You should floss under both sides of each flap of gum tissue between your teeth. The following dental flossing technique has proven to be very effective: break off about 18 inches of floss and wind a good bit of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the rest around the middle finger of the other hand. Grasp the floss with the thumb and forefinger of each hand, leaving about an inch of floss between the two hands to work with.

Dental Flossing Image2Pull the floss taut and use a gentle sawing motion to insert it between the two teeth. During dental flossing, when the floss reaches the tip of the triangular gum flap, curve the floss into a C shape against one of the teeth. Then slide the floss gently into the space between the tooth and the gum until you feel resistance. Holding the floss tightly against the tooth, scrape up and down five or six times along the side of the tooth. Without removing the floss, curve it around the adjacent tooth and scrape that one too. Repeat on the rest of your teeth. Don’t forget the far sides of your back teeth. When the floss becomes frayed or soiled, a turn of each middle finger brings out a fresh section of floss. After dental flossing rinse vigorously with water.

Dental Flossing Problems:

If you don’t’ like manipulating dental flossing, try one of the commercial floss holders. They have limited flexibility, however, and you must use them with care to avoid injuring the gum. You may have trouble working with the dental flossing tool between certain teeth, or the floss may consistently break or tear in certain teeth, or the floss may consistently break or tear in certain areas. Several causes are possible, including calculus buildup, or improperly installed fillings.
Please let us know if this problem occurs. Flossing between bridges requires additional instruction and the use of floss threaders. Alternatives to floss include such things as Stimudents, Perio-Aids or Plac-Piks.

Please discuss these dental flossing tools with us before using them. None of these are as good as floss in tight areas between teeth.


Visit Your Dentist Regularly, and Not Just for Cleanings!

July 31, 2013 Afshin Golyad DDS. ,

westladentalcare-office-002All too often we here at West LA Dental care find ourselves treating patients who don’t fully comprehend how integral a part of overall care their oral healthcare really is. If you had a broken wrist or a strange, irritating rash or had suffered from days of nausea, you wouldn’t shrug and hope those afflictions just got better on their own, would you? Of course not! Leaving a wound or skin condition or internal issue untreated only makes it get worse.

Well ignoring a persistent toothache or jaw pain or numbness or any other unusual condition in your mouth can be just as irresponsible as leaving another part of your body untended. If you have never heard the phrase “Good overall health starts with good oral health,” then let your friendly West Los Angeles dentists here be the first to drive that one home, because it is one old saying that couldn’t be much more true!

Your mouth is good for more than talking, smiling, and eating: it is also one of your body’s first lines of defense against potentially harmful things trying to enter your system. Good, healthy saliva flow along with proper chewing by strong, healthy teeth breaks down foods for easier digestion. This process also starts to break down any harmful bacteria that could be coming along for the ride!

But beyond helping to keep your body safe from potential “invaders” and helping you get the nutrients you need, you need to make sure to come and see your dentist in West LA for another reason: the mouth is not only an important part of your body in and of itself, but it is also a crucial place for diagnosing other maladies that could be taking place in your body. An experienced oral healthcare professional can learn much about the state of your overall physical wellbeing by conducting a thorough oral examination. Even serious diseases that seem totally unrelated to the mouth, such as certain cancers, can give clues to their presence in your mouth.

At West LA Dental Care we treat each and every oral examination we conduct as a chance to examine our patient’s overall health through the window of oral health. If you go to a random Santa Monica dental office or find some Los Angeles dentist based off their ads for this or that cosmetic treatment, chances are good that you will get a quick checkup, a quick cleaning, and be billed and sent on your way. We feel that our dental patients should see us not just as hygienists or providers of cleaning and cosmetic services, but as part of a team committed to their long-term, even lifelong health. We want you to see your dentist for more than just those twice annual cleanings or when you have a cavity; we encourage you to visit your dentist the same way you would visit your internist for a physical. The best time for your West LA Dental Care professional to make sure your in great shape, after all, is when you feel like you and your mouth are in great shape!


What a Cosmetic Dentist Can Do For You

April 22, 2013 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , ,

Most people put off seeing a dentist until they have a toothache, need a cavity filled or want their teeth cleaned. These dental procedures are important for good oral health, but they are not the only services that a dentist in west Los Angeles can provide. In addition to taking care of a patient’s teeth, West LA Dental Care offers Santa Monica residents a variety of cosmetic procedures that can improve the way they look and feel.

If your teeth make you feel self-conscious or embarrassed when you smile, it might be time to look into some of today’s available cosmetic options. Giving patients a smile they can be proud of takes an experienced cosmetic dentist that can understand the patient’s needs and is willing to work carefully with each person to find the best solution.

Teeth Whitening

Cigarettes, coffee, medications and the minerals in water can all affect a tooth’s color. While there are several types of over-the-counter products designed to whiten teeth, having a west LA dentist do the procedure can often be more effective.

A tooth’s surface needs to be completely covered with a whitener for a nice, uniform look. That can be difficult to do yourself. Back teeth can be particularly troublesome. In addition, over-the-counter products are not as strong as what a cosmetic dentist can provide, so taking advantage of a professional dentist in West Los Angeles can be a better option.

Misaligned, Chipped or Uneven Teeth

Even teeth that are in good condition can be uneven, chipped or misaligned. Sometimes, there can be an excess space between the teeth, or they can be cracked. A west LA dentist who specializes in cosmetic procedures can help Santa Monica patients improve these types of defects by applying special tooth-colored bonding materials, reshaping the tooth or filling in a crack.

Instead of bonding, a cosmetic dentist might also suggest using veneers to fix the excessive spaces, cover up wear, hide stains or improve the look of slightly crooked teeth. Veneers are similar to a shell that a dentist in west Los Angeles can place on the front side of a patient’s teeth. These veneers can improve a tooth’s shape as well as change the color.

In addition to bonding and veneers, a cosmetic dentist also has the option of using shaping and contouring techniques to improve the appearance of a tooth. Sometimes, a west LA dentist might use both bonding and shaping. This combination can be particular effective for overlapping teeth, teeth that are chipped or for minor bite problems.

Additional Cosmetic Possibilities

For missing teeth, two of the best long-term solutions are dental implants or bridges, depending on the condition of the teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can also correct an irregular gum line, teeth of different lengths, or jaw problems. If you live in the Santa Monica area, contacting West LA Dental today for an evaluation can be the best decision you ever made.


Understanding the Connection Between Sugar and Tooth Decay

February 9, 2013 Afshin Golyad DDS.

Most children are told that sugary foods are bad for their teeth, but the exact negative impact of sugar on the teeth is rarely explained. That may be one reason why many adult patients are not clear as to the reasons why sugar leads to tooth decay. The fact is, it is not sugar itself but bacteria in the mouth which cause tooth decay and cavities. Every person has bacteria in their mouth, no matter how well they care for their mouths. Complete sterilization of the mouth is simply not possible.

These bacteria can multiply rapidly with bad oral hygiene, and this causes the bacteria to form colonies in the mouth. When this occurs, “dental plaque’ is the result. Plaque allows the bacteria to have a home in the mouth, and this can lead to cavities and decay. When a patient eats, the bacteria also eat, and the bacteria produce acids as they live and consume food. When plaque is present, the acid is held underneath the plaque, up against the tooth’s surface, allowing decay to occur.

When a patient eats sugar or sugary foods, the bacteria are able to produce more acid. Some acid is washed away by saliva and into the mouth, but the acid that remains against the enamel surface of a tooth over time will lead to decay. If plaque is present in the mouth, it will protect the acids and make it harder for the saliva to wash the acids away. This means that the acids are more likely to cause decay. If a patient eats a lot of sugary foods, then a higher level of acidity may be formed in the mouth. This, along with plaque, can lead to even more tooth decay.

It is not necessary to completely remove sugar from your diet to enjoy a beautiful smile. The trick is to reduce the amount of time dietary sugars remain in your mouth and to reduce the amount of sugar consumed. You can prevent cavities and enjoy a brighter smile by:

  • Opting for artificial sweeteners over natural sugars. Bacteria do not produce as much acid with artificial sweeteners.
  • Brushing and flossing or rinsing your mouthy after eating sugar or sugary foods. This will help your mouth flush away the acids produced by the bacteria. Remember: it’s not the acid produced by the bacteria that causes decay, but rather the acid that remains in the mouth that causes cavities.
  • Don’t prolong your sugary snacks. If you want to eat cake or drink a sugary drink, do not spend hours at it. That gives the acid more time to spend in your mouth. Consume the sugar and then rinse or brush to get rid of the acid.

Get regular cleanings at your Santa Monica dentist’s office. Your dentist can remove plaque, which can make it easier for your mouth to get rid of acids effectively.


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