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Healthy Gums | Healthy Teeth | A Lifetime Commitment

February 28, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS.

 

In order to have healthy gums and teeth, it requires a lifetime commitment. This article can help you avoid infection of the gum which is known as periodontal disease.

As everyone knows you need to brush your teeth everyday. The brushing should be done twice a day within the first  hour of having food or sweet acidic drinks. Flushing the food debris around the teeth by swishing a mouthful of mouthwash or water would help when it is added to regular brushing and flossing. It is also recommended to floss your teeth once a day between all the teeth not forgetting the back of last molars.

 

Importance of Frequent Check Ups

Always make sure you maintain your regular dental check up at least every 6 months. Some may require more cleaning up to 3-4 times a year. Ask your dentist and he/she will let you know what frequency works best for you. If there is a diagnosis of gum disease, it is easier to treat the disease in early stages. Make sure your dentist fixes all the broken teeth and fills all the cavities. Small cavities are much easier and cheaper to fix. When you don’t fix a small cavity, it tends to become larger in size over time making it more difficult and expensive to fix. Cavities do not go away on their own. They have to be removed by your dentist and be filled with a filling material such as composite which is tooth color and can not be seen by most people.

bl-dental-careSmokers! Be Aware!

People who smoke or use smokeless tobacco have much greater chance of getting oral cancer. Stopping tobacco use would help in reducing bad breath as well as keeping teeth stain free. But most importantly it could save your life. Your dentist will evaluate for oral cancer screaming every time you go for check up.

Signs of Dental Problems:

There are few signs that warn us about dental problems. For example, if after brushing you still have bad breath it could be a sign of periodontal disease or presence of cavity. If your gums are puffy or bleed on their own, or at the time of brushing, it is an indication of gum disease.  If the teeth are getting longer, it is a sign of bone loss. If these signs are ignored, teeth may get loose, and eventually teeth loss may result.  Many of these problems can be minimized if proper dental treatment and oral hygiene can be maintained.

 

Healthy gums and teeth are essential for happy healthy life. Teeth and gums do not take care of themselves; it takes a team work between you and your dentist to maintain proper health.


Dental Care | 7 Basic Things You Should Do

February 21, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS.

 

 

Dental Care | 7 Basic Things You Should Do

Basic dental care means brushing and flossing your teeth on a regular bases, going to your dentist regularly twice a year for check up, cleaning and x-rays as necessary and having a health diet.

Basic Dental Care Points

Here are some basic points to perform your dental care at home:

Brushing:

Dental Care, Fluoride ImageBrush your teeth twice a day for two minutes.  Electrical tooth brushes do better job in removing plaque than manual brushes. Use brushes that are soft and stay away from medium and hard tooth brushes. They will remove the enamel portion of your teeth which is the hard structure causing sensitivity and gum recession. Also do not press hard when brushing. The advantages of electric tooth brushes are that it would brush on its own and you do not need to place pressure on your tooth brush causing further damage on your teeth.

Fluoride Supplements:

Always use fluoride tooth paste. Even for adults, fluoride reduces the chance of cavity. Tab water in most big cities contains fluoride. If you like to filter your tab water, the fluoride is not being removed. If you drink bottle water consider asking your doctor or dentist for supplemental fluoride.

Flossing:

Dental Flossing ImageNo one likes to do it but we all have to do it. You need to floss all your teeth, everyday. Wax flosses are easier on the gums and reduces the chance of cutting the gums. Make sure you go behind the last molars when flossing. If you having a hard time flossing behind your wisdom teeth, ask your dentist if it is to your benefit to remove them.

Avoid Smoking!

Avoid smoking and smokeless tobaccos. Besides the obvious staining the teeth, it causes bad breath, gum disease and various oral cancer. It is never too late to stop smoking.

Say No To Sugary Drinks!

Stay away from sugary drinks and carbonated ones. If you have to have one, brush right after.

Don’t Forget Your Tongue!

When brushing your teeth, don’t forget to brush your tongue from back to front.

Regular Check Ups

See your dentist on regular bases at least twice a year. If there are minor issues or cavities, it is much easier to fix them when they are smaller. Waiting just makes things more difficult and costly.


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.


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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