Tooth/Enamel breakdown from Citric Acid in Soft Drinks leads to Cavities:
With the increase of soft drinks, flavored water, and sports drinks in our society; we have seen a rise in tooth erosion and decay in the dental profession. Here at our Riverside Cosmetic Dental office; we have been treating and more importantly educating patients on the effects that sodas, energy drinks, and sports drinks have on their teeth as well as their body’s pH. We believe that in order to have a healthy chewing system it best to have saliva that is neutral in pH, which is why we offer a test that measures the pH of your saliva. Once we measure your pH we can properly treat, educate, and help guide you in your decision making on your dental health and total body health.
Did you know that even Diet Sodas are highly acidic? When reading labels on drinks, be sure to look for the words: citric and/or phosphoric acid. These substances have been reported to be 10 times more acidic than that of natural fruit juices. It is ideal to eliminate these products from your diet to keep your saliva more neutral as well as your overall system in order to protect your teeth. If eliminating acidic drinks and foods seems impossible we can help you make a decision of balance for your oral environment. We can provide you with Cariesfree mouth rinses and toothpaste to use at home to protect the investment you have made in your chewing system with cosmetic veneers and porcelain crowns or onlays. The Cariesfree rinse system has been proven to decrease acid levels in the mouth which in turn protect the teeth from daily attacks against acidic foods and drinks. Please call our Riverside Cosmetic Dental office if you are in the greater Southern California and Inland Empire areas, so that we can determine if you are at high risk for developing the disease of tooth erosion (951)686-3666.
Bruxism- and its relation to a lagging economy.
The ADA has reported that at least 50% of adults are suffering from a condition called Bruxism. Bruxism in dental terms is really clenching and grinding. The condition of clenching and grinding can lead to problems with the TMJ (tempromandibular joint). Extra stress on the TMJ joint can lead to chronic migraines, frequent morning tension headaches and joint pain. Bruxism also causes added stress on the teeth and over time can lead to broken teeth and bone loss. Symptoms of clenching and grinding are: morning tension headaches, popping of the jaw, migraines, flattening of the teeth. When the teeth are worn flat from bruxism, the enamel has been worn off and the inside of the tooth begins to be exposed. As a quick side note; antidepressants can lead to clenching and grinding as a side effect.
At our office we routinely check your chewing system for excessive wear. Your chewing system is of utmost importance to us. To treat bruxism, our office will help guide you in determining ways to relax your jaw and teeth on a daily basis. Often, we recommend an appliance to be worn protect your teeth and chewing system over night. If you are in Riverside, Inland Empire or greater Southern California area and are experiencing these symptoms, please give our Riverside cosmetic dentistry office a call at (951)686-3666.
How to get Whiter teeth…….Laser Teeth Whitening or Power Bleaching?
There has been so much hype in regards to laser teeth whitening in the past 7 years, so I thought that it would be a good idea to give my perspective on the whole laser whitening phenomenon. The “laser” is actually a blue light that activates the bleaching gel which is strategically placed on the tooth surface. Power bleaching is the procedure that I believe produces better results. Power bleaching is an in-office procedure and like the laser teeth whitening is approximately a two hour experience. The gums and tissue surrounding the teeth are protected during your bleaching procedure. The power bleaching procedure in our office is chemically activated which to many patients is more comfortable because the light is bright. The power bleaching procedure also comes with complementary take home trays to boost whitening your teeth after your tooth whitening procedure. If you are interested in having a brighter and whiter smile, please give our Riverside cosmetic dentistry office a call at (951)686-3666.
I was reading an issue of Dental Economics and saw an extremely interesting article stating that by whitening your teeth with take home whitening trays can help reduce the incidence of decay. That’s one of the few times where a nice side effect occurs from a procedure. Read the article and feel extra good about your decision to whiten your teeth!
I just came across an article that showed a link between pregnancy gingivitis and a stillborn child. It’s pretty scary and makes me realize how important taking care of gum disease is. Wow, I really need to make sure this doesn’t happen to any of my clients, it’s really frightening and sobering information. Here’s a link to the article from Dr. Biscuspid.