If You Are Afraid of the Dentist - Visit a Redwood City Dentist for a Relaxing Experience

As a Redwood City dentist, we have learned that there are many things most of you would rather be doing on a beautiful day than visiting the dentist. While our office is certainly not the most exciting place to be, for those of you who do come in on a regular basis, you know that it is the best place to improve your oral health, create sparkling teeth, and improve your overall quality of life through better oral care. We appreciate the patients that make it a habit of coming in, especially those who fight levels of anxiety to walk through the door.

One of the most prevalent anxieties in the world is dental anxiety. This anxiety is not limited by geography, demographics, or income. In fact, it is probably true that wherever you find a practicing dentist, you will find people that are too anxious or afraid to take care of their teeth by working with one. For between 9% and 20% of the patients that visit the dentist, that anxiety is very present and ranges between mild stress to almost panic. We understand this anxiety, and will do everything in our ability to help you overcome it. When you consider that 26% of the country will not even seek out dental care, unless they find themselves in an emergency dental situation, it becomes apparent that one of the key areas where dentists have to make an impact is in reducing the psychological fears people have of coming to see us. As a Redwood City dentist, we have worked diligently to create an atmosphere of trust so that you are not fighting anxiety every time you walk through our doors, and so that when you seek treatment for the first time, you know that you can come back to a safe and comfortable environment.

Here are a few ways you can help reduce some of that anxiety.
When you visit our Redwood City dentist office, we are going to give you  two tools to help fight your anxiety. First, we will work with you to identify what the anxiety is. When you do not know what precisely is causing you to have anxiety, the fear is allowed to grow into something much bigger than it is. By identifying the exact cause of your anxiety, be it needles or a loss of control, we can isolate it and help you by working through or around it. Secondly, we are going to help you have a greater understanding of the things we do as your Redwood City dentist. We believe that knowledge is the greatest enemy of anxiety. The more you know about what we do, how we do it, and the tools that we use to get the job done, the less likely you are to be anxious. Also, you will get to see the extraordinary precautions we take to ensure your safety and security, and gain an understanding that you are always in control. This will help to ease some of those anxieties as well.  If you need medication or sedation, we can discuss those options as well.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist

How a Redwood City Dentist Can Improve Your Experience With Dental Care

As a Redwood City dentist, we provide superior dental care and do so in a way that is gentle. This way, you can receive the care that you need without discomfort.  We also use medication and sedation when necessary to ensure that you can remain calm and relaxed during your appointment.  Sedation dentistry is one of those advances in dental medicine that is a huge blessing for a large number of patients. For years, people have been avoiding the dentist office in record numbers because of a fear known as dental anxiety. We are well aware of what dental anxiety does to a person, leaving them in a panic. This panic is so deep that for over 26% of affected people, it translates to them never being able to come in and see a dentist until they have a dental emergency. Sometimes even a dental emergency is not enough to motivate these folks past their fears to come in and see a dentist. This is a serious issue when almost half the people in the world are so afraid of the procedures at the dentist office that they are willing to risk pain and discomfort rather than coming in. Sedation dentistry can correct this by providing you with an alternative to living with the fear, in the form of sedation.

Sedation and dentistry are not new concepts working together. We have used sedation for many things, including procedures that involve a lot of work or in situations where it takes less time to have the patient asleep. Common examples of dentists using sedation are when we do a wisdom tooth extraction or a root canal. Today, however, we have expanded the scope of using sedation with dentistry so that we can help you to alleviate fears, even when you are coming in for less intrusive work. The one thing that you need to be aware of is the fact that we need to evaluate what you are having done, how much fear you have, and how much sedation you are going to need for the procedure.

As a Redwood City dentist and provider of oral surgery, there are four types of sedation that we make the most use of. Our preference is always to use the first three in the case of less intrusive procedures because we do not want to over use general anesthesia. The first, and most commonly used, type of sedation dentistry is called minimal sedation. In this state, you would be fully awake and also completely relaxed. The second state of sedation that we use is known as moderate sedation. When you are under moderate sedation, you will still be conscious but will be slightly more affected. You will probably slur your speech because you have a heavy tongue, and chances are, that you will not remember very much when it comes to the procedure. The next option is deep sedation, where you will be on the edge of consciousness. In essence, you will be asleep, but it will not be a very deep sleep. We can wake you up relatively easily if need be. Finally, there is general anesthesia, in which you are completely unconscious and will need to take some time to recover before being able to head home. As a Redwood City dentist, we are most likely to use this when performing a surgical procedure.

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Teeth Brushing Tips From Your Redwood City Dentist

As a local Redwood City dentist, we practice preventative care so that our patients can stay in excellent oral health and avoid common problems like cavities and gum disease.  This starts by practicing good oral hygiene at home and following it up with regular trips to our dentist office.  During your appointment, we will remove any bacteria and plaque that you were unable to reach during regular brushing and flossing.  There are, however, ways that you can increase the effectiveness of your daily health care routine.

Here are teeth brushing tips to try:

• Start with the brush.  In order to get a good clean, you need to start with a good toothbrush.  We recommend that you use a soft toothbrush because a hard one can irritate your gums and start to strip the enamel way from your teeth.  This can lead to sensitivity and can even make your gums bleed.  
• Three months max.  Don’t use your toothbrush for more than three months.  They start to become ineffective when you use them for too long because the bristles break and fray.  When you notice that it doesn’t look like it is in good condition or is becoming stained, make sure to replace it.  Otherwise, use the three-month rule for buying a new one or replacing the head on your electronic toothbrush.  As a Redwood City dentist office, we also give out toothbrushes at teeth cleaning appointments.
• Keep it dry.  Your toothbrush needs to stay dry and clean.  If you go to brush your teeth and it is wet, more bacteria could be lingering on the brush itself which could make your mouth even dirtier.  Use a toothbrush holder so that it can air out during the day. 
• Movement matters.  Your tooth brushing technique can make a difference in how clean your teeth get. Move your brush around in circles and that go from top to bottom on your upper teeth and bottom to top on your lower teeth.  This way food and bacteria are brushed away from your gums and roots. 
• Brush it all.  Many people make the mistake of only brushing their actual teeth.  You need to brush every area of your teeth including the gum line.  Also brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth as these areas can harbor bacteria as well.  
• Toothpaste.  Use toothpaste that has the American Dental Association seal.  We also recommend using one with fluoride because it can help to strengthen your teeth by placing minerals directly onto them. 
• Frequency.  Brush your teeth at least twice a day, more if possible.  In the best case scenario, our patients would brush their teeth after every meal, floss daily, and use an antiseptic mouthwash.  These habits will help to prevent both cavities and gum disease from forming. 

As a Redwood City dentist, we can help you to stay in good oral health by removing the bacteria and plaque that you were unable to get with at home care.  Call today to schedule your exam. 

Tips for Taking Care of Sensitive Teeth from Your Redwood City Dentist

As a local Redwood City dentist, we treat a lot of patients with sensitive teeth. It is common for teeth to become more sensitive over time.  This can make it difficult to eat your favorite ice cream, brush your teeth, and even drink a glass of iced tea.  If you are struggling with sensitive or painful teeth, it is important to understand why teeth hurt in the first place.

Your Tooth Structure
Each one of your teeth has a layer of enamel that protects it from the elements – water, food, and air.  The area of your tooth and roots that is under your gums is protected by a layer of cementum.  These two materials are critical for protecting your teeth and preventing you from feeling pain. Underneath the enamel, your teeth are made of dentin.  There are small holes that run through the dentin to the roots of your teeth.  If you were to look at it under a microscope, it would look like someone took a pen and punched holes through a piece of paper.

Causes of Pain
When the enamel wears away, the dentin is exposed and so are the holes.  When air, food or water touch those holes, you can experience pain.  Enamel wears away through a process called demineralization so the older you are, the more likely you are to experience tooth sensitivity.  As a Redwood City dentist, we also look for signs of infection when determining what the cause of the sensitivity is.  Sometimes it can be due to a cavity or gum disease.  When this is the case, we can treat the condition so that your teeth can start to feel better.

Treatment Options
There are ways to decrease your tooth sensitivity at home.  You can start by using a desensitizing tooth paste.  This will help to reduce the pain by blocking sensations from being sent to the nerve.  Make sure that you use a soft toothbrush and brush your teeth gently.  You should rotate this with toothpaste that contains fluoride since fluoride is a mineral that will help to strengthen your teeth so that they won’t be as sensitive in the first place.  

You can also visit our Redwood City dentist office and request a fluoride treatment.  This will remineralize your teeth.  Some people also have their teeth bonded where a tooth colored material is applied to the surface of your teeth in order to seal in the dentin and prevent anything from touching it. Teeth that are infected need to be treated by having the cavity removed and a crown placed when necessary.  A crown surrounds the tooth like a cap, so this is an ideal option for highly sensitive teeth. 

If your sensitivity is caused by gum disease, you may need an in-depth cleaning or a gum graft in order to heal the area and cover the exposed area of the tooth and roots.  If you are suffering from tooth pain, schedule an appointment so that we can make sure there is no lingering and undiagnosed infection. 

Your Redwood City Dentist Can Prevent Gum Disease and Other Health Issues

At your local Redwood City Dentist office, Dr. Roy can treat all types of oral health issues and practices preventative care so that patients can enjoy life without interruption.  The challenge is that when people don’t have their teeth cleaned twice a year it can lead to cavities, gum disease, and other health issues.  The entire body is connected, and because of this a healthy mouth is essential for staying healthy overall.

When you have your teeth cleaned on a regular basis it allows the dental hygienist to remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth and gums.  This is important because no matter how often you brush and floss at home there are certain areas of your mouth that are difficult to reach.  Removing the bacteria helps to prevent both cavities and gum disease.  If Dr. Roy identifies any health issues, a treatment plan will be created so that you can stay in optimal health.

Gum disease is a major oral health issue that can impact everyone.  It typically starts due to poor oral hygiene or lack of dental care.  People who are diabetic are at a greater risk for the condition and should see the dentist more than twice a year in order to prevent health problems.  If you notice that your gums are swollen and painful or are bleeding, schedule a dental exam right away with our Redwood City dentist office.

The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis.  It is uncomfortable but not necessarily painful.  Gingivitis can make gums swell, bleed, and become red but typically the gums have not yet receded.  During a routine dental exam Dr. Roy will look for signs of gingivitis and if identified will perform a deep cleaning in order to remove bacteria from on and underneath the gums.  This procedure should be done right away because by removing the bacteria the gums are typically able to heal and the disease is reversed entirely.

If left untreated, gum disease will spread and can become painful.  It is common for pockets to develop in the gum tissue and expose the roots and structure of the tooth.  Bacteria will form in these pockets and start to attack the tooth and roots which may lead to teeth falling out or a painful dental abscess. Unfortunately, severe gum disease cannot be treated by simply cleaning it.  Oral surgery is often required in order to close up the pocket and secure the gums around the tooth once more.  While the procedure is more intensive, it is necessary for healing.

Preventing gum disease and treating it quickly if it does manifest is essential for the overall health of the body.  Most alarmingly gum disease has now been linked to the number one killer of men and women in the United States – heart disease.  Millions of people are impacted by heart disease, and it kills one out of every four men and one out of every three women.  Studies have found that 91 percent of people suffering from heart disease also have gum disease, showing a clear link between the two conditions.  This is only one example of how the health of your mouth can impact the rest of your body.  Prevent gum disease and other health issues by scheduling an appointment with our Redwood City dentist office today.

Diabetes and Oral Health: The Redwood City Dentist Treats Diabetic Patients

If you have diabetes, it is important to know that your Redwood City Dentist treats diabetic patients. As a premier family dentist located in Redwood California, we know that patients who suffer from diabetes also have their oral health affected by the disease. Dental care is critically important for diabetic patients because, quite simply, they face a higher level of risk associated with gum, tooth, and mouth health problems due to poorly controlled blood sugar levels. The less well controlled the blood sugar levels are in a patient, the higher their risk of oral health conditions and hence it is critical for such patients to experience ongoing and regular dental health care. 

There are more bacteria in your mouth than the entire population of the planet. The team at Roy Dental treats diabetic patients because we know that having diabetes means you are more exposed to those germs settling into your gums and causing additional problems like gum disease. Dr. Roy advises patients to keep their blood glucose levels under control in order to promote good overall health. If it is not under control, we will work to ensure that it does not adversely affect your teeth and gums by removing bacteria and plaque during regular teeth cleanings. For the nearly 30 million Americans that have diabetes, there is a direct correlation shown between having diabetes and an increase in the risk of contracting dangerous oral diseases like periodontist disease. 

Dr. Roy treats diabetic patients in our Redwood City Dentist office. Oral diseases can be made worse due to diabetes, something Dr. Roy can help to prevent.

Diabetics can suffer from the following:

• Dry mouth or a lack of saliva.  Dry mouth is a very common problem for those with diabetes. This can lead to additional oral health problems such as ulcers, tooth decay, and, infections
• Periodontitis and Gingivitis. These are two diseases which affect the gums and cause inflammation. Since patients with diabetes have thickened blood vessels, the ability of the body to fight infection due to a slowing down of the flow of nutrients and waste is exaggerated. Since diseases like periodontists disease are caused by bacterial infections in the mouth, the reduced ability of the body to naturally fight these infections can cause the infections to be more severe and occur more frequently. 
• Thrush.  This is a fungal growth which occurs in the mouth of patients who take antibiotics frequently to fight other infections. Our Redwood City Dentist office treats diabetic patients with this condition which causes burning mouth and tongue sensations. Since the fungus thrives on the high levels of sugar in the saliva of people with uncontrolled diabetes, it can be a common and annoying problem for patients to have. 
• Delayed healing times.  Many diabetic patients do not heal well or quickly after any surgery. The same is true for oral surgeries which may need to be performed to ensure that a patient has good oral health. An impairment of the blood flow to the site of the surgery make the healing process longer. 

For patients with diabetes it is important to find a dentist who is specifically aware of the challenges of treating a diabetic patient, so that they can provide the best possible care. Dr. Roy, a Redwood City dentist treats diabetic patients and has the experience to help you maintain the best possible oral health.