Our Pediatric Dentistry Office Talks About a Common Cause For Braces

In our pediatric dentistry office, parents frequently ask us about braces and whether or not their child will need them. While it is impossible to say for certain, start by looking in the mirror.  If you or your spouse have crooked teeth or ever needed braces in order to straighten them, there is a higher likelihood that your child will as well.  We understand that it is normal to want to know so that you can start saving up for braces early on.  Still, it is impossible to know 100 percent if it will be necessary. With that in mind we suggest that you take the time to understand why kids need them in the first place. 

Overcrowding is a major concern and one reason that patients end up needing braces.  Teeth can become overcrowded when baby teeth fall out too soon. Take a look at a young child.  It is very rare that you will ever see one with a crooked smile.  Baby teeth are generally straight with the occasional gap here and there. Otherwise, they look good.  The problem is that if your child gets into an accident, knocks out a tooth on the playground or gets a major infection; their baby teeth may fall out suddenly and before their time.  With this happens, the surrounding teeth start to move out of their position, crowding out the space that was left for the new adult tooth to come in.  As a result, the adult tooth can come in behind or in front of another tooth or sideways.  

In our pediatric dentistry office, we can help to prevent overcrowding by decreasing the chance of a baby tooth falling out too soon.  For this reason, we recommend visiting our office twice a year for a thorough teeth cleaning. We can remove harmful plaque and treat cavities and infections before they can spread.  By doing so, we keep teeth both healthy and strong.  Teeth that are free from infections are less likely to crack or chip upon impact.  Infected teeth, however, are likely to sustain damage during a simple accident.  This makes preventative care extremely important. We can also help by creating a mouth guard that your child can wear while practicing or playing sports. Doing so prevents hundreds of thousands of tooth injuries every year and can prevent your child’s tooth from being knocked out before it is supposed to fall out naturally.  

By keeping teeth clean, healthy and away from accidents, we can decrease the likelihood that they will ever need braces to majorly straighten their teeth.  In some cases, this requires simple preventative care while other times the intervention needs to be more active. If, for some reason, your child does end up needing braces, there are several options to straighten their teeth.  For example, some children start with an expander that widens the pallet in order to make room for their adult teeth while others use a spacer to accomplish a similar goal.  If braces, are necessary we can make recommendations and supervise the care of your child to ensure that their teeth remain in excellent health. To learn more, call our pediatric dentistry office. 

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. 

A Dentist Explains Why Your Gums Are Bleeding

You should visit the dentist at least twice a year in order to have your teeth cleaned.  If you notice that in between dental visits your gums are starting to bleed, it could be a sign of a problem.  Here are some of the reasons why your gums may be bleeding:

• Food.  What you eat can irritate your gums.  Foods that have hard edges like tortilla chips can cut your gums and irritate them to the point that they start to bleed before and during brushing.  You also need to be careful to avoid eating too much sugar, especially candy that is also acidic.  It will irritate the inside of your mouth, create discomfort and at times, bleeding. 
• Your toothbrush.  If you use a toothbrush with hard bristles, it may be irritating your gums and causing them to bleed. Many people make the mistake of thinking that they need to use a hard toothbrush in order to get a good clean.  The reality is that a hard toothbrush can strip away your enamel and irritate your gums. Buy a new brush and see if it helps.
• The way you brush.  Even if you use a softer toothbrush, you may still be irritating your gums by brushing from back to front instead of brushing in a circular pattern.  Try changing the way that you brush your teeth to see if the bleeding stops. We can demonstrate how to properly brush your teeth when you visit our dentist office. 
• Not flossing enough.  If you only floss your teeth once a month, you could end up with bleeding gums every time that you do.  Your gums may even bleed when you floss due to food and bacteria being trapped in small places, creating additional irritation. We recommend that you floss on a daily basis so that your teeth and gums can stay healthy. 
• Gum disease.  If you have the early signs of gum disease (gingivitis) it can make your gums swell, hurt, and even bleed when you brush your teeth.  Gum disease needs to be treated right away before it spreads and causes your gums to recede or creates a larger infection.  It typically starts when bacteria becomes trapped in between your gums and your teeth and roots.  In our dentist office, we can treat gum disease by removing the bacteria and plaque that’s underneath your gums. This way they can start to heal and the symptoms will be eliminated. 

Most of the reasons for bleeding gums can be avoided by learning how to brush your teeth properly and by visiting the dentist on a regular basis. These simple changes can make a big difference in how comfortable you are and how healthy your mouth stays.  If, however, changing your brushing and eating habits don’t help – you may have gum disease.  If you think this may be the case, call and schedule a dentist appointment so that your gums can be treated immediately.  This will prevent the infection from spreading so that you can become healthy again. 

Tips from the Dentist for Keeping Your Teeth Healthy This Halloween

As a local dentist, we work to keep our patients’ teeth and gums in the best possible health.  This is important because by preventing cavities and gum disease, we can keep our patients feeling great and free from tooth pain.  Many parents ask us questions about Halloween candy and whether or not they should let their kids eat it.  The reality is that sugar is bad for your teeth and gums so if you do let them eat it, take precautionary measures as well. 

Here is what we recommend:

• Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste.  If you brush your kid’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste, it will help to strengthen them and prevent cavities.  This makes them less likely to become infected due to an occasional candy bar.  Before going out on Halloween, brush their teeth so that they are not putting sugar onto already dirty teeth. 
• Visit the dentist.  It is important to start with healthy teeth.  Don’t go into the holiday season with a mouth full of cavities.  Schedule an appointment for you and your kids to have your teeth cleaned and examined so that we can treat any cavities before they have a chance to cause tooth pain.
• Eat a healthy dinner.  Before going trick-or-treating, eat a dinner that is healthy and full of veggies, lean protein, dairy products, and complex carbs.  This will help your kids to feel full so that they won’t overindulge on candy. 
• Take water with you.  When your kids want a piece of candy, have them take a drink of water before and after.  It will help them to feel less hungry, and the water will wash away the sugar afterwards.
• Bring healthy snacks.  You can pack healthy snacks to carry on Halloween.  If your child gets hungry, give them an apple instead of reaching into the candy bag.  
• Limit how much they eat.  Talk to your kids before you start trick-or-treating about how much candy they are allowed to eat.  By setting a limit, you can avoid the annual sugar rush.  This is also a good way to teach them how to eat in moderation instead of overindulging.  

When you get home from trick-or-treating, ask your kids to trade their bag of candy for a toy or a gift card.  This is a good way to incentivize them to give up sugary treats in exchange for something that is just as fun, but not bad for their health. By getting them to trade, you are showing that Halloween can be fun without loading up on candy. This is one way to set healthy habits and show them that rewards don’t need to be tied to food. 

If they do eat candy on Halloween, make sure to brush their teeth afterwards.  As a dentist, we also recommend that you carry a travel size antiseptic mouthwash.  This way they can rinse their mouth and kill the bacteria without needing to be near a sink and toothbrush.  

Stay safe and have fun this Halloween!

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. 

Everything You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

If you want to improve your smile, teeth whitening is one of the easiest ways to do so.  This is an affordable procedure that can produce dramatic results without causing any pain or discomfort.  Many of our patients are so pleased with how their smile looks that they don’t need any other cosmetic procedures when they are done.  For example, people considering veneers are often happy enough with the results of teeth whitening that they no longer need the additional procedure. 

Our professional system produces more dramatic results than anything you can buy over the counter.  Teeth can be whitened by up to eight shades where most over-the-counter systems only whiten teeth by two.  

Here is how the process works:

• Whitening solution.  The majority of teeth whitening solutions contain peroxide.  Peroxide can penetrate the enamel and oxidize the compounds inside of the enamel that are responsible for creating color.  After being oxidized, the molecules become colorless and whiter teeth are created.  There are two main types of peroxide that are used – hydrogen and carbamide with the latter producing more controlled results. 
• Sensitivity.  Many of our patients want to know if their teeth will be sensitive after using these products.  If using a professional solution (given by the dentist) there should be no sensitivity or very little sensitivity because the fit will be perfect, and the solution will be applied in the correct dosage.  However, there have been reports of sensitivity and discomfort from people that have purchased over-the-counter kits or gone to a non-dentist in order to have their teeth whitened.  By visiting a dentist, the procedure will be done by a licensed doctor, rather than someone who has had no medical training.  The more experienced a dentist has, the better the results. 
• Types of whitening.  There are several types of teeth whitening procedures that are available for you to try.  Over-the-counter whitening strips and trays are common, but they can slide off, are not a custom fit, and produce limited results.  Professional solutions can be administered in-office or in a tray that you wear at home.  If you buy the trays, they can be used at any time and will be made to fit your mouth perfectly so that there is no leakage.  Both work well so the procedure you select should be based on your schedule and needs. 
• How white will they get?  The solution that you use will greatly impact how white your teeth become.  One of the reasons people like the trays created by a dentist is that they can control the whitening process.  Teeth become whiter over time so once you have reached the desired shade; you can stop wearing the trays.  If your teeth start to look yellow, simply wear them again. The in-office procedure produces stunning results in one sitting, so there is less control over slowing down the process. 

If you are considering having your teeth whitened, get them cleaned first. Schedule an appointment with our office so that we can remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth.  This way they will be clean and prepared for your whitening procedure. 

A Dentist Review of Boston University’s Coffee Study

We read a study recently and, as a local dentist, wanted to share the exciting news – coffee can help your gums to stay healthier.  Boston University conducted a study over the course of thirty years.  This is not a simple, quick study.  Instead, they spent three decades observing 1,000 men.  The men that drank one or more cups of coffee a day had less bone loss in their teeth, a common sign of gum disease.  Due to the duration of the study and number of participants, it is safe to say that drinking coffee can be good for you.

The Boston researchers also evaluated whether or not heavy coffee drinking had any negative health consequences for teeth or gums.  They couldn’t find any.  We of course, want to remind patients that drinking a lot of coffee can stain your teeth and make them appear yellow.  Fortunately, our teeth whitening services can brighten teeth that have become stained, so there is an easy solution for this.

The study was authored by Raul Garcia, D.M.D. and in his findings he believes that the reason coffee lowered the risk of gum disease and bone loss was because it is an anti-inflammatory agent.  Coffee can, therefore, reduce gum swelling.  This is important since swelling is bad for the gums and can become uncomfortable.  As a dentist, we see several types of patients that have an increased risk for gum swelling including diabetics and pregnant women.  Restricted blood flow is responsible for swollen gums in these scenarios, and drinking a cup of coffee may help to reduce the swelling.

Overall, the study is fantastic news for people that can’t resist their morning cup of java.  Caffeine does have its benefits after all.  The thing to remember is that after drinking coffee, you should brush your teeth.  Unless you take your coffee black, the cream and sugar can actually be bad for your teeth.  This is because sugar can turn into acid and attack your teeth, leading to cavities.  By simply brushing your teeth, afterwards you can get the anti-inflammatory benefits without the increased risk of cavities.

As with anything, balance is important.  As a local dentist, we remind patients that it is important to continue drinking water throughout the day because staying hydrated helps with saliva production, important for a healthy mouth.  People should also brush and floss throughout the day in order to prevent gum disease and cavities from forming.  Finally, having teeth cleaned at least twice a year will provide a final line of defense against oral health issues.  No matter how hard you try, bacteria and plaque will get trapped in between teeth, along the gums and in hard to reach places.  These regular teeth cleanings give us the opportunity to remove bacteria and plaque before they create oral health issues.  If any develop, we can identify them and provide treatment right away before they can cause oral pain.  In the meantime, consider adding a daily cup of coffee to your morning routine.