Welcome to the Dental Associates of Moreno Valley Blog!

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Welcome to the Dental Associates of Moreno Valley blog! Here, you’ll find all of the information you ever wanted to know about your dental health and your dental care at Dental Associates of Moreno Valley in Moreno Valley, California.

Your Dental Care in Moreno Valley

At Dental Associates of Moreno Valley, we offer comprehensive dental care, which means that we provide dental treatments and services of all kinds to patients of all ages from across the greater Riverside area. Some of these services include:

General Dentistry

  • Dental Cleanings
  • Dental Exams
  • Children’s Dentistry (more…)

Brushing Up On the Basics: Oral Hygiene Tips from Riverside Dentists

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If you are like most Americans, you probably learned how to care for your teeth at a young age. There was probably a week dedicated to getting to know your teeth in the second grade where an animated tooth told you to brush in the morning and before bed and go easy on the candy. While you may think you know everything you need to know about at-home dental care, you may have lost some of that knowledge along the way. Freshen up your adult oral hygiene routine by brushing up on the basics of caring for your smile.

When is the best time to brush your teeth?

Many people think brushing your teeth immediately after eating is an excessive, yet effective way of brushing your teeth. However, new studies show that brushing your teeth directly after eating might actually be harmful for your tooth enamel. When you eat soft breads, pastries, and other fermentable carbohydrates, your enamel temporarily becomes soft. This is because the enamel is being attacked by sugars and acid formation. Harsh brushing at this stage could actually do more harm to your teeth than good. This is why more dentists recommend brushing before bed and when you get up in the morning.

Why do I have bad breath in the morning?

In fact, brushing at these times in the day is crucial to protecting your teeth. Your mouth relies on saliva to wash away food particles, dead cells, and bacteria to keep your mouth fresh and clean. During the night, your saliva production dramatically drops, leaving you that stale breath feeling in the morning. Brushing before bed will remove the food particles and bacteria that can wreak havoc on your teeth overnight. In the morning, brushing your teeth removes the buildup of dead cells that your saliva did not wash away during your sleep. (more…)

Prosthodontic Treatment and Oral Surgery in Riverside, CA

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Last week, we discussed the orthodontic, periodontic, and endodontic services we provide to our Riverside, CA dental patients at Dental Associates of Riverside. Today, we’d like to discuss two other dental services we offer that go beyond the realm of general and preventive dental care: prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery.

What is Prosthodontic Treatment?

Prosthodontics is the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance, and health of our patients. (more…)

How much do you know about TMJ disorder?

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TMJ Disorder Questions

Q1. Which of the following does not describe TMJ disorder?

A. Issues with jaw pain

B. TMD

C. Temporary mouth joint disorder

D. Temporomandibular joint disorder

 

Q2. Which of the following is the temporomandibular joint?

A. A joint in your neck

B. The hinge joint for your lower jaw

C. Your knee joints

D. None of the above

 

Q3. True or False: Teeth grinding is both a symptom and a cause of TMJ disorder.

 

Q4. Which of the following is not a symptom of TMJ disorder?

A. Bruxism, or teeth grinding

B. Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods

C. Earaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain

D. Excessive tooth wear and loss of enamel

 

Q5. What are some effective treatments for TMJ disorder?

A. Correcting malocclusion

B. Nightguards

C. Stress relief

D. All of the above (more…)

Interesting Oral Hygiene History from your Riverside Dentist

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Practices in oral hygiene and dentistry have made big strides over the years. Advanced technology, precise methods, and increased awareness have allowed us to help our patients keep their teeth healthier for longer. Dentistry in ancient times was not always as comfortable, scientific, and successful as today though. Here are some interesting facts about the history of oral hygiene and dentistry.

  • A “tooth worm” was cited as the cause for cavities in a Sumerian text dating back to 5000 BC. Now, it is common knowledge that tooth decay is a result of a combination of sugar, bacteria, and saliva, to form acid. Enamel erosion from the acid formation leads to an infected tooth. In ancient history, however, the legend of the cavity-causing worm spread throughout India, Egypt, China, and Japan. The tooth worm is even referenced in Homer.
  • In the Middle Ages, barbers and general doctors performed mostly shoddy dentistry services. Today, dentistry has nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, each with specific qualifications, ranging from pediatric dentistry to oral surgery. Riverside Dental Group has a specialist from almost every field of dentistry.
  • In the 1950’s more than half of Americans over 65 years old had lost all of their permanent teeth. Today, less than a quarter of older people in the United States are toothless.
  • In the late 1800’s, a common wedding present for a young couple was the gift of tooth extractions. Many people from this time period believed removing all of their teeth would solve many oral health problems. Today, we know that optimal oral health depends on keeping as many of your healthy natural teeth as possible.
  • Daily oral hygiene was not a widespread practice in the United States or Britain until after the return of World War I soldiers, who had grown used to required teeth cleanings in the field. Currently, the American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth after every meal, or at least twice a day, including once in the morning and once before bed. Flossing is also an important part of a daily oral hygiene routine. (more…)

What do You Know About Your Tongue?

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When you have routine dental exams at Dental Associates of Riverside, your Riverside dentist focuses primarily on the health of your teeth and gums. We do, however, also check for signs of potential problems on your cheeks, tongue, and the roof and floor of your mouth. Why? Because these parts of your mouth have a large impact on the overall function of your oral health. Today, your Riverside dentist wants to focus on what your tongue does for you.

What is the Tongue?

Most people know that the tongue is a muscle, but most people aren’t aware that the tongue is the strongest and most flexible muscle in the human body.

The tongue also provides us with the ability to taste. Covered in moist pink tissue called mucosa and tiny bumps called papillae, the tongue is home to more than 3,000 taste buds that connect to nerves that run directly to the brain. (more…)

Making Over Your Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry in Riverside

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At Riverside Dental Group, we want to help our patients achieve not only healthy smiles, but also beautiful smiles that they’re proud to show off. That’s why dentist Dr. J. Timothy Harris and the entire Riverside Dental Group team offer top-of-the-line cosmetic dental treatments and services to our patients from across the greater Riverside, California area.

What do You want to Change About Your Smile?

Take a look at yourself in the mirror, and think about what you want to change about your smile. Do your teeth appear dull or yellow? Do you wish to say goodbye to unwanted chips, gaps, or crowding?

If so, the dentists at Riverside Dental Group offer a number of cosmetic dental procedures that improve not only the appearance of your smile, but also the functionality of your teeth. (more…)

Gum Disease Quiz from Riverside Dental Group

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Gum disease is a common condition. If you visit the dentist regularly, you have probably been told how important proper oral hygiene and dental cleanings are for preventing gum disease. Although gum disease is common, many people are unaware how gum disease affects your oral health and entire body. In fact, many patients hold common misconceptions about this oral health ailment. Test your periodontal knowledge with the short quiz below.

  1. Gum disease goes away on its own. True/False
  2. Up to 80% of the adult population in the United States will develop some form of gum disease. True/False
  3. Brushing your teeth is more beneficial than flossing. True/False
  4. Gum disease is not a serious condition. True/False
  5. Tooth loss is a natural part of aging. True/False
  6. Gum disease treatment is painful. True/False (more…)

Riverside Dental Group’s Oral Health Quiz

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Your oral health is connected to your entire wellbeing. Riverside Dental Group provides excellent dental care throughout Riverside County. Our group of talented dentists and dental professionals provide cosmetic, general, and restorative dentistry for your entire family. How much do you know about your teeth and oral health? Take the short quiz below to test your dental knowledge!

What’s Your Dentistry IQ?

  1. Teeth are living structures. True/False
  2. Tooth loss is a natural part of the aging process. True/False
  3. Periodontitis is the inflammation and infection of gum tissue. True/False
  4. Incisors and bicuspids are types of teeth. True/False
  5. Flossing your teeth daily is not necessary. True/False
  6. Tartar is hardened plaque. True/False
  7. Tartar buildup can only be removed by handheld dental tools. True/False
  8. Tooth enamel is made of minerals. True/False
  9. Bacteria cannot harm your teeth unless your enamel is damaged. True/False
  10. Sugar damages your tooth enamel. True/False (more…)

Oral Heath FAQs from Your Riverside Dentists

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With the launch of our new blog site, we will provide our patients and readers with helpful, educational information that addresses a wide range of topics related to oral health. Our blog site will allow our team at Riverside Dental Group to interact with patients, raise awareness about dental health, and answer common questions.

Why is flossing so important?

You have probably heard many times that you must floss every day. Flossing is important because it protects your gums from periodontal disease. When you floss, you remove plaque and debris that collect in the spaces between your teeth and along the gum line. Flossing also disrupts the formation of bacterial colonies near your gum tissue.

What type of toothbrush should I use?

The type of toothbrush you select depends on your personal preference. However, we recommend that you choose a soft-bristled toothbrush with the American Dental Association’s seal of approval. You should brush your teeth in gentle, circular motions twice a day for a minimum of two minutes. (more…)