Riverside Dentists Discuss the Oral-Systemic Connection

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Good oral hygiene habits not only protect the health of your mouth, they also help maintain your overall health. An increasing number of studies link a series of illnesses and diseases to oral health. While researchers have documented some connections better than others, a common link is bacteria.

Portal to Your Body

Think of your mouth as a portal to the rest of your body. What lives and grows in your mouth does not necessarily stay there. While most of the bacteria in your mouth are harmless, some cause tooth decay and infection. When left unchecked, these bacteria can enter your body through airways or your blood stream. Bacteria can cling to droplets of moisture, which you can then inhale into your lungs. Once in your lungs, these bacteria can cause pulmonary infection and pneumonia. More commonly, bacteria can enter your blood stream through the gums. Gum disease largely enables this process. (more…)

Temecula Dentists Share Advice On The Loss Of Baby Teeth

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Aside from Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy is one of the most revered childhood icons. Who doesn’t remember the thrill and excitement that came with losing a baby tooth? While losing baby teeth is a huge milestone for a child, some parents wonder about steps they need to take to ensure their child maintains good oral health and development.

Educating Your Children

At The Oasis Family Dental, we see losing a baby tooth as a great time to educate your child on a number of different oral development topics. We encourage you to bring your child in for a check-up around this time, so your Temecula dentist can ensure that your child’s progression into oral maturity is going well.

One thing you should consider is breaking your child of bad habits, such as thumb sucking and nail biting. Since these tendencies can cause your child’s adult teeth to buck or become misaligned, it’s important that you explain to them the consequences associated with these habits.

This is also a great time to reiterate the benefits of good oral hygiene. Showing your child the proper ways to brush and floss, at an early age, will encourage these habits throughout adulthood.

During this time, some children may feel self-conscious or embarrassed about the way they look. It’s important to explain to them that everyone goes through this stage in life, and it’s a completely normal part of their development.

Call For A Consultation

If you have any questions, or want to schedule an appointment, call our Temecula, CA dentist office at (951) 695-2290 to reserve an appointment.

 

Brushing Tips from Your Riverside Dentists

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We learn to brush our teeth as children, and the practice becomes rote. Many people are brushing their teeth at 40 the same way they brushed their teeth at 5, which could be incorrect or inadequate. Proper brushing technique can mean the difference between years of solidly good oral health, or ongoing issues with tooth decay. Your Riverside dental practices believe prevention is the cornerstone of good oral health. Therefore, we would like to share a few guidelines for better brushing.

Brush Often and Thoroughly

Adults should be brushing at least twice a day, and preferably, after each meal. The sooner you clean your teeth after eating, the less time plaque has to accumulate. Plaque is a thin, sticky film that is formed by bacteria. If you allow plaque to remain on your teeth, it produces an acid that breaks down the tooth structure. This acid erosion leads to cavities, and can ultimately lead to tooth loss.

When you brush your teeth, take your time. Spend at least two solid minutes cleaning every single tooth. Brush inside the biting surfaces, as well as outside. Get behind the back teeth, and don’t neglect your gumline. Also, brush your tongue. This helps combat halitosis and is an important part of your brushing routine.

Use the Right Brush

Many people think that the harder the bristles, the cleaner the teeth. This is untrue. You can clean your teeth just as well with a soft-bristled brush, and softer bristles mean less irritation to the oral tissues. Using a hard-bristled brush, or simply brushing too hard with any brush, can damage the gums.

Make sure you rinse your brush after every use and store it upright. Allow the brush to air-dry between uses, and avoid putting covers on your brush. This practice encourages the growth of bacteria. Replace your toothbrush every three months, or if the bristles are frayed.

Schedule an Appointment

If you have questions about oral hygiene or wish to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverside Dental Group, please call our office at (951) 689-5031. We have six dental offices serving Southern California.

The Connection Between Sinus Pressure and Toothaches

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Even as the summer comes to a close, allergy sufferers are complaining of discomfort as their allergies and sinuses flare up. If you suffer from allergies and sinuses, do you sometimes have a toothache to accompany your nasal symptoms? If so, you’re not alone. Often, dental patients wonder why sinus pressure affects the teeth and how to tell if a toothache is sinus or oral health related. Today, the dentists at Oasis Dental in Temecula, California want to answer these questions.

How does sinus pressure affect the teeth?

The maxillary sinuses are located in the lower part of the face, right above the upper dental arch. Generally, the maxillary sinuses need to drain upward. When the sinus cavities become congested, they swell and consequently put pressure on the upper teeth and cheeks. This can create uncomfortable tooth pain that can feel identical to an infection or injury-induced toothache.

How can I tell the difference between sinus pressure and a toothache?

The dentists at Oasis Dental, can determine if your pain stems from sinus pressure or an oral problem. How? With a percussion test. During a percussion test, your dentist will tap on your teeth to determine where the pain is located. If there is pain in all of your teeth, the pain is most likely a result of sinus pressure. If there is pain in just one tooth, however, it’s likely that the tooth has fallen victim to infection or injury. If the latter is true of your condition, we will suggest possible treatment plans to help you restore comfort, functionality, and health to your smile.

If you are experiencing a toothache and can’t determine the cause, call our Temecula, CA dentist office at (951) 695-2290 to reserve an appointment.

Moreno Valley Dentists Explain Orthodontics

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As dentistry advanced and our knowledge of dental health grew, it became apparent that some aspects of dentistry required their own science to master. For instance, the position of your teeth and how they fit together can vary so widely, and influence so many other factors, that an entire branch of dentistry evolved around this phenomenon. Orthodontics is the dental specialty that focuses on studying and treating malocclusion, or poorly aligned teeth. Your Moreno Valley dentists explain how you and your family can benefit from the science of orthodontics.

The Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment

If you’re unhappy with your smile, chances are that you don’t smile very often, if at all. The aesthetic value of orthodontic treatment is impressive. Studies have shown that smiling can positively influence your personal, social, and professional life, and improve your mood. Because smiling is infectious, flashing your pearly whites can make others around you do the same, creating a lighter atmosphere and more pleasant environment. (more…)

Corona’s Discrete Solution for a Straighter Smile

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The term “malocclusion” refers to an incorrect alignment of the upper and lower dental arches, meaning the upper and lower teeth do not fit together properly when your jaw is at rest. The most common forms of malocclusion are overbite (upper teeth extend too far), underbite (lower teeth extend too far), and crossbite (teeth angle toward the cheek or toward the tongue, instead of straight up). The most common form of treatment for a misaligned bite is braces. Many teenagers and adults, however, would prefer not to adorn their teeth with metal wires and brackets for the duration of treatment, which could take years. Luckily, your Corona dentists have options to straighten your teeth discretely, without the use of unsightly metal hardware.

Invisalign vs Traditional Braces

A common problem with traditional metal braces is that, for the duration of treatment, patients have to take extreme care with the food they eat. Popcorn, pizza crusts, pretzels, corn on the cob, and many other delicious foods are off limits when you have a complex network of metal attached to the front of your teeth. Invisalign technology abolishes the need for cumbersome hardware. The smooth, virtually invisible plastic aligners are not only discrete, they are removable, so you can eat whatever you like during the course of your treatment. Invisalign also eliminates those awkward moments when jagged metal brackets scratch or scrape the inside of your mouth. (more…)

The Best Ways to Lose Your Teeth Explained by Riverside Dentists

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often discuss the best way to keep your mouth healthy and strong. Today we will put a twist on this information and present the best ways to lose most of, if not all of your teeth. While losing teeth is certainly not a good dental health goal, knowing what causes tooth loss can be just as beneficial as understanding preventive dentistry.

Don’t Brush Your Teeth

“Brush only the teeth you want to keep” is a favorite quote among dentists by an anonymous wise person. is the number one cause of missing permanent teeth. Poor oral hygiene can contribute to gingivitis as well as tooth decay that attacks the tooth’s connection to the jawbone, called abscess. This painful dental condition is often untreatable with restorative dentistry measures. Instead, some abscessed teeth must be extracted.

Play Hockey without a Mouthguard

This is one of the best ways to incur a dental injury, and possibly concussion. Some sports studies have shown that proper sports mouthguards soften the blow to the head, reducing the risk of deadly concussions. Hockey is notorious for the gapped-tooth grin due to . For avulsed teeth, or knocked out teeth, one of your best bets is a hockey stick, hockey puck, or fist to the mouth. Without mouth protection, all of these projectiles will certainly cause dental injury. In fact, last season, one NHL player lost seven teeth in one game. Tooth chipping is also not uncommon for hockey players. (more…)

Riverside Dentists Discuss Types of Mouthwash

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Most dentists agree that while mouthwash can help keep your mouth healthy, it is not a necessary ingredient in your oral hygiene routine. The best way to protect against cavities and gum disease is to brush your teeth twice daily, floss regularly (once a day), and have your teeth cleaned every six months. Using a mouthwash does have benefits, though. For one, mouthwash can wake you up in the morning, make your breath feel fresher, and help prepare you mentally for your day. There are medical benefits, as well. Some mouthwashes strengthen enamel, while others treat mouth infections.

The following is a list detailing the different types of mouthwashes available today. Some categories overlap, but speaking in general terms, there are three kinds. Each is suited to a specific function, so your individual needs should be first on your mind when considering which to buy.

Cosmetic

This first category of mouthwashes only disguises bad breath by making your breath smell fresher. These do not provide any medical benefit and you should not use them to protect against cavities or prevent gum disease. While they do help keep your teeth clean, they do not actually reduce your risk of tooth decay. (more…)

All about Dental Crowns from your Riverside Dentists

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 from porcelain crowns, to PFMs and zirconia crowns, and how each can help improve your smile.

The Need for Dental Crowns

Excessive tooth decay from internally infected teeth can wreak havoc on your oral health. If a cavity is not addressed in a timely fashion, the decay will reach deeper into the tooth, destroying the nerves and creating toothache. At our Riverside dental office, we always work diligently to help you avoid internally infected teeth by addressing cavities at the earliest sign; however, once tooth decay has breached the tooth enamel, a root canal is necessary. After most root canal procedures, our will place a dental crown to build back the tooth’s strength and cosmetic appeal, while preventing further infection. Dental crowns cover the entire exposed portion of the tooth, mimicking cusps, shapes, and sizes of the tooth with a durable material.

Types of Dental Crowns

A dental crown can be made from a variety of materials. One of the most popular dental restorations, offer durability that and cosmetic appeal that closely mimics the look of a natural tooth. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, or PFM crowns, are another variety of dental restoration that combines the aesthetics of porcelain with the ultra-durability of metal. This is a great option for people with bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding. Zirconia crowns are one of the strongest dental restorations available, and quickly becoming the go-to choice for restorative dentists. (more…)

The Domino Effect of Tooth Loss Explained by Riverside Dentists

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will explain the domino effect a missing tooth can have on your entire smile and how dental implants can help.

Teeth Are Placeholders

Did you know that each of your teeth rely on surrounding teeth to keep them in place? That’s why can create a problem for your back molars and the void from a missing tooth can leave other teeth vulnerable. Without a missing tooth, other teeth may drift out of place from speech patterns, eating habits, and other subtle influences.

Missing Teeth Can Lead to Maloclussion

When teeth are out of alignment, it creates bigger problems for your whole mouth. A misaligned bite can cause problems for your teeth by contributing to bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding. Malocclusion, or misaligned bite, is one of the main reasons for bruxism. This harmful dental condition results in symptoms like excessive tooth wear, headaches, .

Teeth Keep Your Jaw Healthy

Missing teeth also have some less known but serious implications for your total health. Without chewing stimulation from tooth roots, your jawbone will slowly deteriorate. This occurs because the nerves no longer send signals to the brain that the section of jawbone needs nourishment. Therefore, over time, the jawbone will begin to shrink. (more…)