Diet is Important to Good Oral Hygiene

At Alta Loma Dental Care, we advise our patients to eat as healthy as possible. To prevent cavities and maintain good oral health, it is important to understand how certain foods can damage your teeth.

When possible, we encourage our patients to avoid eating foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar. Bacteria in your mouth turns sugars and carbohydrates into acids that break down your tooth enamel and cause tooth decay.

Foods that are healthy for your body and your teeth include lean meats, cheese, nuts, fruits, and green vegetables. The calcium and phosphorus in these foods help to protect your tooth enamel and gives your teeth minerals that are removed by acidic foods.

Along with following a healthy diet, we encourage you to floss and brush your teeth twice a day to prevent tooth decay. Don’t forget to make an appointment with us for cleaning and a check-up twice a year.

To learn more about all of the services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadental.comfor more information. To schedule in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268. 

Electronic verses Traditional Toothbrushes

There are a lot of options to choose when getting a new toothbrush. We advise our patients to change toothbrushes every 3-4 months or when their bristles are worn down. If the bristles begin to get splayed and distorted, means you are no longer effectively brushing your teeth.

You have two options when choosing a toothbrush: you can use a traditional toothbrush or an electric one. We encourage our patients who have trouble brushing for a full two minutes to get an electric toothbrush. Electric bristles rotate to help you remove plaque from your teeth and gums more effectively. If you are thorough with brushing your teeth for two minutes, a traditional toothbrush works perfectly fine.

It doesn’t matter what kind of toothbrush you use as long as you are brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. We advise our patients to schedule an appointment for cleaning twice a year with us. We want you to have your best smile!

To learn more about all of the services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadental.comfor more information. To schedule in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268. 

How to Clean a Night Guard

One of our specialties at Alta Loma Dental Care is providing customized night guards for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Also called snore guards, night guards are removable oral appliances that keep the teeth apart during the patient’s sleep so they won’t rub together. They also reposition the jaw to help keep the patient’s airways open. But as with any oral appliance, bacteria will build up on the night guard unless it is kept clean.

Nightguard manufacturers also make cleaning solutions and other hygiene products they advertise on their website. These products are often of high quality, but the patient should still brush the appliance after removing it each morning. A soft-bristled toothbrush will remove the bacterial film that develops in the patient’s mouth. However, the patient should not use toothpaste on the night guard, as the gritty minerals are likely to scratch its soft plastic and do not provide any benefit.

Unlike dentures, some night guards are meant to be kept dry when not in use. But regardless of how they are stored, the case should be cleaned every day with antibacterial soap. It’s also important to keep the case away from anything too hot and out of sunlight because the night guard’s shape could be distorted. A patient’s teeth may migrate naturally over time, which would require the night guard to be adjusted, but patients should not attempt to do this on their own.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Why Do Gums Get Swollen Around Stuck Teeth?

If you have half-erupted wisdom teeth, dental overcrowding isn’t your only problem. You could also be at risk for pericoronitis: inflammation around a dental crown. At Alta Loma Dental Care, we care for patients of all ages and keep a sharp eye out for problems in how adolescent patients’ teeth erupt. If pericoronitis is not stopped, it could lead to pain and a worse infection.

Dentists say teeth are “impacted” when they are unable to fully push through the gum line. It is common for the upper canines to be impacted and for the lower wisdom teeth to get stuck after partially erupting. The wisdom teeth can be especially troublesome because they often do not emerge until the patient has already undergone orthodontic work and is old enough for their jaw bone to have become more resistant to tooth migration. An impacted wisdom tooth will often be partially covered by a flap of gum tissue called an operculum. The operculum is a trap for food debris and bacterial build-up, causing the gum tissue to be inflamed.

Patients will struggle to clean a partially-covered tooth. They may try oral antibiotics and swishing warm salt water around their mouths, but the infections will likely recur. At our office, we can cut away an operculum and extract most impacted wisdom teeth. The procedure will leave the patient free from the risk of overcrowding and any additional discomfort that could result. But if patients maintain regular dental appointments, we will be able to identify stalled wisdom teeth earlier.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Do You Know Your Dental Instruments?

The instruments at a dental office are hopefully a familiar sight to you, but you may not know their names. At Alta Loma Dental Care, we’re always happy to answer patients’ questions, but often, people may struggle with what to ask if they don’t feel equipped for a discussion. We thought it would be a good idea to let patients know a little more about our instruments and how we use them.

We’re providers of 6-month braces, but most of our patients come in for cleanings and fillings. During cleanings, our hygienists will rely heavily on the handheld mirror and hooked instruments called probes or explorers. Probes have a hook that forms a ninety-degree angle with the handle and are used to test the cleanliness of gum pockets. Explorers are used to break apart calculus, the mineral and bacterial build-up on teeth, and to test the hardness of enamel. One of the things that sets our office apart is that we also use lasers to remove bacterial build-up. While breaking apart calculus, we occasionally have the patient close their lips around an evacuator, which is the tube that vacuums out debris.

Larger evacuators are needed for drilling away tooth decay. Before drilling begins, patients are numbed with an anesthetic delivered through a syringe. The drill sprays water to prevent overheating. Following the decay’s removal, we apply the filling in layers using a blunt instrument called a burnisher. We can also use a laser to desensitize tooth roots and then apply sealants to them.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

The Connection Between Gum Disease and Cirrhosis

More research comes out every week about the importance of oral health. That’s hardly a surprise to us at Alta Loma Dental Care, but we’re happy to see the effects of gum disease getting more attention. A new study examined the relationship between gingivitis and cirrhosis and found that periodontal therapy can have some unexpected benefits.

When the liver is healthy, it filters toxic substances out of our blood. But when it is chronically inflamed, it can develop scar tissue that prevents it from doing its job. The body will suffer widespread inflammation as a result, including in the brain, which can result in mood swings and a loss of cognitive function. Liver disease and gum disease can both be caused by smoking and excessive alcohol, so it is unsurprising that they would often be present in the same people. But gum disease is also common in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, despite their not seeming to share a common etiology.

To study the connection, researchers divided people with both diseases into a group that received gum disease treatment immediately and one that received it later. They found that when the patients were treated, their cirrhosis symptoms also significantly improved compared to the control group. Their cognition was better, and they had higher counts of gut bacteria that prevent inflammation. Scientists are still working out the exact relationship, but they’ve also found bacteria that cause gum disease in the liver. We hope our patients will take this research as evidence of how beneficial regular cleanings can be.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Avoiding Tooth Decay during the Holidays

It’s the time of year for feasting, toasting, and sugary treats, so oral hygiene is especially important. We at Alta Loma Dental Care want our patients to be able to enjoy the holidays without getting a toothache later, so we thought it would be a good idea to point out some common sources of decay and how better choices can make for a better holiday season.

Oral bacteria produces acid was a waste product, which is what causes tooth decay. But tooth decay rates are more closely correlated with the amount of time sugar is left on teeth than the amount or type of sugar in food. When people snack on starchy foods such as crackers during family visits, the debris gets lodged in indentations or between teeth and it’s often several hours until they brush it away. The same is true of drinks such as apple cider, hot chocolate, lattes, and spirits, which leave a sugary residue on the teeth and are often drunk slowly. Sugary drinks such as sodas also dry out the mouth, preventing saliva from washing residue away.

People produce the most saliva when they are eating meals, so it’s best to limit sugar to those times. It’s also a good idea to carry sugar-free gum, which can dislodge some food debris in between meals, and to stick to hard candies that have been flavored with xylitol. If you’re traveling somewhere without fluoridated water, try taking some bottles with you. In between sipping sugary drinks, you can also take sips of water, which will rinse a little sugar away.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

How Diabetes and Gum Disease Interact

Bleeding gums are common, but they’re not healthy. We can provide deep cleanings of the gum pockets at Alta Loma Dental Care, but we need our patients to recognize when it’s time to get help. That’s especially important for people with diabetes, who have higher rates of gum disease. It’s not just their oral health that depends on good dental care.

People with diabetes are predisposed to chronic inflammation. When the body detects an infection, such as one in the gum pockets, inflammation is the immune system’s initial response. It helps to isolate pathogens and direct white blood cells to where they need to go. But inflammation is uncomfortable and has damaging effects if it persists long-term, and people with uncontrolled high blood sugar have difficulty fighting infections. So while gingivitis, or gum inflammation, is high in the general population, it’s even more common among people with diabetes. If it progresses, it can cause gum tissue to recede, leaving the teeth less supported. There is also evidence that gum disease makes it harder for the body to regulate blood sugar, resulting in a feedback loop.

Fortunately, gum disease treatments are effective interventions. But to stop gum disease before it starts, people with diabetes need to keep proper protocol when brushing and flossing and to keep regular appointments so we can provide below-the-gum cleanings.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of apnea that is caused by an obstruction of the airway. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something partly or completely blocks the upper airway during slumber. This causes the diaphragm and chest to work harder to open the airway and pull air into the lungs. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, schedule a consultation with one of our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care.

If you wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air, this is a serious cause for concern. You should seek treatment if you or your partner experience excessive daytime drowsiness, loud snoring, awakening with a dry mouth or a sore throat, and/or drastic mood changes. People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea may not be aware that their sleep is being interrupted.

If you have questions or concerns about sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Cosmetic Dental Services

From subtle changes to major repairs, at Alta Loma Dental Care we offer a variety of procedures to improve your smile. While traditional dentistry addresses the health of your teeth and gums, cosmetic dentistry focuses on the appearance of your teeth, mouth, and smile as a whole. At Alta Loma Dental Care our cosmetic services include veneers, whitening, bonding, and more.

Cosmetic treatments can be used to straighten, lighten, reshape, and repair teeth. Tooth whitening has gained popularity in the dental industry because it allows patients to enhance the appearance of their teeth in-office or in the comfort of their own home. Cosmetic dentistry refers to any type of dental work that improves the appearance of teeth, gums or bite. If you desire a smile makeover, schedule a consultation to discuss our cosmetic procedures.

If you have questions or concerns about cosmetic services, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Why Teeth are Extracted

We promise to provide patients with the all the information they need to make the best decisions at Alta Loma Dental Care. When tooth extractions are on the table, patients will naturally want to know whether they’re the best choice, which is why we wanted to explain some of the reasons why teeth might need to be removed.

We provide new crowns to teeth that are badly decayed or cracked, but in the worst cases, there is a limit to what we can do. A tooth that has been broken all the way down to the root will need to be removed so it can be replaced with an implant. This process will allow the jaw bone to retain its mass and avoid the risk of infection. A tooth might also be removed in cases of unusual development, such as if the baby teeth never fall out naturally.

The majority of extractions are done to preserve the shape of a patient’s dental arch. We provide 6-month Smiles orthodontics at our practice, and but fixing significant problems with the patient’s bite may require us to make more room by removing a set of premolars. The wisdom teeth are also frequently removed because there is not enough room for them to fully erupt without displacing teeth that have already undergone orthodontic care.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Dental Bridges Made Fast

When patients at Alta Loma Dental Care need new crowns, they don’t need to make a second appointment. Our CEREC machine allows us to mill prosthetic teeth in-house, often in under an hour. This is particularly useful for people who need multiple crowns replaced in the form of bridges.

A bridge is a dental prosthetic which replaces several teeth in a row. Traditionally, they were made by reshaping two natural teeth and placing new crowns over them, with a third crown suspended in between. This method worked best when the teeth being reshaped were badly decayed and needed to be replaced, anyway. It had the advantage of allowing patients to retain their natural tooth roots, which are more durable, but required a lot of preparation. The link between the crowns also helped prevent the teeth from migrating.

Newer dental bridges can be made with more customization for a patient’s needs. Partial dentures can be designed around healthy teeth, and fixed bridges can be supported by multiple implants. Because we can fabricate bridges at our office, patients need not wear artificial crowns after having their natural teeth reshaped, sparing them time and allowing them to go home with a smile they can be proud of.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

How does Sjogren's Syndrome affect Oral Health?

The dentists at Alta Loma Dental Care are happy to be part of the care teams for people suffering from autoimmune disorders. One disorder which affects oral health is Sjögren’s Syndrome, which can cause dry mouth and which dentists often help to identify.

In people with Sjögren’s Syndrome, the body attacks the tear and saliva glands. It can also impact the joints and is commonly seen in people with lupus, most of whom are older women. Also like lupus, it appears to have a genetic component but be triggered by infections. Sjögren’s Syndrome is painful but especially dangerous for oral health because of the role saliva plays in clearing out food debris and maintaining the right balance of bacteria. People with dry mouth are at high risk for gum disease.

There are medications available that can stimulate saliva production. Throat moisturizers and sucking sugar-free candy can also provide patients with some relief. If a dentist suspects a patient has Sjögren’s Syndrome, the next step will be testing for it from a lower lip biopsy. During this procedure, a few salivary glands are plucked from the patient’s lower lip and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Why Do White Spots Form on My Teeth?

As a provider of the Six Month Smiles orthodontic treatment, we at Alta Loma Dental Care are particularly interested in our patients’ oral hygiene. Many patients understand that wearing braces presents new challenges to brushing and flossing, but they may not be aware of the specifics of an incipient, or white spot, lesion.

White spots are the first sign of tooth decay. When teeth are exposed to acid, they take on an unnaturally white, glazed appearance as the enamel begins losing minerals. The acid is secreted by bacteria when they metabolize food debris. It gets stuck in tartar, particularly in areas that patients often skip over while brushing, such as near the gum line and around orthodontic brackets.

Removing the bacteria’s food source by brushing more thoroughly usually is enough to prevent white spots from becoming permanent, but they can form in as few as thirty days. During monthly orthodontic appointments, we’ll assess whether patients are experiencing decay. Should the worst happen and a white spot becomes permanent, it can be covered with a veneer once the infection is killed. But we would rather patients ask to be shown how to improve their brushing technique before it’s too late.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Pediatric Dentistry

At Alta Loma Dental Care, we provide pediatric services to patients who are old enough to visit the dentist. A child should have his or her first dental appointment by the age of one-year-old, to aid in periodontal health and set a strong foundation for permanent teeth to come. We understand that some children may fear the dentist, but we promise to make your child as comfortable as possible during their visit.

Children are prone to tooth decay, partly because young children’s teeth are difficult to clean. Because our pediatric dentists work with patients with new teeth, they place an early emphasis on oral health education. These duties include educating not only the patients but their parents as well, on the best ways to keep those pearly whites clean. While providing basic dental services to younger patients, the goal is to help them establish healthy habits that will follow them through youth and beyond.

If you have questions or concerns about pediatric dentistry, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Restore Tooth Function with Dental Implants

Many options exist to replace missing teeth but only one – dental implants – can provide the feel, function, and appearance of natural teeth. When a damaged or decayed tooth is removed, both the visible part of the tooth called the crown and the root is lost. A dental implant is placed in the jawbone so that it can fuse with your natural bone and become a strong and sturdy for replacement teeth. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care can walk you through the process.

Dental implants are the closest you can get to natural and healthy teeth. They allow you to confidently eat, laugh, talk, play and enjoy all of your daily activities without being self-conscious about your smile. After meeting with one of our doctors to develop your treatment plan, he or she will discuss the placement of dental implants with you. After the placement of the implants is complete, you will receive a smile makeover that will boost your self-esteem and have you showing off those new pearly whites.

If you have questions or concerns about dental implants or restorative dentistry, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

What Can Be Done About Gap Teeth?

Do you whistle when you speak? Are you embarrassed by a hole in the front of your smile? You need not fear; Alta Loma Dental Care provides a number of solutions to diastemas, also known as gaps between the teeth. Which solution is right depends on what has caused the gap to form, which is why we want patients to better understand their options.

Sometimes the teeth simply come in slightly jumbled. If the gap is small and there are no other significant misalignments, it may be possible to simply cover it with veneers. Although these porcelain shells require a bit of enamel to be shaved off, they can be used to reshape and enlarge the teeth, as well as to cover up imperfections such as stains. When there are other co-occurring problems, our Six-month Smiles brand of braces is an ideal solution to orthodontic cosmetic problems. The patient will need to continue wearing a retainer at night after treatment, but the gap will be closed in a few months.

However, some gaps are the result of larger problems. The teeth could be pushed apart if the labial frenum, the vertical ligament which attaches the upper lip to the jaw, is overly large. In these cases, an oral surgeon would have to remove some tissue. A gap could also be the result of tongue thrusting or thumb-sucking, which would likely be accompanied by an overbite. If tongue-thrusting is caused by a problem with swallowing, the assistance of other specialists will be necessary.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Impacted Wisdom Teeth Extraction

It’s common for wisdom teeth to erupt in the late-teen years/ the early twenties but they don’t always erupt. When wisdom teeth are impacted, they pose a greater risk of developing an infection and causing damage to surrounding teeth.  Impacted wisdom teeth grow improperly and though you can’t prevent them, you can discuss extraction with one of our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care.

Though not everyone needs their wisdom teeth extracted, 85 percent of wisdom teeth will eventually need to be removed. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause jaw pain, tenderness, redness, and swelling of the gums which is why extraction is suggested. The longer wisdom teeth pain persists, the more likely an infection will result from bacteria entering the open tissue. If you are experiencing symptoms associated with impacted wisdom teeth, schedule an appointment today to discuss removal.

If you have questions or concerns about wisdom teeth extractions, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Get Halitosis under Control

It is one thing to have bad breath after eating a meal that is heavy on the onions, but it’s a problem when the odor becomes persistent and won’t go away. Halitosis is defined as chronic bad breath that won’t go away after constant brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. Halitosis can be embarrassing and can leave a person feeling self-conscious, which is why our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care encourage patients to visit us twice a year for oral exams and professional cleanings.

Halitosis begins inside the mouth. If you aren’t brushing at least twice a day for two minutes, at least three times a day, and flossing at least once a day, it’s time to reevaluate your oral care habits. Underlying dental conditions such as cavities, periodontal disease, and cracked fillings are also halitosis culprits. For fresher breath, you’ll need to improve your oral care routine and visit us to get the situation under control.

If you have questions or concerns about halitosis, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

What does Snoring have to do with Jaw Pain?

When people are suffering from jaw pain, they’re right to go to their dentist for help. What they may not know is that a dentist can also help with their snoring. At Alta Loma Dental Care, we treat obstructive sleep apnea and want our patients to understand how it is related to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD).

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a very complex structure. It connects the lower jaw with the head and is responsible for its full range of motion. A healthy TMJ must be able to absorb all the forces put on it during chewing.  When a person suffers from sleep apnea, their body often attempts to keep their airways open by moving the jaw around at night, which is called bruxism. This can cause wear and tear on the teeth in addition to subjecting the TMJ to additional stress. An injury to it can cause pain to be felt anywhere from the head to the shoulder. When it is sore, a patient may not be able to open their mouth or hear clicking noises when they do.

We provide night guards which hold a person’s teeth in place during sleep. This reduces the damage of bruxism and eliminates the body’s incentive to move the jaw at night.

Alta Loma Dental Care is at 7283 Carnelian St, Alta Loma, California, 91701. To schedule an appointment, call 909-987-6268 or visit Alta Loma Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.