Diet and Oral Health

If you wish to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime, then you better start paying attention to the foods that touch your plate. Sugary beverages and foods that contain added sugar of any kind will have a detrimental effect on your teeth as sugar provides no nutritional value for them. To maintain a healthy smile, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care encourage patients to reach for foods from every food group and don’t forget to brush and floss on a daily basis.

Dairy products such as cheese, plain yogurt, and milk contain calcium and protein that protect teeth from developing cavities and help strengthen tooth enamel. Leafy greens such as kale and spinach are also high in calcium and prevent gum disease. Fruits that have high water content, such as apples, celery, and carrots increase saliva flow which protects teeth from developing decay. Your diet has an impact on oral health, so if you continue to eat healthy foods, your oral health status will improve.

If you have questions or concerns about dental health, 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.

How to Keep Good Oral Habits

There are some habits that are easy to fall into and others that take some work. When it comes to dental hygiene, it can sometimes be difficult to stick to a good routine. At Alta Loma Dental Care here in Alta Loma, CA, we want to give our patients tips for creating good oral habits and sticking to them!

Take Baby Steps

Taking on an entirely new habit at once can sometimes be so overwhelming, you do not know where to start or it looks like too large of a task. This is when you need to break the new task into baby steps. For instance, if you want to start cleaning your tongue every time you brush your teeth, start with only one stroke each time you brush. Eventually make it two strokes and then you will find it easy to just keep brushing until it is clean.

Be Realistic

Be realistic about your goals. If you want to brush more often to whiten your teeth, understand that it will take some time for surface stains to lift. Being realistic means that you know the work will be worth it, but you will not gain instant results. It also means that you may not be able to take on major changes all at once. (See the first tip).

Remind Yourself

Simple reminders give you that extra nudge to complete a task. If you want to floss every night before bed, put a sticky-note on your bathroom mirror that reminds you to floss. Another idea is to leave the floss out on your counter top so you actually see it every night.

It is healthy to create new goals and standards, especially when it comes to your health. To learn more about Alta Loma Dental Care, contact us by calling our Alta Loma, CA office at (909) 987-6268 or by visiting our website, www.altalomadentalcare.com. 

Alta Loma Dental Care Helps Prevent Gum Disease

Caring for your teeth is an essential part of maintaining good oral health, but your gums also play an important role, and proper care is crucial. Gum disease can be a serious detriment to both your oral health and overall wellness, and Dr. Michael Kim provides the type of regular periodontal care and checkups you need to maintain peak health and prevent periodontal issues.

With periodontal disease responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is critical to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that starts when a build-up of plaque on your teeth hardens, creating a suitable environment for bacteria to collect and attack the surrounding gums. In its early stages, this gum disease is gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it becomes periodontis, which can destroy your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss. Periodontis can even result in a loss of bone mass in your jawbone. Heart disease, diabetes and stroke have also been linked to poor periodontal health.

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, so come to our office in Alta Loma, CA to receive periodontal cleanings and treatment. It is easier to prevent gum disease or treat it early on than to reverse the effects of periodontis. Call (909) 987-6268 to schedule an appointment at our practice. For more information about the dentist or Alta Loma Dental Care, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com.  

Dr. Michael Kim’s Tips for a Healthier Smile

Regular exams and cleanings with Dr. Michael Kim are only a small part of a good oral hygiene routine. Everyday oral care habits also play a vital role in a healthy smile, and if you want to improve your oral health, here are some simple changes you can make.

1.            Brush better. Good technique and proper duration are essential for effective brushing. To maximize your brushing, hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and make sweeping circular motions away from the gums. You should brush for at least two minutes or for the length of a song.

2.            Floss. Dr. Kim has probably already told you how important this is. This is because flossing can actually do a better job of removing harmful plaque than brushing, and it only needs to be done once a day. So why aren’t you doing it already? It’s the key to healthier teeth and fresher breath.

3.            Chew sugarless gum. Sugarless gum is a great way to keep your smile fresh after a meal. Not only will it improve your breath, but chewing gum increases saliva production to help wash away the acids released by the bacteria in plaque. If the gum has xylitol, it even helps reduce decay-causing bacteria.

4.            Replace your toothbrush. How long have you been brushing with your toothbrush? As your toothbrush ages, the bristles will fray and lose their cleaning ability. Extremely frayed bristles can even hurt your gums. Bacteria can also build up in the bristles of toothbrushes, so make sure you are replacing yours ever three to four months.

5.            Switch to tap water. Tap water is treated with fluoride, which is a safe and effective technique for lowering tooth decay across the nation. Plus, it’s basically free.

For more ways to keep your smile healthy, turn to Alta Loma Dental Care in Alta Loma, CA. To schedule an appointment, call (909) 987-6268. For more information, please visit www.altalomadentalcare.com.

Alta Loma Dental Care Helps Patients Achieve Healthy and Beautiful Smiles

Regular checkups and dental cleanings are a part of any good oral hygiene routine, and at Alta Loma Dental Care, we provide dental care services of the highest quality to ensure that our patients’ smiles stay healthy year after year.

A soft and sticky film of bacteria called plaque can build up on your teeth despite regular brushing and flossing. Because teeth are constantly bathed in saliva, which contains calcium and other substances to strengthen and protect teeth, tartar or calcium deposits can also build up over time. Dental cleanings work to remove both plaque and tartar from the teeth. If these substances are not removed and are allowed to accumulate, bacteria will be provided a perfect environment for thriving on the gums and teeth, which can cause cavities, infection and gum disease.

While good for maintaining oral health between dentist visits, at-home brushing and cleaning are not enough to make sure teeth stay clean; regular dental cleanings are required. Dr. Michael Kim will check your teeth for cavities and other issues, and then you will have your teeth cleaned and polished. This leaves the surface clean and smooth. The smoother the teeth, the more difficult it is for bacteria to stick to them and the more effective at-home brushing will be.

We recommend checkups and dental cleanings every six months for optimum oral health. To schedule an appointment in Alta Loma, CA, call (909) 987-6268. For more information, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com.

The Importance of Proper Dental Hygiene For Oral and Overall Health

The Importance of Proper Dental Hygiene For Oral and Overall Health

Having proper dental hygiene isn’t just about improving our patient’s oral health with better smelling breath and clean teeth, but it also impacts their overall health. Regular dental hygiene practices are important to reduce gum disease and the need for more complicated oral health treatments, such as oral surgery.

 

Good oral hygiene also helps our Alta Loma Dental Care patients maintain their natural teeth for a longer period of time, and avoid infections that could spread throughout the brain and the body. We encourage dental hygiene by brushing the teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day.

Aside from dental hygiene at home, our Alta Loma, CA dental practice we ask our patients to see us at least every six months. During this appointment, we provide a full check-up, professional cleaning, and address any possible concerns.

 

Our dentist, Dr. Michael Kim, also takes new dental x-rays if needed for further diagnosis or treatment planning. The combination of home oral care and dental visits are what help to keep the mouth fresh, clean, and free of gum disease. Regular visits also let us provide early treatment if we notice any problems.

 

Patients with any questions or concerns about their dental hygiene should visit us here at Alta Loma Dental Care in Alta Loma, CA.