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.

 

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.

 

Have You Had A Cleaning This Year?

The doctors and staff of Alta Loma Dental Care encourage all our patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for regular professional cleanings.  During the holidays, we want everyone looking forward to the New Year and maintaining great oral hygiene!  However much you brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional.  Schedule a cleaning and ring in the New Year with your best smile!

It’s important to see a professional regularly not just to clean your teeth, but also to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, a hygienist thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist. Come see us for a cleaning to make a great impression during the holidays!

To learn more about the services we provide, 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.

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.

 

Keeping Up With Regular Cleanings

It is recommended by the Academy of General Dentistry to have a dentist or hygienist perform a dental cleaning every six months.  At Alta Loma Dental Care, we encourage patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for regular professional cleanings.  However much you brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional.

It’s important to see a professional regularly to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, a hygienist thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist.

To learn more about teeth cleanings and all the services we provide at the 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.

Does Diabetes Affect Orthodontic Treatment?

People with diabetes have unique dental challenges, and at Alta Loma Dental Care, we’re here to help them get the care they need. Among the many services we offer are orthodontic corrections, including Six Month Smiles and Invisalign. Many of our diabetic patients are interested in fixing misaligned teeth, which is why we want to explain how diabetes interacts with orthodontic therapy.

People with diabetes are at increased risk for gingivitis and periodontal disease. Those who have experienced problems with these in the past and suffered tooth migration may especially desire orthodontic treatment, but braces make oral hygiene even more important and difficult. If the patient’s diabetes were to become uncontrolled again and cause a gum infection, the braces might have to be removed. However, Invisalign does not prevent this issue. The aligners are removed when the patient brushes their teeth as normal, and the pressure they put on the teeth is not as extreme is that caused by regular braces. If a patient’s diabetes is under control, they may be a good candidate for Six Month Smiles cosmetic braces. These are also a low-force treatment and the monthly tightening appointments will give us an opportunity to ensure the patient’s teeth and gums are still healthy.

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

 

Selecting a Mouthwash to Meet Your Needs

Mouthwash or rinses are used for a variety of reasons: to freshen breath, to help prevent or control tooth decay, to reduce plaque, to prevent or reduce gingivitis, to reduce the speed that tartar forms on the teeth, or to produce a combination of these effects. Mouthwash has a few beneficial properties and our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care would like to explain some of them.

• Antimicrobial agents act directly on oral bacteria to help reduce plaque, decrease the severity of gingivitis and control bad breath.


• Fluoride helps reduce tiny lesions (tooth decay) on tooth enamel and make teeth more resistant to decay.


• Astringent salts can serve as temporary deodorizers that mask bad breath.


• Odor neutralizers act by chemically inactivating odor causing compounds.

If you desire a brighter smile, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more 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.

Choosing a Toothpaste That’s Right for You

When stepping foot into the dental health aisle at the drugstore, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care understand that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive, or whitening toothpaste? How do you decide? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with one of our doctors here in Alta Loma, CA. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste reduces oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


• Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have questions about oral hygiene and dental health, don’t hesitate to give us a call. To learn more 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.

Brush for a Full Two Minutes

Brushing for two minutes allows you enough time to hit all the spots you should be cleaning in your mouth. However, many patients do not spend enough time brushing. Alta Loma Dental Care in Alta Loma, CA wants to give our patients tips for getting a full two minutes in.

When brushing, you need to make sure you hit all the surfaces of the teeth including the insides, the fronts, the chewing surfaces, and the backs of the back molars. In addition, you should be brushing your tongue, the insides of your cheeks, and the roof of your mouth. These are places where bacteria can collect. Hitting all of these spots carefully should take you about two minutes.

A fun way of keeping track of the two minutes is to turn on your favorite song. Many music players have counters on them, just look for the two minute mark! Another great, visual way is to set up an hour glass, or in this case, a minute glass. Just remember to turn it over a second time for the full two minutes.

Splitting the mouth into four sections is also a good way to break up the minutes. Spend thirty seconds on the upper-right section, thirty seconds on the upper-left section, and so on for the two lower sections.

Good oral care yields healthy teeth and gums. To schedule a cleaning at Alta Loma Dental Care of Alta Loma, CA, call our office at (909) 987-6268 or visit our website, 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.