My Blog
Saliva probably doesn’t rate high on your amazement meter. You’re more likely to notice its absence and the dry irritation that results.
But you might be more impressed with this unsung bodily fluid if you knew all the things it does. It’s definitely a multi-tasker, performing a number of jobs (including aiding in digestion) that not only keep your oral health on track, but your general well-being too. And there are even new testing methods where saliva may even tell us when you’re not doing so well.
Here are 3 more tasks your saliva is doing for your mouth right now that truly makes it amazing.
Cleansing. Your teeth’s chewing action shreds food so it’s easier to digest. But that also leaves behind tiny particles in your mouth. Bacteria feast on these particles (especially carbohydrates like sugar) and produce acid as a byproduct, which can increase your risk of tooth decay. Saliva serves as a kind of “rinse cycle” for your mouth, helping to wash a good bit of these errant particles down your throat and away from hungry bacteria.
Defense. Speaking of bacteria, your mouth is home to millions of them. While most are harmless or even beneficial, a fraction can harm your teeth and gums. Saliva is your first line of defense, emitting an antibody known as Immunoglobulin A that targets these bacteria. Saliva also produces an antibacterial substance called lyzozyme that prevents bacteria from growing.
Enamel Protection. Although it’s the strongest substance in the body, your teeth’s enamel can’t withstand the effects of mouth acid, the by-product of bacterial feeding and growth. Acid levels naturally rise after eating; but even this sudden rise can begin the process of demineralization where minerals in enamel dissolve. Saliva saves the day by first neutralizing the acid and restoring the mouth’s normal pH in about thirty minutes to an hour. It also helps restore minerals in enamel, a process called remineralization. It’s all in a day’s work for this remarkable fluid.
If you would like more information on the importance of saliva to oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Saliva: How it is used to Diagnose Disease.”
For major-league slugger Giancarlo Stanton, 2014 was a record-breaking year. After the baseball season ended, he signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins — the biggest deal in sports history. But earlier that same year, Stanton suffered one of the worst accidents in baseball: He was hit in the face by an 88-mph fastball, sustaining multiple fractures, lacerations, and extensive dental damage.
After the accident, Stanton didn’t play for the remainder of the season. But now he’s back in Spring Training… and he’s got a not-so-secret weapon to help protect him against another injury: A custom-made face guard designed to absorb impacts and keep him from suffering further trauma.
As sports fans, we’re glad that Stanton was able to overcome his injury and get back in the game. As dentists, we’d like to remind you that you don’t have to be a major-league player to feel the harmful effects of a sports injury — and you don’t have to look far to find a way to protect yourself. In fact, you can get a custom-made mouthguard right here at the dental office.
Mouthguards have a long tradition in sports like football, boxing, and hockey. But did you know that far more Americans are injured every year playing “non-collision” sports like basketball, baseball — and even bicycling? And it doesn’t take a major-league fastball to cause a dental injury: The highest incidence of sports-related dental injuries occurs in 15-to-18-year-old males. In fact, about one-third of all dental injuries among children stem from various types of sports activities. These injuries may result in countless hours being lost from school and work, and cost significant sums for treatment and restoration.
Mouthguards have a proven track record in reducing dental and facial injuries: They are capable of absorbing the energy of a blow to the mouth, and dissipating it in a way that prevents damage to facial structures and teeth. But not all mouthguards are created equal: Custom-fabricated mouthguards, which are produced from an exact model of your mouth made right here in the dental office, offer by far the best protection. They fit better and safeguard the teeth more fully than any off-the-shelf or “boil-and-bite” type can. Plus, they’re more comfortable to wear. And let’s face it: No mouth guard can protect your teeth if you don’t wear it.
What’s more, some recent studies indicate that custom-made mouthguards may offer significant protection against concussion. An increasing awareness of the dangers that concussion may pose to athletes is one more reason why we recommend custom-made mouthguards to active people and their families.
To get his face guard, Giancarlo Stanton reportedly went to a specialist sporting-goods manufacturer in Illinois, and paid around $1,000. But you can get a custom-made mouthguard for yourself or your loved ones right at our office for a fraction of that price. And the peace of mind it can give you is… priceless.
If you have questions about custom-made mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry” and “Athletic Mouthguards.”
There’s a lot to like about replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant. This state-of-the-art restoration is by far the most durable and life-like option available. And unlike other replacement options implants stimulate bone growth, a major concern after tooth loss.
For that reason we encourage getting an implant as soon as possible — for adults, that is. We don’t recommend implants for younger patients because even a teenager’s jaws haven’t yet reached full maturity. Because it attaches to the jaw differently, an implant can’t move with the growing jaw as real teeth do. It would eventually look as if it were sinking into the jaw below the gum line or being left behind as the rest of the jaw grows.
It’s best, then, to postpone placing an implant until the jaw fully matures, usually in a patient’s early twenties. In the meantime, there are some things we can do to prepare for a future implant while also restoring the tooth with a temporary replacement.
As previously mentioned, our biggest concern is bone health. Like other living tissue, bone has a growth cycle of older cells dissolving and newer ones forming in their place. The teeth transmit the pressure produced when we chew to the bone to stimulate this growth. With the absence of a tooth, the adjacent bone no longer receives this stimulation — the growth cycle slows and may eventually lead to bone loss.
We can help this situation by placing a bone graft in the missing tooth socket at the time of extraction. The graft serves as a scaffold that’s eventually taken over and replaced by new bone growth. We can also try to control how fast the graft is replaced by using grafting material that’s slowly removed and lasts longer — often a preferable situation if an implant is years away.
As for appearance, we can create a custom partial denture or even a type of bridge that bonds a prosthetic tooth to neighboring teeth without significantly altering them. If the patient undergoes orthodontic treatment it’s also possible to add prosthetic teeth to an orthodontic appliance.
Eventually, we’ll be able to provide the permanent solution of a dental implant. With careful planning and measures to preserve bone health, there’s a good chance the outcome will be worth the wait.
If you would like more information on treatments for lost teeth in children and teenagers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants for Teenagers.”
If left untreated, jaw issues can begin affecting everyday activities like eating or speaking. When more conservative treatments fail to
produce results, your dentist may suggest corrective jaw surgery. But what conditions call for these procedures? Do you need corrective jaw surgery? Find out with Dr. Peter Cooper at Pasadena Dental Implants in Pasadena, CA.
What conditions can corrective jaw surgery treat?
Corrective jaw surgery is normally only recommended after other, less invasive treatments have failed. Some of the most common conditions treated by corrective jaw surgery include temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, involuntary mouth breathing, birth defects or deformities. Though jaw surgery is a major surgery requiring general anesthesia, it is a safe, effective procedure which can take care of your jaw-related issues once and for all.
Do I need corrective jaw surgery?
Determining if you require corrective jaw surgery will depend on your symptoms, overall general and dental condition, and other treatments you have tried which have failed. Your dentist will use imaging technology like x-rays or MRIs to assess the condition of your jaw. A physical examination will also help your dentist decide if this is the best treatment path for you. Some of the most common reasons for jaw surgery include difficulty eating, chewing, or swallowing, birth defects, injury, sleep apnea, TMJ disorder, unbalanced facial appearance, or a protruding jaw.
Corrective Jaw Surgery in Pasadena, CA
Depending on your reason for getting corrective jaw surgery and whether the surgery is orthodontic or skeletal in nature, the procedure can greatly affect your facial appearance or help relieve chronic pain and discomfort. Your dentist will work together with you and your oral surgeon to put you on the best path to overcoming your condition and recovery. Some conditions may require other treatments alongside, before or after jaw surgery, such as orthodontic treatment.
For more information on corrective jaw surgery or the conditions which prompt it, please contact Dr. Cooper at Pasadena Dental Implants in Pasadena, CA. Call (626) 796-1241 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Cooper today!
Is having good oral hygiene important to kissing? Who's better to answer that question than Vivica A. Fox? Among her other achievements, the versatile actress won the “Best Kiss” honor at the MTV Movie Awards, for a memorable scene with Will Smith in the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day. When Dear Doctor magazine asked her, Ms. Fox said that proper oral hygiene was indeed essential. Actually, she said:
"Ooooh, yes, yes, yes, Honey, 'cause Baby, if you kiss somebody with a dragon mouth, my God, it's the worst experience ever as an actor to try to act like you enjoy it!"
And even if you're not on stage, it's no fun to kiss someone whose oral hygiene isn't what it should be. So what's the best way to step up your game? Here's how Vivica does it:
“I visit my dentist every three months and get my teeth cleaned, I floss, I brush, I just spent two hundred bucks on an electronic toothbrush — I'm into dental hygiene for sure.”
Well, we might add that you don't need to spend tons of money on a toothbrush — after all, it's not the brush that keeps your mouth healthy, but the hand that holds it. And not everyone needs to come in as often every three months. But her tips are generally right on.
For proper at-home oral care, nothing beats brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, and flossing once a day. Brushing removes the sticky, bacteria-laden plaque that clings to your teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease — not to mention malodorous breath. Don't forget to brush your tongue as well — it can also harbor those bad-breath bacteria.
While brushing is effective, it can't reach the tiny spaces in between teeth and under gums where plaque bacteria can hide. But floss can: That's what makes it so important to getting your mouth really clean.
Finally, regular professional checkups and cleanings are an essential part of good oral hygiene. Why? Because even the most dutiful brushing and flossing can't remove the hardened coating called tartar that eventually forms on tooth surfaces. Only a trained health care provider with the right dental tools can! And when you come in for a routine office visit, you'll also get a thorough checkup that can detect tooth decay, gum disease, and other threats to your oral health.
Bad breath isn't just a turn-off for kissing — It can indicate a possible problem in your mouth. So listen to what award-winning kisser Vivica Fox says: Paying attention to your oral hygiene can really pay off! For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can read the entire interview with Vivica A. Fox in Dear Doctor's latest issue.
This website includes materials that are protected by copyright, or other proprietary rights. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use, as defined in the copyright laws, requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Pasadena Dental Implants
Pasadena, CA 91101
Our Blog
Archive:
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- May (6)
- Are You at Risk for Oral Cancer?
- Helping Residents of Pasadena Understand Oral Surgery
- Braces: A Rite of Passage Even for Hollywood Kids
- Dental Implants for Pasadena, CA Residents: The Best Restorative Option for Missing Teeth
- The Periodontal and Systemic Connection: Keep Your Teeth Healthy and Your Heart will Thank You
- Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants
- 2013
Tags
- Welcome (1)
- celebrity smiles (49)
- root canal (2)
- cosmetic dentistry (9)
- teeth whitening (5)
- chipped tooth (1)
- periodontal disease (5)
- gum disease (11)
- porcelain veneers (2)
- dental injury (3)
- dental emergency (2)
- mouthguard (2)
- dental implants (21)
- dentures (2)
- Periodontal Health (1)
- braces (4)
- oral cancer (1)
- oral health (14)
- pediatric dentistry (2)
- teething (1)
- bridgework (1)
- nutrition (5)
- medication (1)
- aspirin (1)
- dental implant (1)
- dental insurance (1)
- bonding (2)
- bacteria (2)
- diabetes (1)
- sealants (1)
- TMD (2)
- toothache (1)
- tooth decay (4)
- oral hygiene (8)
- Gum Grafting (1)
- tmj (1)
- wisdom teeth (3)
- Loose Teeth (1)
- dental exam (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- Corrective Jaw Surgery (2)
- crowns (4)
- orthodontics (2)
- dental care (1)
- Periodontist (1)
- blood pressure medications (1)
- medicine (1)
- dental injuries (2)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- Scaling and Root Planing (1)
- smile makeover (1)
- smoking (1)
- oral surgery (3)
- restorative dentistry (3)
- pediatric care (1)
- gummy smiles (1)
- mouthguards (1)
- sleep apnea (1)
- snoring (1)
- x-rays (1)
- orthodontic treatment (1)
- retainers (1)
- dry mouth (1)
- anesthesia (1)
- bad breath (1)
- fillings (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- bone grafting (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- missing teeth (1)
- veneers (1)
- sugar (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- saliva (1)
