Diamons

periodontal disease

Photography by Dr. Padval

Let’s Think About Prevention…

Prevention is the Best Way to Avoid Costly Dental Emergencies We understand that not all emergencies can be avoided, sometimes accidents happen. But skipping check-ups and avoiding the dentist is never a good way to save money. It will only result in more costly treatment needed down the road. Instead, we like to emphasize the value of maintaining your oral health. Just imagine that every time you brush, floss, or have a cleaning, it's as if the cost of a future dental problem becomes [...]

By |2019-07-16T08:00:07-07:00July 16, 2019|Preventative Dentistry|

Is Your Mouth Showing Signs of Aging?

Shortened teeth are a sure sign; lengthening them makes people look younger. We have methods to build up shortened or chipped teeth. Do You Have Periodontal Disease? Periodontal, or gum, disease are rarely noticed in early stages. Only by dental exam do you know for sure. However, there are some telltale symptoms: bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, or gums that are shrinking away from the teeth. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, so help keep your smile youthful [...]

By |2019-01-08T08:00:45-08:00January 8, 2019|Restorative Dentistry|

Prevention: A Renewed Commitment

With new materials and procedures, dentistry has evolved from "if it hurts, yank it," to true preventive medicine. We can thank fluorides for the terrific rate of cavity-free children, and new anesthetics have made dentistry more comfortable than ever. Sealants, safer X-rays, and space-age plastics have all become commonplace in the course of comprehensive care and aggressive prevention. Our Goal Our goal is to be your partner in dental health. We're convinced you can keep your teeth intact for your entire life. To that [...]

By |2018-12-18T08:00:46-08:00December 18, 2018|Preventative Dentistry|

Kids Can Get Gum Disease Too

It would be comforting to think that gum disease afflicted only adults. But adolescents and even pre-adolescents are especially at risk for what is often called Localized Juvenile Periodontitis (LJP). We usually think of periodontal disease as a result of plaque and calculus build-up. But the real culprit is bacteria that can spread from site to site in the mouth and even from person to person. You can even "catch" it yourself. What are the Symptoms? Symptoms can range from sore, bleeding gums to [...]

By |2018-11-13T08:00:57-08:00November 13, 2018|Children's Dentistry|

Do You Have Bad Breath?

When Bad Breath is Something to Worry About Morning breath...dragon mouth...onion breath...there are about as many descriptions of halitosis as there are reasons for it occurring. Chronic bad breath is usually not just too much garlic for lunch. Here's a list of common bad breath causes, and what you might consider doing about each: Garlic or other Strong Smelling Foods If your breath overreacts, go easy on these foods. Following them with mints or parsley has little effect, and may make matters worse. From [...]

By |2018-09-18T00:00:09-07:00September 18, 2018|Restorative Dentistry|

A Few Tips on Nutrition

Get Your Vitamins! Vitamin C is an extremely important in dentistry (and nutrition in general) because of how it helps control periodontal disease and other problems in the mouth. For one thing, Vitamin C—ascorbic acid—seems to help calcium do its job of halting the loss of bone. Animal studies at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine have shown that Vitamin C can inhibit bone shrinkage by 50% or more. But Vitamin C does a lot more than that! It's essential to construct the protein [...]

By |2018-07-24T00:00:40-07:00July 24, 2018|Nutrition|

Help Yourself to a Healthy Pregnancy

Oral Health can be Compromised During Pregnancy It used to be conventional wisdom that a woman would lose a tooth for each child that she had. Thankfully with modern dentistry this is no longer true, but there's some factual basis for it. Your teeth and gums are affected by pregnancy, just as other tissues in your body. Managing Perio During Pregnancy The more we learn about periodontal (gum) disease, the more of a threat it appears to pose to the entire body, not just [...]

By |2018-06-26T00:00:40-07:00June 26, 2018|Periodontal Dentistry|

An Ounce of Prevention…

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You've heard that a million times—because it's so true! Our office really wants you to avoid painful, costly dental procedures. The way you can do this is through regularly scheduled dental exams. The idea is to discover a problem when it's large enough to be observed—and small enough to be contained! Two dental visits a year are average. But you—are not average! More appointments may need to be scheduled when mouths build tartar fast, [...]

By |2018-05-15T08:00:37-07:00May 15, 2018|Preventative Dentistry|

The Long & Short of Gum Disease

Surprising but true: the major cause of tooth loss in adults is not decay, but periodontal disease. More than half of all people over age 18 have at least the early stage of periodontal disease. After age 35, about three out of four adults are affected. Some people seem to be more susceptible to gum disease than others. Anything from pregnancy, systemic disease (like diabetes), and certain medications can contribute to its development. Smoking increases the likelihood dramatically (and renders treatment less effective). Some [...]

By |2018-05-08T08:00:58-07:00May 8, 2018|Periodontal Dentistry|

Periodontal Disease Q&A

Answers to your most frequently asked questions about gum disease. Q: Why is gum disease so terrible if it doesn't hurt? Periodontal disease is a progressive one—meaning if it doesn't stabilize or show signs of healing, it's bound to get worse. Even when it doesn't hurt, untreated gum disease will eventually take its toll: tooth loss. But there is a bright side. Every day, we're finding new ways to approach therapy. Since we can treat every stage of the disease, our practice has helped [...]

By |2018-02-20T08:00:21-08:00February 20, 2018|Periodontal Dentistry|