gums Archives - West Los Angeles Dental Care

Home  /  Blog  /  gums

Senior Citizens Keeping Dentures Clean

August 22, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , ,

Senior Citizens Keeping Dentures Clean

Keeping one’s mouth and teeth clean is healthy and allows for healthier eating. It is very important to take are of your mouth at any age especially when one is an elderly and has dentures. Senior citizens are at a higher risk of experiencing complications with gums and teeth (Healthy Gums and Teeth).

 

In’s & Out’s of Keeping Your Dentures Clean & Intact

When you start using dentures, it is recommended to start with softer foods to get used to the denture and how it feels. One should also be careful since bones and hot food can not be easily detected with dentures and may cause damage.

Keeping Senior Citizens Dentures Clean

Keeping Senior Citizens Dentures Clean

Dentures or partials should be brushed daily with a soft toothbrush or denture cleaning brush, using a commercially prepared denture powder or paste, hand soap, or baking soda. They should be brushed inside and outside, and rinsed with cool water. Remaining natural teeth and gums, especially those teeth supporting a partial denture, should also be brushed (Teeth Brushing Mastering Tips). It makes them more important since loosing any more teeth causes the partial to be looser or one may need a new appliance which can be costly.

Night Time Guide for Keeping Dentures Clean

When not in use or at night, dentures should be stored in water or a denture cleaning solution to prevent drying.

Those with arthritis or other limiting conditions should try adaptations to make dental care easier. For example, attach a bicycle grip or wrap a washcloth around a toothbrush handle for easier grasping.  Also by using electric toothbrush (Electric Toothbrush Wiki Page), it may be easier to control than a manual one. They are also great for removing plaque (Dental Care | 7 Basic Things You Should Do) and stimulating gums.

 

Denture Fitting

Check dentures for fit. If you wear full or partial dentures, be sure they fit properly and that you are using the correct amount of denture cream. If you experience discomfort, or if you are using more than one tube of denture cream every three weeks, your dentures may not fit properly and should be evaluated. Visit your dentist (Best Dentist in Santa Monica) to see if they need to be adjusted. Ever few years the dentures may need to be relined meaning your dentist needs to add more plastic in the bottom of the denture where it sits on your gums. Over time by wearing dentures and placing pressure on the gums, the gums and bone will shrink producing a gap between your gums and denture. The reline procedure will fill this gap making the denture fit better and tighter.


Extraction Procedures

July 10, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , , ,

Extraction Procedures 

When you were a kid, losing your tooth was something to be excited about, perhaps achieved by tooth (Baby Teeth | Oral Hygiene) jiggling, biting into a piece of bread or an apple, or tying a string around the tooth and giving it a tug. As an adult, tooth loss (Discuss Tooth Implants With Your Santa Monica Dentist) or extraction are hardly causes for celebration, however sometimes there are no choices but to pull a tooth which is also known as an Extraction Procedure.

Causes For Extraction Procedures

Although permanent teeth are meant to last for our entire life, there are times that they can’t be saved. The most common reason for loosing a tooth or an extraction procedure is having great amount of decay (Understanding the Connection Between Sugar and Tooth Decay) or as a result of accident to trauma.

There are other reasons such as:

  • Not having enough space for all teeth to fit in your jaw. Sometimes as a result of orthodontics, the extraction is necessary to remove a tooth so the others can be align (Teeth Bonding) properly. There are some of us that have smaller than average mouth and all 32 teeth can not fit in our jaws.

 

 

  • High risk of infection:  In people that the immune system is compromise perhaps as a result of chemotherapy (Chemotherapy Wiki Page) or diseases such as AIDS, or an organ transplant the infection in a tooth be a risk to general health of the patient and extraction would be a safer treatment.

 

 


Bleeding Gums

May 30, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , , ,

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums are a sign that you may or are in the danger of having periodontal disease or gum disease. However persistence gum bleed could be a sign of other problems as well such as:

Bleeding Gums May Lead To

– Gingivitis: A sever case of gingivitis (Flossing Benefits Learn More) can cause bleeding gums and swellings.

– Cirrhosis:  A severe scarring and poor function of the liver caused by alcohol, virus or exposure to toxins. Some medications can also cause this disease.

– Pernicious anemia: It is an autoimmune disease that body does not make enough health red blood cells causing B-12 deficiency.

– Low platelet count: Also known as thrombocytopenia. It would cause the blood not to clot properly.

Healthy Gums Image

Healthy Gums

– Leukemia: Cancer of blood cells. The signs of this disease includes bleeding and bruising, bone pain, weight loss, fatigue, and sweating at night.

– Tooth decay: Cavities are holes that are form in the tooth. It is caused when bacteria (Fight Bad Breath Learn More), acids (Cavity Prevention Learn More) and food turns into plaque (Teeth Whitening Tips) . In sever cases when much of the tooth structure is missing, the gum can grow into the cavity hole and cause severe inflammation of the gums that can result in gum bleeding.

– Factor V, X, VII deficiency: A rare blood clotting disease that causes spontaneous bleeding including gums.

– Pregnancy: No matter what you do, the gums might be more inflamed (Inflamed Wiki Page) and bleed easier when one is expecting. It is as a result of hormonal changes in body.

– Vitamin C deficiency: This occurs when one does not eat enough fruits and vegetables in diet leading to swollen and painful gums (Maintain Oral Hygiene) that bleed easy.

Bleeding Gums Overview

The most common reason for gum disease (Gum Disease Treatment) though is poor oral hygiene (Dental Check Ups). Brushing (Brushing Tips) twice a day and flossing (Dental Flossing Instructions) once is a must for everybody to maintain healthy gums and teeth (Healthy Gums & Teeth).If plaque is not properly cleaned it leads to gingivitis which is a reversible disease. If gingivitis is not properly treated by better hygiene and seeing your dentist for professional teeth cleaning, it could lead into gum disease which is not reversible.

For more questions about Bleeding Gums or if you want to schedule an appointment please contact our office. (310)820-7010 | contact@westladentalcare.com | 12340 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 241 West Los Angeles, CA 90025. Thank you so much for taking time to learn about bleeding gums, remember your teeth are only as good as their keep.  Have wonderful day!

 


Floss | Flossing Benefits

May 23, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , , , , ,

Floss | Flossing Benefits

 

A 2008 survey revealed that only 49% of Americans floss daily and 10% never floss (Master Flossing Learn More).  That is very unfortunate because flossing is even more important than brushing (Master Brushing Learn More) when it comes to preventing gum disease (Gum Disease Treatment) and tooth cavity (Cavity Treatment Learn More).

Dental floss (Dental Care 101) is a tool you should be used daily to remove food and bacteria (Fight Bad Breath Learn More) build-up from in-between your teeth where the brush can not reach.  If you don’t floss on regular basis, you’re more site likely to have plaque build-up (Oral Hygiene Learn More), which can lead to cavities, tooth decay (Tooth Decay Learn More), gingivitis and eventually gum disease.  When gum disease is left untreated, it can be a risk factor for heart disease, or diabetes. In addition, bacteria can cause bad breath. Therefore, flossing can help improve the appearance of your mouth as well as your dental hygiene and overall health.

 

What are Flosses Made From?

Zoom Whitening Teeth Info.

Zoom Whitening Teeth

Flosses are made from different materials. It is commonly made out of plastic or nylon; it is a thin thread that you put between your teeth and pull in order to clean the gaps (Dental Bridge Learn More). When you pull the tread, food and debris and bacteria should come out of the gaps between the teeth.

Some flosses are made out of dental ribbon rather than out of plastic or nylon strings.

Ribbon floss is more comfortable. It is much easier for those who have bleeding gums or are sore when flossing.

 

Flossing Benefits When You Have Braces:

If you or a member of your family currently wears braces (Wiki Page Dental Braces), flossing is even more important. Food debris and bacteria can easily lodge around braces and cause permanent damage to your teeth such as cavity, decalcification or gum disease. However, you have to be careful when flossing so the braces are not damaged. Always use waxed floss if you have braces. Un-waxed floss has less of a slippery surface and are therefore more likely to get caught in your braces. If enough floss gets tangled, it can pull a brace out of alignment or sometimes break it.

 

 


Baby Teeth | Oral Hygiene

May 16, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. , , , ,

 

Brushing Baby Teeth

Even before baby teeth start to show; it’s a good idea to get into the habit of wiping their gums (Healthy Gums and Teeth Page) with gauze or a soft wet washcloth during bath time or before bed time. At this point, the tooth paste is still not necessary. Simply place the gauze around the finger and gently rub that on the gum.

Bacteria (Bad Breath Fight | Following Tips To Reduce The Bad Breath Page) in the mouth usually can not cause cavity (Cavity Treatment and Prevention Page) or gum disease (Gum Disease | Gum Disease Treatment Page) before the baby teeth are erupted, but it can be hard to tell when the baby teeth are starting to come out, so you’ll want to start early. Getting a baby to get used to getting his/her teeth clean helps in the long term so they can learn to have it done themselves.

 

Maintaining Healthy Baby Teeth

Baby Teeth Oral Hygiene Info.

Baby Teeth Oral Hygiene

As your child’s baby teeth start to erupt beginning around 6 months old, look for a baby toothbrush with a small head.  Use a tiny amount of fluoride (Children Oral Health | When and How to Teach Them? Page) toothpaste. A dot the size of a grain of rice is usually adequate. Twice a day brush inside and outside of each tooth as well as chewing surfaces. Because you are using such a small amount of tooth paste for the baby teeth you do not need to have your child rinse out unless he/she likes to do that. As soon as you see the bristles of the tooth brush being worn out, change the brush to a new brush (Teeth Brushing Mastering Tips Page).  Since most baby teeth have enough gap between them to be able to clean, you do not have to worry about flossing, but it is recommended to practice that so your child gets used to the idea of flossing (Dental Flossing Mastering Instructions Page) at the time of brushing.

 

Baby Teeth | Fluoride

Baby teeth can also benefit from a little fluoride. The fluoride prevents development of cavity, strengthening teeth, and making them more resistance to acids and harmful bacteria. Please be aware that a little of fluoride is very helpful in development of healthy teeth (Healthy Gums | Healthy Teeth | A Lifetime Commitment Page), too much of it can cause a condition called fluorosis (Dental Fluorosis Wiki Page). It causes white spots to show up on the permanent teeth as they erupt.

Most municipal water supplies are fortified with adequate fluoride so it is a good idea to call the department of water in your area and ask how much fluoride they mix in the water. If the amount of fluoride content of less than 0.3 parts per million, ask your child’s doctor or dentist whether you should give your child a fluoride supplement.

For more questions about baby teeth | Oral Hygiene, or if you want to schedule your teeth whitening appointment please contact our office.

  • 12340 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 241 West Los Angeles, CA 90025
  • (310)820-7010

contact@westladentalcare.com


1 2   Next »