oral Archives - Page 2 of 2 - West Los Angeles Dental Care

Home  /  Blog  /  oral

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


Oral Cancer Prevention

May 9, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. ,

 

Oral Cancer Prevention

Not all cases of oral cancer and the cancer of oropharyngeal (National Cancer Institute) can be prevented, however site the risk of getting these cancers can be reduced.

 

Following are the Main Risk Factors for Oral Cancer

  • Age.
  • Race – The risk is higher in African Americans.
  • Smoking or chewing tobacco.
  • Having more than three alcoholic drinks per day.
  • Long time exposure to sun.
  • Any previous head or neck cancer also increases the risk.

 

Steps To Help Prevent Oral Cancer

  • Brush and floss your teeth regularly. An unhealthy mouth reduces the immune system so your body can’t fight the disease.
  • Have alcohol in moderation. Do not binge, no more than one or two drinks a day.
  • Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
Prevent Oral Cancer

Prevent Oral Cancer and Build Your Immune System With Exercise and a Healthy Lifestyle

  • Decrease your sun exposure. Remember to place sunscreen to your lips.
  • Exercise regularly, it helps to boost your immune system.
  • Replace frying and grilling with baking, steaming or boiling foods. Eat lots of beans, berries, cabbage and broccoli.
  • Visit your dentist on a regular base for oral cancer screening. Also conduct self exam and if you see anything unusual contact your dentist.
  • Wear properly fitted dentures. Avoid oral irrigation such as ill-fitting dentures or night guards.
  • Treat any pre-cancerous growths. If there are lesions you are not sure of have that check by a doctor. In many cases they do a biopsy. If the biopsy shows evidence of early cancer, remove those lesions.

 

For more questions about oral cancer prevention, 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


Children Oral Health | When and How to Teach Them?

March 7, 2014 Afshin Golyad DDS. ,

Children Oral Health

Maintaining our children oral health and teaching our kids how to maintain their oral hygiene is one of the most important things a parent can teach his/her children. A proper oral care remains with the child for the rest of his/her life. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is to make the process fun for the child. A good example is to brush with your children and show her/him how brushing(Read More about Brushing Tips) is something that has to be done everyday and is part of everyday life. Skipping brushing shows the child that it is not as important. Regular brushing sends a message that your children oral health care if valuable. Today there are many fun tooth brushes with cartoon characters that the child enjoys holding in his/her hand. There are many tooth pastes with different taste since not all kids like the same taste in their mouth. It is important to make sure only a small amount of paste is placed on the brush since the younger children have a tendency to swallow the paste. As they get older, you can teach them not to swallow and perhaps place as much a pea size paste on the brush.

In the first few years of life flossing perhaps would not be as necessary as later in life but by starting early we can teach the child how it is part of the everyday oral care.

Steps to Maintain Your Children Oral Health:

  • bl-dental-careBrush twice a day for two minutes. Electric tooth brushes are easier for a child to hold on to and does a better job cleaning. A tooth paste with fluoride is strongly suggested to help reduce production of cavities.
  • If your child eats a lot of sweets, make sure he/she brushes right after and that includes juices and sodas. Carbonated sodas even those without sugar can dissolve the enamel and cause cavity in the long term.
  • Use tap water if possible. LADWP places fluoride in the drinking water which helps reduce cavity. Using filter on the tap water does not remove the fluoride but if you are using bottle water, you may need to consult your dentist or pediatrician for supplemental fluoride.
  • Have your child see a dentist at least twice a year. If you see dark spots or holes on the teeth make sure you see your dentist ASAP.
  • It is good to see the dentist in the younger age perhaps as early as age 2. Although your child may not allow any treatment, but just seeing that going to the dentist can be fun and routine can help him/her to relax at the time so when it is time to have a cleaning or x-rays done, he/she is not scared. It is always helpful if the parents also have a dentist appointment at the same time so the child can watch the parents and learn on how to behave.

« Previous   1 2