Retained Baby Teeth

Your child is probably excited to get visits from the Tooth Fairy and their grown-up teeth. But what happens when the baby teeth stay put? As dentists who accept patients of all ages, we at All Coast Dental are familiar with oral issues that tend to emerge in childhood. Retaining baby teeth is a serious problem, but one we are well-suited to treat.

Baby teeth are scientifically known as “deciduous teeth.” They usually fall out because the emergence of the adult tooth causes the baby tooth’s root to dissolve. This may not happen when the adult tooth is coming in at the wrong angle or never develops. If the adult tooth and its deciduous equivalent are both present, the teeth are likely to be jumbled and difficult to clean. The presence of a baby tooth without its adult version can also cause bite problems.

Extracting baby teeth is usually a simple matter. Once they’re out, the patient may be referred for orthodontic therapy to correct bite issues. If the adult tooth never developed, an orthodontist might space the patient’s teeth apart to make room for an implant or partial denture.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Incipient Lesions

Do you ever notice that there are white spots on your teeth? Usually, they quickly disappear, but when they linger, they are a sign of a developing dental infection. We at All Coast Dental highly value prevention, so we want our patients to understand how white spot lesions work and why it’s so important to take them seriously.

White spot lesions are called “incipient lesions” because a glazed, white appearance is enamel’s initial response to being demineralized. When enamel is exposed to the acid produced by oral bacteria, there will be a period after it starts losing minerals but before it loses enough mass to form a cavity. This is when the white spot appears. It only takes about thirty days for a white spot to become a cavity, but after an infection is halted, the white spot may linger as a chalky-looking scar.

Incipient lesions can be halted through better brushing, but they usually appear in places such as around orthodontic brackets where the patient has trouble reaching. That’s why orthodontic patients need to master the use of Christmas tree toothbrushes and why people generally should keep a close eye on the bottoms and sides of their teeth, where tartar forms. We can determine whether a white spot still has an active infection, and if the scar lingers, we can discuss cosmetic solutions such as bonding.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath isn’t just unpleasant; it’s a sign of how your oral health is doing. Tooth decay, acid reflux, and other issues associated with gingivitis can all result in foul odors. We at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach want our patients to be able to recognize the what might be causing halitosis so they can treat it properly or seek our help.

As bacteria consume food particles and metabolize them, they secrete acid as a waste product. The acid gets stuck in the biological film on teeth, creating plaque, and eventually hardening into tartar. There, it causes tooth decay and gum recession and emits a foul odor. Bacteria may also heavily colonize the papillae of the tongue, particularly when the back of the tongue is coated in nasal discharge for the bacteria to feed on. When a patient is suffering from dry mouth, saliva isn’t depriving bacteria of a food source by washing away debris, allowing the bacteria to grow more rapidly.

Bad breath can also be caused by regurgitated stomach acid or by disorders such as diabetes that compromise the immune system. These would weaken the mouth’s defenses against odor-emitting bacteria. To reduce bad breath, patients should use tongue scrapers daily and brush their teeth thoroughly twice a day. They can also reduce their risk of acid reflux by not eating or drinking alcohol before bed.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.