All Coast Dental

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Preventing Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

Dentists are a part of a patient’s medical care team, and at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we’re proud to say that we conduct oral cancer screenings. Patients battling cancer know they can rely on our services, but to ensure everything goes well for them, patients should be aware of how sharing information with us will help them to avoid osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ).


ONJ is a term used to describe the death of jaw bone tissue. When a tooth is extracted, the jaw bone at the base of the socket is briefly exposed to air before the socket clots over. This is usually only a problem if the patient is on bisphosphonate medications. Bisphosphonates are anti-bone resorption drugs given to people with osteopenia or who are undergoing chemotherapy. Almost all cases of ONJ occurred in cancer patients taking heavy doses of bisphosphonates intravenously.


It is important for patients to fully inform us of all the medications they are on. ONJ can be treated by scraping decayed material and applying anti-biotic rinses, but it is best for people who are anticipating needing dental extractions to coordinate care between their dentists and oncologists.


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.


 

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Back to School Check-Ups

If your children haven’t been to the dentist recently, there’s no time like the present. No child should have to start off the academic year with tooth decay, and a check-up is the perfect time to assess their long-term care needs


Children are the demographic with the highest rate of tooth decay. This is often due to difficulty brushing and flossing. While a toothache is bad news for anybody, it is especially harmful to children. Sleep deprivation can have far-reaching consequences for their academic performance and temperament. In young children, toothaches can also cause speech to be delayed. At the same time, children may brush too vigorously and damage their gum tissue. At a check-up, we can correct children’s hygiene mistakes and remove infected tissue.


Another potential cause of toothaches is an impacted adult tooth. X-rays allow us to determine whether a tooth is stuck and if it or a baby tooth needs to be extracted. If your child plans to play a sport, we can also provide athletic mouthguards or refit an old one to account for changes in their growing jaw structure.


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.


 

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Pacifiers and Teeth

Parents often struggle with weaning their child off a pacifier.  Infants are soothed to a sense of security by pacifiers, and when the time comes it is one of the hardest habits to break.  It can require a great deal of persuasion, but because of the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth children should stop using pacifiers by the age of two.  At All Coast Dental, we always welcome new pediatric patients, especially those who have yet to wean off of the pacifier.


Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth, and create problems with tooth alignment.  Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur.  Using a pacifier too long can also lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth, and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.  We can help and support parents having any trouble weaning their child off a pacifier before that age.


If you have questions about pacifiers and teeth development, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.