All Coast Dental

Monday, December 31, 2018

Tooth Decay and Holiday Food

Have you enjoyed any sweets this holiday season? You don’t need to feel guilty; good hygiene practices give us a little leeway. But with so many cookies and candies available this time of year, it is easy to let tooth decay gain a hold, which is why we at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach want to ensure our patients are able to recognize what is risky to their teeth and take steps to keep them safe.


Tooth decay results from bacteria eating food particles that are caught on the teeth and producing acid. Bacteria can metabolize simple sugar more rapidly, so leaving sugar on the teeth for a long period allows them to produce a lot of acid. Hard candies such as candy canes are one of the worst things for the teeth because of this and because they dry the mouth out, depriving it of saliva that could be used to wash away sugar. Slowly sipping sugary drinks such as egg nog, hot chocolate, and alcohol also keeps the teeth continuously coated in sugar.


Regular flossing and brushing is the best defense against tooth decay, and we recommend taking floss everywhere. But sometimes it’s hard to slip away when socializing demands that you snack for a long period. In those cases, you can try chewing sugar-free gum, which will dislodge small morsels and get your saliva flowing. You can also alternate between sugary drinks and water to give your teeth a rinse.


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, December 27, 2018

Diabetes and Gum Disease

Do you know why diabetes is of particular interest to dentists? At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we regularly see people suffering from gingivitis, also known as inflammation of the gums. Although oral hygiene is necessary to prevent it, people with diabetes have particular struggles with gum disease and need extra care.


When people with diabetes have uncontrolled blood sugar, their immune systems are less effective at defeating infections. Gum disease is a bacterial infection of the gum pockets, the parts of the gum tissue that cling to tooth roots. When the immune system detects disease, it triggers the inflammatory response, which isolates the bacteria and makes cell walls more permeable to chemicals that summon white blood cells. But inflammation also causes pain and discoloration, and if the infection is prolonged, chronic inflammation will weaken the integrity of the body’s tissues. It is less clear why high blood sugar makes the immune system less effective, although it could be due to the blood vessels becoming less permeable to nutrients.


Recent studies have shown that the presence of gum disease causes blood sugar to rise. This would create a vicious circle in diabetic patients, but it can be disrupted by dental treatment. At regular cleanings, we scrape decayed material out of patients’ gum pockets, preventing gingivitis from beginning. If you have diabetes and have noticed that your gums are red or bleeding, we encourage you to come in without delay.


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, December 12, 2018

Have You Had A Teeth Cleaning This Year?

At All Coast Dental, we want patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for regular professional cleanings.  During the holidays we want everyone looking forward to the New Year and maintaining great oral hygiene.  However much you brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional.  Come see us for a cleaning to make a great impression during the holidays, and start the year off with your best smile!


It’s important to see a professional regularly to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, a hygienist thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist.


To learn more about teeth cleanings and all the services we provide at the practice, 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.  

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Dental Instruments

We work hard to make our patients comfortable at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach. For too many people, dental instruments are a source of anxiety. We believe this is because patients have an outdated understanding of them or don’t know how to talk about them, which is why we wanted to explain some of the terms associated with our tools.


The instruments patients will see used by our hygienists the most often are handheld mirrors and explorers. The explorer is the metal wand with hooks at either end which are used to break apart dental calculus. Its name comes from how we use it to test the hardness of enamel. Differently shaped explorers are sometimes called probes and can be slipped between the gum and the tooth root to determine the gum pocket’s cleanliness. Specially-shaped hooks are used to remove decay and tartar from below the gum line. As tartar is broken apart, we use a vacuum tube called an evacuator to remove debris. (This is what patients are instructed to close their lips around.)


When tooth decay is found and anesthetic is needed, it is usually administered with a syringe. Dental drills emit water so that a patient will not incur heat damage. As we break apart decayed enamel, we’ll use a larger evacuator to remove it. The material of a filling is applied and contoured using blunt-tipped instruments called burnishers. They come in many shapes, allowing us to perfectly smooth each filling to close off gaps and remain firmly in place.


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, December 5, 2018

Adult Orthodontics

The staff of All Coast Dental provides orthodontic care for adolescents and adults.  It is often recommended to start treatment on an adolescent patient once all the permanent teeth have come in, but adults can still get great results from orthodontic care.  There are several options for adults beginning orthodontic treatment, and the best one for you will depend on what needs to be corrected


To correct bite issues and straighten teeth, the traditional braces method includes brackets on the teeth and connecting wires that are tightened over the course of treatment. Clear braces use the same method but the materials are tooth-colored to avoid a metallic look.  Accelerated orthodontics are applied to correct cosmetic issues in about six months. Severe misalignments and bite issues can’t be corrected in such a short time, but if your concerns are purely cosmetic, it’s a great option for a short treatment time that can completely transform your smile. ClearCorrect treatment is popular because of its almost invisible appearance.  A treatment plan consists of a series of clear aligners that straighten teeth over time.  Come see us and find out what will be best to correct your smile!


To learn more about the services we offer, 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.