Flossing Technique

Brushing and flossing are the two most important parts of oral preventive care, but many people misunderstand them. Flossing, in particular, is easy to do badly if you don’t know the right technique. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we work hard to provide restorations to people suffering from tooth decay, but in order for our work to last, a patient must understand how to floss properly. We thought it would be helpful to describe the process.

Flossing is supposed to remove debris from your teeth, not move it from one tooth to another. You’ll need to use long strands of floss, of at least fifteen inches, and wrap each end around your middle finger. You’ll be able to manipulate the taunt floss with your index fingers and thumbs, and as you floss each tooth, you’ll unspool a bit more floss from one finger and wrap the other end around the middle finger on the other hand.

To floss well, you need to scrape the floss along the side of each tooth. A common mistake is to simply slide it into the gap between the teeth, but you’ll actually need to pull it into a c-shape against each tooth and slide it a little way into the gingival margin. You’ll then rub the floss back and forth as you lift it back out, and do the same with the other side of the tooth. Doing this shouldn’t hurt or cause bleeding, and if it does, you’re going too far into the gum or you already have a mild gum infection. Sugar-free chewing gum can help remove food debris when you aren’t able to floss immediately after a meal, but flossing needs to be done daily, and be done on both natural and prosthetic teeth.

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.

 

Advice on Cleaning Dentures

When dentures are well-cared for, they’re comfortable, good-looking, and usable substitutes for natural teeth. But when they aren’t they smell bad and pose a health risk to the patient. As general dentists who frequently work with patients to restore their bite function, we at All Coast Dental are especially concerned with the longevity of our patients’ dentures, so we wanted to take some time to address their proper maintenance.

To clean a denture it’s not enough to brush the parts that resemble teeth; you have to clean the whole thing. It’s also not a good idea to use normal toothpaste, since dentures are much softer than enamel, and will be scratched by fluoride particles instead of reinforced. You’ll need to scrub the entire denture with a specialty toothpaste, and you may want to use separate brushes for your denture and the rest of your oral hygiene. (People with dentures are advised to brush their gums before putting their dentures in, and everybody is advised to brush or scrape their tongue.) People with implant-supported dentures also need to brush around their abutments, and to remove the denture to clean its underside every day.

Dentures should be kept in liquid when they’re not in use. The American Dental Association approves several cleaning solutions that can be used at least once a week, although soap is often sufficient for an overnight soak. But it is very important that a denture not be placed in boiling water or otherwise subjected to extreme heat (such as being left out in the sun). Patients will naturally need their denture refitted and relined from time to time, but they should not attempt to modify it themselves.

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.

 

Understanding Mouthwash

Mouthwashes are popular products, and many of them are approved by the American Dental Association as safe and effective. But as with toothpaste, there are so many varieties available that a person may be confused about which they should use. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we can provide patients with more individualized advice, but there are a few things about using mouthwash everyone should understand.

No mouthwash is meant to replace brushing and flossing, but when used to supplement ordinary oral hygienic care, mouthwash can reach places that are difficult for toothbrushes. Over-the-counter mouthwashes may be therapeutic, meaning that they help remove plaque and kill harmful bacteria, or they may be cosmetic, which means they only reduce bad breath. Stronger therapeutic mouthwashes may require a prescription and would be used in cases such as when a patient has a dry socket.

Most mouthwashes contain alcohol and are not recommended for children under the age of six. They may also contribute to dry mouth. However, many mouthwashes also contain fluoride and can help prevent tooth decay by reinforcing enamel. People who have oral lesions may also benefit from using mouthwashes that are approved as pain relievers. As with brushing and flossing, the key to success with mouthwash is to use it frequently, rather than trying to cram a day’s worth of benefit into a single dose.

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.

Denture Stomatitis

When people get dentures, they instantly experience a massive boost in their dental function, comfort, and self-confidence. But they will also have to make some adjustments to their oral hygiene in order to keep their new oral appliances in good working condition. We’ve assisted a lot of people with prosthetic teeth at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, and to further our patients’ oral hygiene aims, we wanted to discuss denture stomatitis.

Yeast infections, known as stomatitis, are caused by species of fungus called Candida. Although they are normally present in the mouth, saliva contains enzymes that breaks them down and keep their population under control. When a person is suffering from dry mouth, yeast may develop into large enough colonies to cause red sores, which often may be found on the roofs of the mouths of people who wear dentures. It seems that the soft plastic of the denture covering the upper palate prevents saliva from reaching that area. Yeast infections may also develop on the undersides of dentures, where they rest on the gums.

For most people, yeast infections can be avoided by brushing the mouth and the denture twice a day. We recommend brushing the gums before inserting the denture in order to increase their bloodflow. Using a separate toothbrush for the denture ensures it won’t be scratched by fluoridated toothpaste, which is more appropriate for natural teeth. Stomatitis often isn’t painful at first, so patients will have to regularly examine themselves for it.

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.

 

Sensitivity to Cold

Teeth may be sensitive for all sorts of reasons, but if you frequently feel sharp pains after ingesting something cold, you may be suffering from enamel erosion. We at All Coast Dental hope that our patients’ teeth are in good health and serving them well. If you dread a cold glass of water or biting into a Popsicle, read on.

The outer layer of a dental crown is made of enamel. It is the hardest substance in the human body, being made up mostly of minerals, but is unable to regenerate lost material. Below the gum line, the outer layer of a tooth is made of a substance called cementum. It is sticky but thin and provides little insulation. The middle layer of a tooth is made of dentin, a yellow-brown porous substance made up of mini tubules that lead to the dental pulp. The pulp is made up of blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves, and heat is easily transferred out of it through dentin when a tooth is not sufficiently insulated, resulting in a shooting pain.

If a tooth is only sensitive when it comes into contact with something cold, the problem is likely thin enamel or recession of gum tissue around the root. These can be caused by oral bacteria secreting acid, or possibly from acid reflux. Brushing and flossing are crucial to preventing acidic erosion. A patient may also need a night guard to stop themselves from damaging their enamel by grinding their teeth in their sleep. We can help patients to obtain custom-fitted oral appliances and provide remineralization therapy for enamel that is in the process of eroding. Patients may also want to switch to extra-fluoridated toothpaste.

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.

 

How to Care for Dentures

As part of commitment to our senior patients at All Coast Dental, we want to ensure that they understand how to care for their dentures. Getting full or partial dentures will require a major change in a patient’s oral hygiene routine, but it’s nothing to be afraid of.

Regardless of whether or not dentures are supported by implants, they should be removed on a nightly basis. If the dentures aren’t supported by a bar, this will give the gums a chance to rest, but even if they are, the gums and tongue still need to be brushed (don’t forget to get in between abutments). Doing this before putting the dentures back in each morning will increase blood flow, preventing numbness.

Dentures must always be kept moist. They may be left to soak in cleaning solution or clean water, but never water that is hot enough to warp them. Like the natural parts of a patient’s mouth, dentures should only be brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush; however, dentures also require specially-designated toothpaste. This is because they lack the natural protective film on teeth which protects them from gritty minerals. The entire denture needs to be brushed, not just the false teeth.

Damage to dentures should only be repaired by a professional. It is expected that they will have to be refitted from time to time, so it is important for denture patients to maintain their relationship with their dentists.

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 AllCoastDental.net and fill out a contact sheet.