Diode SOL Laser for Soft Tissues

All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach is a modern dental office, equipped to provide for cosmetic and general dentistry needs with proficiency and convenience. One of the technologies we use is a SOL soft tissue diode laser. With this instrument, we’re able to treat gum disease with less risk to the patient and a shorter recovery time.

Dental drills are necessary for procedures involving modifications to artificial hard tissues, and we ensure that our patients are relaxed and properly numbed when we repair their crowns. But many people have an aversion to a drill’s sound and vibrations, which is why they feel more at ease with laser dentistry for soft tissues. Additionally, the laser seals blood vessels, resulting in far less bleeding than metal scalpels. This often means that patients don’t require as many sutures and that their gums heal faster, allowing them to resume eating normally or to move on to the next stage of their treatment. Patients may also require less anesthesia, allowing them to regain feeling in their mouths sooner after leaving our office.

Soft tissue lasers can be used to remove infected gum material and to reshape the gum line in preparation for dentures or cosmetic treatment. Patients will need to follow their post-operation instructions, but they will be at less risk for infection than they would be with more sutures. If a patient is still nervous about their dental appointment, we can discuss sedation options with them, ensuring they’ll be comfortable while they receive vital care.

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.

 

 

Can People with Diabetes get Implants?

This National Diabetes Awareness Month, we at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach wanted to address the impact diabetes has on oral health. People with diabetes have a more difficult time fighting off infections, which puts them at greater risk of developing gum disease and tooth decay. Consequently, their risk of losing a tooth is elevated. However, recent assessments of scientific research have shown that many diabetic patients can be good candidates for endosteal dental implants, allowing them to regain their bite function.

There are a few important reasons why patients with diabetes need extra attention when getting implants. Placing an implant requires that an incision be made in the gum tissue. People with diabetes take longer to recover from incisions than people without, but the evidence shows that they nearly always recover fully. Another issue is that an implant’s stability can be adversely affected by the gum tissue surrounding it becoming inflamed, and people with diabetes get gum inflammation at higher rates. But the same study found that when their blood sugar is well-controlled, diabetic people’s implants survive at the same rate as those in other people for the first six years.

People with diabetes are at slightly greater risk for implant failure over multiple decades, but this risk can be mitigated through proper oral hygiene. We encourage everybody, but especially people with diabetes, to be attentive to signs of gum disease such as redness and bleeding, and to schedule a cleaning with us right away if they see something troubling. With care, diabetic people can enjoy good oral health throughout life.

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.

 

Alzheimer's Disease and Gum Infections

If you want to protect yourself from Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most important things you can do is brush and floss. That’s the conclusion that’s emerging from new research into the connection between oral bacteria and the formation of plaque on the brain’s neurons. We’ve always been interested in the overall health implications of periodontal disease at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach. We want our patients to have a fuller understanding of what gum disease does, too.

There are several species of bacteria that contribute to tooth decay and gum disease, but one called Porphyromonas gingivalis, is especially interesting to researchers. P. gingivalis produce enzymes called gingipains to defend themselves against white blood cells. Although gingipains are common, they are found at elevated levels in the brains and spinal fluid of people who displayed symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. They also trigger the production of neural plaque and can travel to the brain in animals.

Another study, released just a few months ago, proved that P. gingivalis travels between the mouth and the brain in living human test subjects. Although gum disease is probably not the only causative factor in Alzheimer’s disease, we can confidently say it plays a major part. Patients should take care to brush and floss twice a day. If they are still experiencing gingivitis, we can provide them with a deep cleaning.

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.

 

Smoking and Dental Pulp

Toothaches are often caused by problems in dental pulp. We at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach are happy to assist patients and would rather save a tooth by performing a root canal then extract and replace it. But there are certain circumstances in which the internal health of a tooth may be compromised, and new research indicates that one of those circumstances is if the patient smokes.

Dental pulp inflammation (pulpitis) occurs when a tooth is injured or infected. The inflammatory response is triggered by the immune system as a means of limiting the spread of infection, concentrating white blood cells, and making cell membranes more permeable to antimicrobial peptides. An antimicrobial peptide is a molecule that latches onto and kills disease-causing bacteria, including the ones that secrete acid in the mouth. But smoking makes the immune system less effective. It was long-established in medical literature that smokers have high rates of gum disease, and now it appears that their dental pulp also lacks antimicrobial peptides.

Root canals are generally successful at removing infected dental pulp, but smokers’ suppressed immune systems make it easier for infections to return. We’ll use antibacterial treatments to increase a root canal’s likelihood of success, but we also want to share with patients that the study found antimicrobial peptides sometimes return when a patient stops smoking.

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.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Bleeding Gums

Our compassionate, nonjudgmental care at All Coast Dental is based on recognizing the unique oral health needs of our patients. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition which puts patients at increased risk for gum disease, and in order to help them get the best care, we want to help them understand why they experience gingivitis so frequently.

A Johns Hopkins study recently found that 70% of people with RA have gum disease. People whose arthritis has advanced have difficulty using ordinary toothbrushes and floss, but the high rates of gingivitis among people whose disease had not reached an advanced stage suggests a bigger problem than poor hygiene. RA is the result of the body’s immune system attacking synovium, which is a tissue that lines the joints, causing it to painfully swell. Another study recently found that synovium has a similar cellular structure to gum tissue, indicating that the diseases might share a common cause.

RA is the result of genetic and environmental factors. One of the most important steps people can take to prevent it is to not smoke. If a patient is suffering from RA-related gum disease, we can instruct them on the use of electric toothbrushes and water picks that will allow them to maintain their oral hygiene more easily.

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.

 

Research into Filling Failure

Patients at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach receive preventive care in accordance with the latest scientific research. To help make sure everyone understands the importance of keeping regular appointments, we wanted to share the results of a new study which examined why dental fillings can fail early.

Smoking is one of the most common factors among failed implants, and it’s the same with failed fillings. The study found that men who smoked had a much higher chance of a filling needing to be replaced after just two years. On average, a filling lasts for ten years. Alcohol use was also correlated with filling failure, as was a family history of failed fillings. While shared lifestyles may be behind this, scientists also are interested in researching whether there is a genetic predisposition toward filling failure. If so, it is especially important for people who are at-risk to get their fillings assessed and replaced regularly.

The study was initially prompted by a desire to compare amalgam to the new white composite resins. Encouragingly, the study found there was no difference in longevity between the two construction materials.

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.