Bad breath is one of the more common dental health concerns that you may experience, but it’s also one of the most commonly benign symptoms. For instance, your breath may be bad in the morning simply because oral bacteria have gathered more easily overnight (thanks to reduced saliva). However, bad breath that doesn’t go away is often more serious than just morning breath. For many patients in Encinitas/San Diego, it could be one of many potential symptoms of a serious condition, such as periodontal disease. (more…)
How to Boost Your Chances of Preventing Tooth Loss
The tricky thing about your dental health is that it’s dynamic. Your smile may be as healthy as possible one day, and then be at a high risk of tooth loss just a few months later. That’s especially true if you have periodontal disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss for adults in the United States. Fortunately, tooth loss doesn’t always have to happen, and your risks for it don’t have to fluctuate. With consistently good hygiene, regular preventive care from your dentist, and expert periodontal treatment when necessary, patients in Encinitas/San Diego can significantly boost their chances of preventing tooth loss. (more…)
A Brief Look at Laser Periodontal Treatment
Preventing periodontal disease is fairly straight forward. For instance, because it develops from oral bacteria, preventing these bacteria from gathering and remaining on your gums can significantly reduce your risks of developing periodontal disease. However, cleanliness isn’t a full-proof guarantee against periodontal disease, and when it does develop, treating it may not always be as simple as removing harmful oral bacteria. For example, in addition to deep periodontal cleaning, your treatment might also include specialized maintenance, such as the laser-assisted new attachment procedure (LANAP). The use of advanced laser technology helps patients in Encinitas/San Diego more comfortably and successfully treat periodontal disease and manage its risks to their oral health. (more…)
Important Things to Remember About Dental Implants
When you experience tooth loss, the condition can result in several different long-term concerns for your smile. That’s because, to remain healthy and fully functional, your bite requires a full set of teeth to work with. While conventional dental prostheses like dental bridges and dentures can replace the parts of your teeth responsible for biting and chewing, the addition of dental implants gives them the ability to rebuild your smile more comprehensively. Implant posts, which are fashioned to replace lost teeth roots, can be used to support a prosthesis of any size (i.e., dental crown, bridge, or denture) with enhanced support and stimulation for your smile. (more…)
3 Reasons Why Good Hygiene Matters So Much
Along with attending preventive dental visits at least twice a year, successfully preventing oral and periodontal diseases requires heavily on your own daily efforts at home. If your hygiene routine is lacking, then even the best oral health care may not be able to help you preserve your smile or avoid the need for extensive treatment. Today, we explain why good hygiene matters so much to the long-term health and integrity of your smile, and how it forms the basis for habits that will increase your chances of avoiding oral health troubles. (more…)
The Details of Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing
Deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, is similar to regular dental cleaning. Both involve removing harmful oral bacteria from your teeth and/or oral tissues, and both are necessary to preventing extensive oral or periodontal disease. The difference is that everyone requires routine dental cleanings, typically at least twice a year, even when their teeth and gums are healthy. However, your Encinitas/San Diego periodontist will only recommend scaling and root planing if you’re at an increased risk of gum disease, or if gingivitis (early gum disease) has already developed. (more…)
Who’s Most at Risk for Periodontal Disease?
The thing about periodontal disease, or gum disease, is that it can affect nearly anyone at certain points in their lives. The disease, which affects over 70% of adults in the United States, develops from an excess of harmful oral bacteria, which reside in everyone’s mouth. This means the building blocks of periodontal disease are already there, so to prevent it, you have to actively prevent those bacteria from infecting your gums. Today, we help make that easier by taking a look at what could make you more at-risk for periodontal disease, and how you can avoid them. (more…)
Why Healthy Teeth Need Healthy Gums
Most people recognize the main tenets of keeping their teeth healthy. For instance, preventing issues like tooth decay and tooth loss requires keeping harmful oral bacteria bay. That requires brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and attending dental checkups and cleanings as often as the dentist recommends. However, not everyone recognizes the importance of healthy gums to the health and integrity of their teeth and the rest of their smiles. Today, we examine why patients in Encinitas/San Diego need healthy gums to maintain their natural smiles for life, and what they can do if their periodontal health is threatened by gum disease. (more…)
How to Know if You’re a Good Candidate for Dental Implants
Because of the innovative way in which the reestablish the support and vital functions of your lost teeth roots, dental implants are often the preferred method of rebuilding your smile. Their ability to effectively mimic healthy, natural teeth also makes them the ideal option for a wide number of patients who’ve suffered tooth loss. However, before recommending a dental implant placement procedure, Dr. Kania will first ensure that you’re a good candidate for it by performing a thorough examination at our Encinitas/San Diego, CA, office. If not, then she’ll work with you to improve your oral and periodontal health to prepare you for the lifelike tooth replacements. (more…)
What’s Different About LANAP Periodontal Treatment?
Preventing, treating, and managing periodontal disease are highly personalized procedures. Some patients may be more susceptible to the disease due to certain risk factors, in which case prevention may require more focused care on their periodontal health. Patients who do exhibit the disease do so to different degrees of severity. Treating the disease and stopping it from growing worse will depend on the extent to which it has already been allowed to develop. For many patients, managing periodontal disease is simpler, more comfortable, and more effective with the help of laser-assisted treatment, or LANAP, which involves the use of a specially calibrated soft-tissue laser to promote more holistic treatment and healing of your gums. (more…)