Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Sensitive Subject From Your San Diego Dentist: Sensitive Teeth

Dr. Kitchen is a dentist in San Diego who sees a lot of patients with different issues. One of the most common complaints Dr. Kitchen hears about is sensitive teeth. Since this is one of the most common oral health problems people face, Dr. Kitchen found an informative article from Web MD that he'd like to share in this blog post:

One zing to the nerve of a tooth after a sip or bite of food is enough to send even the hungriest bear running from the kitchen. Sensitive teeth can seriously limit the enjoyment of your favorite fare.

So if ice cream meeting your tooth has you seeing stars, the layer beneath the surface of your tooth (called dentin) has become exposed, says Eric Sung, DDS, professor at UCLA's School of Dentistry. This happens when the hard outer covering of a tooth --  enamel above the gum line and cementum on the root -- wears away, exposing microscopic tubules in the dentin that lead to the nerve of the tooth. After that, biting into foods that are hot, cold, sweet, or acidic (like tomatoes, oranges, or lemons, whose acids can eat away at enamel and cementum) can cause searing pain.

What's at the Root of Sensitive Teeth?How does all this happen? A number of factors are to blame, Sung says.Gum recession, when gums pull away from the tooth and expose the root surface, is common with periodontal disease, which happens when plaque accumulates along the gum line. "As plaque builds, the bacteria release toxins that cause the gums to get infected and then recede," Sung explains.

"Grinding causes teeth to flex and crack, creating a notch that exposes dentin at the gum line, called an abfraction," Sung says. If you grind, try wearing a mouth guard while you sleep to protect your teeth.

Brushing with too much force, with a stiff toothbrush, or even with an old toothbrush can cause abfractions as well. Be sure to brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush that you replace every three months whether or not it looks worn.

Also, teeth whiteners give new meaning to the phrase "beauty is pain." They are notorious for causing tooth sensitivity. "It's usually transient, but can be long-term where it lasts for days, if not weeks," Sung says.

How sensitive is too sensitive? Sung offers up a few rules of thumb: "If pain lasts for only a few seconds, it's not really an issue." However, if your teeth are sensitive to hot foods and beverages (usually a sign of nerve problems), or if the pain lasts more than a minute or is spontaneous, you've earned yourself a trip to the dentist.

To Continue reading the full article, Dr. Kitchen, your San Diego dentist, recommends heading over to WEb MD, here 


David L. Kitchen, DDS
9850 Genesee Avenue
Suite 540
La Jolla, CA 92037

Telephone: 858.558.1946
info@davidkitchendds.com

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Your San Diego Dentist Says: No More Excuses!

Dentists see it all the time. Patients come in for their regular dental check-up, thinking they've outsmarted the pros by vigorously brushing and flossing the day of or night before their scheduled appointment. However, this desperate attempt to trick your dentist won't work -- we can tell just by looking at your teeth that you haven't been flossing regularly like you're supposed to.

But, don't feel bad about your situation. A lot of people forget to floss or have excuses about why they don't floss. The good thing is that you can fix this problem with flossing in a few easy steps. And, to encourage healthy habits Dr. Kitchen, who is  a San Diego dentist, found these 8 excuses people use to not floss, with a counter argument:

Do you floss? Or, like many people, do you always seem to find a reason not to?A 2008 survey found that only 49% of Americans floss daily, and 10% never floss. That’s most unfortunate, dentists say, because flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss. 

"If you were stuck on a desert island and a boat could bring only one thing, you’d want it to bring floss,” says Samuel B. Low, DDS, professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “But I’m convinced that the only time some of my patients floss is an hour before showing up in my office.”

Dentists say they hear all sorts of excuses for not flossing. Yet they insist that simple workarounds exist for just about all:

Excuse #1: Food doesn’t get caught between my teeth, so I don’t need to floss.Flossing isn’t so much about removing food debris as it is about removing dental plaque, the complex bacterial ecosystem that forms on tooth surfaces between cleanings. Plaque is what causes tooth decay, inflamed gums (gingivitis), periodontal disease, and eventually tooth loss. Flossing or using an interdental cleaner is the only effective way to remove plaque between teeth.

Excuse #2: I don’t know how to floss.Flossing isn’t easy.  Low calls it “the most difficult personal grooming activity there is.” But practice makes perfect.

Here’s how the American Dental Association describes the process:
  • Start with about 18 inches of floss. Wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand, the rest around the other middle finger.
  • Grasp the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, and use a gentle shoeshine motion to guide it between teeth.
  • When the floss reaches the gum line, form a C shape to follow the contours of the tooth.
  • Hold the floss firmly against the tooth, and move the floss gently up and down.
  • Repeat with the other tooth, and then repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth, “unspooling” fresh sections of floss as you go along.
Don’t forget to floss the backs of your last molars. “By far, most gum disease and most decay occurs in the back teeth,” Low says.
To continue reading this article, Dr. Kitench recommends heading over to Web MD, here


David L. Kitchen, DDS
9850 Genesee Avenue
Suite 540
La Jolla, CA 92037

Telephone: 858.558.1946
info@davidkitchendds.com

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

San Diego Dentist Asks: Electric Toothbrushes -- Are They For You?

Recently, a patient asked San Diego dentist, Dr. Kitchen, if it would be a good idea in the name of oral health to get an electronic toothbrush instead of the regular toothbrush we're all acquainted with. Dr. Kitchen's response was something like this -- an article from Web MD discussing the merits of electronic toothbrushes and the technique we should be using to keep our teeth clean:

Elizabeth Turkenkopf has been using an electric toothbrush for more than seven years, and has been impressed with the results -- cleaner teeth and minimal plaque build-up, which translates into less scraping at her regular dental check-ups.


She hasn’t had a cavity since she made the switch from a hand-powered toothbrush, and her gums are in good shape. Although she can’t say for sure her pristine oral health is the result of her electric toothbrush, she’s not messing with success.

It’s your technique -- not the toothbrush -- that makes the difference. It’s really a matter of preference. And, of course, no matter what brush you use, you still need to floss properly, use a mouth rinse each day, and see your dentist every 6 months. 

“Power toothbrushes have come a long way,” says Terrence Griffin, DMD, an associate professor and chair of the department of periodontology at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston.

Your personality, your teeth, or your affinity with technologies may make one type more appealing to you.

Power Toothbrushes: Electric and Sonic

Electric toothbrushes were first introduced in the U.S. in 1960 by a company called Squibb, and marketed under the name Broxodent. Today, there are dozens of different brands available, with a myriad of features, including re-chargeable batteries, compact designs, and bristles built for optimal cleaning.

The two main types of power toothbrushes are electric and sonic -- the difference between the two really comes down to numbers.

Electric Toothbrushes: With 3,000 to 7,500 rotating motions a minute, electric toothbrushes are powered to replicate the motion of your hand -- doing the muscle work for you. The bristles on these toothbrushes either rotate or move back and forth to help remove plaque and reduce gingivitis.

Sonic Toothbrushes: Offering 30,000 to 40,000 strokes per minute, sonic toothbrushes rotate in a back and forth vibrating motion. The rapid motion is the sonic toothbrushes' claim to fame. But ultimately, it also aims to remove plaque and keep teeth and gums healthy and clean.

For a little bit of perspective, the old-fashioned way of brushing your teeth rings in about 300 strokes per minute -- if you brush properly. So over the two-minute recommended brushing time, your teeth are hit with 600 strokes … a far cry form the thousands you might get with the high-tech variety.



To continue reading this article, Dr. Kitchen, your San Diego dentist, recommends heaing over to Web MD, here.

David L. Kitchen, DDS
9850 Genesee Avenue
Suite 540
La Jolla, CA 92037

Telephone: 858.558.1946
info@davidkitchendds.com

Friday, February 1, 2013

San Diego, CA Dentist Says: 9 Things You Can Do About Bad Breath

Dr. Kitchen, a San Diego, CA dentist sees a lot of patients in his La Jolla office. one of their main concerns, is whether or not they have bad breath. The topic of halitosis (bad breath's scientific name) can be a touchy one for folks, so that's why Dr. Kitchen is posting this article about 9 Things You Can Do About Bad Breath:

Worried about bad breath? You're not alone. Forty million Americans suffer from bad breath, or halitosis, according to the American Dental Hygienists' Association. Bad breath can get in the way of your social life. It can make you self-conscious and embarrassed. Fortunately, there are simple and effective ways to freshen your breath.

1. Brush and floss more frequently.
One of the prime causes of bad breath is plaque, the sticky build-up on teeth that harbors bacteria. Food left between teeth adds to the problem. All of us should brush at least twice a day and floss daily. If you're worried about your breath, brush and floss a little more often.  But don't overdo it. Brushing too aggressively can erode enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay.
San Diego, CA dentist
San Diego, CA dentist
2. Scrape your tongue.
The coating that normally forms on the tongue can harbor foul-smelling bacteria. To eliminate them, gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush. Some people find that toothbrushes are too big to comfortably reach the back of the tongue. In that case, try a tongue scraper. "Tongue scrapers are an essential tool in a proper oral health care routine," says Pamela L. Quinones, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association. "They're designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can’t remove."  

3. Avoid foods that sour your breath.
Onions and garlic are the prime offenders. "Unfortunately, brushing after you eat onions or garlic doesn't help," says dentist Richard Price, DMD, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association. "The volatile substances they contain make their way into your blood stream and travel to your lungs, where you breathe them out." The only way to avoid the problem is to avoid eating onions and garlic, especially before social or work occasions when you're concerned about your breath.
San Diego, CA Dentist
San Diego, CA Dentist

To continue reading the entire article, Dr. Kitchen, your San Diego, CA dentist, recommends heading over to Web MD, here


David L. Kitchen, DDS
9850 Genesee Avenue
Suite 540
La Jolla, CA 92037

Telephone: 858.558.1946
info@davidkitchendds.com