Effects of Soda on Your Teeth | Bell Dentist

Ever seen those videos where someone puts a baby tooth in a glass of soda and watches it decay? Well, the effect of soda in an actual mouth is a bit different. You have your saliva to help wash away the sugar, you eat other things throughout the day, and brush at least twice a day to remove debris or plaque.

Nevertheless, soda is not something we recommend you consume more often than a once-in-awhile treat. Here’s why:

Sugar. Soda has an extremely high sugar content. The bacteria that cause tooth decay feed off of sugar and excrete acid, which is what causes tooth decay. The more sugar our teeth have to interact with, the more prone to decay they will be.

Acid. Think diet soda is a better alternative? Even though it contains zero sugar, it can still contain acids such as phosphoric acid or citric acid. Acid eats away at a tooth’s enamel and leaves it prone to decay.

Colors. Caramel color, Yellow 5, etc. Any type of artificial coloring can cause tooth-staining. If you prefer your teeth sparkling white, it’s best to stay away from soda.

Instead of soda, we recommend spicing up your daily beverages with other alternatives. How about some sparkling water or plain water infused with fresh fruit? When you do drink soda, make sure to rinse with water afterwards. And, as always, keep up with regular brushing and flossing to protect those precious teeth!

If you would like to find out more about the effects of soda on your teeth, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

Flossing Tips | Bell Dentist

Of all the things you can do to maintain a healthy mouth, flossing has got to be the least expensive! But many patients don’t take the time to floss. And if you do, you might not be doing it correctly! Welcome to Flossing 101…

Why should you floss?

Your toothbrush isn’t enough to brush away the plaque that can build up between teeth and at the gumline. A complete dental routine includes both brushing and flossing.

How often should you floss?

Once a day is ideal. Believe it or not, flossing more often (or with more rigor) can damage your gums. The only exception to once-a-day flossing is if you need to remove pieces of stringy or sticky foods that get stuck after eating. Don’t leave those in there too long.

Should you floss before or after brushing?

Either one is fine!

How should you floss?

Pull out about 18 inches of floss (any brand is fine). Wind the floss tightly around your index or middle fingers on both hands so that the floss between your hands is taut. Slide the floss between each set of teeth that touch, as well as where your last molar meets your gums. Slide the floss up and down the teeth, following the natural curve of each tooth in a “C” shape.

Imagine the floss giving each tooth a little hug! Floss between teeth and where your teeth meet your gums. Use a new clean section of floss for each set of teeth.

For a helpful infographic, use this one from the American Dental Association. You can also ask our hygienist to show you how to floss at your next visit.

Can’t floss?

If arthritis in your hands or another condition prevents you from flossing adequately, consider a dental pick, oral irrigator, or electric flosser. Give us a call at 323-312-0500 or ask about options at your next visit. We will help find a solution for you!

If you would like to find out more about flossing, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

Got a Cold Sore? Here’s How to Treat It Quickly | Bell Dentist

Ugh. A cold sore appears a couple days before a party where you’ll be photographed as much as the Royal Couple. That smile that we’ve been working on together just went from hero to zero, right?

Not necessarily. Finding which cold sore treatment works best for you can help speed along its healing. And that’s why we’re here.

Maybe it isn’t a cold sore, right? Let’s clear the air about what a cold sore is and isn’t.

Cold sores are contagious blisters that usually appear on your lips or around your mouth. Caused by a virus, cold sores usually start with a tingling sensation, evolve into numerous tiny, painful blisters, and later crust over.

Canker sores, on the other hand, aren’t contagious, but they still sting. Unlike cold sores, they usually appear as white oval lesions inside your mouth, especially near or on your gums.

Remedies for Cold Sores

The key to treating a cold sore is acting fast. As soon as the first symptom appears, consider these steps to move the healing process along quickly:

Apply ice to the cold sore. At the first sign, grab an ice cube, wrap it in a paper towel, place it where you feel the cold sore coming on, and let it melt. Back-to-back applications can reduce the pain.
Switch to a cold sore-fighting diet. You can boost your immune system’s fight against this viral nuisance with the right foods. Fill your plate with cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, and avoid foods with arginine, a cold-sore-triggering amino acid found in nuts, chocolate, and oats.
Dial down the stress. One of the most common causes of cold sores is, surprise, surprise, stress. Minimizing stress these days can get so complicated that it causes more stress, right? But try giving yourself some time for the restorative, restful activities that drop your heart rate and raise your smile.
Reach for aloe vera or even an over-the-counter cream. Both natural and medicinal creams have shown promise as cold sore remedies. Some studies suggest that aloe vera can help the fever blister heal, and over-the-counter creams, like docosanol, also tout their ability to knock the sore out of cold sores. Prefer the medicinal route? Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before using it.
Relieve pain with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Some cold sores can get really painful. For those intense ones, acetaminophen or ibuprofen may provide well-needed relief. Just be sure that your healthcare provider’s on-board with that type of over-the-counter med.

There you have it. You’re on the fast track to treating that cold sore quickly and living your best life at the party. Don’t forget to smile!

If you would like to find out more about cold sore remedies, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies | Bell Dentist

Let’s say you sprained an ankle. What are your first steps? Most of us probably would say something along the lines of plop down on the nearest couch, ice the ankle, elevate it, add some compression, and see a doctor if it’s a bad sprain.

But what about a dental emergency, like a broken tooth? What’s your first step? Don’t be surprised if you don’t know. Most of us aren’t that familiar with the recommendations. But after this post, you’ll be the go-to source if it happens.

So, what exactly is a dental emergency? A dental emergency is any event that warrants immediate care to save a tooth, stop bleeding from the mouth, or relieve tooth or mouth pain. Some of the most common examples we see at Dental & Implant Care Center include a cracked or knocked-out tooth or a toothache.

Tips for Treating Common Dental Emergencies

We see our fair share of dental emergencies here in Bell and we’re equipped to handle them all. If you or a family member experience any of these, call us as soon as possible, and we’ll let you know if you’ll need to see one of our dentists.

Knocked-out tooth. For adults, place the tooth in the socket without touching the root; if that’s not possible, place the tooth between your check and gums, in milk, or in ADA-approved tooth-preservation solution. It’s crucial to keep the tooth wet. For children with baby teeth, come to our office as soon as possible; do not try to place the tooth in the socket.

Cracked tooth. Rinse your mouth and place an ice pack on your face to reduce the swelling. Wrap the tooth up in wet gauze or a towel and bring it to the office.

Toothache. Use warm water to rinse your mouth, and gently floss to remove any food. If you note any facial swelling (which may signal infection), come to our office or your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Bitten tongue or lip. Clean the area with a cloth or rinse your mouth with water. Apply an ice pack to the area. If the bleeding doesn’t slow, come to our office or go to the ER.

Tips for Preventing Emergencies

Taking the right measures can keep your teeth safe. Here are a few easy precautions you and your family can take each day:

Use scissors or a tool, rather than your teeth, to open or cut items
Wear a mouthguard when playing high-impact sports, like football, basketball, and soccer
Wear a helmet when using a bike, scooter, or skateboard
Never chew hard foods, like ice and hard candy
Help young children keep toys and small items out of their mouths

Need more information? Give us a call or send us an email. Everyone at Dental & Implant Care Center is happy to answer any questions you have!

If you would like to find out more about dental emergencies, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

Why a Dental Crown Could Change Your Life | Bell Dentist

If your tooth is in danger of breaking a dental crown procedure may be the right solution for you. A breaking or damaged tooth indicates that there is a significant amount of decay that causes the tooth to become frail. In order to restore your tooth to its natural strength, a dental crown will be used to improve the longevity and durability of your tooth, as well as any discoloration. This dental crown will not only improve your oral health but give you a confident and radiant smile. Below are just a few of the benefits:

Undergoing a cosmetic dental crown procedure can improve the look of broken or cracked teeth. If you are suffering from a loss of teeth, dental crowns are the solution to replace any missing teeth.
Dental crowns look extremely natural because the porcelain and composite resin crowns match the exact shade of your natural teeth. With dental crowns, you will not be able to tell the difference from your crowns and natural teeth.
Dental crowns are stain resistant. This is because dental crowns are made from porcelain, a material that is not prone to discoloration.
With durable materials used for your dental crowns, dental crowns can last up to 15 years. With dental crowns, patients can go about their daily routines without constantly worrying about their dental crowns falling out of place.
Dental crowns are restorative and preventive measures that improve missing or damaged teeth. Dental crowns also drastically decrease the amount of bacteria build-up that can lead to the loss of more teeth.

If you are embarrassed of your missing or damaged teeth, dental crowns are the perfect solution to build your confidence. It may be time to make that dental appointment…

If you would like to find out more about dental crowns, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

It’s Time to Extract Your Tooth | Bell Dentist

There is nothing more nerve-wracking than needed a tooth extracted. We expect to have our teeth for a lifetime, so when we need to have one removed, it’s for something that we’ve done. Some common reasons that extraction is necessary include severe tooth decay or infection, gum disease (where the supporting bone is compromised), fractured teeth, treating impacted wisdom teeth, even cosmetic removal.

While there are many different reasons for extraction, virtually all extractions fall into one of two classes: simple and surgical. Simple extractions typically involve local anesthetic, and instruments are used to gain leverage and physically loosen and pull the tooth from the patient’s mouth. Surgical extractions, as their name implies, is typically conducted by an oral surgeon under anesthesia, and may involve teeth that are fully beneath the gum tissue, or teeth that require cutting tissue or bone for other reasons.

Both surgical and simple extractions require healing – your dentist or oral surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to minimize the chance of infection and will pack the socket with gauze to eliminate the chance of food particles becoming embedded in the opening formerly occupied by the removed tooth.

If your dentist recommends extraction, you should ask whether the extraction will be a simple extraction or if it will require surgery, and you should discuss the need for antibiotics and expected healing time. While extraction is fairly common and well understood, there are some potential complications (including infection, bleeding, swelling, and nerve injury). Address any concerns with your dentist so you fully understand the risks and alternatives before consenting to the procedure.

If you would like to find out more about Invisalign, contact Dr. Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Mike Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

Get Straight Teeth without Traditional Braces | Bell Dentist

We’re all familiar with braces – metal fastened to teeth in our adolescent years to straighten our crooked permanent teeth. It was a source of ridicule that made growing up torture. But if you didn’t get braces as a kid, you now need to balance a desire for a corrected smile against the desire not to have visible metal braces. The American Association of Orthodontics indicates that approximately 25% of people wearing braces are adults, which means a lot of patients are currently being treated. But you don’t see them that often, so how? Clear braces known as Invisalign.

Invisalign is a series of treatments where customized, clear plastic aligners are worn for a specific period of time, slowly and slightly correcting the patient’s bite as the patient completes the specified time with each aligner. There are no brackets or wires, reducing all of the extra care that comes with traditional braces.

The aligners should be worn 20-22 hours each day. They can be removed while you eat and brush your teeth, but are generally worn while awake and asleep. Because the aligners are removed while you eat, you’re free to eat virtually anything you’d normally eat – there are no concerns about getting food stuck in the wires of traditional braces.

Nearly all bite issues can be corrected with Invisalign, though some dentists will recommend against Invisalign in certain cases where Invisalign may be significantly more costly and difficult than traditional orthodontic treatments. To determine if you’re an Invisalign candidate, schedule an appointment soon for a full evaluation.

If you would like to find out more about Invisalign, contact Dr. Mike Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

How Did I Develop TMJ Disorder? | Bell Dentist

Have you noticed you’ve been experiencing jaw pain when you wake up lately? If nothing has happened to you physically, but you still have jaw pain and headaches, you may begin to consider taking a trip to the dentist. Unfortunately, you may be developing TMJ disorder.

But what is TMJ disorder? It isn’t a term many of us are familiar with. TMJ disorders are problems with the jaw joint. A problem with the muscles or joints in your jaw can lead to headaches, ear pain, bite problems, jaw pain and much more. There are several conditions that can end up causing TMJ:

Bruxism, or teeth grinding and clenching. Sufferers of bruxism often wake up with jaw or ear pain. This is due to wear on the cartilage lining of the temporomandibular joint.

Gum chewing or nail biting. Using your teeth as tools is going to eventually damage your teeth, but when it begins to affect your TMJ, it may be time to break this terrible habit.

Malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Some people find it hard to chew on a certain side of their teeth due to misalignment, so they habitually chew on the other side causing excess stress on that side of the jaw.

Previous jaw fractures or injury. Some of the symptoms of TMJ are headache, ear pain, dizziness and ringing in the ear. If you have any of these symptoms and feel you may have a TMJ disorder, contact your dental professional for a consultation. They may be able to evaluate your symptoms in order to help alleviate your pain and get you feeling your best.

If you would like to find out more about TMJ disorder, contact Dr. Mohammad Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

Deciding Between Bonding and Veneers | Bell Dentist

We all want a great smile, but there aren’t many of us that can naturally pull it off. When we decide it’s time to get the smile we’ve always wanted, it’s time to pay a visit to our dental professional. Together you will design a dental treatment plan you both can agree upon and the process begins. But with all these options, it can become a bit overwhelming, especially when treatment options are very similar. For the sake of clarifying any questions, let’s take a moment to break down two – dental bonding and porcelain veneers.

Dental bonding uses a smooth, tooth-colored solution which is applied to teeth. It covers stains and fills in small chips and gaps. After the dental bonding solution has been applied and shaped a specialized dental light is used to harden the bonding material. When the process is complete the tooth is then polished. Bonding is great for patients who need one or two teeth corrected.

Porcelain veneers are fabricated from a solid piece of porcelain. They fit over the front and underside of your tooth covering the entire surface of visible tooth. Veneers can be fitted to lengthen or widen teeth to close gaps or fill in chips. Porcelain veneers are generally used for patients who have several cosmetic problems or want their entire set of front-facing teeth made over. While veneers and bonding are cosmetic procedures used to treat similar problems, veneers may be a better alternative in cases where the patient wants to adjust the size or shape of the tooth.

If you would like to find out more about dental bonding and veneers, contact Dr. Mohammad Ahmadi at 323-312-0500 to schedule a consultation or visit www.dentalimplantcare.com for additional information.

Dr. Ahmadi proudly serves Bell and all surrounding areas.

What to Do When You Crack a Tooth

Ouch!
Chomp on something your tooth didn’t like? Or get hit in the mouth with a hockey puck?

If you think you may have a cracked tooth, or if you’re holding a piece of your tooth in your hand, follow these steps!

Give us a call to schedule an appointment 323 312-0500. Let us know about your emergency and we will make our best effort to see you right away or you can also make an online appointment!
If there are tooth fragments that have fallen out, preserve them in a clean container with a moist solution (cold milk, water, saliva), and bring them in to your appointment.
Apply a cold pack to your jaw to lessen any pain and swelling.
If bleeding, bite down on a gauze pad until bleeding stops. It is possible to have a cracked tooth and not know it.

If you have any pain when biting down, or when eating something hot or cold, it’s best to get it checked out.

In order to prevent further damage to the tooth or an infection, it’s very important to correct a cracked tooth immediately.