Foods that Cause Tooth Decay | Bell Dentist

When it comes to tooth decay, it’s important to know the main culprit – acid. Acid is what eats away at our enamel and causes cavities. Acid can enter our mouths in one of two ways: either directly through what we eat (citrus fruits, for example), or as a byproduct when oral bacteria consume the sugars that we eat.

Ultimately, a simple way to identify foods that cause tooth decay is to ask whether it’s acidic or sweet/starchy. Acidic foods include things like citrus fruits, tomatoes, vinegar, kombucha and sour candy. Sweet/starchy foods include things like candy, soda or sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit, bread, cereal, pasta and crackers.

The longer these things interact with your teeth, the greater the chance for tooth decay to occur. For example, sipping on soda throughout the day, or chewing a gooey caramel treat, increases the amount of sugar that coat your teeth. Bacteria love to feast on this sugar, creating an acidic environment and putting your teeth at risk for decay.

To help protect your teeth against tooth decay:

Reduce your consumption of sweets and refined starches
Enjoy acidic foods in moderation or as part of a meal
Decrease or eliminate your consumption of soda or sugar-sweetened beverages
Swish with water after meals and snacks
Maintain good oral hygiene to brush away plaque buildup (floss at least once a day and brush twice a day)

And, as always, make sure to visit us regularly so we can remove tartar buildup and assess for early signs of decay.

If you would like to find out more about the causes of tooth decay, 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.

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.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration? | Bell Dentist

Ever look at a photo of yourself from only a few years ago and ask yourself, “Huh, were my teeth looked a bit brighter back then?” We definitely do. Coffee and red wine usually get the blame for teeth discoloration, but several other causes may be the culprit.

Common Reasons for Tooth Discoloration

Spotty Dental Routine. We’re definitely a little biased at Implant and Dental Care Center. But if you don’t brush and floss regularly, plaque can harden into tartar, leaving a yellow-brown color along your gums.

Diet. Some of the foods we hold dearest to our heart, at least at Dental and Implant Care Center — like coffee on a Monday morning or an apple on a crisp, cool day — can stain our teeth. Besides coffee and red wine, a few of the top offenders include tea, berries, grapes, tomato and soy sauces, soda, dark juices, and white wine.

Tobacco use. Smoking and chewing tobacco can cause a slew of health issues, the least worrisome of which is yellow teeth. That said, it’s one of the most common aesthetic complaints among tobacco users.

Too much fluoride. Fluoride is a good thing, but like all good things, too much of it isn’t recommended. Consuming too much of it, like in tap water or through dental care products (like mouthwash), can leave streaks across or a brown outline on your teeth.

Enamel decay. Enamel is that hard shell that protects the inside of your tooth. But if it decays or doesn’t fully develop, you may see a variety of stains and changes, including pits, white spots, or yellow-brown streaks. If you suspect decay, schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible.

What Helps Prevent Stains

Pardon our sounding like a broken record, but generally, the one great way to prevent teeth discoloration is to take exquisite care of your teeth and your health. Here are some of our favorite measures you can take right away to keep your teeth bright:

Brush after eating or drinking
Floss daily
Pass on the sugary foods and drinks
Add calcium to your diet
Nix any tobacco use

We Can Help, Too

If you need some help adding more sparkle to your smile, we’re here for you, too. We offer a number of whitening services. Give us a call to learn more or to schedule your appointment!

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.

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.

Is It Possible to Get Rid of Plaque? | Bell Dentist

We all want our smile to be the best it can possibly be, but in order to keep it that way, we take some time every day to brush, floss and rinse our teeth. Taking this moment will not only you’re your smile clean and bright but will also prevent future dental issues from arising. Unfortunately, if we aren’t diligent, the result will develop into plaque.

The formation of plaque is caused by the lack of thorough brushing and flossing within our daily dental routine. Plaque poses as a huge threat to your teeth because once the plaque hardens, the end result is tartar. Unfortunately, tartar cannot be removed with brushing or flossing, but can be removed through professional teeth cleanings, which means another dental appointment in your future.

During this dental appointment, you can expect to receive a full scheduled hour with a registered dental hygienist, who will use the latest technology to thoroughly clean the surfaces of your teeth in order to prevent a variety of problems including tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, you will not only diminish any plaque buildup in your mouth but will be able to maintain ideal oral health. Along with a professional teeth cleaning, your dental hygienist will take the time to check periodontal measurements, check oral pathology, and perform fluoride treatments.

It is necessary to emphasize the importance of professional teeth cleanings because brushing and flossing alone will not completely prevent dental problems. As much as you may try to avoid it, visiting the dentist on a regular basis is a must. Only they can truly ensure you’re keeping your smile the healthiest it can be.

If you would like to find out more about plaque, 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.

Understanding the Five Stages of Tooth Decay

Did you know there are five distinct stages of tooth decay? And, that in the first stage of decay, you can actually take steps to reverse the progression of the disease? Indeed, it’s true. In the first stage of decay, whether you’re a child or an adult, the application of fluoride via fluoride treatments, your toothpaste and even the local water supply can stop a cavity from penetrating through the enamel and reaching its second stage. Even the saliva in your mouth and the foods you eat help to re-mineralize a tooth in jeopardy. But that’s just the first stage! What about the rest? Understanding how a cavity progresses can assist you in preventing each successive stage from occurring in your children. There’s always a lot going on in that little mouth!

Stage One: White Spots

In stage one, the tooth begins to show signs of strain from the attack of sugars and acids, and white spots will begin to materialize just below the surface of the enamel. These white spots are representative of the demineralization of the tooth and can be easy to miss because they’re likely to occur on your child’s molars. A dental exam, of course, is designed to catch such cavities! Can you see why regular visits to the dentist are recommended? As mentioned previously, at this stage, the cavity can be repaired without the need to excavate the tooth.

Stage Two: Enamel Decay

Stage two marks the beginning of the end for the surface enamel that is being attacked. Initially, the tooth erodes from the underside outward, so the outer enamel will still be intact for the first half of this second stage. Once the cavity breaks through the surface of the enamel, there is no turning back, and your child will need to have the cavity corrected with a filling.

Stage Three: Dentin Decay

If a cavity in your child’s mouth were to progress beyond stage two without you knowing, you’d tend become aware of it when it started to hit stage three because it would probably start to cause some pain. At this level, the cavity begins to eat away at the second level of tooth material that lies beneath the enamel: the dentin. A filling can still be used to stop the onslaught of bacteria assaulting the tooth in order to prevent the cavity from reaching the tooth’s most critical component: the pulp.

Stage Four: Involvement of The Pulp

Once the cavity reaches the pulp, it’s going to hurt. A lot. So if you’ve unfortunately missed all the signs to this point, a screaming child or moaning teenager will certainly let you know there is a big problem. Stage four is serious, and a root canal is the only option of treatment at this stage, save for a complete extraction.

Stage Five: Abscess Formation

In the fifth and final stage of a cavity, the infection has reached the tip of the root and exited the tip of the tooth’s structure. This in turn infects the surrounding tissues and possibly the bone structure. Swelling would be commonplace and pain severe. In children (as well as adults) an abscess can be fatal if not dealt with immediately. Root canal or extraction would be the order of the day should decay reach this stage. Need to see us? Give a call at (323) 312-0500 or make a online appointment here!

As you can see, cavities don’t happen overnight. In the early stages, regular visits can stall and reverse the progression of these dastardly little devils, so it really does pay to visit the dentist at pre-selected intervals. You can keep your kids far from stage five their whole lives, and if a little bit of prodding to get them to the dentist accomplishes that, you can rest easy despite the griping.