Dental Questions: Do I REALLY need to floss every day?

Do you actually need to floss every day? Yes! Flossing is one of the most beneficial habits you can add to your daily routine. It is associated with lower rates of gum disease, fewer cavities and lower lifetime dental costs. However, you can only reap these benefits if you floss every single day! Sporadic or intermittent flossing still allows for bacterial growth, tooth decay and eventual dental disease. 

When you use floss, you are targeting the spaces in between the teeth, at/below the gum line. The primary goal is to remove any plaque or food that has accumulated in these areas throughout the day. Plaque is a primary concern, as it plays a major role in the gum disease process. Left undisturbed (unflossed), it only takes about 24 hours for plaque to mineralize to tartar. Tartar cannot be removed, dissolved or displaced with anything other than a professional dental cleaning. Eventually, Tartar will lead to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (irreversible bone loss around the teeth). Stuck food between the teeth can also lead to tooth decay. Sugary and carb heavy food will lodge itself between the teeth, sit up against tooth enamel, and eventually develop cavities.  

The proper way to floss. After going under the tooth contacts, make sure you thread the floss down the gums and around the teeth in an up-and-down motion. 

Tonight, when you're getting ready to go to bed, do a quick experiment. First, brush your teeth thoroughly for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste. Afterwards, floss between every tooth. Take note of all the gunk you get out even after brushing- it may surprise you! If you would like to know more about brushing, flossing or generally keeping your teeth clean, please give our office a call.

Dental Questions: Flossing around implants

Dental implants are a new and exiting technology that has changed the way dentistry is practiced. The ability to add single teeth (or spans of teeth) back to the mouth in a non-removable fashion is a miracle for many patients. However, implants must be maintained with the same hygiene routines as natural teeth, if not more rigorously. Flossing is a particularly important step, as it directly targets the leading cause of implant failure. 

A dental implant is essentially a titanium screw that is placed beneath the gums and into the jaw bone. A crown is either cemented or screwed on to the implant, allowing the gum tissue to heal around it and create the appearance of a natural tooth. While the bones will eventually integrate with the titanium in the screw, the gums never truly "attach" to the sides of the implant crown. The result is a deeper pocket than a natural tooth, with much more potential for food collection and inflammation. Flossing is an essential part of cleaning the sides of the implant and removing irritants and plaque from its pockets. Much like the progression of natural gum disease, unclean implants can develop gum irritation and accelerated bone loss. When used correctly, floss reaches areas that the toothbrush cannot reach and keeps inflammation to a minimum. Don't worry- the floss won't damage the implant crown or the screw underneath!

Implants are an investment that begs to be protected. Regular brushing, flossing and dental cleanings are the only way to ensure your new teeth for many years to come. If you have any more questions about cleaning implants, brushing your teeth or using dental floss, please give our office a call!

Office Spotlight: Hygienist Kristi Villela

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, our team is what makes the experience special! We are fortunate to work with a dedicated group of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and office staff that are passionate about excellent care. Hygienist Kristi Vilella represents this goal by providing expertise and friendly service at every dental cleaning!

Kristi joined our team as a registered dental hygienist at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry in December of 2012. Kristi is from Newbury Park and is a graduate of Newbury Park High School.  She furthered her education with dental hygiene prerequisites at Moorpark College and then obtained her degree in dental hygiene at Fresno City College in 2000.  Kristi resides in Newbury Park with her husband and three children.  On the weekends you can find Kristi at the beach or hiking on the local trails with her family.

At our office, we pride ourselves in selecting staff members to suit a number of different dental needs and personality types. Our goal is to have every patient to feel like part of our "family." To schedule an exam and/or cleaning, please give our office a call at (805) 480-9820 today!

Office Spotlight: Hygienist Nancy Akahoshi

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, our team is what makes the experience special! We are fortunate to work with a dedicated group of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and office staff that are passionate about excellent care. As such, hygienist Nancy Akahoshi is an expert in all your dental cleaning and oral hygiene needs!

Nancy joined our team as a registered dental hygienist at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry in December of 2015.  Nancy is from Santa Monica and is a graduate of Santa Monica High School.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Southern California in 1983.  Nancy resides in Thousand Oaks with her husband and she has two grown daughters.  On the weekends you can find Nancy spending time with her family, hiking, reading, and engaging in other outdoor activities like skiing and fishing.

At our office, we pride ourselves in selecting staff members to suit a number of different dental needs and personality types. Our goal is to have every patient to feel like part of our "family." To schedule an exam and/or cleaning, please give our office a call at (805) 480-9820 today!

Office Spotlight: Hygienist Adrienne Spaeth

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, our team is what makes the experience special! We are fortunate to work with a dedicated group of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and office staff that are passionate about excellent care. As such, our office wouldn't be complete without hygienist Adrienne Spaeth. As a true Conejo Valley local, she really understands what our patients want and need from a dental cleaning!

Adrienne joined our team as a registered dental hygienist at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry in December of 2013.  Adrienne is from Newbury Park and is a graduate of Newbury Park High School.  She received her Associates of Science degree from Moorpark College and then obtained her degree in dental hygiene in 2003 from the West Los Angeles School of Dental Hygiene.  Adrienne resides in Newbury Park with her husband and two elementary school aged daughters.  On the weekends you can find Adrienne on the soccer fields or camping, boating, and hanging at the beach with her family.

At our office, we pride ourselves in selecting staff members to suit a number of different dental needs and personality types. Our goal is to have every patient to feel like part of our "family." To schedule an exam and/or cleaning, please give our office a call at (805) 480-9820 today!

Office Spotlight: Hygienist Lori Dombroski

Lori and her husband

Lori's kids

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, our team is what makes the experience special! We are fortunate to work with a dedicated group of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and office staff that are passionate about excellent care. Today, we would like to honor Lori, one of our beloved hygienists. She has been an important part of our office for nearly a decade, with many patients attesting to her expertise and skill.

Lori Dombroski joined our team as a registered dental hygienist at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry in February of 2008.  Lori is from Newbury Park and is a graduate of Newbury Park High School.  She furthered her education at Moorpark College and obtained her degree in dental hygiene from West Los Angeles School of Dental Hygiene in 1991.  Lori resides in Moorpark with her husband and has two grown children.  On the weekends you can find Lori antique shopping, going to the beach, spending time with her family, and enjoying area restaurants.

At our office, we pride ourselves in selecting staff members to suit a number of different dental needs and personality types. Our goal is to have every patient to feel like part of our "family." To schedule an exam and/or cleaning, please give our office a call at (805) 480-9820 today!

Deep Cleanings

If you're one of the millions of Americans with Periodontal Disease, there is a good chance you have either been offered or received a deep cleaning. You may also still be unclear on what this procedure can accomplish and why we do it. In this article, we hope to remove the mystery from this very beneficial treatment. 

For starters, periodontal disease refers to a state of gum health where the moucosal tissues and/or bone have shrunken away from the teeth. In most cases, this is due to accumulation of hard tartar around the necks of the teeth and down the roots. Patients are left with deep gum pockets that serve as protective space for more tartar to form. 

Healthy gum pockets range between 1-4 millimeters. With a toothbrush and floss, you can reliably clean to about three millimeters of depth. Beyond this, it takes a special set of skills and tools to get the teeth completely clean. If you have healthy gums or inflammation of the moucosal tissues only (gingivitis), a typical "prophy" dental cleaning will serve you well. However, generalized pockets of five millimeters or more will require a deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing. 

A quick infographic explaining the transition from healthy gums to disease. An important note- healthy gums can naturally have a pocket of 1-4mm. 

Scaling and root planing is a procedure that is administered to one quadrant of the mouth at a time, as opposed to the "whole mouth" approach of a normal cleaning. You may only have one or two quadrants of teeth that actually require a deep cleaning. To effectively provide this service, we need to numb your gums with some type of anesthesia. This may be in the form of a topical jelly or a traditional injection. We then use a combination of ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments to clean the teeth to the depths of their pockets, removing hard deposits and smoothing the tooth root surface. The ultimate goal of this treatment is to leave behind a healthy, bacteria-free root for new tissue to attach, thus creating a shallower pocket. 

Deep cleanings are ideally only administered once and followed with a tight recall cleaning schedule. However, this depends largely on you body's ability to heal and your own home hygiene practices. It is also important to understand the limitations of a deep cleaning. While you may have a decrease in pocket depth, new bone is impossible to reform without surgery. Additionally, no amount of cleaning will save teeth with severe periodontal damage. To fully appreciate what a deep cleaning can do for your mouth, a complete dental exam with x-rays is absolutely necessary. To schedule an appointment or find out more about the different types of dental cleanings, please give our office a call!

Refreshing Drinks and Tooth Decay

As summer draws to an end, we are caught at an in-between time of refreshing iced teas and back-to-school coffees. No matter what the season, it's easy to get stuck in a habit of sipping on something sweet and flavorful. Unfortunately, this is the exact pattern that leads to increased risk of tooth decay and cavities. 

While many think of dental decay as a childhood disease, it can most certainly affect teenagers and adults. The problem almost always extends from dietary choices. Every time we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouths become acidic for a 30 minute period. During this time, enamel is softened and more susceptible to bacterial attack. If you sip on sugary drinks all day, your mouth practically lives in this weakened state. This is why soft drinks are particularly detrimental to oral health. Commonly known as "Mountain Dew Mouth" these sweet and acidic beverages leave a telltale pattern of decay and staining in patients' mouths. 

If you're interested in cutting back on the dental damage done by your drink choices, there are a number of things you can do. First and foremost, try to avoid any drinks that contain sugar (sucrose, fructose, glucose, etc.). Even it it's naturally sweetened or organic, sugared beverages are never a good idea. Furthermore, you can cut back on the contact between your teeth and the beverage using a straw. This also works great for keeping heavily pigmented drinks away from freshly whitened teeth. Finally, rinsing with water after finishing your other beverage can help clear away any residual sugars before they cause damage. 

As you can see, small alterations to your diet can have a serious impact on your dental health. By keeping sugary foods and drinks to a minimum, you can spare yourself from extra dental work. If you would like to know more about how to adjust your diet for optimum dental health, please give our office a call!

Case Presentation: Calculus Removal

Today's patient is a great example of why you get regular dental cleanings. These teeth looked completely healthy and normal when viewed from straight on. However, a through exam revealed that the lower teeth were in definite need of dental care. 

Dental plaque tends to build up in hard-to-see areas; behind the lower teeth, around the molars, etc. Over time, this plaque hardens to form calculus (also called "tartar") and becomes impossible to remove with brushing and flossing alone (as seen here). Calculus harbors bacteria that cause periodontal disease, decay and bone loss. At a regular dental cleaning, we use instruments and techniques that rid the teeth of calculus.

This patient received a special type of cleaning called a debridement, where large collections of calculus are removed prior to a normal dental cleaning. They are well on their way to complete oral health! If you would like to know more about cleanings, gum disease or any other health topics, please give our office a call. 

Dentistry Through the Ages: Adults

Greetings and welcome to our on-going blog series, Dentistry Through the Ages. In these blog posts, we will cover age-group specific dental needs and concerns. Your life is constantly changing, and we want to equip you with the best information possible to keep your teeth healthy!

In this article, we will be covering the dental needs of the adult population. For better or worse, this is one of the most stable periods of oral health. Patients who took good care of their teeth from childhood will likely continue to avoid cavities and plaque buildup. Likewise, those with poor oral health will need to work harder at keeping their gums and teeth clean.

Since tooth decay is (generally) caused by bacteria in the mouth, we can look at past histories of cavities as good indicators of the future. Patients with few dental problems (lower bacterial counts) will generally continue to have healthy teeth (and vice versa). However, changes in diet, medication and certain activities can interrupt the balance. This can be both harmful or beneficial. Healthy patients who start to eat more in response to stress or begin new medical regimens can find themselves developing their first cavities late in life. At the same time, patients with a history of tooth decay can introduce new habits or therapeutics to stop bacterial growth and improve their oral condition. This continuum is important to remember as we grow older, take on more responsibilities and develop new medical conditions and diseases.

The adult years are also the time that many patients start to show the signs of periodontal disease. Years of plaque buildup, trauma, and tartar deposits can leave your gums in less-than-optimal condition. While good home care can stave off the progression of gum and bone loss, some will find themselves in the need of a deep cleaning. Our office utilizes a range of services that can target many different stages of periodontal disease, from mild recession to severe pockets. Those with the most extreme losses of gum and bone height may be candidates for grafting or other periodontal surgeries, typically offered by a periodontist.

The important idea to remember in regards to adult oral health is that good habits will be rewarded with a healthy mouth. Even as your life becomes more complex and stressful, it is important to stay on top of your home hygiene. Our office is here to serve as a partner in keeping your teeth and gums in top shape- no matter what the concern. If you would like to know more about home dental care, cleanings or any other questions, please give us a call!