Dental Professionals – Resolving Chipped Teeth

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By Arthur Kezian

Dental problems can occur any time. One example of a problem is a chipped or fractured tooth. Dr. Kezian, a specialist in dental procedures, will help you understand a chipped tooth and how it can be repaired.

What is a Chipped Tooth?

·         A blow to the face, catching a baseball or tennis ball on the chin, or even biting into something hard can all cause a chipped tooth.

·         This is more likely to occur if the tooth has experienced a lot of decay or already has a deep cavity.

·         Should you ever have a chipped tooth, do not panic; Dr. Kezian and his staff are specialists with knowledge of the various restoration procedures available to revamp that gorgeous smile of yours.

It is important to know what to do and avoid doing when you discover that one of your teeth have chipped.

•        The first thing to do upon realizing that you have chipped or broken teeth is to seek a dentist immediately. The reason being that failing to do so could lead to further damage, infection, or tooth loss.

•        Once you make an appointment with a dentist, you should take care of your injury by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. In case you experience pain, use the salt water rinse and take a pain reliever.

•        Avoid eating and try to eat soft foods or liquids if you have to.

•         Never attempt to bite down with your chipped teeth; you don’t want them chipping further.

How to Cater for Minor Chipped Teeth?

If the chip is of a minor nature, it is possible for your tooth to be repaired in one quick visit. A chip can be fixed using composite bondings. With advanced dental technology, the bonding can look very natural! During the procedure, an adhesive is used to bond the resin to your tooth and shape it accordingly to your tooth’s anatomy. An ultraviolet light is then used to harden the resin. A couple adjustments will be made to make sure your bite is on point and the new bonding is smooth, and the repair is complete.

What Happens when the Chipped Tooth has Decay?

When a large piece of your tooth is missing or there is significant amount of decay in your fractured tooth, your dentist will either cap or crown the damaged tooth. This is usually a two-visit appointment. The procedure commences with x-rays. Once the diagnosis of your tooth is complete, upon your approval, the treatment will start. Your tooth will be prepped, minimizing its structure to make room for the crown that will sit atop it. You will be given a temporary crown to provide structural support for your tooth until your second appointment, where your permanent crown will be ready.

What Other Restoration Methods are Available for Chipped Teeth?

If the tooth is severely damaged, a root canal is performed to save the tooth. Your teeth have nerves and a pulp chamber, and when infected or damaged, can cause you excruciating pain. To free you from pain, your dentist would remove the pulp, clean out the root canal, and seal the chipped tooth to later crown it.

Another alternative restoration method to damaged teeth involves the application of veneers. Veneers are made of porcelain or resin, and are thin custom fit shells used to cover chipped teeth. They are attached to the frontal surface of your chipped teeth. Just like crowns, veneers also require a two-visit appointment.

If you have ever have a chipped tooth, don’t wait around. Call a dentist immediately and plan a treatment together. You and your dentist can review the aforementioned options and decide which is best for you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS and staff. We are here to guide you through the entire process.
 

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

-N.S.

Oral Cancer - The Importance of Dental Check-Ups

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By Arthur Kezian

 

How often do you go for a dental checkup? How often does your dentist do a screening for oral cancer as part of your checkup? Dentists recommend getting a dental exam once every six months. 

It is important for your dentist to not only check for possible cavities, but possible symptoms for oral cancer.

Your dentist will feel your mouth for lumps or irregular tissues in your neck, head, oral cavity, and cheeks. He or she will also check the soft tissues in your mouth looking for sore spots and any tissue that is discolored. This type of screening should be done every six months for preventative measures. 

Every year more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in the United States. Oral cancer can be fatal if not treated properly in its early stages. The earlier the cancer is found, the earlier it can get treated. This is why it is very important to keep up with routine dental exams. Your dentist should make sure to send you reminder letters every six months or so. 

Some of the possible signs for oral cancer include lumps or thick spots, sores that do not heal and/or are constantly bleeding, soreness of the throat, hoarseness, numbness of the tongue, difficulty moving the jaw or tongue, or difficulty chewing or swallowing. Sometimes ear pains are also associated with oral cancer we well as changes in the way teeth fit. 

Ask your dentist for more information regarding oral cancer. It is important to take action from the beginning. It is better to be safe when it comes to something as important as this. Make sure to get yourself checked every time you visit your dentist. 

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

 

-N.S.

Tips from a Dentist: Masking Bad Breath

By Arthur Kezian

            Do you like having your burger with raw onions? Do you enjoy a nice slice of garlic bread with your Caesar salad? Onions and garlic can both make your food taste better, but they also come with a price – bad breath. These two are the most common foods that cause bad breath; they contain sulfuric compounds that can promote the growth of some microbes in your mouth that already cause bad breath. If you’re a fan of garlic, you have probably noticed that even after brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth some of the bad odor remains. Why? The sulfuric compounds found in garlic become metabolized, and ultimately make their way into your blood stream. During the digestive process, allyl methyl sulfide is passed through the bloodstream, and this is the main reason for the smell. Once this sulfuric compound is in your blood stream, it passes through a variety of excretions in the body, including pores. The compound also gets into the air that fills your lungs. As you breathe, the air goes into your lungs and is mixed and contaminated with the allyl methyl sulfide. So, even if you rinse your mouth or brush your teeth, the smell will not necessarily go away; it is not just coming from your mouth. Even if your oral care may be good, the smell is coming from your body.

            Fortunately, just as some foods can cause bad breath, others can mask it. They can’t get rid of the smell for good, but they do have a great temporary affect on hiding the smell! One of the most commonly known foods that can temporarily mask the odor is parsley; the trick is in the oils found in parsley. Parsley is also a good source of chlorophyll, which is a compound that has anti-bacterial properties. Apart from parsley, other herbs or spices can also mask the smell. Some of these odor fighting foods are spearmint, cinnamon, coriander, cilantro, tarragon, eucalyptus, cardamom, and rosemary.

            Another factor that helps is green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants like polyphenols that destroy sulfuric compounds. Green tea also contains catechin, another antioxidant that can fight off bacteria.

            Yogurt is also very good for hiding bad mouth odors. The live active cultures in yogurt help diminish bad breath. Yogurt has probiotics, which are “good bacteria”, and can fight the “bad bacteria” that causes the smell. Researchers found that eating about six ounces of yogurt a day could reduce levels of odor-causing compounds (i.e. hydrogen sulfide). Ask a dentist about eating yogurt daily and they can let you know how beneficial it is.

            Fruits are also very beneficial in masking bad odors. They help with the production of saliva, which helps nourish the mouth and give it a natural balance. Given this information, apples and pears are good for producing saliva. Some other fruits that are good for masking bad breath are oranges, melons, and berries. These fruits are particularly rich in Vitamin C which not only helps fight bacteria but also battles gum disease and gingivitis, which can also be factors that cause bad breath. Vitamin C is a great source for your oral health.

            Sugar-free gum is also good for the production of saliva. Chewing on sugar-free gum will cause the bad odor to go away temporarily. Breath mints have the same temporary affect the gum does.

            There are a number of items that help mask bad breath. As long as you are cautious of what you consume and know what you can consume after the make the smell go away, then you have nothing to fear. You can enjoy your onion rings and your garlic aioli sauces; just make sure to have one of the odor-fighting items on hand! If you have any questions regarding bad breath caused by certain foods, feel free to call Dr. Kezian and staff. They will be more than happy to help answer your questions!

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

-N.S.

Reasons Why You May Feel Sensitivity

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By Arthur Kezian

Do you feel sensitivity on your teeth when you drink cold water or when you brush them? Sensitivity is a very common type of pain in the dental field, and the good thing is that you don’t have to put up with it. There are a number of things you can do to help lessen sensitivity or even stop it completely. To understand why your teeth are sensitive in the first place, mentioned below are some of the main reasons any dentist would agree with.

One reason why you might feel sensitivity around your teeth is because you brush with too much force or use a brush that has very hard bristles. Constant brushing with too much force can cause wearing of your teeth overtime. Because you are wearing away a protective layer of your teeth, feeling sensitivity when you drink something cold is to be expected. The simplest way to change this is to switch to a brush that has softer bristles and to brush your teeth without exerting too much force.

One other reason sensitivity may occur is because of toothpastes or mouthwashes. Some toothpastes have whitening substances inside them that can cause sensitivity for some people. If this is your case, you should switch your toothpaste or use one that is specifically for sensitivity, like Sensodyne. Some people have more sensitive teeth than others and can even get the sensitivity because of excessive use of mouthwash. Mouthwash contains alcohol and other chemicals that may cause sensitivity; you can try switching to neutral fluoride rinses instead.

You may also have sensitivity due to the foods you eat. Certain foods that are acidic in nature can cause sensitivity. These foods include, but are not limited to, lemons, grapefruits, kiwis, nectarines, pickles, vinegar, and even tomato sauce. If you are having sensitivity from the foods you are eating, be cautious of what you consume.

You can also feel sensitivity because you may have gum disease or because your gums have receded. This is very common with age, especially if you don’t pay much attention to your oral health. If the sensitivity is a lot, your dentist can seal the edges of the teeth around the gum line with a small filling to stop the sensitivity or even use a special chemical that can seal the area and act as a protective layer.

Sometimes sensitivity can even occur from fillings that have been done years ago and need replacement because there is decay around the edges of them. A general or cosmetic dentist can replace your fillings for you and stop the sensitivity.

One other reason may be because of plaque. If you have a lot of built up plaque, then that too can wear off your enamel overtime. You need to keep up with your dental visits and cleanings every six months and make sure your home care is good!

You can also feel sensitivity if you grind your teeth. Grinding your teeth can also wear your enamel away and cause sensitivity. The solution for this would be to get and start wearing a mouth guard. The best types of mouth guards are custom-made to fit your bite perfectly.

Sensitivity can also be caused by recent dental work. It’s common to feel some sensitivity after a filling or after getting a crown. This type of sensitivity is normal and temporary because the teeth have just been worked on. If the sensitivity does not go away though, you should visit a cosmetic dentistry to have the area checked out.

One more reason why you might feel sensitivity is because your tooth might be chipped or even cracked. Depending on the size of the chip or crack, your dentist will decide upon the treatment that should be done.  

Whatever the reason may be for your sensitivity, you should make an appointment with your dentist and try to come to a solution together. If you have any questions about sensitivity and the causes of it, feel free to contact Dr. Arthur A. Kezian. He and his staff will answer all your questions and ease your concerns.                                                                                        

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

-N.S.