Dentist San Diego, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach
CALL US AT (858) 270-6626
A Tooth Filling Can Be an Alternative to a Tooth Extraction or Dental Implants
Pacific Beach Dentists, San Diego dentists specialize in general dental services, emergency dental services and cosmetic dentistry in San Diego, Pacific Beach, PB, Ocean Beach, OB, La Jolla and Clairemont.
San Diego Dentists in San Diego, Pacific Beach, PB, Ocean Beach, OB, La Jolla and Clairemont says that patients should have an understanding of dental procedures involving tooth fillings as an alternative to extraction and dental implants.
Dr. Aryan, Pacific Beach San Diego dentist and San Diego Emergency dentist explains that when you visit your dentist to get a tooth filling, you may be given local anesthesia to numb the area if necessary. Next, your san diego dentist will remove decay from the tooth, using hand instruments or a drill. Air abrasion and lasers also can be used to remove decay.
Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist, typically uses a drill, which is called a handpiece, and metal cones called burs to cut through the enamel and remove the decay. Burs come in many shapes and sizes. He will choose the ones that are right for the size and location of your decay. At first, the dentist will use a high speed drill (the one with the familiar whining sound) to remove the decay and unsupported enamel of the tooth. Once the drill reaches the dentin or second layer of the tooth, the dentist may use a lower speed drill. That’s because dentin is softer than enamel.
Your San Diego dentist will shape the space to prepare it for the filling once all the decay is removed. Different types of fillings require different shaping procedures to make sure they will stay in place. Your dentist may put in a base or a liner to protect the tooth’s pulp (where the nerves are). The base or liner can be made of composite resin, glass ionomer, zinc oxide and eugenol, or another material. Some of these materials release fluoride to protect the tooth from further decay.
If your dentist is placing a bonded filling, he will etch (prepare) the tooth with an acid gel before placing the filling. Etching makes tiny holes in the tooth’s enamel surface. This allows the filling to bond tightly to the tooth. Bonded fillings can reduce the risk of leakage or decay under the filling. That’s because the etched surface of the tooth and the filling material form a mechanical bond. Bonding is generally done with composite fillings.
San Diego Dentists at Pacific Beach Dentist state that certain types of fillings get hardened by a special light. When applying these fillings, your dentist will stop several times to shine a bright light on the resin. This cures (hardens) the material and makes it strong. Finally, after the filling is placed, he will use burs to finish and polish the tooth.
Contact Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist and Pacific Beach dentist to discuss tooth fillings or other dental treatments
Mouthwashes And Fluoride Mouth Rinses
Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist explains that mouthwash and fluoride mouth rinse are two different products.
Mouthwash freshens breath but does nothing to clean teeth. Most mouthwashes contain alcohol and are not appropriate for children younger than 6 years old. This is because young children can easily swallow the mouthwash. If your child has chronic bad breath, he or she should see a doctor. It could be caused by a health problem.
Fluoride mouth rinse coats teeth with fluoride, which helps to prevent cavities. You should check with your child’s dentist or dental hygienist to determine if your child needs to use a fluoride mouth rinse. It is typically used once or twice a day by children who are cavity prone, even if the child has only one area of decay. Children as young as 7 years old can use a fluoride rinse, if they know how to spit out a liquid without swallowing it. You can test your child to see if he or she is ready.
Give our child a half-cup of water. Ask to put some of the water in his or her mouth, swish it around and spit it out into a second cup. If there is a half cup of water in the second cup, your child probably can spit out the mouth rinse.
You should still supervise your child to make sure the rinse does not get swallowed.
If you have any questions about mouthwashes and mouth rinses, or have other questions related to tooth care, don’t hesitate to ask your San Diego dentist.
How to Choose Toothpaste
Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist, says that because so many toothpastes are on the market today that choosing one can be confusing. When buying toothpaste for your child, look for one that contains fluoride and tastes good.
Some toothpastes also are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). The ADA Seal of Acceptance means that the manufacturer has provided data proving that the toothpaste is safe and effective. Some manufacturers choose not to seek the ADA seal of approval. So, toothpastes without the ADA seal also may be safe and work well, but their performance has not been evaluated by the ADA.
Children only need a small pea-size amount of toothpaste on their toothbrushes. Be sure your child understands that toothpaste is not food. It needs to be spit out, not swallowed.
Contact Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist if you have any questions about dental care.
How To Choose The Right Toothbrush
Choosing the Right Toothbrush
What Type of Toothbrush Should I Use?
With so many shapes, sizes and styles of toothbrushes on the market, deciding which kind to buy can be confusing. Here’s what you should look for:
- Most dental professionals, including Dr. Sonny Aryan, San Diego dentist agrees that a soft-bristled brush is best for removing plaque and debris from your teeth. Small-headed brushes are also preferable, since they can better reach all areas of the mouth, including hard-to-reach back teeth
- When it comes to the type of handle (such as non-slip grip or flexible neck), shape of the head (tapered or rectangular) and style of bristles (such as rippled, flat or trimmed to a dome shape), pick whatever is most comfortable for you. The best toothbrush is one that fits your mouth and allows you to reach all teeth easily
- For many, a powered toothbrush is a good alternative. It can do a better job of cleaning teeth, particularly for those who have difficulty brushing or who have limited manual dexterity
The type of toothbrush your child uses is important because the wrong kind can be damaging to soft tissues. Regardless of your child’s age, his or her toothbrush should have soft nylon bristles. Harder bristles can cause gums to wear away over time. When your child is an infant, the toothbrush should be very small. As he or she grows, select small toothbrushes that can fit easily in the mouth and brush one or two teeth at a time. Your child’s toothbrush should be able to reach all the teeth, including the molars in the very back.
How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?
Replace toothbrushes about every four months or when they begin to look worn and frayed. If a toothbrush wears out much sooner than three or four months, you or your child may be using too much pressure. It’s also a good idea to replace brushes after your child has had a cold or other illness to prevent re-infection.
Other Ways To Clean Between The Teeth
Dr. Aryan, top San Diego, dentist says that “In addition to flossing, here are additional ways to clean between the teeth.”
To supplement your at-home brushing and flossing, your San Diego dentist or hygienist may suggest one or more of the following:
- Interdental cleaners – These cleaners work better than floss for people who have large spaces between their teeth. Some look like tiny brushes. Others look like three-sided, wide toothpicks. These cleaners also work well in people who have braces or missing teeth, and in people who have had gum surgery. You can find them at most grocery stores and drugstores.
- Oral irrigators – These are electrical devices. They pump water in a steady or pulsating stream. They do not seem to remove plaque that is attached to the tooth. But they are great for flushing out food and debris in pockets between teeth, or in braces. They also are used to deliver medicine to hard-to-reach areas. For example, prescription rinses can be sprayed into gum pockets with an oral irrigator.
- Interdental tips – These flexible rubber nibs are used to clean between the teeth and just below the gum line. Plaque and bits of food can be removed by gently running the tip along the gum line.
- Mouthwashes and rinses – As with toothpaste, your choice of mouthwash or rinse will be guided by your mouth care needs. Over-the-counter rinses can freshen the breath, add fluoride or kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Some mouthwashes are designed to help loosen plaque before you brush. Ask your dentist or hygienist to recommend the rinse that would be best for you. If you need to avoid alcohol, read ingredient labels carefully. Many over-the-counter mouthwashes contain high amounts of alcohol. In some cases, your dentist might prescribe a stronger fluoride or antibacterial rinse for you.
If you have any questions about tooth cleaning, don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist.
How to Floss Your Teeth
Flossing
Many people never learned to floss as children. Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist says that flossing is critical to healthy gums and it’s never too late to start. A common rule of thumb says that any new habit becomes second nature after only three weeks. If you have questions, ask your San Diego dentist or dental hygienist to give you a lesson.
Here are a few general pointers about flossing:
- Floss once a day &— Most dentists recommend flossing at least once a day. If you tend to get food trapped between teeth, you can floss more often.
- Take your time &— Don’t rush.
- Choose your own time &— Most people find that just before bed is an ideal time to floss. But it’s best to find the time that’s most convenient for you. That way, you are more likely to floss regularly.
- Don’t skimp on the floss &— Use as much floss as you need to clean both sides of every tooth with a fresh section. In fact, you may need to floss one tooth several times (using fresh sections of floss) to remove all the food. Some professionals think that reusing sections of floss may move bacteria from one tooth to another.
- Choose the type that works best for you &— There are many types of floss: waxed and unwaxed, flavored and unflavored, ribbon and thread. Try a few before you settle on one to use every day. Waxed floss works better in people with very closely spaced teeth. Tougher, shred-resistant varieties of floss work well for people with rough tooth edges.
How To Floss
Hold the floss in whatever way you prefer. The most common method is to wind the floss around your middle fingers. Then pull it tight and guide it with your index fingers. You also can wind it around your index fingers and guide it with your thumb and middle fingers. Some people just hold the ends of the floss, or use a floss-guiding tool. (If you have a fixed bridge, a bridge threader can help guide floss under the bridge for better cleaning.)
How you hold the floss is not as important as what you do with it. If you can’t settle on a good method, ask your dentist or hygienist for suggestions.
- Hold the floss so that a short segment is ready to work with.
- Guide the floss gently between two teeth. If the fit is tight, use a back-and-forth motion to work the floss through the narrow spot. Do not snap the floss; you could cut your gums.
- Hold the floss around the front and back of one tooth, making it into a “C” shape. This will wrap the floss around the side edge of that tooth.
- Gently move the floss toward the base of the tooth and into the space between the tooth and gum.
- Move the floss up and down with light to firm pressure to skim off plaque from the tooth. Do not press so hard that you injure the gum.
- Repeat for all sides of the tooth, including the outermost side of the last tooth. Advance the floss to a clean segment for each tooth edge.
Contact your San Diego dentist if you have any questions about flossing your teeth or other dental problems.
How to Brush Your Teeth
Get tooth brushing tips from Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist.
Below is the modified Bass brushing technique you may not be familiar with.
- Hold the toothbrush sideways against your teeth with some of the bristles touching your gums.
Tilt the brush so the bristles are pointing at your gum line. - Move the brush back and forth, using short strokes. The tips of the bristles should stay in one place, but the head of the brush should wiggle back and forth. You also can make tiny circles with the brush. This allows the bristles to slide gently under the gum. Do this for about 20 strokes or 20 circles. In healthy gums, this type of brushing should cause no pain. If it hurts, brush more gently.
- Roll or flick the brush so that the bristles move out from under the gum toward the biting edge of the tooth. This helps move the plaque out from under the gum line.
- Repeat for every tooth, on the insides and outsides.
- On the insides of your front teeth, it can be hard to hold the brush sideways. So hold it vertically instead. Use the same gentle back-and-forth or circular brushing action. Finish with a roll or flick of the brush toward the biting edge.
- To clean the biting or chewing surfaces of the teeth, hold the brush so the bristles are straight down on those surfaces.
- Gently move the brush back and forth or in tiny circles to clean the entire surface. Move to a new tooth or area until all teeth are cleaned.
- Rinse with water.
- You can clear even more bacteria out of your mouth by brushing your tongue. Brush firmly but gently from back to front. Do not go so far back in your mouth that you gag. Rinse again.
Contact Dentist Pacific Beach if you have questions about how to brush your teeth or other dental questions.
What Is Good Dental Hygiene?
Find out what Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist says about dental hygiene.
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:
- Your teeth are clean and free of debris
- Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
- Bad breath is not a constant problem
If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.
Your dentist or hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.
How is Good Oral Hygiene Practiced?
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.
Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and is much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.
In between regular visits to the dentist, there are simple steps that anyone can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:
- Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily
- Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals
- Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
- Rinsing with a fluoride mouth rinse if your dentist tells you to
- Making sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride supplement if they live in a non-fluoridated area.
Taking these steps will greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems.
Don’t forget to get a regular checkout from your San Diego dentist either!
Dental Tips
How To Take Care of Your Teeth
San Diego dentists provide tips on how to take care of your teeth
Teeth for a Lifetime
Thanks to better at-home care and in-office dental treatments, more people are keeping their teeth throughout their lives. Some diseases and conditions can make dental disease and tooth loss more likely. But most of us have a good deal of control over whether we keep our teeth into old age.
The most important thing you can do is to brush and floss your teeth each day.
Most mouth woes are caused by plaque. Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria, bits of food and other organic matter that forms on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque make acids that cause cavities. Plaque also leads to periodontal (gum) disease. This can become a serious infection. It can damage bone and destroy the tissues around your teeth.
The best defense is to remove plaque before it has a chance to build up and cause problems. Brushing removes plaque from the large surfaces of the teeth and from just under the gums. Flossing removes plaque from between your teeth. You also can use other tools to keep your mouth and teeth clean.
Brushing
Most of us learned to brush our teeth when we were children. We have stuck with the same brushing technique into adulthood. Unfortunately, many of us learned how to brush the wrong way. And even if we learned the right way, we might not always stick to it. Brushing correctly is tricky. You want to remove plaque without brushing too hard and damaging your gums.
There are different ways to brush correctly. Your San Diego dentist can show you the method that might be best for you.
Looking for a white, brighter smile? Click here to take a look at our full range of San Diego dental services .
San Diego Emergency Dentist
Did you chip or lose a tooth? Are you in pain? Call us now to get help with your dental emergency. Click here to contact us 24/7 for San Diego Emergency Dental help!
General Dentistry
- Tooth Extraction
- Teeth Cleaning
- Root Canal / Endodontic Therapy
- Fluoride Treatment
- Gum Disease Prevention and Treatment
- Dental Sealants
- Comfort in the Dentist’s Chair
Cosmetic Dentistry
- Teeth Whitening
- Porcelain Veneers
- Dental Implants
- Dental Bonding
- Dental Bridges
- Orthodontic Aligners
- Tooth-Colored Fillings
- Porcelain Crowns
- Inlays and Onlays
- Dentures
- Smile Makeover
Post Op Instructions
Dental Tips