Gingivitis and You

Gingivitis is often talked about, but not many people know exactly what is going on when they are diagnosed with it. Well, your friendly Valencia dentist is here to help explain it to you.

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gingiva, A.K.A. your gums. Inflammation is most commonly caused by buildups of bacteria, more commonly called plaque. This bacterial buildup causes an immune response from your body, typically resulting in swelling. Gingivitis is also a mild, non-destructive form of periodontal disease.

However, if left untreated, gingivitis can become periodontitis, which can result in tooth loss.

If your teeth bleed when you brush them, or if your gums are red and puffy, you may want to get checked for gingivitis. Sometimes, you may have it without even realizing it, due to milder symptoms. Luckily, good oral hygiene is typically enough to help rid yourself of gingivitis, including brushing and flossing, and the use of antiseptic mouthwashes.

Some other common symptoms are swollen gums, tender or painful gums, bad breath, flexible or soft gums, and bleeding gums. If you have any combination of these symptoms, it may prove beneficial to meet with your friendly Valencia dentist as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that plaque buildup is not the only cause of gingivitis. Cancer, diabetes, and HIV are linked to higher risks of developing gingivitis. Smoking commonly causes gingivitis, as well as some medications. Finally, hormones can play a part in it, especially during puberty, menopause, or even pregnancy – they lead to more sensitive gums, increasing their risk of inflammation.

There are many treatments your friendly Valencia dentist can discuss with you, most of them can be done from your own home. If you have any questions or concerns, schedule your appointment today.

Go Dental - Top Dentist in Valencia
smile@thedentist.com

Happy Heart Month!

The month of February is often associated with Valentine’s Day chocolates, flowers, and romantic cards, but did you know that it’s also American Heart Month?

A healthy heart may seem unrelated to a healthy smile, but research shows that there is a significant association between periodontal (gum) disease and cardiovascular disease. The Journal of Periodontology has published numerous longitudinal studies that show a strong causal association between severity of periodontal disease and coronary heart disease and stroke. Inflamed, irritated, and unhealthy gums can put you at risk for very serious heart conditions, including heart attacks.  

When gums are inflamed, bacteria from the mouth have a way to get into the bloodstream. Once there, these bacteria can attach to platelets (blood clotting cell fragments). Clumps of bacteria and platelets together form aggregates that attach to blood vessel walls, leading to the blockage of arteries and heart disease.

Keeping gums healthy not only prevents periodontal disease (and therefore bone and tooth loss) but also lowers your risk for a heart attack. Regular dental cleanings and proper at-home care can get your mouth and heart in great shape -- catch two birds with one worm!

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but there is still time to spread awareness about healthy hearts and smiles!

If you have any questions on dental health, you can contact your favorite Valencia Dentist on our website!  Go Dental - Valencia Dentist

Root Canals: Friend or Foe

It’s a moment that nobody ever wants to face:  The dentist pulls back in their chair and utters the unspeakable words, “I think you’re going to need a root canal”.  Your face feels flushed, your hands begin to shake, and your eyes begin to well with tears.  Then it’s - “OMG, A ROOT CANAL!!!”

Root canals are one of the most dreaded procedures the entire world.  It makes me cringe when I hear the expression, “I would rather have a root canal than _________” (fill in the blank with the most unpleasant, demeaning, disgusting activity known to humankind). Contrary to popular belief, root canals have come a long way and they are no longer the painful, time consuming procedures that they used to be.  In fact, most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between getting a root canal and getting a simple filling.

My favorite thing to tell patients is that our Valencia dental practice loves performing root canals. That being said, our dentists understand

that our patients don’t share the same enthusiasm. We love doing them because, professionally, they are one of the most challenging procedures to do, and honestly, we are really good at doing them. But we will try to avoid performing root canals because we know that patients cannot stand going through them.  

So how do we determine whether or not a Root Canal is necessary? If the nerve of a tooth has died or has even been compromised, it must be removed. Generally, we will access the nerve by creating an opening from the top of the tooth. The nerve and blood supply is then removed with small instruments which are fractions of millimeters in diameter. Once the nerve of the tooth is removed, we widen the tooth space where the nerve once was. This space is called the “root canal”, and clearing it out enables us to fill the tooth with a special filling material. Even though the tooth’s nerve and associated blood supply is no longer present, the tooth structure can last for many many years provided a crown is placed on it.  

So you can see why root canals can be associated with pain; we are essentially working on an exposed nerve. That is why anesthesia is so important. Without it, the patient would be in a great deal of discomfort. If you are really anxious, your body may lower the effectiveness of the anesthetic so we have options like nitrous oxide and twilight sleep available for you.

Our doctors have invested a lot of resources to acquire the latest root canal therapy equipment and to become experts in the most advanced techniques. Root Canals used to take 3 appointments of 2 hours to complete but now we can complete most procedures in just one appointment of 1 ½ each. The procedure not only is completed faster but it is also far more accurate, resulting in greater success rates.

Many emergencies that we see with our new patients are from root canals that have been done poorly in the past. Like I mentioned before, root canal procedures are one of the most difficult procedures to perform in dentistry. Not every dentist has the ability and resources to perform root canals with excellent long term results. When we see cases of failed root canals, we have a great team of root canal specialists that we can consult.  

From all of as at Go Dental, we truly hope that you never need a root canal. But if you do, rest assured, you are in great hands.

Sincerely, 

Your Valencia Dentist

Dr. Christopher Go

Flossing: To Do Or Not To Do

More often than not, we find that patients at our Valencia dental office aren't flossing like they are advised to, despite our best efforts to remind them of flossing’s importance. Because of this, we decided to sit down and ask ourselves, “What is it that turns people off about flossing?” and to come up with reasons why flossing is just as important as brushing.

Contrary to popular belief, flossing is a significant factor to not only your oral hygiene, but your overall health as well. Here is the mystery with flossing: there is a strange connection between flossing and heart health. We dentists don’t know why this connection exists; we just know that it does. When you floss, you are removing bacteria from under your gums that can cause problems to heart and immune health. We bet you didn't think flossing can actually keep you from getting sick, did you?

Often, patients also believe that if they brush their teeth twice a day and use mouth wash, they've done a sufficient amount of work to keep their mouths healthy. Sadly, this isn't true. While mouth wash and brushing your teeth are extremely important, they only clean the surface of your teeth. Flossing gets all the bacteria and tartar that’s stuck in-between your gums and your teeth.

Many patients refuse to floss their teeth because they claim it causes bleeding. There is a little bit of irony in that statement. The bleeding is actually caused by not flossing and is called gingivitis. When you don’t floss, your gums become week and in turn, are more likely to bleed. As you floss more and more, you gums’ health will improve and you will be less prone to the bleeding.

To make sure you floss right later tonight, here are some expert tips:

• Nylon or PTFE are the best types of floss to use
• Use 18 inches of floss per flossing
• For support, wrap one end of the floss around your right thumb and the other end around your left pointer finger
• Floss in a back-and-forth motion for best results
• Make sure to get in between your gums
• Visit your your Valencia dentist regularly