Archive for Dentistry
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that has been used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins for more than 50 years. Polycarbonates are used to make products such as compact discs, automobile parts, baby bottles, plastic dinnerware, eyeglass lenses, toys, and impact-resistant safety equipment. Epoxy resins containing BPA are used in protective linings of some canned food containers, wine vat linings, epoxy resin-based paints, floorings, and some dental sealants and composites.
People are exposed to BPA primarily by eating foods from containers whose lining contains BPA. Small children may be exposed by consuming foods from containers lined with BPA-containing materials, drinking from polycarbonate plastic baby bottles, and through hand-to-mouth and direct oral contact with plastic materials (like toys) that contain BPA. The amount of BPA to which people are exposed is estimated to be much lower than the amount of BPA exposure considered safe by government agencies.
Some scientific studies have suggested that BPA, like soy and phthalates (chemicals added to plastics to increase flexibility and durability), may affect reproduction and development in animals by mimicking the effects of the female hormone estrogen. This has raised concerns about its safety. To date, these effects have not been observed in humans, and are questionable at the exposure levels resulting from consumer products.
The ADA believes any concern about potential BPA exposure from dental sealants or composites is unwarranted at this time. When compared with other sources of BPA, these dental materials pose significantly lower exposure concerns.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. For more information on my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
Oct. 6, 2010
A patient asked recently, “What is a space maintainer?”. I told him that this can be vital to your child’s dental health.
If your child loses a baby tooth early through decay or injury, the child’s other teeth could shift and begin to fill the vacant space. When your child’s permanent teeth emerge, there may not be enough room for them. The result is crooked or crowded teeth and difficulties with chewing or speaking.
To prevent that, your dentist can insert a space maintainer to hold the spot left by the lost tooth until the permanent tooth emerges. The space maintainer might be a band or a temporary crown attached to one side of the vacant space. Later, as the permanent tooth emerges, your dentist removes the device. And presto! Your child is ready for a lifetime of smiles.
Keep in mind that not every lost tooth requires a space maintainer. Depending on which tooth and where it is located in the mouth, your child may or may not need a space maintainer. Talk to your dentist about your individual situation.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave questions or comments below. For more information on my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
Sept. 1, 2010
With tax revenue still declining as a result of the recession and budget reserves largely drained, the vast majority of states have made spending cuts that hurt families and reduce necessary services. These cuts, in turn, have deepened states’ economic problems because families and businesses have less to spend.
When states cut spending, they lay off employees, cancel contracts with vendors, reduce payments to businesses and nonprofits that provide services, and cut benefit payments to individuals.
Where I practice in Sacramento, the state government remains by far the largest employer and a large percentage of the population is comprised of state workers. California’s budget cuts have a significant impact on state workers and their ability to utilize the benefit of their dental insurance. Between furlows, pay cuts, and layoffs, this is detrimental to dental health overall.
In light of this, our practice has come up with several different options to help people afford their dental treatment. It is important to still utilize whatever dental benefits your employer offers you. If you are a current patient or are interested in becoming a patient, please call our office at 916-922-2027 to find out how we can help.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave questions or comments below. To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
August 11, 2010
For all you moms out there who wonder when your children’s teeth will come in…
Teeth vary in size, shape and their location in the jaws. These differences enable teeth to work together to help you chew, speak and smile. They also help give your face its shape and form.
At birth people usually have 20 primary (baby) teeth, which often erupt about six months of age. They are then shed at various times throughout childhood. By age 21, all 32 of the permanent teeth have usually erupted.
Eruption Charts
Primary (Baby) Teeth Eruption Chart
Permanent Teeth Eruption Chart
So there you have it! Hope this was helpful.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave questions or comments below. To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
July 20, 2010
If you have lost all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You’ll be able to eat and speak—things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.
There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional full denture is made and placed in the patient’s mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed which may take several months. An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. The dentist takes measurements and makes models of the patient’s jaws during a preliminary visit. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.
Even if you wear full dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. To learn more about my practice, click on the link www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
July 14, 2010
Concerned about contracting an infectious disease from your dental visits? Rest assured that your dentist and staff are required to follow standards of infection control.
Infection control procedures are precautions taken in healthcare settings to prevent the spread of disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), working with the ADA, has developed special recommendations for use in dental offices.
Before you enter the examining room, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, dental light, drawer handles and countertops have been cleaned and decontaminated. Some offices may cover this equipment with protective covers, which are replaced after each patient.
Non-disposable items like the dental tools or handpieces are cleaned and sterilized between patients. You may not be aware that sterilization and other infection control precautions take place before your dental visit because many of these procedures occur in another area of the dental office. Disposable items like needles or gauze are placed in special bags or containers.
Infection control precautions also require all dental staff involved in patient care to use appropriate protective wear such as gloves, masks, and eyewear. After each patient, disposable wear like the gloves and masks are discarded. Before seeing the next patient, the treatment team washes their hands and put on a new pair of gloves.
Talk to your dentist if you have further questions about their infection control procedures. Your health and safety is of utmost importance.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. To learn more about my practice, click on the link www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
July 8, 2010
If you live in the Sacramento area, take a look at www.sdds.org which will give you list of dentists in your area. You may wish to consider several dentists before making your decision. During your first visit, you should be able to determine if this is the right dentist for you. Consider the following:
- Is the appointment schedule convenient for you?
- Is the office easy to get to from your home or job?
- Does the office appear to be clean, neat and orderly?
- Was your medical and dental history recorded and placed in a permanent file?
- Does the dentist explain techniques that will help you prevent dental health problems? Is dental health instruction provided?
- Are special arrangements made for handling emergencies outside of office hours? (Most dentists make arrangements with a colleague or emergency referral service if they are unable to tend to emergencies.)
- Is information provided about fees and payment plans before treatment is scheduled?
- Is your dentist a member of the ADA? All ADA member dentists voluntarily agree to abide by the high ethical standards reflected in the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct as a condition of their membership.
You and your dentist are partners in maintaining your oral health. Take the time to ask questions and take notes if that will help you remember your dentist’s advice.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave questions or comments below. To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
June 24, 2010
Source: http://www.ada.org/2626.aspx
The American Dental Association offers these suggestions:
- Use ADA.org’s ADA Member Directory to search for dentists in your area.
- Ask family, friends, neighbors or co-workers for recommendations.
- Ask your family physician or local pharmacist.
- If you are moving, your current dentist may be able to make a recommendation.
- Call or write your local or state dental society. In Sacramento, the Sacramento District Dental Society’s website www.sdds.org provides a comprehensive list of participating dentists.
Nowadays, more and more people are using the internet to find a dentist. Not only can you search for a dentist, but you can also read testimonials from current or past patients. You can also look up these dentists’ individual web sites to find information about their specific services and procedures.
You may want to call or visit more than one dentist before making your decision. Dental care is a very personalized service that requires a good relationship between the dentist and the patient. In my next blog I will list some guidelines to consider when determining if a dentist is right for you.
Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave questions or comments below. To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com
Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
June 22, 2010