Dr. Sarah Po - Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

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Denture Overview

Wednesday, July 14th, 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

Source:  http://www.ada.org/2996.aspx?currentTab=1

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How to Choose Foods Wisely for Better Dental Health

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. Almost all foods, including milk or vegetables, have some type of sugar. However, they should not be removed from our diets because many of them contain important nutrients.

For good dental health, keep these tips in mind when choosing your meals and snacks.

- To maintain a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each of the five major food groups:

  • breads, cereals and other grain products
  • fruit
  • vegetables
  • meat, poultry and fish
  • milk, cheese and yogurt

- Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat food that contains sugars, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more.

- If you do snack, choose nutritious foods, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit.

- Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm. More saliva is released during a meal, which helps wash foods from the mouth and helps lessen the effects of acids.

- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.

- Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners.

- Visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist can help prevent problems from occurring and catch those that do occur while they are easy to treat.

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
May 18, 2010

Source:  http://ada.org/2984.aspx?currentTab=1

Categories : Healthy Teeth
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Why Do Teeth Get Darker With Age?

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

We cannot stop aging, but we can make the best of it by keeping our smile nice and bright.  Why do teeth get darker with age?

  • Stains from coffee, tea, soda, red wine, and smoking among other things.
  • Fillings on front teeth.  Although these are tooth colored (one would hope!), they can pick up stains over time, showing dark lines between the edge of the filling and your natural tooth.
  • Silver (amalgam) fillings can cause your teeth to have a dull grey color.
  • Teeth grinding, toothbrush abrasion, and normal wear and tear:  as you start to lose the outer enamel layer, the underlying dentin that is naturally yellow starts to show more.

Here’s what you can do about it:

  • Remember to brush and floss daily.  This will help to manage the amount of stain that remains on your teeth from tea, red wine, and other foods.
  • Visit your dentist regularly.  Some stains do not come off easily and require the help of a professional cleaning.  Your dentist can also replace leaking fillings,  suggest gentle brushing techniques to prevent abrasion, and recommend a nightguard if you grind your teeth.
  • Quit smoking!  Not only will this reduce your risk of oral cancer, it will improve your breath tremendously and improve the health of your gums.
  • Teeth whitening.  There are many safe and effective options available for bleaching your teeth.

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
April 13, 2010

Categories : Cosmetic Dentistry
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