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

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it will allow bottlers to claim that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of tooth decay. “Whether you drink fluoridated water from the tap or buy it in a bottle, you’re doing the right thing for your oral health,” says ADA executive director James B. Bramson, D.D.S. “Thanks to the FDA’s decision, bottlers can now claim what dentists have long known—that optimally fluoridated water helps prevent tooth decay.”

The ADA agrees with the FDA that this health claim is not intended for use on bottled water marketed to infants for whom lesser amounts of fluoride are appropriate. The appropriate amount of fluoride is essential to help prevent tooth decay. But fluoride intake above optimal amounts creates a risk for enamel (dental) fluorosis in teeth during their development before they erupt through the gums.

To find out whether your community water supply is fluoridated in the Sacramento area, check out the geographic distribution on http://bit.ly/aSoEIQ

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 8, 2010

Source:  http://ada.org/3050.aspx?currentTab=1

Many of the foods we eat everyday contain acid, and most of the time we don’t realize it.  For instance, did you know that honey has a pH of about 3.9?  Drinks such as juice, energy drinks, and soda can also be highly acidic.  As mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, acid weakens the teeth by softening the enamel surface, making the teeth more prone to decay.

Here are some tips to avoid acid erosion and prevent teeth sensitivity:

• Do not swill acidic drinks around your mouth before swallowing
• Drink cold acidic drinks through a straw
• Drink water after meals to help wash away the acids
• When possible, finish a meal with dairy products as they help neutralize the acids
• Wait at least one hour after eating or drinking before brushing your teeth.  Why?  Because immediately after eating, your enamel has been softened by the acid and brushing will further strip away the enamel.
• Brush teeth gently with a soft or extra soft toothbrush
• Avoid bathing your teeth in acid over long periods of time.  If you’re going to eat an orange or candy, eat it all at once instead of nibbling on it all afternoon.  If you’re going to have juice, drink it in one sitting rather than sipping on it for several hours.

Remember that not all sensitivity is due to acid erosion.  Sensitivity can also be caused by decay, nerve pain, or other factors.  It is important to see your dentist regularly to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy, and that any potential problems are detected early.

Thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. To learn more about my practice, click on www.elitesacramentodentist.com

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
Feb. 23, 2010

Here are some facts on oral cancer, taken from the American Dental Association’s fact sheet:

• Oral cancer strikes an estimated 34,360 Americans each year.  An estimated 7,550 people (5,180 men and 2,370 women) will die of these cancers in 2007.¹
• More than 25% of the 30,000 Americans who get oral cancer will die of the disease.²
• On average, only half of those diagnosed with the disease will survive more than five years.⁴

What is the number one risk factor for oral cancer?

You got it – Smoking.  This includes all forms of tobacco use including cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco.

Other benefits to quitting smoking are:  decreased risk of lung cancer, heart disease, COPD, improved circulation and breathing, eliminating exposure of tobacco to those around you via second-hand smoking.  From a dental perspective, you will reduce staining of your teeth and bad breath, and the health of your gums will improve.

For the complete ADA articles on oral cancer and smoking, please refer to

http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cancer_oral.asp

http://www.ada.org/public/topics/smoking_tobacco.asp

In future blogs I will cover more on the specifics of oral cancer detection as well as other dental conditions linked with tobacco use.  Until then…

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po