Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible Moms. There is nothing more rewarding and gratifying than being a Mom, but that doesn’t come without the daily challenges. It’s a tireless job that we do not for praise or monetary benefits, but for the simple joy of watching our kids smile. As a mother myself, I understand the challenges and struggles of trying to juggle a million tasks. Often times, the smallest of tasks seem to be the most difficult. And right up there among the most difficult ones is trying to get your kid to brush his/her teeth!! Yes, the struggle is real. So, in the hopes of at least trying to make your life a little easier, especially during this Mother’s Day season, here are 5 things you could do right now that will surely have your kid looking forward to their next teeth brushing session.

Top 5 Tips to Get Your Child to Brush Their Teeth

1. Use a Fun Toothbrush. This one is a must if you’re going to have any chance. You have to up your toothbrush game, period. Give them an incredibly fun and cute looking toothbrush. Even better, pick one that is of their favorite cartoon or movie character. You’ll have a better chance of getting them to use their toothbrush if they actually like what it looks like.

2. Skip the Toothpaste. The more items we can eliminate in the brushing equation, the better. Keep it as simple as you can for them. At this point, toothpaste is a luxury. Developing the habit of using a toothbrush is much more critical. Besides, using a toothbrush alone is still effective in removing food particles.

3. Use Fun Sounds. Yep, make plenty of noises. Get them to laugh while using their toothbrush. Brush and hum to the tune of their favorite song.

4. Play Copy Cat. That’s right, make it a game. Kids love to imitate everything we do, especially if they can sense that we’re reacting to them positively. Praise them for doing a great job copying you.

5. Keep it Short. We all know their attention span is short, so make it quick. It’s not the end of the world if you didn’t get every tooth. You’ll improve on your speed next time. The key here is to not let them feel like it’s a chore.

 
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Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Orange County.

With the excitement of welcoming the new year ahead, we owe it to ourselves to reflect back on what was 2016. It’s a chance to look back and see how much we’ve grown both professionally and personally. We should be asking ourselves two things: Did we accomplish the goals we set, and more importantly, are we sitting in a better place today than where we were at the beginning of this year.

Congratulations if the answer is positive and all of your goals were accomplished and milestones were reached along the way. For others that aren’t feeling this way, you’re definitely not alone, but you will again have the opportunity to get re-focused and re-energized, so that you too can be sitting in a better place this time next year.

There are many goals we can set – achieve greater success in business, get good grades in school, obtain a higher paying job, exercise more, eat healthier, lose more weight, travel more, the list goes on and on when it comes to things we all know we could strive to improve in 2017. But what about your self esteem, or being more social, or smile more? Or better yet, do all things with a smile, no matter how much you dislike what it is you’re doing. Don’t let your smile or lack of oral health hold you back from becoming a better version of yourself.

In this blog, I want to provide you with some simple tips on how you can improve your oral health, which will also lead to better overall health, and ultimately boosting your confidence and self esteem.

5 Tips to Improve Your Oral Health

1. It starts and end with brushing and flossing. Set a goal to brush at least two minutes before you go to bed and first thing when you wake up. Make it a habit to also floss before you brush at night. Doing these two things will set you on a path to improving your oral health.

2. Take advantage of your dental insurance and see your dentist twice a year for your annual checkup and professional cleaning. Think of it as a tune-up for your teeth. While brushing and flossing at home is an absolute must, getting your teeth cleaned at the dental office will take care of places your toothbrush has difficulty reaching.

3. Eat a well balanced diet. There are certain foods that are great for your teeth. Foods high in calcium helps keep your teeth strong and stable. Strawberries are natural teeth whiteners.

4. If your work schedule doesn’t allow you to brush after lunch, do a quick and thorough rinsing of your mouth. This will at least wash away larger food particles until you’re able to brush later. If you’ve eaten sticky foods or sugary foods, rinse your mouth with warmer warmer. It helps dissolve the sugars better.

5. Eat an apple after a meal. Apples are nature’s toothbrush. The water and rough surface from the apple helps clean your teeth like a toothbrush.

While there are many ways to improve yourself, both professionally and personally, very little attention is put towards improving your oral health. Although it lacks the attention, it sure doesn’t lack in importance. Your oral health is a link to your overall health and career success. Having a confident, healthy smile could be the difference in landing your next promotion opportunity.

With that, I want to wish you a happy and successful 2017!

 
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook. You’ll never miss another blog!

Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

Have you ever wondered how much genetics play in the overall look, feel, and make-up of your teeth? Of course there’s no disputing the fact that genetics have an influence in just about everything we seem to know like our eyes, hair, height, personality, metabolism – and the list goes on and on. So logically, it should also play a role in our teeth, right? The simple answer is of course, Yes. But how much? Just how much does genetics influence the way our teeth look, feel, and function. How much can we blame our parents for the fortunes or misfortunes of our teeth, like having too many cavities, or having overly sensitive teeth, or having crooked or misaligned teeth? So when it comes to our teeth and smile, is it Bad Genes or Bad Habits?

Crooked Teeth – Overall Alignment and Spacing

Let’s face it, we all love and want straighter teeth! Crooked teeth are aesthetically unpleasant and more importantly, can cause discomfort in your jaw when you eat or chew. So are crooked teeth a result of bad genes or bad habits? Lets start by looking at why teeth are crooked or misaligned. One of the main contributing factors of crowding or tight spacing of your teeth is the ratio between the size of your jaw and the actual size of your teeth. In other words, is your jaw the right size for your teeth? When you have big teeth trying to fit themselves into tight spaces, you’re going to have major crowding and alignment problems. On the contrary, having small teeth in a large jaw creates gaps between teeth. Having too large of a gap will allow teeth to shift and rotate over time resulting in crooked, misaligned teeth. Both the size of your jaw and teeth comes from the blueprint of your parents’ genes. So sorry Mom and Dad, crooked teeth is greatly influenced by bad genes. Fortunately, misaligned or crooked teeth can easily be fixed with orthodontic treatment. Ideally, treatment should be rendered at a younger age when the bones in your mouth are softer and can allow your teeth to gently move into its correct space. But if you’ve missed your chance at getting braces as a kid, don’t worry, though not ideal, it’s not too late to straighten your teeth. And if actual metal braces are not ideal given your lifestyle, there are other options like Invisalign or Clear Correct orthodontic treatments that might suit you better.

Tooth Decay – Tendency to Get Cavities

Some people measure the quality of their teeth by how many cavities they have. The more cavities they have, the worse the condition of their teeth. It’s a simple litmus test or indicator of having a bad mouth. This is because cavities are typically the result of having lots of bad bacteria in your mouth, which could also lead to other oral infections. Getting a cavity seems to obviously be related to your habits, right? Cavities are definitely greatly influenced by your habits and oral hygiene. The lack of proper oral care, like brushing and flossing will put you at a higher risk in developing cavities. Your diet, which is habit related, also plays a role in getting cavities. Eating an abundant of foods high in sugar or very acidic will definitely put you at a much higher risk. Although cavities are greatly influenced by your habits, your genes may also play a small role. You may have heard that some people are more prone to getting cavities than others. This is very much the case, and in a lot of ways, similar to when we compare people having a higher metabolism rate than others, and can consume much more calories without gaining as much weight. Teeth with stronger enamels can withstand bad environments longer. But over time, bad habits will eventually defeat good genes. When an entire family has a problem with cavities, this can sometimes be mistaken as bad genes. Remember, cavities has a component of bacteria. And bacteria can certainly be passed around through the kissing and sharing of food.

Weak or Brittle Teeth

Problems with weak teeth are typically related to chipping or breaking of teeth. Obviously a tooth will break when enough force is applied. However, with weak teeth, the breaking threshold is much lower. Any guesses as to whether weak teeth is related to genes or habits? Although genes do play a role in the strength of your teeth, your diet has a greater influence. Weak, brittle teeth is a result of a lack of calcium in your diet. Calcium helps build strong bones, and your teeth are bones. This is especially vital in children going through teeth development. Having a well balanced diet with lots of calcium from dairy products is an easy, abundant source of calcium. Besides chipping, weaker teeth are also more prone to getting cavities. This is due to the lack of strength or fight it has against attacks from cavity causing bacteria.

So there you have it, a lot more gets passed down from our parents when it comes to our smile than you might think. But as always, the way you care for your teeth can definitely help overcome any shortcomings in bad genes you get from your parents. The next time someone says, “you have your Mom’s smile”, at least you’ll know how much of that is actually true.

 
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Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

Gums bleed, that’s what they do. If you’re not into gum disease, you see a dentist. It’s what you do. Okay, so we’re just having a little fun with the popular Geico Insurance themed commercial. But in all seriousness, if your gums bleed, continue reading.

Are Your Gums Bleeding

There’s a very good chance you’ve experienced having your gums bleed while brushing or flossing your teeth. One of the most common reasons why gums bleed is due to gum disease, and studies show 3 out of 4 Americans suffer some form of gum disease. Sometimes a little bleeding may not seem that big of a deal to you. You’re not hurting anywhere else, no stuffy nose, no body aches. We get it. An occasional bleeding of your gums doesn’t necessarily scream emergency. For this reason, many people just ignore it. Instead, people will brush less or avoid brushing and flossing in the affected area. This is a classic example of a small problem becoming a large one over time.

Why Do Gums Bleed

The most common reason why gums bleed is poor dental health, specifically plaque buildup along the gum line. Plaque comes from the food you eat that gets stuck in between your teeth and gums. When plaque hardens, it becomes tarter. As tarter accumulates around your teeth and gums, it starts to physically push away your gums, causing irritation and swelling. The gums may be noticeably swollen and are tender to the touch. This condition is described as inflammation of the gums. Inflamed gums are susceptible to bleeding, even at the slightest touch. Activities like brushing or flossing would really cause the gums to bleed.

You’re Not Alone – Facts About Gum Disease

Most american adults have some form of gum disease, ranging from mild cases referred to as gingivitis to more severe conditions called periodontitis. According to the American Academy of Periodontology and California Dental Association, the following are facts concerning periodontal or gum disease.

➢ 3 out of 4 Americans suffer from some form of gum disease.
➢ Half of Americans over 30 years of age have the highest form of gum disease, periodontitis. That’s every other person or about 65 million people.
➢ Periodontitis or advanced gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.
➢ Gum disease is linked to heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Okay My Gums Bleed, But Should I Panic

Gum disease, in general is very treatable. It is a slow progressing disease, which means periodontitis doesn’t just show up over night. Early signs of gum disease are very obvious, and if proper actions are taken, the condition could easily improve.

The key is to be able to recognize the early signs. Bleeding gums during routine brushing or flossing is an easy indicator that your gums are inflamed, which is consistent with the early stages of gum disease. Soreness or red, puffy looking gums is another indicator. Halitosis, or bad breath is also a great indicator of gum infection. The bad breath stems from the bacteria in the infected area. So even if you brush your teeth, your breath will still be kicking pretty hard. If you’ve noticed any of these conditions you need to increase your oral care activities. You don’t necessarily need to hit the panic button just yet, but you need to continue to carry out your normal brushing and flossing routine of at least twice a day. Be sure to let your dentist know about your symptoms and gums at your next dental cleaning appointment so you could be evaluated for periodontal disease. If your gums are really bothering you, consider scheduling an appointment sooner and have your dentist take a look.

 
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Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

You’re probably thinking, isn’t it supposed to be, Milk Does a Body Good? Yes, that’s the familiar slogan. In fact, milk is great for the body, especially for growing kids because of the calcium, proteins, and natural vitamins that it packs in a single glass. Calcium for example, is a major player in the building of strong bones – something we have quite a lot of in our body, including in our mouth where teeth are embedded or rooted in. So it’s no secret that the stronger your bones, the healthier your teeth will be. We’re definitely not discrediting the benefits of milk by any means nor are we saying not to drink milk. What we’re saying is that milk can cause cavities and tooth decay, especially in toddlers and younger children.

Milk, unfortunately, also does a cavity good. Its more of a concern for toddlers and younger kids, especially ones that drink milk from the bottle or sippy cup. You may have heard of the condition, baby bottle tooth decay. This is when feeding milk from a bottle leads to tooth decay. We’ll explain how that happens later. But keep in mind that there are many factors that could also contribute to your child getting cavities, including oral hygiene, overall diet, and genetics.

How Milk Causes Cavities

The best way to explain how milk can cause cavities is by looking at it’s anatomy. In addition to all the healthy vitamins and proteins, milk also contains natural sugars called lactose. Sugar in any form is always a catalyst for cavities under the right environment. A glass of milk, typically 8 fluid ounces or about 140 grams, contains roughly 12 to 14 grams of sugar. To get a feel for how much sugar that is, we compare it to some familiar sugary drinks such as soda, gatorade, and orange juice. In the same volume size (about 8 ounces), soda ranges from 22 to 25 grams of sugar, gatorade has about 14 grams, and orange juice rounds out at 20 grams of sugar. Surprised? But milk doesn’t even tastes sweet, you might say to yourself. Because milk doesn’t have the typical sweet taste like the other drink products, the amount of natural sugar it has can be deceiving. And if your child receives multiple servings of milk a day, the risks go way up with developing cavities if proper oral hygiene isn’t practiced diligently.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Milk contains a decent amount of sugar and under the right environment, it will cause tooth decay. Using a bottle or sippy cup when consuming milk can provide that perfect environment for cavities to develop and thrive. Bottle feeding can be slow and sometimes take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. This results in longer periods of time for sugar to come into contact with teeth. To make matters worse, some kids tend to fall asleep with the bottle still in their mouth. This creates a standing pool of milk inside their mouth with extended exposure time for the sugars to break down and cause tooth decay.

Tips for Your Child to Avoid Tooth Decay

Getting the right amount of calcium, proteins, and other essential vitamins for your child is critical to their growth and development. Eating a well balanced diet low in sugars is an important part of keeping your oral health in tip top shape. Here are a few tips to consider to help your child reduce the risk of developing cavities and tooth decay.

➢ Do not allow your baby to fall asleep with the unfinished milk bottle in their mouth. Remove the bottle when that happens.

➢ Give your child a glass of milk instead of letting them feed from the bottle or sippy cup. Drinking the milk quickly will reduce the exposure time of the sugars on their teeth.

➢ Only fill bottles and sippy cups with water. Milk and other juices should be consumed in a glass.

➢ Reduce the amount of milk you give to your child. Supplement their calcium intake with other healthy foods like yogurt, cheese, and various greens. Other sources of proteins can be also supplemented with nuts, beans, and eggs. Nutrition is key in maintaining good oral health. Having a well balanced diet and eating healthy snacks will curve your child’s appetite and desire for sugary foods.

➢ Maintain good oral hygiene. Have them rinse their mouth after drinking milk or other juices. Get them in the habit of brushing and flossing daily. Help your child brush their teeth if they are still too young to do it effectively on their own. A good rule of thumb is to continue to help them brush until they are able to tie their own shoelaces. This will ensure their coordination is adequate to brush and floss properly.

 
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook. You’ll never miss another blog!

Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

With the popularity of e-cigarettes or “vaping” picking up plenty of steam, it’s about time we look at the effects it has on your teeth and overall oral health. With seemingly everything becoming digitalized, cigarette smoking is no exception. Vaping is the modern day version of smoking, where old fashion tobacco burning smoke is now replaced with a breath of steam or water vapor. But is it better? There is evidence that it is better for your health, but what about your oral health?

How Vaping Works

Similar to traditional cigarettes, vaping also delivers nicotine to the user. However, where they differ is in the delivery. Vaping delivers nicotine via a steam or a vapor rather than by combustion in which tobacco is ignited by fire, as compared to traditional cigarettes. This combustion process also produces other unwanted and harmful chemicals that are released in the smoke. Because vaping doesn’t use tobacco, many of the harmful and irritating substances typically released as byproducts in the smoke are not present in the smokeless vapor. This is one of the primary reasons smokers have turned to vaping as an alternative mean to satisfy their nicotine urge. This is not to say that there aren’t any health concerns associated with vaping. Extensive studies are currently being conducted and only time will tell as to whether there are any health concerns connected to vaping.

Oral Health – Vaping vs Smoking

In this blog, we will focus primarily on whether or not vaping has a negative effect on your oral health. We will do so by speculating what the potential impacts of vaping could be relative to the impacts we already know that traditional cigarette smoking can cause.

We begin by looking at some of the effects of cigarette smoking on your oral health and the likely reason for their specific causes. Then, we will compare whether vaping or e-cigarette smoking is either worse than, better than, or equal to traditional cigarette smoking.

Stained Teeth

Cigarette Smoking: The tobacco in cigarettes is the main cause of teeth staining. The staining is similar to what you would get from drinking tea. Long-term use will permanently leave a yellowish stain on your teeth that will require expensive treatment to fix.

E-Cigarette Vaping: E-cigs do not contain any tobacco product. Vaping comprises of an electronic igniter and a liquid cartridge that contains nicotine and other flavors that is delivered to the user in the form of a steam. Depending on the type of gels or flavored cartridges used, staining of teeth may occur. But the lack of tobacco makes it a better option relative to staining of your teeth.

Risk of Acquiring Oral Cancer

Cigarette Smoking: The use of tobacco products, whether from chewing tobacco or cigarette smoking, has been proven to increase the risk of acquiring oral cancer. Oral cancer affects all parts of the mouth, including the gums, cheeks, throat, and tongue.

E-Cigarette Vaping: As of this writing, there hasn’t been any data that links vaping to oral cancer. However, what we do know is that vaping does not contain tobacco products, a key component linked to oral cancer. By comparison, vaping makes for a better choice compared to traditional cigarette smoking.

Periodontal or Gum Disease

Cigarette Smoking: Smoking doesn’t necessarily cause gum disease, instead it masks the detection of it. This is because of the nicotine in cigarettes. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it limits the blood flow in your tissue. Gum disease is typically detected by bleeding gums. Therefore, with excessive nicotine intake, your gums may not bleed when they normally would. This can delay the detection of any gum infection or issues, and subsequently lead to severe periodontal disease, bone loss, and ultimately loss of teeth.

E-Cigarette Vaping: Similar to smoking, vaping also delivers nicotine to the user. The nicotine in vapes behaves in the same manner as the ones in cigarettes when it comes to masking periodontal or gum disease. Gum disease is a serious threat to tooth loss if left untreated. Early treatment can help stabilize the gum condition and prevent further problems. By comparison, vaping is equal to smoking with regards to the masking of gum disease.

Bad Breath

Cigarette Smoking: In general, smoking reduces saliva flow leaving the user with a feeling of dry mouth. The lack of saliva flow and proper hydration in your mouth is a cause of bad breath. Additionally, the burning compounds from tobacco can remain and linger in your mouth and lungs causing unpleasant odors.

E-Cigarette Vaping: By comparison, e-cigs do not contain tobacco. This alone makes it a less likely source of causing bad breath compared to traditional cigarettes and is a better alternative when it comes to avoiding bad breath.

Conclusion

We conclude by saying that when it comes to your oral health, vaping is essentially a better alternative compared to traditional cigarette smoking. However, with the known presence of nicotine in e-cigarettes, and the lack of data available regarding the long term health risks of vaping, we recommend that vaping should simply be avoided if possible.

 
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Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

It’s always embarrassing to be caught with bad breath. But let’s face it, bad breath happens, and it happens to everyone. Fact is, most people don’t carry a toothbrush and floss everywhere they go. It’s just not that realistic. So instead of focusing on brushing and flossing more, we want to share in this blog an easier and perhaps more practical way of keeping your breath fresh. So let’s get to it!

If You Can’t Brush, Just Eat!

Our suggestion to help against bad breath is….? EAT. Yes, we literally mean eat. Food plays a critical role in the cause of bad breath. But on the contrary, they can also play a role in keeping your breath fresh. The key is to know how to distinguish between the good foods and the bad foods, in terms of fresh breath that is.

Let’s take a look at some of the obvious bad foods like garlic, onions, and coffee. These are breath killers. But why? The biggest reason for garlic and onions is the overwhelming odor that naturally occurs in them. High odorous foods get absorbed in your lungs and bad breath is exhaled. For coffee, it’s the so-called after taste. Coffee dehydrates your mouth, which decreases saliva flow – a big cause for bad breath.

Foods to Consider for Fresher Breath

The food you eat plays a huge role in affecting your breath. If bad breath thrives in odorous and dry mouth conditions, the game plan is to identify foods that produce the opposite affect! Here is a list of great foods to eat that will keep your breath fresh longer.

Apples and Spinach

If you can’t avoid eating garlic, a great way to mitigate the sulfur producing smell of garlic is by mixing in apples or spinach. The polyphenol compounds contain in apples and spinach is great at breaking down the smelly sulfur in garlic, which helps reduce the odor. For example, a hearty meal like pork chops and apples go great together. Pair it with a side of garlic mash potatoes and spinach and you have a winner! If you prefer something lighter, a spinach salad with sliced apples and pears is great on your health and breath!

Apples can also be eaten at the end of any meal, almost like a desert. The crunchy texture acts like a toothbrush, scraping away food particles from the surface of your teeth. Apples also promotes saliva flow, which helps rinse away any remaining food in your mouth.

Cherries and Lettuce

Next time you’re debating on what to have for lunch, consider having a fresh salad with grilled chicken and cherries. You’ll definitely keep the calories down, but more importantly, cherries and lettuce are great allies when it comes to beating bad breath. That’s because they help neutralize an odorous gas called methyl mercaptan that is produced as our mouth continues to break down the itty bitty food particles left behind after meals. A good tip to consider is snacking on cherries at your desk after lunch breaks. That will help eat those odors!

Berries, Melons, and Citrus Fruits

Berries, melons, and citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C, an element that odor causing bacteria can’t thrive with. These fruits also contain lots of water, keeping your mouth well hydrated and smelly-free. So the next time you’re out eating, make sure you end the meal with a nice serving of fruits!

Basil and Parsley

Basil and parsley are awesome odor eaters. This is because chlorophyll is nature’s deodorizer, and basil and parsley have loads of chlorophyll. Although commonly used in Italian cuisines, basil and parsley are gaining popularity with the trendy juicing phenomenon. Many people are now juicing after workouts or even to replace meals. The “green juice”, or the Greenie offered at Nekter contains loads of parsley.

Green Tea

Coffee vs Tea is one of the more classic food rivalries. Some prefer coffee and some prefer tea when it comes to caffeine loading. But when it comes to keeping your breath fresh, tea, especially green tea, wins by a landslide. For starters, unlike coffee, tea hydrates your mouth and promotes saliva flow, which helps improve your breath. Green tea also contains polyphenols, an antioxidant that destroys sulfur related odors, which is a smelly gas produced in our mouth. Tea is a great way to end a meal. It helps with digestion and keeps your breath stay fresh longer.

 
 
 
 
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Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

Doesn’t it always seem like emergencies happen during the most inconvenient times? We’re convinced too, bad things only happen when you’re on vacation, late at night, or in places where cell service is non-existent. Unfortunately, dental emergencies pretty much follow this same logic, and as such, there is no way around avoiding them. But that’s a good thing, sort of. We’ll explain later.

Like other types of emergencies, the best way to approach dental emergencies is to expect them, or in other words plan for them. In life, we’ve all heard the expression, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. That applies here too. Being prepared for dental emergencies won’t by any means, make it happen any less frequently. But what it can do is give you a better percentage of having a positive outcome.

Be Prepared – Where to Start

The first place to start is education. You need to learn how to identify and distinguish between real dental emergencies and the ones that, for a lack of a better word, aren’t real. And that’s what this blog will focus on. We will provide you with some common dental emergencies and the recommended action plan for each. But depending upon the severity of the accident, your condition may not be a true emergency. This means immediate assistance from your dentist is not critical to the saving of the tooth. There are still steps you’ll need to take including a trip to your dentist, but at the very least, some of your stress and anxiety should be reduced.

You Call That an Emergency?

Dental emergencies come in many different varieties. The most familiar ones usually involve some form of a traumatic blow to the mouth. This can happen when you fall, play sports, or been in an auto accident. The other types of dental emergencies can basically be summed up in three words: things just happen. These include old dental work failing, biting into something hard, or a sudden infection due to inadequate oral care over time.

We’ve put together a list of our most common dental emergencies and a game plan of what you should do. To further help you prepare, we’ve also given an Emergency Rating for each.

1. Knocked Out Tooth
If you experienced a sudden tooth being knocked out, it’s important to remain calm. Once you’ve gathered yourself, locate the missing tooth. Holding the crown of the tooth (the part you normally see), carefully rinse off any dirt or debris. After it’s cleaned, gently insert the tooth back into its correct position. If that’s not possible, the next best thing is to look for milk. Pour the milk into a glass or container and place the tooth inside (use water if milk is not available). The goal here is to keep the tooth alive as long as possible until you see your dentist. Milk contains proteins that will keep the exposed tissue in the tooth alive temporarily.
Emergency Rating: This is a true emergency. Your chance of saving the tooth is very good if you’re able to have your dentist return the tooth in its position within 1 hour.

2. Displaced Tooth
If your tooth is displaced or pushed out of position, the main concern here is pain management. Place an ice pack over the cheek or area where the tooth is to help reduce swelling. Take some over the counter pain medication as needed and contact your dentist immediately.
Emergency Rating: This is a true emergency. See your dentist right away to get the tooth stabilized. A displaced tooth can cause long term bone damage as well as damage to the surrounding teeth.

3. Fractured or Cracked Tooth
A cracked or fractured tooth usually occurs from biting or eating something hard. Often times, it’s not so much the external force that causes the fracture, but rather, it’s an internal collapse of the tooth’s structure. This is typically due to prolonged tooth decay or untreated infection. In the event of a tooth fracture, be careful not to swallow any tooth fragments. Rinse your mouth thoroughly and keep the tooth and area clean. Try to limit eating and drinking activities until you see your dentist. If the nerves are exposed, it could be a very painful experience.
Emergency Rating: This would be more like a moderate emergency. An immediate need to see the dentist is not necessary, although it’s not recommended to wait too long as other issues such as infection and pain could quickly develop causing tremendous pain.

4. Chipped Tooth
A chipped tooth is similar to a cracked tooth. The main difference is that it typically involves a blow to the mouth area and that the force of the blow is what caused the tooth to chip. This is common with sporting activities. The biggest challenge with a chipped tooth is getting over the initial mental shock. It may feel like there’s more damaged done to your mouth, but you’ll quickly realize it’s only the tooth.
Emergency Rating: This one ranks more on the, you’re lucky it could’ve been worse category. That means you don’t have to see your dentist right away. However, you will have to survive with having a chipped tooth for a few days. Just be careful about chewing since the chipped area may be sharp.

5. Tissue injuries
Tissue injuries are typically a result of direct trauma to the mouth. If your teeth aren’t chipped or knocked out, then it’s mainly a pain management issue. Even without any direct dental injuries, you could still sustain tears inside the mouth and lacerations to cheek, lips or tongue.
Emergency Rating: This one is a non emergency. If pain persists, an appointment with your dentist is recommended to confirm or dismiss any dental problems.

6. Toothache
Toothaches come in different levels of pain. They range from the annoying type, to the, I can’t sleep at night variety. A toothache could be a result of many things, such as severe tooth decay, a leaky filling, or result of a fractured tooth to name a few.
Emergency Rating: A toothache ranges from a non to a moderate emergency, depending on the condition. Again, pain management is the key factor. Taking pain medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin may help alleviate the pain temporarily. For more stubborn pain, see your dentist as soon as you can to get treatment.

7. Lost Filling or Crown
Old dental work is susceptible to failure. Over time with constant wear and tear, fillings can shrink and cement material for crowns may loosen. Because of this, crowns and fillings could unexpectedly fall out while you eat, especially if it’s a sticky or hard food, like caramel or apples. The real concern here is to make sure the exposed area is kept clean. Rinse your mouth with water and limit the eating and drinking.
Emergency Rating: This is a moderate level emergency. A visit to the dentist will be needed to have your crown re-cemented or filling redone. As a precaution, your dentist will also screen for infection or other dental problems that could develop.

Thank you for reading and remember to Like Us on Facebook and never miss another blog!

Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

With summer kicking in full swing and the kids are out of school, many parents are taking advantage and bringing their kids in for checkups! As with most things, early detection and prevention is always the best method of treatment. Although there were many kids that joined our No Cavity Club, there were still too many that didn’t. Among those that didn’t, we’ve noticed a common concern from the parents – Will my kid’s baby cavities affect their adult teeth? We will answer this question and hopefully provide some insights on what parents should and shouldn’t worry about when it comes to their kid’s teeth.

Baby Teeth Are Temporary, Right?

Baby teeth are temporary. That’s a fact. They will fall out and get replaced by adult teeth at some point – another fact. Unfortunately, this is also the main reason why many parents feel too relaxed about their kid’s teeth. It’s the notion that baby teeth will eventually fall out, so there should not be a reason to feel overly concerned with cavities or other dental problems in baby teeth. Sounds reasonable, right? Wrong. There are many reasons to be concerned with babies and children developing dental problems no matter what age.

Babies get their first tooth as early as 4 months old, and before you know it, all 20 are out by the time they celebrate their 4th birthday. With a full set of teeth, your baby will be busy chomping away at a full menu of foods and snacks. However, as the eating activity levels increase, so does the cavity activity level.

Transitioning to Adult Teeth

Your child will start to develop their adult teeth at around age 5. The first baby tooth in will be the first one out. This process will continue until the last baby tooth is out at around age 12. But how does the baby tooth know when to leave and allow the new adult tooth to grow in? It doesn’t. The fact is, once the adult tooth is fully developed, it will push its way out, causing the baby tooth to ajar loose. As the child progresses in its development, their adult teeth are developing underneath the gums and are only ready to erupt when the time is right. There is no short cut to this process.

Cavities – How They Affect Baby Teeth

All cavities behave the same way whether it’s on a baby or adult tooth. When a baby tooth develops a cavity, the enamel layer begins to slowly erode. If untreated, the result could lead to a complete loss of the tooth. For more details on cavities, you could read my previous blog here. Once cavities are present, it just doesn’t stop at a single tooth. Because it is a bacteria, cavities will spread and attack neighboring teeth. Although cavities can cause a tremendous amount of physical pain, they also bring a lot of emotional distress to children. Cavities are dark and brownish in appearance, and some kids become self-conscious about the way it looks causing them to smile less. Eating and drinking could also be more difficult due to teeth sensitivity.

Baby Cavities – How They Affect Adult Teeth

Babies have a high tendency to develop cavities partly due to their high sugar based diet, but mainly due to the lack or difficulty of adequate oral care. The effects of cavities in children go beyond the primary tooth. Here are a few of the problems early cavities in children could affect long term.

ORTHODONTIC
If cavities are left untreated, early tooth loss could occur leaving prolonged empty spaces. This becomes a problem when the adult tooth is not ready to come through and occupy the space. The empty spaces will allow neighboring teeth to shift and naturally fill or take up the vacancies. This becomes a big problem once the adult tooth is ready to erupt, as there will not be adequate space for the tooth. What ends up happening is the adult tooth becomes misaligned. The misalignment of one tooth also impacts adjacent teeth as the mouth tries to adjust on the fly, creating a domino effect. Expensive orthodontic treatment may be needed to correct the bite and alignment of the teeth.

INFECTION
Cavities are essentially decay caused by bacteria in your mouth. As the bacteria grows and multiply, it will migrate below the gums, causing infection of the underlying adult tooth that is still in the development period. This infection is called an abscess and is very painful for the child. Other problems include delay or prevention of the developing adult tooth from erupting, and extraction of the tooth is required. Even if the underlying adult tooth survives, it may be malformed, discolored, or permanently stained.

HABITS
The biggest reason why cavities develop is due to a lack of or inadequate care. Thorough brushing and flossing is not practiced regularly. When a child develops a cavity, certain habits are being formed and reinforced. These habits often times carry over to adulthood. Establishing good habits in oral hygiene is so important given the link it has to your overall health. This sets the foundation for children to make healthy choices as they grow.

Thank you for reading and remember to Like Us on Facebook and never miss another blog!

Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.

There are a million things to consider when you’re Pregnant. Am I allowed to eat this? Should I drink that? What about my daily interests and activities? These are all important things that require adjustment, and the challenge is figuring out your perfect balance. The health of your unborn baby is the utmost importance, no doubt! However, many people don’t realize the mother’s health is even more critical.

Pregnancy is a long process – roughly 40 weeks or about 9 months is the expected time. That’s 280 days, or more than 75% of an entire year! Because it is so long, pregnancy will certainly interfere with almost all aspects of your life. For many, pregnancy will run over at least 1 dental visit cycle, which is precisely why we need to discuss and educate our expecting mothers about going to the dentist.

Dental Care During Pregnancy

For expecting moms, it is critical that you continue to maintain and keep great care of your oral health. There is a strong link between periodontal disease, or gum infection to low birth weight and preterm birth. Gum disease and other oral problems like cavities can quickly develop for anyone if a lack of oral care and maintenance persists. But for pregnant women, maintaining a healthy, infection-free mouth becomes even more difficult. This is because hormone levels are increased during pregnancy, causing gums to swell and bleed more frequently. It is imperative that active home maintenance such as brushing twice daily and flossing is a must to reduce as much irritation to your gums as possible.

Dental Visits

Professional cleanings during your normal hygiene cycle are not only safe, but are highly recommended. Just make sure you inform your Dentist of your pregnancy and your due date. This will ensure the best care and comfort during your visit. Dental treatment such as cavity fillings or crowns should be treated in cases of emergencies, and preferably during a period when it is safe for the expecting mom. The safest time for any necessary dental treatment is during the second and third trimester. It is typical for Dentists to advise expectant mothers to do only emergency dental treatment during those times. Keep in mind that the main objective is to continue to lower the chance of developing any oral infections or irritation to the gums. Receiving thorough, professional cleanings and excellent oral care will surely help you achieve this goal. Other treatment such as teeth whitening should be postponed entirely until after the delivery.

Are X-Rays Safe

The biggest concern for expecting moms about visiting the dentist is receiving radiographs or x-rays. Simple answer – you really have nothing to worry about. According to the American College of Radiology, the radiation emitted from a single diagnostic x-ray is not significant enough to cause adverse effects on the developing baby. At Mint, our x-rays are fully digital, which produces just a fraction of the amount of radiation compared to traditional radiographs, putting you even more at ease should you require them. In general, preventive cleanings should not require x-rays. We would only recommend x-rays in cases of emergencies, or if the Doctor is unable to get a complete picture of the condition with just a clinical exam. If x-rays are needed, we recommend waiting until after the first trimester if possible.

Thank you for reading and remember to Like Us on Facebook and never miss another blog!

Written by Dr. Kim H. Nguyen

Owner of Mint Dental OC and is a leading dentist in Southern California.