Protect Your Teeth from Staining

If you’ve gotten whitening treatment in our office, you’ve noticed your teeth are several shades lighter. With good oral hygiene, they should stay that way for years. But tooth discoloration is a normal part of life, and everybody’s smiles fade over time. Nonetheless, there are some things you can do to protect natural teeth from stains. At the South Carthay dental office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, we specialize in cosmetic care, and to protect our patients’ investment, we wanted to pass along some information about enamel and extrinsic stains.

 

An extrinsic stain is one which forms on the outside of the tooth. While intrinsic stains are often indicative of a health problem that may require significant intervention, extrinsic stains are usually only a cosmetic issue. For the most part, they can be blamed on tannins. These organic substances are present in some plant tissues, and are the reason why coffee, tea, and red wine are dark colored. They also build up on a person’s teeth, and cause the same stains. Dark colored soda and juice can have a similar effect, and their sugar is causing dark-colored substances to get stuck on the teeth. Other sources of tooth discoloration are smoking, soy sauce, and tomato sauce.

 

Although cutting back on staining substances can keep teeth whiter for longer, patients may not need to abandon coffee and tea entirely. Sipping these drinks through a straw can significantly reduce the teeth’s exposure to tannins. Regular brushing and flossing will also remove the sticky plaque that traps dark substances. If you do notice your teeth fading, we can provide a whitening touch-up in the form of in-office whitening or a refill for a take-home tray.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

Acid Reflux and Enamel

Tooth sensitivity could be caused by many things. As a child you were probably taught to associate it with caries, and that’s certainly common. But as people get older, another common cause of toothaches emerges: acid reflux. At the South Carthay office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, we value prevention as well as general maintenance, and we want our patients to enjoy dental comfort. That’s why we want to explain a bit about how lifestyle factors play into enamel erosion and how patients can protect themselves.

 

Enamel is incredibly hard, but it can still be eroded by acid. Tooth decay occurs when enamel is dissolved by the acid bacteria secrete as they metabolize sugar, but acid can also be regurgitated from a person’s stomach. Normally, the stomach is separated from the esophagus by a sphincter, but this sphincter can get stuck open, or a person may develop a condition in which it opens when they swallow. This would allow stomach acid to escape in gaseous form. What we call “heartburn” is really the sensation of stomach acid burning the esophagus on its way up, and when it reaches the mouth, it can do the same to the teeth. Due to their position, the ones in the back of the upper jaw are the most vulnerable.

 

People who suffer chronic acid reflux should seek the help of a gastrointestinologist, but there are a few things that might reduce the frequency of attacks. They may try reducing their consumption of alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes, garlic and onions, and red meat, and avoid eating anything in large quantities before lying down. They are also at greater risk if they smoke. We can provide patients’ teeth with additional protection in the form of sealants or fluoridation treatments. Increasing saliva flow by means such as chewing sugarfree gum will also help neutralize more acid.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

Causes of Bad Breath

If you have persistent bad breath, the problem may be more than something you recently ate. Halitosis is a common symptom of oral health problems. We at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay Dental office want our patients to understand that we can help them, but they need to take bad breath seriously.

Oral bacteria produce a strong odor. They may take refuge in the gum pockets and in the papillae of the tongue, where they will be able to consume food debris and form plaque. People are at greater risk of oral infections when they don’t floss deep between their teeth or scrape their tongues, as well as when they are suffering from dry mouth. Without saliva, it is harder to remove food debris and control the spread of pathogens.

Sometimes, bad breath is related to another issue, such as discharge from a nasal infection landing on the back of the tongue. People with diabetes are at elevated risk for gum infections and may have halitosis if they are going through diabetic ketoacidosis. Acid reflux can also cause dry mouth and leave a lingering odor. In addition to improving their oral hygiene, patients may try drinking more water, using mouthwash, avoiding large meals before bed, and avoiding drinks that are high in sugar and acid. When halitosis is related to a medical condition such as tonsil stones, we can at least rule out the more common causes and help manage symptoms.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.

 

Protect Your Teeth during the Holidays

We know how hard you worked for your dazzling smile. At Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office, patients can expect high-quality treatments for tooth stains and decay, but we take a preventive approach, too. During the winter holidays, people have a lot more exposure to sugar, so we want to provide them with some tips for keeping their teeth safe while remaining sociable.

Dental stains are usually caused by dark-colored drinks such as coffee, soda, red wine, and hot chocolate. These drinks, as well as apple cider, eggnog, and spirits, can also be high in sugar. Tooth decay is caused by bacteria metabolizing sugar and excreting acid, so the amount of decay a person experiences correlates with the amount of time teeth are exposed to sugar. If people take sips slowly and don’t drink water afterward, their teeth will remain coated in residue. Bacteria can also metabolize complex sugars, so bits of crackers, breadcrumbs, or potato starch stuck in between teeth can be converted into acid. Naturally, hard candies, such as candy canes, also put the teeth at risk.

You don’t want to overuse whitening toothpaste, but you don’t want sugar to remain stuck on your teeth for several hours, either. You could try limiting your sugar intake to meals, when you will be producing more saliva. That will help wash away residue. You could also chew sugar-free gum in between meals to dislodge debris and stimulate more saliva. Drink fluoridated water in between sips of sugary or stain-causing drinks to wash them away. If you’re traveling to somewhere without fluoridation, you might bring a few bottles with you.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.