What are Sealants For?

With the approach of the school year, many parents are eager to make sure their children’s teeth are in good condition. Toothaches are a common reason for children’s sleep and behavior problems, and general dentists can provide preventive care as well as repair. But one of the most common forms of preventive dentistry, the application of sealants, works for adults as well as children. At Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office, we’re pleased to offer sealants for the protection of our patients’ teeth, and we especially want adults who have a history of tooth decay to know how they can benefit.

 

Sealants are shields that are applied to the grinding surfaces of the molars and premolars. Those teeth have multiple raised bits, called cusps, with indentations between them. The indentations commonly become caked in food debris, particularly starches, making them good spots for oral bacteria to grow in. These parts of the teeth can also be difficult to brush effectively, allowing the acid by-product of oral bacteria to settle into indentations and create bigger cracks. However, sealants smooth out the teeth’s grinding surfaces and create a barrier between the enamel and the food debris. They leave the teeth textured enough to fulfill their function, but slow the rate of decay.

 

Application of sealants doesn’t require preparation from the patient. After cleaning the teeth, we’ll apply a mild etching acid to them to increase their surface area. We’ll then paint the plastic sealant on in liquid form and harden it with a blue light. The patient will resume eating normally by the next day, and afterward, the sealant can last for as long as ten years as long as they maintain regular oral hygiene.

 

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.

Toothroot Decay

Tooth decay is painful, makes it harder to chew and eat, and can put your health at risk if it goes on long enough. But even so, some kinds of tooth decay are even more inconvenient than others. At the South Carthay dental office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, we provide care for our patients’ general oral health needs. We’re happy to treat patients who are suffering from toothaches, but those who have decay in their tooth roots should be aware that they may need treatment that is a bit different than what they’re used to.

 

Although there are a few reasons why the outer layers of teeth may lose material, “tooth decay” refers to the process of an infection on the tooth’s surface dissolving the part of the tooth surrounding it. Our mouths are home to many species of oral bacteria, only a few of which are harmful to our teeth. But those bacteria secrete acid as part of their cellular respiratory process, and that acid gets stuck on tooth surfaces and in gum pockets. As acid builds up, it dissolves the enamel, which is the hard covering of the crown of a tooth, and the cementum, which is the sticky material that seals a tooth root to the walls of a gum pocket. It also causes gum tissue to disconnect from tooth roots, creating gaps for more bacteria to colonize.

 

You can brush away bacterial infections on the crowns of your teeth, but you won’t be able to remove infections in the gum pockets. For that, you’ll need a deep cleaning. If we find that a patient has decay in their tooth roots, we’ll numb them with a local anesthetic, and then scoop out the decayed material through a process called scaling. We may also smooth down the tooth roots to make them easier to clean in the future, which is called planing. Tooth roots aren’t covered by as thick a layer of enamel as crowns, so decay there will cause sensitivity more quickly. If you’ve felt pain that seemed to be coming from your tooth roots, don’t delay scheduling an appointment.

 

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.

Back to School Check-Up

With school back in session, children will be on a regular schedule, and hopefully, be regularly eating and brushing their teeth. But the resumption of the school year also means that problems from dental caries and other oral issues will be more disruptive. If your child is due for a check-up (and they’re recommended every six months), now’s a good time to visit South Carthay’s Dr. Suzanne Haeri.

Even in baby teeth, toothaches cause a lot of problems. Children who are in pain have a harder time learning and controlling their behavior. Those who are under stress may grind their teeth in their sleep, causing jaw pain and potentially damaging their enamel. We can provide professional cleanings and replace decayed material with fillings, but check-ups are also an opportunity for prevention. We teach children better oral hygiene habits, such as brushing and chewing sugar-free gum. We also provide fluoride sealants to protect the teeth from infections.

Besides being an opportunity to do maintenance, check-ups allow us to plan for a child’s future needs. Our digital x-rays allow us to safely monitor the development of adult teeth. If it looks like a tooth is going to be impacted, we can discuss with kids and parents options such as extractions and orthodontic treatments. We can also discuss whether a child will need a night guard or to have their mouthguard refitted.

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.