Choosing Toothpaste to Meet Your Needs

When stepping foot into the oral hygiene aisle at the drugstore, our staff at Maiden Lane Dental understands that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive or whitening toothpaste? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpastes help reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


• Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Children’s Dental Care

Considering that teeth begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy, good dental care begins before a child’s first tooth appears. Babies are born with all of their teeth; you just can’t see them because they are impacted in the gum line. Even babies can develop tooth decay if good feeding habits aren’t practiced. This is why Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s goal is to ensure that this generation and future generations of our young patients grow up with the healthiest conceivable smile.

In order to prevent dental problems, your child should see a dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than his or her first birthday. Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS is offers pediatric services that will put your child at ease when it comes time to enjoy his or her dental visit. She teaches children of all ages how to maintain healthy teeth and gums while using the latest techniques in children’s dentistry and always assures that patients big or small leave the office with a smile on their face.

If you have questions about your child’s visit, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Benefits of a Bright Smile

Teeth stain for many reasons, including your food and drink choices, oral hygiene, and medication use. Teeth stain occurs on the surface of the tooth (extrinsic stains) or below the tooth enamel (intrinsic stains) and some people develop both types. Keeping our teeth their whitest is a lot harder than it sounds which is why Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS offers a teeth whitening service that can provide you with life-changing benefits.

Let’s face it, not all of us are gifted with a perfect set of teeth that sparkle from their whiteness. Not only does being able to show the world your pearly whites give you more self-confidence, but it projects an outward appearance of healthiness that others are attracted to. Whiter teeth are associated with a healthier lifestyle – when people have a brighter smile, they tend to smile more often and are less self-conscious while interacting with people. In addition, one of the biggest advantages of teeth whitening is that it does not have any harmful side effects on your teeth.

If you think you may benefit from teeth whitening services, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Cavity Characteristics

There are two main factors that contribute to cavities. One is bacteria in the mouth and the other is a diet that is high in sugar. It’s no surprise that cavities are common among children, but changes that occur with aging, make cavities an adult problem, too. To prevent cavities from occurring you should brush and floss on a daily basis, in addition to scheduling professional cleanings with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS twice a year.

Cavities, or tooth decay, are the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of your teeth. Tooth decay is heavily influenced by lifestyle, what we eat, how well we take care of our teeth, and the presence of fluoride in our water and toothpaste. Only your dentist can tell for sure if you have one because sometimes cavities cause little to no pain at all. Regardless of how and where they occur, the best way to spot them and treat them before they become serious is by visiting Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS for checkups.

If you suspect you are suffering from a cavity, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Dental Implant Details

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants may be an option for people who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason. Here at the office, the dental implant procedure is a team effort between Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS and staff. Depending on your specific condition and the type of implant chosen, we will create a treatment plan tailored to meet your needs.

Dental implants are a popular and effective way to replace missing teeth and are designed to blend in with your natural teeth. They are an excellent long-term option for restoring your smile. Dental implants are made of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the human body. However, you must be in good health and have the proper bone structure and healthy gums for the implant to stay in place. The success rate for implants depends on the tooth's purpose and location in the mouth, as well as a patient's overall health.

If you are missing teeth, please give us a call to discuss your tooth-replacement options. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Oral Cancer Screening with VELscope

 

Oral cancer is often deemed the “forgotten disease” because it kills more people than testicular cancer, cervical cancer, and cancer of the brain each year and receives little publicity in return. Many people believe that if they abstain from tobacco and alcohol use, oral cancer will not affect them, however, sometimes it’s too late. At the dental practice of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS we utilize VELscope technology to visualize oral tissue abnormalities, including cancer and pre-cancer.

The VELscope system is an adjunctive device which means it must be used together with and as a supplement to the traditional intra and extraoral head and neck exam. The VELscope handheld device emits a harmless, bright blue light which is used to inspect the mouth and tongue. The device is extremely sensitive to abnormal tissue changes and the distinctive blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissue of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinct patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease, such as neoplastic lesions, and fungal, viral or bacterial infections. 

It’s important to remember that just because your dentist may recommend and oral cancer screening, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have oral cancer. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

Oral cancer is often deemed the “forgotten disease” because it kills more people than testicular cancer, cervical cancer, and cancer of the brain each year and receives little publicity in return. Many people believe that if they abstain from tobacco and alcohol use, oral cancer will not affect them, however, sometimes it’s too late. At the dental practice of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS we utilize VELscope technology to visualize oral tissue abnormalities, including cancer and pre-cancer.

The VELscope system is an adjunctive device which means it must be used together with and as a supplement to the traditional intraoral and extraoral head and neck exam. The VELscope handheld device emits a harmless, bright blue light which is used to inspect the mouth and tongue. The device is extremely sensitive to abnormal tissue changes and the distinctive blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissue of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinct patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease, such as neoplastic lesions, and fungal, viral or bacterial infections.

It’s important to remember that just because your dentist may recommend and oral cancer screening, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have oral cancer. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.

 

Different Levels of Gum Disease

If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime, then you need to practice a proper oral hygiene routine on a daily basis. If you don’t, you’re already headed down the road toward gum disease. Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth and there are three stages that you need to be aware of. You should always schedule professional cleanings and oral exams with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS twice a year to avoid this condition.

• Gingivitis – This is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gum line. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. This is when you’ll notice blood in the sink after you complete your brushing routine. However, at this early stage, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.


• Periodontitis – This is the second stage of gum disease. By this point, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may even begin to form a pocket below the gum line, which traps food and plaque.


• Advanced Periodontitis – This is the final stage of gum disease, and the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are officially destroyed. In this case, your teeth may begin to shift or loosen and your bite may also be affected. If aggressive treatment can’t save them, the teeth will need to be extracted.

If your gums are inflamed, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200.