St. James Dental Group

How to Save Money by Going to Regular Dental Checkups?

admin — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:22:01 +0000

You can never save too much. If you look closely on the ‘art of spending’, saving on the things or services you purchase is a form of success. And this concept applies to everything in life, even your dental care; well, especially on your dental care. So if you can, you might want to save some bucks out of it. But just how to do this? Having regular dental checkups with the dentist can save you plenty of money and here’s the reason why. How regular checkups help save you a lot of money? Dental treatments are never cheap. Your regular checkups may not look cheap either. How much does a checkup cost? A dental exam and some x-rays may range anywhere from $50 to $150 depending on each individual office. On a regular dental cleaning alone, you will have to prepare anywhere from $50 to $135; again depending on each individual dental office and also if you are a child or an adult. But if you have dental insurance, you might pay a minimal amount or nothing at all for these services. But just how can you save if you have to go to regular checkups every six months? Where is the saving factor? Dental checkups help early detection of dental problems like cavities, gum disease, infections and oral cancer. Treatment on these oral problems at an early stage will be cheaper than the extensive treatment of dental problems in their advanced stages. This will save you a lot of expensive dental treatments in the future. For example, your dentist may catch and diagnose a small cavity which if left untreated, it will get bigger and deeper; hence the cost will be higher. If the cavity gets deep enough and gets to the nerve, then you would need a root canal and the cost can increase 7 fold. As another example, if gum disease is caught at its early stages called gingivitis, your dentist can treat it quickly and a lot less expensive than if it was caught at its later stages. Also, if caught early, you can prevent bone loss and keep your teeth for a lifetime rather than later stages and end up needing more extensive procedures that are costly or even worse, losing your teeth due to the bone loss associated with gum disease. Regular dental cleanings also prevents early tooth loss and tooth decay. Tartar [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
How to Save Money by Going to Regular Dental Checkups?
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/how-to-save-money-by-going-to-regular-dental-checkups/

Human Papilloma Virus is linked to the Head and Neck Cancer

admin — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:31:29 +0000

The most common cancer known to be caused by Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, is the cervical cancer. Recently, the head and neck cancers caused by this virus are becoming more common than cervical cancers. This virus is known to be transmitted through sexual contact. For about 100 different strains are present in your body like the skin, genitals and mouth. Through the years, this virus has been studied to trace its route and treat it. So far, identification of the strains are the farthest that research has discovered. How virus attacks cells Unlike bacteria which can exist and proliferate on its own viruses on the other hand need host cells to thrive. This is why they are parasitic in nature. There are no viruses that are not harmful. In comparison to bacteria, you can still find good bacteria which gives benefit to the body and to the environment. With viruses, they are all the same, parasites. Generally, virus work this way: It attaches to a host cell. Any type of cell will do. It inserts its DNA to the host cell. At first, the host cell acts like a normal cell. It just sits there until the proliferation of the virus begins. New kinds of enzymes are produced because of the virus is the one controlling the cell activity. New generation of virus is produced. When the certain number is reached, the cell membrane disrupts and the viruses attach to other normal cells. The invasion to other cells works like a cycle. The virus can blind the normal cell because of the protein coating it contains. The protein looks the same as the protein of the normal cells. This is their route of attachment. Gum inflammation, head and neck cancer- Are they linked? Mini Tezal, a doctor in oral dentistry wanted to establish a theory that says HPV that causes persistent inflamed gums is the one responsible for the head and neck cancer. According to him, he found HPV strain 16 or HPV-16 in the head and neck tumors. He got the data from 50 cancer patients out of 124 that he surveyed. He was interested in this topic because there is an increase occurrence of esopharyngeal cancers despite of the decrease in tobacco use among the Americans. He wanted to uncover the culprit behind the spread of the sickness. And, the first step he formulated is to look [...]

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Human Papilloma Virus is linked to the Head and Neck Cancer
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/human-papilloma-virus-is-linked-to-the-head-and-neck-cancer/

Diet And Dental Health: How Do They Relate?

admin — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:38:55 +0000

Many people are not conscious about their diet. Foods they purchase and take in everyday has a big factor in maintaining healthy body, healthy mind and healthy mouth and teeth. These things are greatly intertwined. One cannot be perfect without the other. As an example, one cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mouth. Clearly, diet can affect dental health. The oral cavity is the first part of the body that is affected whenever you swallow food. The teeth and the gums are the most sensitive components of the mouth that can get affected. The five major food groups The five major food groups are the determinant of healthy diet. These are: Grains. The carbohydrates group. This is composed of oats, wheat, barley and rice. Some vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and truffle are also included. Fruits and vegetables. These are the good source of vitamins and minerals. They are low in fat content and less in calories. Your teeth can also benefit from this because they are high in fiber which helps in sweeping away debris; hence less tooth decay.. Milk and dairy. These are high in calcium and other minerals that make stronger teeth. If you are an adult, low fat milk is a good choice to eliminate excess saturated fat. Meat, poultry and fish. This is the main source of protein, iron and B12. Fats. Although fat is bad for your health, you still need a little of it to develop your hormones and some major parts of the brain. Moderation is the key. Try to choose the “healthy” fat which are in things like olive oil, nuts and fish to name a few. Healthy fats are monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s; “bad” or unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats. Healthy fat plays a great role in managing your weight, your mood and fighting fatigue. Eating whole meals with these food groups give you an advantage on keeping teeth and gums healthy, not to mention overall health. If you want to snack, snack on something from these food groups for healthier choices. Include probiotics in your diet. You can buy these at any health store. Poor nutrition Eating on highly-processed and low nutritional value food makes a low performing immune system. This can jeopardize your health. Thus, you are prone to several diseases like cardiovascular disorders and diabetes, as well as infections not just [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
Diet And Dental Health: How Do They Relate?
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/diet-and-dental-health-how-do-they-relate/

The Link Between Diabetes And Oral Health Care

admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:39:57 +0000

Diabetes and Oral Care Oral health care is an aspect of health that is rarely given a serious attention to. There are a lot of people who do not really understand its connection to other health problems. Knowing the facts about common diseases like diabetes linked to oral health is a good prevention of other health risks. What are the risks of a diabetic patient regarding oral health? Diabetic patients have a high risk for dental problems. They are more prone to infections such as gum disease and infection of the salivary glands due to impairment of the white blood cells. Furthermore, healing of the gums and the tissues of the mouth is a problem when you have diabetes. These risks should be avoided by a regular visit to your family dentist and a good oral hygiene regimen. Here are other conditions a diabetic patient may experience: Dry mouth. This condition is characterized by very low production of the saliva. As you will notice, saliva is needed when you speak, eat and even, breathe. The skin lining of the mouth is cracked if there is not enough moisture. This leads to wounds which are hard to heal because of the diabetic condition. Saliva also has a very important role in reducing the development of cavities. People with dry mouth have an increased chance of tooth decay. Gum disease or gingivitis (aka periodontitis). This is one of the first indications of diabetes. The condition deteriorates the surrounding bone structure which then leads to loss of teeth. Swollen or inflamed gums. The blood vessels of a diabetic patient thickens which with slow down the blood flow and in return not distribute the proper amounts of nutrients needed for the body as well as the tissues of the mouth. This causes them to be more prone to infections as well. When you have infection of the gums, this leaves the gums feeling tender and swollen. Proper knowledge about the dental care of diabetics is needed. Slow healing process. When a person is diabetic, any wound is hard to heal. The mouth is no exception. Also after a dental procedure the healing is slow as well. Oral thrush. High sugar content in the saliva encourages the proliferation of bacteria and fungi. With a weak immune system, oral thrush can easily occur. Good dental habits must be exercised to keep the mouth in its healthiest [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
The Link Between Diabetes And Oral Health Care
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/the-link-between-diabetes-and-oral-health-care/

Sleep Apnea or Snoring?

admin — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:58:52 +0000

What is sleep apnea and what is plain snoring? Is there a difference? And if there is, does it matter? Statistics shows that out of 80 million people that snore in North America, around 12 million of them have a condition called sleep apnea. Should there be a concern with these numbers? What is the cause of snoring? Snoring happens when there is an obstruction of the airway. This happens during sleep because the area around the jaw relaxes and slacks blocking the airways. As the body stresses on pushing the air through, the uvula and soft palate will then vibrate and causes the snoring sound. There are other reasons for snoring too like drinking, allergies, deviated septum, large tonsils, and even being overweight. Snoring is not really life threatening. When it becomes chronic, then there is a great possibility that it is not a common snore but a sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious matter. This is a condition where a person stops breathing. People with severe sleep apnea may stop breathing up to 100 times within an hour while sleeping. It can even be up to a whole minute sometimes. This causes multiple health problems like heart diseases and unhealthy blood pressure. This also causes a person to feel tired upon waking up in the mornings and throughout the day. Unable to focus or concentrate is another symptom of this condition. While snoring is not a health issue, sleep apnea is. Fortunately, there are treatments for it. 1- The CPAP or the continuous positive airway pressure 2- Oral appliances. CPAP therapy is prescribed by your physician and involves wearing a mask. This device can be uncomfortable to sleep with that is why more and more people opt for the oral appliances which are available by a dentist licensed to administer it. These appliances for the mouth are very unobtrusive as they look like a mouth guards that are very flexible. These appliances help keep airway passages open and easing the passage of air by moving the lower jaw in a forward position. This in turn will lessen the vibration of the soft tissues. This treatment for sleep apnea is more affordable and more comfortable to wear while sleeping. This appliance can also be used to stop snoring even if you don’t have sleep apnea. Your spouse will really appreciate you taking the step to get rid of [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
Sleep Apnea or Snoring?
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/sleep-apnea-or-snoring/

False Beliefs On Dental Health

admin — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:35:42 +0000

There are many myths about good dental care. Some false beliefs are even passed down from parents to children. As a result, children have digested these myths and circulated it in their consciousness. Here are common myths: “If your teeth seem to look okay, then, you do not need to visit your dentist.” This belief is false. There are a lot of dental problems that cannot be seen by the naked eye. These include: periodontal or gum disease, minute cracks or fractures, small cavities and some root infections are just few examples of unseen dental problems. When you go to your dentist, he or she will utilize the use of dental x-rays and other devices to detect such problems. Dental visit is not only done for curing and treating dental problems. It is more of a preventive measure to keep teeth and gums healthy. “Having strong teeth is in your family’s genes. So, you do not have to worry about having dental checkups.” Genetics plays a small part on your teeth’s composition. However, proper oral hygiene plays a major role in how healthy your teeth and gums are. Regular brushing and flossing coupled with professional cleanings can help keep your teeth for a life time. “You do not have to brush after eating, chewing gum works just the same.” Actually, it is the saliva produced from chewing a gum that helps your mouth clean, not the chewing gum itself. Saliva has an innate bacterial-fighting enzyme which your body produces to keep you from having cavities. It washes away food debris to some degree. However, saliva alone cannot be a replacement to brushing and flossing. Saliva cannot remove the sticky plaque on the surfaces of your teeth or completely remove food debris. If you are in a place where you don’t have access to a toothbrush, then the next best option is chewing gum. “If your gums are bleeding, you have to skip brushing.” Brushing too strongly can hurt gingiva and cause bleeding. However, the main reason for bleeding gums is gum disease. Generally, bacterial infection causes gum bleeding. First try using a soft bristled toothbrush, but it is imperative to see your dentist as well to determine whether you have gum disease. “Aspirin placed directly on the toothache can alleviate the pain.” Aspirin is a drug with chemical composition. You may suffer additional pain due to chemical burn of your. [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
False Beliefs On Dental Health
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/false-beliefs-on-dental-health/

Finding The Right Cosmetic Dentist For You

admin — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:03:13 +0000

A cosmetic dentist can do miracles with your teeth and smile. A perfect set of teeth is an asset which can make you confident. Your beautiful pearly whites are the first thing to be noticed when you smile. Your smile and your teeth make up a good percentage of your facial beauty, so it is reasonable to say someone with a gorgeous smile is considered “attractive”. What is cosmetic dentistry and what does a cosmetic dentist do A cosmetic dentist is someone who is trained in cosmetic procedures from teeth whitening to full mouth reconstruction or a complete makeover. Cosmetic dentists have special training in improving the esthetic look of your teeth and smile. They have the enhanced ability to see what is the best tooth shape, size and color for your face. Their profession is intermingled with artistic ability. Cosmetic dentistry is any procedure to enhance your smile and appearance. These consists of several procedures including teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, porcelain or ceramic crowns, Invisalign, tooth-colored fillings, dental implants, straightening and alignment of teeth. Now, even though these procedures are considered “cosmetic”, most of them also are used for restoring health and function as well. So for example, if you have a broken tooth, you may need a crown to restore it. So yes the crown is used to restore the function and health of your tooth in order to save your tooth, but at the same time, it needs to look good too. So sometimes general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry go hand in hand. Characteristics of a good cosmetic dentist You may wonder, how do I choose a good cosmetic dentist? Here are some ways you can make sure you find the right cosmetic dentist for you. Then make sure you have written a list of all your questions and concerns to go over with them. Artistic. This trait is very much needed for a good cosmetic dentist. He or she must possess the right eye to catch or visualize the end product of his or her work. They must be able to foresee the right fit for your face that will restore your teeth’s perfect condition, or even further enhance its appearance. Experienced. A good cosmetic dentist must have gained a lot of experience. This way, they are not prone to trial-and-error. This part makes you worry-free that you will get the best results. Skillful. The hands of [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
Finding The Right Cosmetic Dentist For You
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/finding-the-right-cosmetic-dentist-for-you/

8 Dental Emergencies and What You Need To Do

admin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:41:15 +0000

Dental emergency might not seem so much as an “emergency”. But if it is left untreated, it can result to a more serious condition – some are even life threatening. So don’t take dental emergency for granted. When you encounter any of the following dental emergencies, do the corresponding tips to alleviate the situation. Knocked-Out Tooth. Don’t be the dentist on this. If your tooth is knocked out, just wash the tooth with water gently. Be sure you don’t remove any tissue attached to the tooth. The best thing to do after that is to place the tooth back into its socket if at all possible. If not, get a glass of milk and place your tooth there. Go straight to your dentist. Broken teeth. A few examples of why you might encounter a broken tooth are: an accident, a fight, grossly decayed tooth or a weak tooth. This can be an uncomfortable experience. To alleviate the pain before you can visit your dentist, just get warm water rinse your mouth, if there is any swelling, use a cold compress on your face to reduce the swelling. Toothache. There are a lot of factors that cause a toothache. When you feel the pain, start off by washing your mouth with warm water. Then you can use a dental floss to remove any food particles trapped between the teeth of inside the gum. Contact your dentist if the pain won’t go away. Dental abscess. You will know you have dental abscess if you can see some swelling on areas of your gums, like a pimple.Dental abscess can be dangerous if left untreated. Use warm salted water to rinse your mouth and go to your dentist immediately. Broken jaw. You might have a fight or you accidentally bump your jaw to the wall or any object, as long as there is swelling in this area it means that you have injured your jaw. You need to use cold compress for the swelling. Don’t ignore this incident. Go to your dentist immediately. Stuck object between teeth. Any object that gets trapped in between your teeth can easily damage your gum and teeth. Use dental floss to remove it and not just any object. Go to your dentist if you are not able to get it out from between your teeth. Broken filling. If your filling breaks off or falls out, then you can buy a temporary filling material [...]

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Original Article Found Here.
8 Dental Emergencies and What You Need To Do
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/8-dental-emergencies-and-what-you-need-to-do/

Important Fact About Composite Fillings

admin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:40:10 +0000

Dental fillings were never aesthetic years ago. Dental fillings used to only be made from a material called amalgam (silver filling). Dentists use this for one and a half century that when people think about fillings, they think silver. Amalgam is known for its durability and restorative properties but never for beauty. But this is no longer the case today. Composite resin came into the picture of dental fillings and now offers you an option other than amalgam. How composite resin differs from amalgam? Composite resins or fillings also known as tooth-colored restorations are an ‘invisible’ dental filling as it is matched to the color of your teeth. This enables you to have your teeth restored without being noticeable. This was first used in the world of dentistry around 1960. The composite resin was fabricated from a mixture of plastic and filled with glass (silicon dioxide). At first, the composite resin was placed only to restore front teeth, because they were not strong enough to use for chewing. However, over the years, composite resins were made more flexible and stronger, aside from its natural appearance. This is the reason why composite resins can now be used to restore cavities small to medium size, both in front and back teeth. Uses of composite resins: 1- Tooth Decay 2- Chipped or broken teeth 3- Gaps between teeth 4- Replace old silver fillings containing mercury There is more to these fillings than just amalgam replacement. They are good for sensitive teeth too. Now, your tooth structure can stay intact unlike with the amalgam fillings that can never hold the tooth as composite fillings can, because they are bonded to the tooth. Another great advantage of composite resin is that it can be fixed if they got chipped or damaged, unlike amalgam where it would have to be completely removed and replaced. To make an appointment or to find out more about composite fillings, please call our office at 323-771-7254. By Ladan Zinati

The post Important Fact About Composite Fillings appeared first on St. James Dental Group.

Original Article Found Here.
Important Fact About Composite Fillings
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/important-fact-about-composite-fillings/

Chocolate and Your Health

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:19:05 +0000

Fear not chocolate lovers, good news is now at hand. Today’s studies about teeth and chocolate show a positive note. Believe it or not, chocolate is not bad for the teeth or for your health (mostly). This thought will certainly ease up some of the guilty feelings you must have felt each time you take a big chocolate bite. Chocolate and your dental health To understand this fully, you need to know the basics about tooth decay. Tooth decay is a result of acid causing bacteria in your mouth that work overtime at night. The acids attack the enamel causing it to demineralize and eventually causing a hole in it. This will soon lead to tooth decay or rotten teeth. Chocolate and your health Now, the good news here about chocolate is that this sweet, guilty pleasure contains antioxidants, the flavanoids and the polyphenols, that actually prevent the bacteria from making use of its starch and sugar to create their acids. Not only this, the cocoa butter in chocolate can also coat your teeth as though a protective shield to prevent the plaque from your teeth. And the buttery part of cocoa is not the bad fat, as it does nothing to increase your cholesterol. Aside from these wonderful developments, a nicer one is mentioned in the studies too. Chocolate, especially the dark ones that has high concentration of flavanoids, can help lessen the chances of stroke and hypertension. These types of chocolate beat green tea for its antioxidant power making this a good agent to protect your heart. However, chocolate is still not all good stuff. Just like everything in life, anything that is taken too much will do you harm. Chocolates contain high calories that will still harm you when taken more than your fair share. Calories are the number #1 agent for bulgy tummy. so if you are watching your weight make sure you watch your calorie intake of chocolate. Recommended intake of chocolate is 1 ounce, three times a week if you want to reap the benefits mentioned above. Eat what you love and enjoy with good health! By Ladan Zinati

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Original Article Found Here.
Chocolate and Your Health
St. James Dental Group
June 20, 2013
11:38 am
Read More http://www.dentistcudahyca.com/chocolate-and-your-health/