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Tobacco Use

Tobacco Use and Your Oral Health

It’s no secret that the use of tobacco products can have a significant impact on your overall health.  But have you considered the consequences it can have on your dental health?
Tobacco use in all forms, including smoking and chewing tobacco, can cause a number of dental health problems ranging from oral cancer (cancer of the lips, tongue, throat and mouth) to tooth loss and severe teeth staining. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 90 percent of people with oral cancer have used tobacco in some form.  Additionally, the risk of oral cancer is six times more likely among people who smoke compared to those who do not smoke.  The longer a person uses tobacco, the greater the risk.
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Long-term tobacco use in any form can compromise the health of your teeth and gums. Here are just some of the ways that regular use of tobacco affects oral health:
  • Tooth discoloration- Yellowing and severe discoloration of the teeth is one of the first visible effects of smoking.
  • Gum disease- Smoking increases gum disease—about four times more than people who have never smoked according to the Journal of Periodontology.
  • Tooth loss- The risk of tooth loss is much higher in smokers than in non-smokers
  • Bad breath- Because tobacco use increases the amount of bacteria in the mouth, a chronic unpleasant smell is common.
  • Poor healing- Smoking delays healing after tooth extraction and can lead to a temporary and painful condition known as dry socket.
If you use tobacco, it is especially important that you learn how to perform oral cancer self-examinations. Look for:
  • Sores around the face, neck or mouth that do not heal
  • Frequent bleeding in the mouth
  • Swelling or lumps on the lips, gums or other areas of the mouth
  • White, red or dark patches on the cheeks, tongue or palate
  • Loss of feeling in any part of the mouth
 In addition to regular oral cancer self-exams, tobacco users should also work towards kicking their habit. While easier said than done, the sooner you quit, the lower your risk for serious oral health problems.  Additionally, maintain proper oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily, and have regular checkups with your San Jose dentist in order to verify the state of the gums and make sure oral cancer is not developing.
Oral cancer may be one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it is also one of the most preventable.  Talk to Dental Dimensions about ways to stop using tobacco, and improve your dental health starting today.
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DIY: Tooth Loss Prevention

Tooth loss can absolutely be prevented, and it is all up to you! The Dental Dimensions office in South San Jose believes that by visiting the dentist regularly and brushing and flossing daily is vital in the avoidance of losing teeth. The main reasons adults lose their teeth are through a combination of poor oral hygiene and dietary habits. Keep the teeth that you were born with, and keep your mouth and body healthy.

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Recommended Oral Health Habits:

We recommend that adults brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. This helps with preventing plaque buildup on or between your teeth. Plaque build-up can cause cavities to form and will eat away your enamel. This can also cause your gums to become inflamed and infected. Tooth decay and gum disease can both weaken the tissue supporting your teeth, which can make your teeth loosen and fall out. Also, be sure to avoid candies, gum, and other sugary snacks, which can lead to tooth loss. Sugar is a big contributor to tooth decay, especially if you don’t brush after eating.

Tooth Loss Prevention

The best way for you to prevent tooth loss is to practice good dental health habits everyday by brushing and flossing. It’s also vital for you to see your dentist at least once every six months and to make an appointment as soon as possible if tooth pain or other dental problems occur.
Maintaining a healthy diet by getting the appropriate calcium, protein, and other nutrients is also important for not just your teeth, but also your overall bodily health. If you notice any tooth problems such as sudden tooth loss or decay, consider getting tested regularly for diabetes, especially if you have a family history.
A healthy mouth also means a healthy body. Losing your teeth not only makes you look unhealthy, but it can be a sign of other serious health problems. Identifying dental and overall health issues early gives you a greater chance to recover quickly and prevent future complications.
It’s never too late to change your oral habits. To learn more about the prevention of tooth loss, as well as the importance of oral hygiene, contact our office in South San Jose today!
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Get to the Bottom of Your Toothache with Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is needed when a cavity has progressed well into the interior of the tooth. The infection can spread deep into the roots of the tooth, causing an abscess. If left untreated, an infection in the root canal of the tooth can cause swelling of the face and head, and even bone loss. The best solution is to save your tooth, and root canal therapy from our South San Jose dental office is an option that helps restore the natural tooth to its normal function and natural appearance so that tooth extraction doesn’t have to be an option.
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Root Canal Therapy Basics

Your tooth is made up of a hard protective shell called enamel, a softer middle layer called dentin and a soft tissue inner layer called dental pulp. Composed of nerve tissue, lymph tissue and blood vessels, the dental pulp is considered a vital part of your tooth. If your dental pulp is severely damaged, the tooth begins to die. Root canal therapy is often the best treatment to prevent and eliminate infection, thus preventing tooth loss.

Signs you might need a root canal include:

  • Minimal to severe pain
  • Tooth discoloration
  • Swelling and irritation in the surrounding gum tissue
  • Signs of infection visible on a radiograph
Root canal therapy allows dentists to save your teeth in the safest way possible and is used to find the cause and treat the problems of the dental pulp. The narrow channels beneath the pulp chamber in the inner part of your tooth are hollowed out and cleaned through root canal therapy and the roots are filled with materials that are designed to prevent pain and infection from recurring.

Call The Dental Dimensions Today

Our dentists in South San Jose provide root canal therapy to ensure a positive, gentle, tooth-saving experience for everyone. Remember, delaying treatment for an infected tooth may lead to serious consequences and make treatment more difficult. Keep up-to-date with your regular dental visits to maintain your best smile.
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Sedation Dentistry

An Introduction to Sedation Dentistry

According to the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation, 30 percent of the population avoids visiting the dentist due to fear.  A condition known as “dental phobia,” this all-too-common fear prevents people from receiving necessary, routine dental care, potentially compromising their oral health.
The good news is that more and more people are now able to receive necessary dental care thanks to sedation dentistry. Sedation is a process administered by a trained dentist to establish a calm, relaxed state through the use of sedatives, enabling fearful patients to follow through with their dental procedures and maintain better oral health as a result.

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Types of Sedation

Sedatives can be administered by a trained dental professional in a variety of ways. These include:
Oral sedatives
Oral sedation is a popular method used to establish relaxation. A sedative pill is taken by the mouth and requires no needles, which makes this method easy to administer.  Oral sedatives create a comfortable, relaxed experience for patients—helping them reach a sleep-like state—while allowing them to maintain a level of consciousness for safety and cooperation.
Inhalation sedatives
Also known as nitrous oxide sedation, inhalation sedation is one of the most widely used dental sedation techniques. Nitrous oxide is administered through a mask, and as the patient inhales the sedative, it causes a euphoric effect, which calms and relaxes the patient within moments. This method is often considered the safest option for light to mild sedation and short, routine dental procedures.
IV sedatives
IV (intravenous) sedation is delivered via injection to sedate a fearful patient. It is the most powerful method of conscious sedation for management of more severe levels of dental anxiety or lengthier, extensive dental procedures. The sedatives are administered directly into the bloodstream, producing deep relaxation and pain relief.
General anesthesia
For lengthy and invasive procedures, such as oral surgeries, general anesthesia may be necessary to provide a deeper level of sedation for the patient.  When a patient is given general anesthesia they are completely unconscious throughout the entire procedure.  Because the patient is unresponsive and requires breathing assistance, a highly trained anesthesiologist or oral surgeon can only administer general anesthesia.

Are You a Candidate for Sedation?

Not everyone is a suitable candidate for sedation dentistry. People who benefit the most from dental sedatives include those with an intense fear of dental procedures, have severe gag reflex, suffer from physical limitations or have trouble becoming fully numb following the administration of local anesthetics.  If you suffer from severe dental anxiety, don’t put off required dental care any longer. Talk to your San Jose dentist about safe, comfortable and relaxing sedation dentistry.
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Reasons for Tooth Extraction

Why is Teeth Extraction Necessary?

If a tooth has been damaged by trauma or decay, your San Jose dentist will try to restore the tooth with a filling, crown or root canal. In many cases, these procedures are successful in saving the tooth, but if enough tooth structure has been destroyed to render the tooth unsalvageable, extracting the tooth may be the only other option.
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Other common reasons for the removal of teeth include:
  • Tooth is very loose
  • Baby teeth or extra teeth in the mouth are blocking other teeth from growing in
  • To make room for orthodontic treatment and the shifting of teeth
  • Abscessed tooth
  • Teeth have become infected as a result an underlying medical condition that weakens the immune system; medical treatment; or organ transplants
  • Impacted or problematic wisdom teeth

Types of Extractions

There are two types of extractions performed: simple and surgical.  Simple extractions involve removing a tooth that can be seen in the mouth using a local anesthetic.  Your San Jose dentist will gently loosen the tooth so that it can be removed from the mouth.
Surgical extractions are used during more complex procedures, such as when a tooth is broken off at the gum line or has not grown into the mouth yet.  Because most surgical extractions involve a small incision in the gum, it is often performed by an oral surgeon and the patient is administered a general anesthesia.
Preserving and saving a patient’s natural tooth is always the main goal for a dentist, but in some cases, it is not always possible. Thanks to advances in modern dentistry, a patient has many options for replacing their tooth following extraction including dental implants, dentures and bridges—all of which produce a beautiful, natural smile.
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When You Should Visit a Pediatric Dentist

South San Jose—Although dental care—brushing teeth, flossing, rinsing with mouthwash, and remembering to make regular visits to the dentist—is something that many adults find themselves worrying about on a frequent basis, but if you pay attention to national statistics, it appears it’s something that children should be mindful of as well. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease, according to The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD).
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But children can possibly be expected to oversee and manage every facet of their own dental hygiene. For one, most children are too preoccupied with more important things, like playing. Even if they weren’t, children are too small to even know what a dentist is by around the time most professional organizations recommend they first see one: an ideal first visit to a dentist should happen is around their first birthday.
What You Can Get from Your Child’s First Dental Visit
While a pediatric dentist will perform an examination of your child’s teeth, this first dental visit isn’t simply a routine oral check up. At this visit, you’ll also gain valuable information about how to care for your child’s teeth. Children possess some habits that are infamous for negatively impacting teeth health, like finger- and thumb-sucking. Your pediatric dentist can help you combat these habits, as well as help you plan your child’s diet. There are many foods that directly improve or reduce overall tooth health.
Planning for your child’s future shouldn’t be left until later, and that future includes excellent dental care. Schedule your baby’s first dental appointment at The Dental Dimensions today!
To learn more about pediatric dentistry in the South San Jose area, call (408) 225-6815.
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Dental Implants Can Save Your Jawbone

When it comes time to visit The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose to replace your badly damaged or missing teeth with new ones, you’ll have several options, including dental implants, bridges or dentures. While all three options are great ones, if you want the option that will provide the most durability, dependability, and trustworthiness, dental implants are the best choice.

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Dental implants offer many benefits worth considering. They are durable, life-like and resilient. They are easy to clean and they allow you to eat just as you would with your own natural teeth. One important benefit many people don’t realize, however, is that dental implants can also help save your jaw! Here’s how.

1. Dental Implants Preserve the Shape of Your Jaw

Your jaw doesn’t just support your teeth; your teeth also help support and stabilize your jaw as well. When you are missing a tooth, your remaining teeth may begin shifting. This shifting can result in a misshapen jaw and an unnatural face shape. Dental implants from The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose work to prevent this.

2. Dental Implants Help Prevent Your Jawbone From Shrinking

Not only is your jaw likely to change shape without teeth, but it is likely to shrink over time as well. This results in a sunken mouth and face shape that makes you appear years or even decades older than you actually are. Dental implants save your jaw from shrinking.

3. Dental Implants Prevent Your Jaw from Weakening

Lastly, without teeth, your jaw bone will naturally start to weaken over time. Dentures and bridges may help you eat your favorite foods again, but they won’t keep your jaw strong and healthy. Only dental implants can do that.

Whether you are missing one tooth or several, your appearance and your ability to eat your favorite foods aren’t the only things you need to take into consideration. You need to consider your jaw health as well. Thankfully, dental implants from The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose are the perfect way to get both the appearance and the functionality you want with the jaw health you need. Call and set up an appointment today!

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Why Sugary Drinks Are Bad For Your Child’s Smile

Most people know how sugary drinks can be bad for your waistline. But some don’t think about how sugary drinks can affect your overall oral health. With many of today’s drinks containing excessive amounts of sugar, it may be time for our San Jose patients to start thinking about what that sugar is doing to our teeth.

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Soft Drinks

The acidic nature of soft drinks can destroy a child’s tooth enamel, making teeth more prone to decay. When the high levels of sugar found in those syrupy soft drinks comes into contact with weakened tooth enamel, cavities may be inevitable. A serving of soda may contain as much as 10-12 teaspoons of sugar. You probably wouldn’t eat 10 straight teaspoons of sugar in one sitting, so you may want to think about ways to avoid drinking the same amount.

Fruit Juices

Many people assume that fruit juice is healthy and children especially love juice. But acidic juices can wear on enamel just as quickly as sodas. The high sugar content in juices like orange juice combined with the enamel-eroding acidity create a perfect breeding ground for tooth decay. For children who love their juices, your south San Jose pediatric dentistry can help your child maintain a healthy smile.

Children’s teeth are especially sensitive to the acidity and sugar combination. If your family drinks soda or fruit juices, make sure to brush your teeth immediately afterward. It’s also important to eat a meal when drinking a sugary drink. Eating will help produce more saliva which will help to break down the acid and sugar. Using a straw in a sugary drink may also help to keep the beverage away from the teeth.

It’s also important to make sure your child sees a pediatric dentist for regularly scheduled visits to keep their teeth clean and problem-free. The Dental Dimensions offers pediatric dentistry in San Jose, CA. Your pediatric dentist can offer additional advice on caring for your child’s teeth to make sure those occasional sodas or juices don’t cause lasting, permanent damage.

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What Are Telescopic Loupes?

During your last dental exam at The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose, you may have noticed your dentist wearing a funny little set of glasses during your dental procedure. These special glasses are known as telescopic loupes, and they are an important piece of equipment many dentists use all of the time.

What Are Telescopic Loupes?

Telescopic loupes are a special set of glasses that dentists wear to help them better perform their job. They typically look like a regular set of glasses with two small microscopes attached to the front lenses. Your doctor may also own a pair that features just the microscope without the eyeglass lens.

Why Do Dentists Wear Telescopic Loupes?

Telescopic loupes do exactly what they look like they would do; they magnify whatever your dentist at The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose is looking at so he or she can see better. These special glasses aren’t just for people with poor eyesight, however. They are designed to help all dentists see the miniscule details of your mouth in order to better diagnose and treat any underlying conditions you may have.

Dentists most typically use telescopic loupes to see the small signs that indicate gingivitis or to spot the beginnings of a brand new cavity that is starting to form, but these special glasses can be used to help dentists spot a number of different conditions.

While the latest advances in dental technology have produced some pretty remarkable machines, sometimes the best tools are some of the simplest of all. Telescopic loupes help dentists do their job effectively, efficiently and accurately in order to provide you with the best care possible.

If you’re ready for truly professional care, call your dentist at The Dental Dimensions in South San Jose and schedule an appointment today.

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Why You Should Consider a Pediatric Dentist for Your Child

Pediatric dentists can help your child establish good dental health before they can even talk.

Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children celebrate their first birthday not just with a cake, but a visit to a pediatric dentist? Yes, even at this young age, it is important to start a healthy oral care routine. The pediatric dentists at Dental Dimensions in South San Jose, CA – Dr. Deepak Shetty, Dr. Kavita Bhatia and Dr. May Yoneyama – offer some further explanation on why parents should seek out specialized dental care for their children.

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Distinct differences

Children have vastly different dental needs than adults. For example, their teeth tend to develop specific forms of tooth decay, often at a much quicker rate than adults because of the vulnerability of the enamel. The way their baby teeth grow in can also be an indicator of whether or not they will need orthodontic treatment later. While all South San Jose dentists possess basic knowledge about the growth and development of teeth, only pediatric dentists like Dr. Shetty, Dr. Bhatia and Dr. Yoneyama have extensive training in diagnosing and treating children’s dental conditions.

Understanding and compassionate

Young children are likely to be at least a little nervous about visiting the dentist, even for routine checkups. Your South San Jose pediatric dentists not only have training in diagnosing childhood dental conditions; they also understand how to respond to a child’s concerns about being in the dental chair. First and foremost, Dr. Shetty, Dr. Bhatia and Dr. Yoneyama are gentle and sympathetic to their young patients’ emotional needs.

If your child has reached the age where they need to visit a dentist, we encourage you to contact us at Dental Dimensions in South San Jose, CA. Our pediatric dentists provide the care and education that is needed to help your child maintain good dental health for a lifetime!