Love your Dentist and Dental Team

Its very exciting and interesting when I meet new people and they find out I’m a dentist.  They either try to run away, ask ten thousand dental questions,  or cover their mouth.  Once in a blue moon, someone will say ” I love the dentist!”.  People either have bad experiences, are embarassed, self concious, or curious about their teeth.  Many people are unhappy and don’t like their teeth or smiles.  They tell stories of how bad their old dentist tramatized them or did something bad to them or how expensive it is.  People fail to realize that dentists help stabilize your teeth, make sure that your teeth are healthy and that you can smile till the day you die.

Dentistry has changed dramatically within the last ten years. We have digital x-rays, anesthesia, lasers, clear braces such as invisalign, dental implants,whitening and so forth. Dentists help people smile more by keeping teeth looking good, strong and healthy.  If you had a negative experience with a dentist, you should not let it discourage you from going to a great dentist. There are thousands of great dentists that will help you with the dental treatment you need.  It is also your responsiblily to take care of your teeth when you are at home. 

Let’s talk about expense. Dentistry is expensive when you do not take care of your teeth. What you are paying for is the cost to maintain your teeth.  Dental materials, dental supplies and the dentist’s and staff’s time is all part of maintaining your teeth. Once cavities and infection are removed, you are responsible to take care of your teeth.  Maintaining a healthy diet and excercise, and brushing and flossing are the keys to good oral health.  So simple, yet people blame the dentist for their dental problems. 

Dentists can help you achieve your goals, whether it is whitening your teeth, getting dental implants to replace missing teeth, straightening your teeth, cleaning your teeth and so much more.  The bottom line is that dentists are here to improve your smile and help you eat better. The final note is to remember to treat your dentist well.  Find a dentist who will listen and address your concerns.  He/she should be working on your behalf.

Dr. Linda Ma

 

This is How We Whiten and Brighten Teeth

HX9332_05-RTP-global-001_lowresI love bright, white teeth.  White teeth makes your smile look better, gives you more self esteem, and makes you look younger.  White teeth changes people’s attitude and personality by making them look good and feel good about themselves. Pictures always look amazing when you have white teeth.  Teeth can discolor as we age, take medications and develop tartar and stains. One rule I tell my patients is “whatever stains your white shirt can stain your teeth”.  For example, broccoli and rice will not stain your teeth, but a blueberry or a glass of wine will.  If you drink coffee and tea, like myself you will develop stain.   A solution to this problem would be to invest in a sonicare toothbrush and a good quality toothpaste such as opalesence.  I love my sonicare, and I am the perfect example that it works. Come check my teeth out for yourself if you’d like.

How do you get white teeth you ask?  Excellent question.  If you are in rush, have a special event or need instant gratification, you can do a one hour dental office treatment. You can use custom dental whitening trays for an hour for a few days. You can brush daily with a professional quality whitening toothpaste such a opalensce and a sonicare toothbrush.  You can get crowns and veneers to achieve the exact shade, shape and size of your tooth. Everyones circumstances, committments and desires will be different so your local dentist can help you choose which treatment is best for you.

For the best results, you should do the combination of the three whitening processes.

1. One hour in office whitening.  This is to kick start the whitening process. It’s fast, convinient and you see the results right away.   The teeth are polished to remove stains and tartar, the gums are then isolated to be protected from the bleaching solution,   a solution of 28%-40% carbamide peroxide is place on the teeth for 3-4 intervals of 10-15 minutes.  Our bleaching solution is very concentrated so it cannot be done at home and it can burn your skin, eyes and mouth.

2. Take home bleaching trays.  Solutions range from 8%-20%. Every few weeks or months, you have to touch up, or re-whiten your teeth. Like dying you hair, you have to maintain the color. The trays are worn for about an hour per day and the bleach is placed only on teeth that are visible when you smile.  The gel should cover only your teeth.  If you place too much solution on the tray and it overflows to your gums, you can irritate the gums and cause yourself discomfort, so be careful not to get the gel on your gums. You will just be wasting your product.

3. The sonicare toothbrush with opalensce toothpaste.  Daily brushing twice a day with this toothpaste creates amazing results.

For more questions and answers about teeth whitening visit http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-whitening-faq and http://www.teethwhiteningreviews.com/faq.php

Your Family and Cosmetic Dentist

Dr. Linda Ma DMD

Fluoride Is Good For You

What’s all the commotion about fluoride being bad for you? Fluoride is an awesome mineral which helps prevent cavities and reduce tooth sensitivity. Fluoride is found in toothpaste, rinses, water and food. It is unfortunate how many people are misinformed about the dangers and toxicity of fluoride. Anything in large doses can be considered toxic. For example, sugars in large amounts may lead to obesity, diabetes and many other diseases. Calcuim in large amounts can lead to kidney disease and hypercalcemia. High salt intake can lead to hypertension. Overconsumption of alcohol can lead to death. I can name numerous toxic minerals and chemicals if not taken in moderation can cause damage.  Fluoride is safe and effective when used as directed.

There are many dental companies, dentist schools/universities, and dental researchers who have done many studies, spent countless hours, and spent millions of dollars to make sure that fluoride has more benefits over disadvantages.  Fluoride is safe and cost effective. Fluoride reduces tooth decay, prevents needless infection, suffering and loss of teeth, and saves alot of money in dental treatment cost. The United States Centers for Disease  Control, CDC,  has reports that  advocate fluoride.  For more information, click http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5014a1.htm. The FDA , Food and Drug Admistration and EPA, Environment Protective Agency has not issued warnings, so why are people saying that fluoride is bad?

So how does fluoride work you ask?  Fluoride prevents bacteria that cause plaque from sticking to and demineralizing teeth which causes tooth decay and sensitivity. Fluoride helps the calcium and phosphate molecules on your tooth to become more difficult for bacteria to adhere to. It is like a thin seal  or coating around the enamel. For more information go to  http://fluorideinfo.org/

Overall, fluoride is safe and beneficial to people of all ages when used as directed. At Smile Innovations, our team actively  promote healthy smiles and teeth, so make sure you are brushing and flossing twice a day for at least two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.

Dr Linda Ma DMD

Gum Disease and Prevention

Have you met a person whose breath you can smell a mile away?  Are the teeth moving and have loads of plaque and tartar on it?  Are the gums red and bleeding?  If the answer is yes, you have gum disease.

People often tell me that they have bad teeth, their parents had bad teeth and grandparents had dentures when they were 30 years old.  They are fearful and sad because they feel will lose their teeth and be in a denture.  Bad teeth are due to neglect, poor oral hygiene, and poor eatting habits.  Too much sugar, little or no brushing and flossing, and overgrowth off bacteria will lead to decay and tooth loss.  The bacteria in the mouth cause gingivitis and periodontitis, gum disease. Gingivitis is inflamation of the gums. Through time, the gingivitis will develop into an infection which leads to gum diseaseGum disease means bone loss, bleeding gums and bad breath. The bone in your mouth is what supports the teeth. Without bone, the teeth will eventually fall out. The bleeding gums and the smelly breath is caused by the bacteria on the surfaces of the teeth.

To prevent and control gum disease, a dental hygienist will do a scaling and root planning which means cleaning the teeth below and around the gum. Bacteria, tartar, and plaque will be removed. In some cases a medicine is placed on the gums to further kill the bacteria.  After the treatment is done, it is your responsibility to brush, floss, eat properly and maintain your oral health. The hygienist will schedule you back to help you maintain the gum disease and keep it under control. If you stop the maintaining your hygiene, the disease will come back.  To maintain healthy teeth and gums, go regularly to the dentist for routine check ups and maintainence. This will save you lots of time, money, and pain.

Dr. Linda Ma DMD

Your Tempe Cosmetic and Family Dentist

Hello world! This is Dr Linda Ma DMD,  from Smile Innovations, your local  family dentist. I would like to thank our team and patients for helping us build our new office at 6326 S. Rural Rd suite 101, Tempe Arizona, 85283. If you would like to contact us, please click here. This is my first blog so bear with me. I will be discussing new and interesting topics in the future. Enjoy our new website. I will be looking forward to updating everyone on their dental health and concerns. Please email me at smileinnovations@hotmail.com for topics you would like me to talk about.

Dr Linda Ma and Dr Boyd Patummas