Hello Everyone,  From my email:  My insurance is ending this month. There are so many policies out there..., can you please tell me what to get? What's the difference? KNM, Lafeyette, CA. More and more, insurance companies are being selective in the policies that they offer to patients. First, let me take a minute to let you know the difference between PPO, HMO, EPO, DMO, … UGH… it can be frustrating, I know. So, let’s go through them— 1)       HMO: Health Maintenance Organization . With a HMO plan, your insurance company might require you to pick a dental care provider. All, or most of your services, must go through that provider. Visits to offices that take PPO only will most likely not be covered by your insurance. 2 )       PPO: Preferred Provider Organization PPO Dental offices, such as Oak Grove Dental, give you flexibility. You can most likely choose the dental care provider that bes...

Every SIX Months? Why Preventive Dentistry is SO Important! Preventive dentistry is by far the best medicine for your oral health. Maintaining great oral health is essential for preventing dental issues from occurring rather than treatment when they arise. The thing is, regular brushing and regular flossing (the proper way...) drastically reduces risk of developing oral disease and necessary restorative treatment. An important thing to remember is that while many people make it a point to brush twice a day, the duration for which they brush is often less than a minute. Most dentists in the bay area, including myself, recommend that a person should brush for at least two minutes. If a patient see a dentist every six months, most dental problems can be avoided. Therefore, it is important to visit a dentist every six months to detect any problems while they are at a nascent stage. As some of you may know, night guards, especially is you are grinding at night, can prevent damage to ...

Hello Patients!! A patient asked me last week about nutrition. More specifically, does nutrition affect our dental health? Before you run for your cheeseburger for a serving of meat and dairy, there are some foods that work well for your dental health. So, let's run through a few things that help you maintain proper oral health. 1) Water. Maintaining proper hydration is important for many aspects of your health, but drinking water, especially fluoridated water is the best beverage for maintaining your oral health. Fluoride helps make teeth more resistant to acid attacks that can break down tooth structure and cause cavities to occur. Over 75% of the population has access to fluoridated water. 2) Dairy: Milk, and other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, are low in sugar, which is a good thing for your dental health. Plus, they contain protein and are full of calcium, which can help to strengthen your teeth. So it's perfectly ok to get a little cheezy!! 3)Lean Meat: Phosph...

Back to School Mouth Guards: The American Dental Association claims that there are 200,000 injuries a year that can be prevented if a mouth guard was worn. Wearing mouth guards prevents trauma to teeth and can reduce impact playing certain sports. This sports include: Acrobatics Basketball Boxing Field hockey Football Gymnastics Handball Ice hockey Lacrosse Martial arts Racquetball Roller hockey Rugby Shot putting Skateboarding Skiing Skydiving Soccer Squash Surfing Volleyball Water polo Weightlifting Wrestling  And, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, 84% of children playing  in organized sports don't wear protection. Most parents don't enforce the mouth guard because children find them bulky, uncomfortable, and difficult to talk with them in. While, I do understand the hesitation of wearing sports guards, the trauma that can occur during these sports to teeth can be extensive. In my office, we make custom fit sports guards fo...

Colgate Update: What's In Your Mouth? To understand what happens when your teeth decay, it's helpful to know what's in your mouth naturally. Here are a few of the elements: Saliva: Your mouth and teeth are constantly bathed in saliva. Although we never give much thought to our spit, this simple fluid is remarkable for what it does to help protect our oral health. Saliva keeps teeth and other oral tissues moist and lubricated, washes away some of the food particles left behind after we eat, keeps acid levels in the mouth low, and protects against some viruses and bacteria. Plaque: Plaque appears as a soft, gooey substance that sticks to the teeth a bit like jam sticks to a spoon. It is, in fact, colonies of bacteria, protozoa, mycoplasmas, yeasts and viruses clumping together in a gel-like organic material. Also in the mix are bacteria byproducts, white blood cells, food debris and body tissue. Plaque grows when bacteria attach to the to...

Here's a little history on implants that most people don't know:  Implants are not a new procedure. In fact, did you know that dental implants have been traced all the way back to 600AD? Mayan woman have been found with tooth like pieces hammered into their jaw. OUCH! It makes modern dentistry look like a piece of cake. It wasn't until the 1950's that a group of dentists formed the AAID ( American Academy of Implant Dentistry ) to share their knowledge of implants. This group continuously holds meetings, conferences and publishes journals about newest technology and the lastest improvements in their respective field. This group includes over 4,000 members consisting of many different specialists in dentistry as well as general dentists such as myself.   Roughly 70 percent of people age 35 to 44 are at least missing one tooth. And, 25% over the age of 74 have lost all of the teeth. This is why my staff and I promote the importance of oral health.  Implants can pro...

1) 3 Warning Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth Symptom #1: Patient is experiencing throbbing pain in the back of the mouth. Usually, when wisdom teeth become impacted, it causes a great deal of pain, particularly as the condition worsens. Patients may notice the pain radiating from the back of the mouth, particularly focused on the area around the wisdom teeth and other molars. This pain will get worse as the surrounding teeth begin to become affected. Symptom #2: Gums become swollen and red in color. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause serious gum issues. The gums may become swollen and tender to the touch. They may start to bleed when pressure is applied, making flossing and brushing both painful and difficult. If you notice your gums becoming swollen and tender, it may very well be impacted wisdom teeth but can also be other forms of gum disease, so it is important that you see your dentist immediately.  Symptom #3: Swelling near or around the jaw Impacted wisdom t...