Healthy Summer Foods

It’s summer—that wonderful time of year when fresh and delicious produce abounds. Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. will tell you that your teeth, gums, and tissues all rely on an appropriate mix of vitamins and minerals to maintain good oral health no matter what time of year. In previous studies, nutrients in fruits and vegetables such as dietary fiber, potassium, and antioxidants have all been associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and cancers, including oral cancer.

Here are four foods we want you to enjoy this summer to ensure a healthy mouth:

Watermelons and Strawberries

Watermelons have high water content, which dilutes the effects of the sugars they contain and stimulates the flow of saliva. In addition, research shows that eating foods full of water (watermelon is 92 percent water) helps keep you satiated on fewer calories. Finally, in addition to containing skin-protecting lycopene, eating watermelon can help you stay hydrated during the summer months, which not only keep your memory sharp and your mood stable, but also help keep your body cool.

Strawberries are juicy and delicious, and they’re also considered a superfood. Nutrient-rich and packed with antioxidants (such as vitamin C, which can help with cancer prevention), strawberries also promote eye health, help fight bad cholesterol, and regulate blood pressure.

Apples

Did you know consuming apples can help you attain whiter, healthier teeth? It’s true. Biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, and in the process, lowers the levels of bacteria and other harmful acids, leading to a lower likelihood of tooth decay. Apple consumption can also boost your immune system; reducing cholesterol and helping you avoid Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Finally, eating an apple a day has been linked to heart health, including a lower risk of death from both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a delicious and healthy snack and can help you ward off cancer. This yummy red fruit contains lycopene, which helps protect your skin from sunburn. Tomatoes can also help you fight heart disease due to the niacin, folate, and vitamin B6 nutrients they contain. They’re high in crucial antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin A, which work to prevent DNA damage.

The best prevention method is to visit your dentist regularly and keep
up with daily teeth cleanings at home. Please call Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. today at (800) 223-0801 to schedule a checkup. 

What To Do With Sensitive Teeth

When you have sensitive teeth, simple tasks like eating, drinking, or brushing can cause pain to your teeth. Usually this is because the tooth enamel has been worn down by exposed teeth roots or by a cavity, chip or crack in the tooth. If you are experiencing sensitivity to your teeth, a visit to Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. may be in order. Upon your visit, the doctor and his trained staff may recommend some of the following options as treatment to alleviate your sensitivity symptoms.

Most tooth sensitivity is because you have exposed part of the dentin, which is the tooth area that conceals the nerve. This could be from gums receding or wear on your teeth. When the temperature changes or you eat very acidic or sweet food, this can cause pain in the mouth. Though the pain usually does not last a long time, it can be sharp and intense. Dentin actually is made up a series of pores that go from the tooth’s outside to the nerve at its center. These pores or ducts are easily stimulated by temperature or food types when the dentin is left exposed.

In order to help treat sensitive teeth, it is always best to make sure you are paying close attention to your oral health. That means brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, flossing daily, and using toothpaste with fluoride in it. Your dentist may ask you if you are using very coarse toothpaste or brushing too vigorously, both of which can lead to sensitive teeth. Another reason for the wearing down of the dentin can be bruxism, or tooth grinding, which a dentist like Dr. Alina Bergan can help fix with options such as mouth guards.

Watch What You Are Eating and Drinking

Other things to look out for include watching what you eat and drink. Certain foods like soft drinks, citrus, yogurt, or wine can eat away at tooth enamel. Avoiding large quantities of these foods and drinks can decrease the chances of teeth sensitivity. Also, remembering to rinse your mouth out with water after indulging in those items will help wash away those harmful acids.

Treatment Options

Depending on what is causing your sensitivity, Dr, Alina Bergan D.D.S has many treatment options. If it is periodontitis, or gum disease, that is the trigger, then a deep cleaning by the hygienists and dentist can help. If the dentist sees that your dentin is exposed though, he could apply a fluoridated varnish to help reinforce the dentin and the enamel of the teeth. Fluoride can also be applied directly to the teeth through a gel or foam, which sits on a tray in your mouth for a few minutes and helps to beef up those affected areas. Tooth bonding materials, usually used to restore the look of teeth cosmetically, can also be used to seal the top of the dentin and create a block to the nerves that cause it to be sensitive. If the sensitivity is very bad, a root canal or other dental care may be necessary. For home treatments, your dentist may recommend that you use very softly bristled toothbrush, highly fluoridated toothpaste, and may even suggest desensitizing toothpaste, which can help block the pain while your dentin heals.

If you think you may be experiencing any tooth sensitivity, please call us today at (800) 223-0801 and schedule an appointment.

Top 3 Signs of a Cavity

  We all hate hearing that dreaded word…CAVITY! These tiny holes in our teeth, although very common, can turn into much bigger issues if left untreated, leading to severe pain, infection or even the loss of the tooth. Don’t worry, there’s good news! Cavities can be easily treated if detected early. Here are a few common symptoms of potential tooth decay to watch for:

·       
The “Ouch” Factor – It’s common for all of us to get a small toothache here and there. But, if you are experiencing consistent pain in one spot this could be a sign the tooth is beginning to decay.

·       
Too Hot, Not Too Cold – Watch out for extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods. You should be able to enjoy a cup of coffee or a bowl of ice cream without pain.

·        The Dark Hole – Although it’s often very difficult to detect the actual cavity, sometimes you are able to see the formation of a hole or pit in your tooth. Be sure to schedule a dental appointment immediately if the cavity
becomes visible.

 However, don’t rely on self-detection alone. Often cavities are too small for us to see or feel. The best prevention method is to visit your dentist regularly and keep up with daily teeth cleanings at home. Please call Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. today at (800) 223-0801 to schedule a checkup. 

Understanding the Causes of Enamel Erosion

Say hello to enamel, the thin outer covering of your teeth. This tough as nails shell ranks as the hardest tissue in the human body, and provides your teeth the strength and resiliency needed to munch, crunch and chew day after day. Enamel coats the crown of a tooth, the area that’s visible outside of the gums.

Enamel is translucent; you can see light through it. But the main part of the tooth, referred to as dentin, is the part most responsible for your tooth color – be it white, off white, yellowish or grey.

Occasionally beverages like fruit juice, red wine, soda, tea and coffee can stain the color of enamel, making your teeth appear less bright. Fortunately, scheduling regular visits with our doctors at Mountainside Family Dentistry for checkups and cleanings can help remove most surface stains and make sure you teeth and gums stay healthy and strong.

Enamel’s Role

Enamel works to protect your teeth from the daily stresses they experience from grinding, crunching, biting and chewing. While enamel is remarkably strong and resilient, it can crack and chip when weakened or stressed. Enamel also helps to insulate teeth from potentially uncomfortable hot and cold temperatures and irritating chemicals.

Unlike a broken bone that the body can repair, once a tooth becomes chipped or broken, the damage becomes permanent. The body cannot repair damaged enamel because it has no living cells. This makes protecting the health of your teeth’s enamel vitally important to maintaining strong oral health.

Causes of Enamel Erosion

Tooth erosion occurs when acids erode away tooth enamel. Enamel erosion can occur as the result of the following conditions:

·         Drinking soda – which contains high levels of citric and phosphoric acid – on a daily basis

·         Drinking fruit drinks – which are also highly acidic – on a daily basis

·         Low saliva flow or dry mouth

·         Diet high in starches and sugar

·         Acid reflux disease

·         Gastrointestinal problems

·         Medications that cause dry mouth as a side effect

·         Genetics

·         Stress

If you regularly engage in any of these habits or suffer from any of these medical conditions, you may have a higher risk of suffering from enamel erosion.

Environmental Causes of Surface Erosion

Wear and tear, friction, corrosion and stress – or a combination of these effects – can cause erosion to occur to the surface of a tooth. Clinically, these effects can be described as the following conditions:

·         Attrition: A naturally occurring tooth-to-tooth friction that happens when you grind or clench your teeth, attrition generally occurs involuntarily while asleep.

·         Abrasion: A physical wear and tear of the surface of a tooth that occurs as a result of aggressive brushing, incorrect flossing, biting down on hard objects – such as pens, bottle caps or fingernails –, or the use of chewing tobacco.

·         Abfraction: A condition that occurs as a result of stress fractures in the tooth as cracks from bending or flexing of the tooth.

·         Corrosion: A condition that occurs chemically when acidic materials interacts with the surface of a tooth such as with medications like vitamin C tablets or aspirin, foods high in acidity, acid reflux disease and frequent vomiting from alcoholism or bulimia.

Preventing Enamel Loss

To prevent enamel loss and keep your teeth healthy and strong, it’s important that you take the time to properly brush and floss daily. It’s also important that you schedule regular appointments with Alina Bergan D.D.S. to undergo routine checkups and cleanings. You can also cut back on the number of sugary or highly acidic foods and drinks you consume as part of your diet, and make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

By making these small changes to your daily routine and diet, you can greatly reduce your risk of enamel erosion so you continue to smile brightly for years to come. Please call our office today with any questions at (800) 223-0801.

The Hidden Consequences of Losing Teeth

Our goal at the office of Alina Bergan D.D.S., is to restore normal function, comfort, aesthetics, speech and health to our individuals who are missing teeth.  As our population is aging and growing, an increasing number of people are being affected by the loss of teeth.

Tooth Loss can affect:

·         The way you feel psychologically.

·         Function.

·         Health.

·         Facial aesthetics.

It is not so much about teeth as it is bone.  Bone surrounding and supporting your teeth require the necessary stimulation that comes from your teeth.  The small stresses transmitted through prompts the bone to remodel and rebuild continually.  When a tooth is lost, due to the lack of stimulation causes bone loss.  As bone loses width, it loses height, and gum tissues also gradually decrease.  Ability to chew and speak can be impaired.  This is what leads to serious aesthetic and functional problems.  Toothless people appear unhappy when their mouths are at rest because their lips, too, have sagged; unsupported by teeth and gum tissues they just caved in. To prevent bone loss as you age, a solution is available that has high patient satisfaction, dental implants.

A dental implant is a tooth root replacement to which a crown is attached.  Dental implants are compatible with your jawbone and looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth.  There is no risk of decay and improved aesthetics and physiological advantages.

To see if dental implants are right for you, call our office at (800) 223-0801 to schedule a consultation.

Do You Know How Food Affects Your Teeth?

We all know it’s good to brush your teeth at least twice a day. It’s even better to brush after eating, but unfortunately most of us don’t have the time for that. Cavities form as a result of tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused by the acidity in foods. Acidity levels, also known as pH levels vary by the type of food and drink. Take a look at the pH Level chart to see if what you are eating and drinking is increasing your risk for cavities. If it’s been over six months since you have seen Dr. Alina Bergan in Cedarhurst, NY make sure to call us for an appointment to ensure that your teeth stay healthy. Your hygienist at Dr. Alina Bergan D.D.S. can also provide you with other ways to prevent tooth decay. Call us today at (800) 223-0801 to learn about our $99 cleaning special.

How do I know if I am brushing correctly?

Here are some easy ways to tell if you are brushing your teeth correctly and to provide yourself with positive reinforcement:

·         The Tongue Test: Have you ever noticed after a professional dental cleaning how slick and smooth your teeth feel right down to the gum line?  Well, that’s how they should feel every time you brush your own teeth.  Use your tongue to feel at the gum line and see if the tooth surfaces feel smooth and slick throughout your mouth.

·         Floss Check: This is easier with un-waxed floss.  Is there blood on the floss or does the floss smell?  Do you notice when you run the floss up and down a tooth surface, it squeaks?  We call that squeaky clean, so try it – once a day to keep your gums healthy.

·         Bleeding: It’s important to note that healthy gums do not bleed; bleeding gums usually signal inflammation of the gums, i.e. gingivitis.  If you continue new brushing and flossing methods, bleeding should dissipate over time.

·         Visit Us: this is the ultimate check for learning how well you are remove plaque daily and how this activity has affected the health of your teeth and gums.

If you have any concerns or questions, contact your dental team at Alina Bergan D.D.S. at (800) 223-0801.