Smile Brighter and Keep Your Teeth Clean: The Power of Regular Dental Cleanings

Posted on February 13, 2023 by camiellimac.

Dental cleanings are an essential part of maintaining good oral health. These routine appointments with a dental professional can help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems. Here are a few reasons why dental cleanings are so important.

Removal of plaque and tartar: Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth and can cause decay. If not removed regularly, plaque can harden into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional. During a cleaning, the dentist or hygienist will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and gum line, helping to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
Early detection of oral health problems: Regular dental cleanings allow your dentist to closely examine your mouth and identify any potential issues early on. This can include cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, and other health issues. Early detection is vital in preventing these problems from becoming more severe and easier to treat.
Fresher breath: Dental cleanings can help remove built-up bacteria and food particles that can cause bad breath. Regular cleanings can also help improve the overall health of your mouth, reducing the risk of bad breath and other oral health problems.
Bright and shiny smile: Dental cleanings can help brighten your smile by removing surface stains caused by things like coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco. The dentist or hygienist can also polish your teeth to remove any surface stains and leave your teeth looking brighter and shinier.
Improved overall health: Poor oral health has been linked to some health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Regular dental cleanings can help prevent these problems by keeping your mouth healthy and reducing the risk of infection.

In conclusion, dental cleanings are an essential part of maintaining good oral health. They help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems while also improving the overall health of your mouth. So, if you haven’t had a dental cleaning in a while, it’s time to request an appointment online today at 5 Star Dental Group.

4 Minerals You Need to be Eating for Healthy Teeth

Posted on August 2, 2022 by admin.

Keeping your teeth healthy goes far beyond regular brushing, flossing, and dental appointments. One of the best things you can do for your dental health is make sure you’re getting plenty of minerals from your diet.

Unfortunately, the standard American diet (SAD) typically consists of very calorie-dense foods that have extremely low nutrient density. This means we tend to be over fed but under nourished.

This malnourishment can lead to severe deficiencies in the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly. If you’re deficient in these minerals, you may experience symptoms like muscle cramping, fatigue, loss of appetite, heart issues, and even seizures.

So, if you want a healthy smile, strong teeth, and a body that feels good and functions well, make sure you’re consuming these 4 important minerals regularly in your diet:

Calcium – You can get more calcium in your diet by regularly eating milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, carrots, and salmon.
Magnesium – Increase your dietary magnesium by eating plenty of dark green vegetables, legumes, nuts, corn, brown rice, buckwheat, rye, and other whole grains.
Phosphorus – Make sure you’re eating phosphorus rich foods like pumpkin seeds, lentils, soybeans, beef, pork, scallops, sardines, cod, shrimp, tuna, salmon, and cheese.
Potassium – You can increase your potassium consumption by eating plenty of bananas, prunes, avocados, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, swiss chard, lima beans, and avocados.

As you can see, including a lot of diversity in your diet is the best way to make sure you’re getting all the minerals you need to keep your teeth strong and your body healthy. Focus on eating a variety of whole foods, and your smile will thank you!

Is it tooth sensitivity or a cavity?

Posted on April 29, 2022 by admin.

It’s a warm, sunny day and you’ve decided to treat yourself to a nice, cold iced frappuccino.

You take that first, refreshing sip and OUCH!

You feel a shocking pain in one of your teeth.

Yikes. Could that be a cavity? Or just some sensitivity from a cold, sweet drink?

Is it something that could be fixed by switching up your toothpaste, or do you need to schedule an appointment with your dentist?

Any kind of tooth pain can be bothersome and scary, but it’s important to understand the difference between cavity symptoms and sensitivity so you know the best course of action to take.

What’s the difference?

A cavity is a hole in the surface of the tooth caused by decay.

Tooth sensitivity is nerve pain in a tooth or several teeth due to exposed dentin (the layer under your enamel.) Usually, sensitivity is triggered by hot, cold, or sweet food or beverages.

What are the causes?

Plaque buildup specifically from sugary foods and drinks wears away at the enamel of the teeth and eventually leads to decay which causes a cavity to form.

Sensitivity is caused by either wearing down of the enamel or recession of the gums. Enamel wear can happen from aggressive brushing, teeth grinding, or consuming acidic foods. Gum recession can be due to gum disease, aging, or overly aggressive tooth brushing.

What are the symptoms?

If you have a cavity, you may not experience any symptoms initially. Over time, however, you might start to feel a dull ache in your teeth or jaw with occasional sharper pains with no obvious cause.

Sensitivity usually feels like short, sharp nerve pain localized to one or a few teeth usually triggered by hot, cold, sweet, or sour foods and drinks.

What are the treatments?

Cavities must be treated professionally by a dentist. Depending on the severity, your dentist might recommend a filling or a crown to fill the hole in your tooth. If the tooth decay affects the nerve, a root canal may be necessary. If you suspect you have a cavity, schedule an appointment with your dentist before it progresses!

Tooth sensitivity can be treated by something as simple as switching your toothpaste to a sensitive formula. Be sure to mention your tooth sensitivity and the triggers to your dentist for more personalized recommendations on the best treatment.

How do I prevent cavities and sensitivity?

The best way to prevent cavities and sensitivity is to make sure you have a consistent routine of brushing and flossing twice a day as well as regular dental check ups. It’s also helpful to brush after eating foods that are particularly acidic or sugary.

If you’re experiencing any of the signs and symptoms of cavities or sensitivity, request an appointment with our office today. We will take a deeper look into your symptoms and make a personalized plan of action to treat and prevent cavities and sensitivity.

References:

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/c/cavities
https://www.dentalhealth.org/sensitive-teeth

The Progression of Gum Disease

Posted on February 18, 2022 by admin.

February is Gum Disease Awareness Month and here at 5 Star Dental Group, we believe in educating our patients so they feel empowered to make the right choices for their dental health.

Gum disease is a serious condition that can cause chronic long-term issues. But with the right knowledge, it can be prevented or even reversed in the early stages.

Cartoon graphic of gums and 3 teeth showing an example of healthy teeth and gums

With proper regular dental care, your teeth and gums will stay healthy.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease begins with inflammation of the gums due to plaque buildup and if left untreated, it can affect the bones supporting the teeth and eventually lead to tooth loss.

The stages of gum disease:

Stage 1: Gingivitis

Plaque buildup at the gumline that isn’t removed by regular brushing and flossing can produce toxins that irritate the gums and cause gingivitis.

Fortunately, gum disease can be improved at this stage since it hasn’t progressed into the bone or connective tissue.

Stage 2: Periodontitis

At this stage, the disease has progressed into the bone and fibers that support your teeth. The diseases is now irreversible, but with proper dental care, you can usually prevent it from progressing further.

Stage 3: Advanced periodontitis

When gum disease has progressed to this stage, the fibers and bone supporting the teeth are destroyed. The breakdown of the bone and fibers can cause teeth to loosen and shift. Teeth may even need to be removed if dental treatment can’t save them.

Early symptoms of gum disease

Noticing gum disease at the earliest stage is key in preventing progression.

Early symptoms may include:

Red, puffy, swollen gums
Bleeding from the gums during brushing or flossing
Receding gumlines
Gums separating from the teeth creating a pocket
Changes in bite
Pus secretion from between the teeth and gums
Bad breath and/or a bad taste in your mouth

How is it treated or prevented?

Proper and regular dental habits like brushing and flossing daily will prevent plaque buildup.

Once plaque has hardened into tartar, professional dental cleaning is the only way to remove it. Your dentist will scale your teeth to remove the hardened plaque around the gumline and help give guidance on next steps for continued care and prevention of progression.

Regular dental check ups and daily habits are the best way to avoid progression of gum disease and keep your smile healthy and glowing.

Why we never use amalgam fillings

Posted on December 3, 2021 by admin.

Before modern technology and science studying the links between dental procedures and overall health, it was common practice to use mercury-based fillings.

You might have heard these called amalgam or silver fillings and they have been used to treat cavities for 150 years.

They are made up of several materials, including silver, tin, copper, and mercury and have always been popular because their durability, affordability, and how quickly dentists are able to place them.

Although these fillings are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA), Dr. Tostado doesn’t use any amalgam in his practice because:

Even small levels of mercury may affect some patients as mercury is a known toxin.
They are very noticeable because of the color.
They may fracture easily because they expand and contract with temperature changes.

So what does he use instead?

Composite fillings are the new standard in our office and many across the world.

Composite fillings:

Don’t contain any mercury.
Can be colored to match your natural tooth structure so composite restorations won’t show when you smile.
Are bonded to your tooth for a stronger and tighter seal than that made with metal fillings.
Won’t cause sensitivity, unlike metal restorations.
Are more conservative by nature so they leave more of your natural tooth structure intact than metal fillings do.

As you can see, there’s more to choosing filling material than just a preference of color.

If you want to avoid amalgam fillings and have other preferences that put your whole-body health first, we recommend seeing a holistic dentist.

Dr. Tostado is a holistic dentist who hasn’t used amalgam fillings in his practice in many years.

He and the team stay up to date on current research to always put the patient’s health first.

4 Surprising Tips to Becoming a Pro At Flossing

Posted on August 27, 2021 by admin.

Everyone knows you should do it, but why is it so hard to actually get in the habit of flossing?

Maybe you start flossing a few days before your dentist appointment to avoid the shame of your dentist knowing you don’t floss regularly (spoiler alert: they still know), or maybe you flossed for a few weeks as a New Year’s Resolution, but the habit never seems to stick.

The good news is, it’s not because you lack willpower, it’s because you’re probably approaching the habit completely wrong.

Just like taking daily vitamins, getting into an exercise routine, and eating more vegetables, starting a new habit of flossing your teeth requires setting yourself up for success using the science of behavior change.

Here are some tips to help you make flossing a daily part of your routine so that next time your dentist asks, “do you floss?” you can say “YES! Every day!”

Make it more enjoyableThe science of habit change says that people don’t make long-term changes when the change feels bad, we change when we feel good! We change when we perceive the change as more positive than staying the same.When it comes to flossing, something as simple as trying a few different brands and types until you find one that’s comfortable for you and makes the process as simple and easy as possible will make a huge difference in the likelihood of you sticking to the habit.
Don’t get too caught up in what’s the “best” kind of floss— the best kind is the one you’re most likely to use every day!
Anchor it to an existing habitThis one is pretty simple because you’re (hopefully) already in the habit of brushing your teeth at least twice a day.So, if you brush your teeth in the morning and the evening, ask yourself which time you are most likely to be able to spend an extra 60 seconds flossing your teeth.
If you feel more energized and motivated in the mornings, and you are usually dragging yourself to bed and lucky if you wash your face at night, then morning might be your best time to add the habit of flossing!

Or if you’re constantly rushing out the door in the mornings after pressing snooze 7 times, but you typically have slow, relaxing evenings, then nighttime might be your best time to add the new habit.

The best option is whichever one makes the most sense for YOU.

Once you decide on the time of day, put your floss next to your toothbrush so that every time you pick up your toothbrush, you’re reminded that it’s time to floss, too.
Start smallThis may sound a bit silly, but breaking your new habit down into a SUPER small habit is the best way to ensure it sticks.In his book, Tiny Habits, Dr. BJ Fogg writes about his struggle to get into the habit of flossing his teeth.
After analyzing why the habit was so difficult for him, he realized that “flossing my teeth” was too big and ambiguous of a habit.

So, he broke it down as tiny as possible and told himself, “every morning, after I brush my teeth, I will floss ONE tooth.”

Sounds a little ridiculous, right? What difference will flossing one tooth make?

But as he explains in the book, tiny changes make BIG differences because flossing ONE tooth is so ridiculously easy and doable that he will ACTUALLY do it every day.

And guess what? When you break out the floss and floss one tooth, you’re much more likely to keep going.

But if some days all you do is floss one tooth, you haven’t failed at your new habit!
Make it a part of your identityYes, we’re still talking about flossing.It might sound ridiculous in the context of flossing your teeth, but habit change studies have shown that when we focus on “who must I become?” rather than “what do I have to do?” we are much more likely to change for the long-term.
When you start to identify as the type of person who flosses their teeth every day, you’ll find the habit much easier to stick to.

Start by painting a clear mental picture of the version of yourself who flosses their teeth daily.

What other things might you become better at when you floss regularly?

How good will it feel knowing you are taking care of your dental health?

How proud will you be when your dentist looks at your teeth and doesn’t have to ask if you floss because he can tell?

Again, we know it sounds a bit silly, but this is the same approach you would take if you were trying to eat healthier, exercise more, or drink more water, so use the power of shifting your identity to become a regular flosser.

The benefits of flossing go far beyond just cleaning food out from in between your teeth. Keeping a clean healthy mouth aids in overall health and wellbeing.

So, next time you go to the dentist you’ll be proud of yourself for sticking to the habit of flossing!

How Vegetables Can Support Your Oral Health

Posted on June 17, 2021 by admin.

You know from childhood that eating vegetables is crucial to a long, healthy life. But you might not have been told all the ways vegetables support your oral health as well. Dr. Gilberto Tostado and our team at 5 Star Dental Group are exploring a few of the oral health benefits of eating vegetables and the positive impact they can have on your smile.

Fresher breath

No one wants their breath to stink, but sometimes it seems like there’s not enough gum or mints in the world to banish bad breath. Most don’t realize that they can get natural, lasting breath fresheners in the produce aisle.

That’s right — vegetables (especially crunchy ones like carrots and celery) are a sort of all-natural toothbrush. As you munch on them, they scrub your teeth clean and work to dislodge any bad-breath-causing food particles.

Less plaque & bacteria build-up

Crunchy vegetables and their scrubbing also rid your teeth of harmful bacteria and plaque build-up. Additionally, vegetables that are rich in vitamin A like red bell peppers and broccoli create a hostile environment for bacteria, reducing your risk for a variety of oral health problems.

Improved saliva production

Another way eating vegetables can support your oral health is by stimulating your body’s natural ability to produce saliva. Adequate saliva production is crucial to a healthy mouth. Saliva acts as a built-in mouth wash, clearing away bacteria and keeping your mouth moist. Snacking on raw carrots, for instance, stimulates your gums and kicks your mouth into saliva production mode.

Whole-mouth support

Just like the rest of your body, your teeth and gums need the support only vitamins can give to stay strong and healthy. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) found that there is a link between nutrition and oral health. Often, a healthier diet means that you have a healthier mouth. That’s because vitamin A from carrots and celery, vitamin B from leafy green vegetables, and vitamin C from tomatoes and cucumbers all stimulate cell growth, support your teeth, and promote a healthy mouth.

Our team is excited to answer your questions and give you the guidance you need to make healthier choices that improve your oral health. We also offer comprehensive dentistry services, including teeth cleanings. Call our office in San Antonio, Texas, or head to our website to request an appointment online today.

5 Ways Smoking Cigarettes Impacts Oral Health

Posted on April 21, 2021 by admin.

From an increased risk of lung cancer to wrinkles, smoking cigarettes is a threat to virtually every aspect of your health. Despite all of the available information on cigarettes and their attack on your body, over 34 million Americans still choose to smoke. What’s even more concerning is that 40% of adults aged 20-64 who smoke have untreated oral health issues.

Dr. Gilberto Tostado and our team are taking a closer look at five of the most common ways smoking cigarettes wreaks havoc on your teeth and gums, as well as showing you how we can help you address the damage.

#1: Stains and discoloration

Every cigarette contains a variety of chemicals, including nicotine and tar. When your teeth come into contact with these harmful substances, they stain and discolor quickly, turning an unsightly shade of yellow. Some smokers even notice that their teeth turn brown after years of heavy smoking.

#2: Bad breath

Smoking cigarettes can cause bad breath in a few different ways. The first reason is that the stench of smoke sticks around in your mouth and makes your breath smell (and taste) terrible. The second way smoking causes bad breath is that it dries out your mouth, and dry mouth is one of the most common causes of halitosis (bad breath). Finally, cigarettes increase your risk for gum disease, and the resulting infections and decay can make your breath reek.

#3: Gum disease

Speaking of gum disease, your risk of developing it skyrockets when you’re a smoker because bacteria and plaque accumulate much easier on your teeth and along your gum line. This creates a breeding ground for disease-causing bacteria and allows gum disease to take root quickly.

#4: Slow healing

The chemicals in smoke that wind up coursing through your body reduce the amount of available oxygen in your bloodstream, which leaves your teeth and gums vulnerable and weakens their ability to heal from infections.

#5: Oral cancer

The increased risk of oral cancer is the biggest threat smoking cigarettes poses to your oral health. In fact, smokers are 10 times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-smokers. If you smoke, we encourage you to schedule regular oral cancer screenings. At 5 Star Dental Group, we offer the best, most advanced oral cancer screening technology.

How smokers can care for their oral health

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. And while kicking the habit is the best way to support your teeth and gums, we provide comprehensive cosmetic and oral health services to help you maintain a healthy smile as much as possible. Some of the services we offer include:

We also offer dental exams and cleaning appointments, which are crucial to dental hygiene and one of the best things you can do for your oral health if you’re a smoker. During your exam, we carefully check your mouth for any and all signs of decay, disease, and other potential problems. Do your best to schedule and keep routine exams and cleanings with Dr. Tostado every six months — it could save your life.

If you’d like more information about how smoking cigarettes impacts your oral health, or if you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tostado, don’t hesitate to call our friendly staff at (210) 494-3511 or request an appointment online today.