Dental Questions: Is coffee bad for your teeth?

Coffee: possibly the most widely consumed non-alcoholic beverage other than water. With about 400 million cups drank EACH DAY, it is difficult to deny it's importance in our daily routines. As you probably know (or experienced), the dark pigments in this drink can cause discoloration or yellowing of the dental enamel. Beyond the cosmetic concerns, can coffee consumption harm your teeth? While it is difficult to give a definitive yes or no, there are some considerations you should take when going back for your next cup of joe. 

As a reminder, anything you eat or drink other than water has the potential to demineralize enamel and start the tooth decay process. Black coffee has a pH of about 5, meaning it is acidic enough to weaken enamel and cause initial decalcification. However, coffee has no carbs or sugars and thus cannot fuel the cavity-causing bacteria. The problem arises when sugar, cream, milk or other products are added to your beverage. Even something non-sweet like skim milk has the carbs necessary to feed bacterial growth and cause new decay.

Are we suggesting you quit drinking coffee cold turkey? Of course not! Still, there are ways you can adjust your consumption to better protect your teeth. Keep in mind that its not the amount, but the duration of carbohydrate consumption that determines tooth decay. Try to limit your coffee drinking sessions to set time frames, rather than sipping on one or two cups all morning. Swishing with water after drinking can help too, and protects against further staining!

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we know that creating good dietary habits is a moving target. We are always here to help you make great choices in protecting and improving the health of your teeth. If you would like to know more about tooth decay, how to protect your teeth or any other dental topics, please give our office a call!

Office Spotlight: Hygienist Lori Dombroski

Lori and her husband

Lori's kids

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, our team is what makes the experience special! We are fortunate to work with a dedicated group of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and office staff that are passionate about excellent care. Today, we would like to honor Lori, one of our beloved hygienists. She has been an important part of our office for nearly a decade, with many patients attesting to her expertise and skill.

Lori Dombroski joined our team as a registered dental hygienist at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry in February of 2008.  Lori is from Newbury Park and is a graduate of Newbury Park High School.  She furthered her education at Moorpark College and obtained her degree in dental hygiene from West Los Angeles School of Dental Hygiene in 1991.  Lori resides in Moorpark with her husband and has two grown children.  On the weekends you can find Lori antique shopping, going to the beach, spending time with her family, and enjoying area restaurants.

At our office, we pride ourselves in selecting staff members to suit a number of different dental needs and personality types. Our goal is to have every patient to feel like part of our "family." To schedule an exam and/or cleaning, please give our office a call at (805) 480-9820 today!

Ultrasonic Dental Cleanings

Pictured: A cleaning done at Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry using an ultrasonic scaler. 

If you have had your teeth cleaned within the last decade, chances are your dentist or hygienist used a metal instrument that sprayed water and made a high pitched vibrating noise. These tools, called ultrasonic scalers, make dental cleanings quicker and more effective while reducing stress on the operator. Read on for the full story!

Before the age of ultrasonic scalers, teeth were typically cleaned using steel hand instruments. Hand instruments come in a number of sizes and have different shapes to reach all parts of all teeth. While these tools are still a very important part of dental cleanings, they put more stress on the users hands, can be uncomfortable for the patient and need to be sharpened consistently. An ultrasonic scaler uses high frequency vibration and a water jet to remove plaque and tartar quickly and (typically) with less discomfort to the patient. Additionally, the constant water flush provided by these instruments can aid in cleaning out deep periodontal pockets.

All cleaning are usually finished with hand instruments as they provide more tactile feedback and thus give the dentist/hygienist a better idea of how smooth the enamel is. Ultimately, every patient leaves their cleaning appointment with tartar free enamel regardless of instruments used! If you would like to know more about dental cleanings, preventative dental care or any other oral health topics, please give our office a call!

Bad Habits For Your Teeth

Is kicking bad habits part of your New Years Resolution? Recently, the American Dental Association's blog released a list of some of the worst habits for your teeth. While many of these ticks may seem harmless, they can all cause permanent damage to your teeth, gums or jaw muscles. Over time, these can become very expensive problems- requiring everything from crowns to gum surgery. Take a look at some of the worst offenders and how to manage them!

1. Nail Biting- On top of being unhygienic (your fingernails harbor an entire ecosystem of bacteria), nail biting forces the teeth and jaw to function in ways that they were never designed to. Under repeated stress, the front teeth will crack and chip easily. Even crowns and fillings can become repeatedly damaged. Additionally, protruding your lower jaw to make the front teeth connect puts unneeded strain on your muscles. Consider wearing a bitter tasting nail polish or lotion to put a stop to the biting!

2. Hard/Rigorous Brushing- Many people believe that using generous force and scrubbing the teeth/gums can compensate for a shorter brush time. On the contrary, brushing your teeth too hard will wear away at the teeth and enamel prematurely. Even if you can't brush for a whole two minutes, stick to a gentle pressure. If possible, invest in an electric toothbrush that has a built in pressure sensor like certain Oral-B and Sonicare models. 

3. Grinding and Clenching- These habits typically occur subconsciously or while you are asleep, which makes them more difficult to manage. Unfortunately, our jaw muscles develop a tremendous amount of force which can erode or completely shatter enamel. The best way to manage these habits is by treating stress directly. Try meditation, exercise or any other calming techniques. If you still can't stop clenching, custom night guards will protect your teeth from fracturing while lessening tension headaches.

4. Chewing Ice Cubes- While Ice breaks easily under the force of our teeth, it is a very hard substance. Repeatedly crushing ice with your teeth will break cusps, loosen fillings and even fracture crowns. Your best bet is to chill your beverages without ice or use a straw to avoid temptation. 

5. Snacking- Tooth decay relies on three things: bacteria, sugar/carbohydrate and time. When you constantly graze on food, you are increasing the amount of time your oral bacteria can feed and cause decay. While the best option is to avoid snacking all together, you can mitigate damage by switching to non-sticky foods with low sugar content. 

6. Using Teeth as Tools- Always a bad idea. Your mouth was designed for speaking, eating and breathing, not opening plastic bags. Take some extra time and avoid using your mouth as a third hand!