Please add in the front that we now have in-house Periodonist Dr. Eric Niver and now provide Periodontal services (including implants, perio scaling and grafting).
Compliments of Dr. Hema Pombra and Team
News from the office of... Healthy Smile, Healthy Outlook
While each dentist may focus on different Dr. Hema Pombra priorities in their practices, we all preach Welcome to the latest issue of our the same mantra: Take newsletter. We’re pleased to have this care of your teeth, and opportunity to say “hello”, and to introduce they’ll take care of you. our new in-house Periodontist, Dr. Eric Niver. Dr. Niver is available to provide a Teeth begin to develop before food, while the premolars behind variety of periodontal services; including birth, and throughout our lifetime them grind and mash the food implants, periodontal scaling and grafting. are responsible for allowing us with their flatter surfaces. The Welcome Dr. Niver! to process the foods that will molars, at the back of the mouth, make sure food is well chewed When you call to schedule your continuing keep us healthy, while enabling us to speak properly, have a before entering the digestive track. care appointment, remember to ask us more attractive appearance about the latest, most effective ways to Knowing the specific function and even place higher on a whiten and brighten your smile. of each type of tooth, you can social level. In fact, research understand why it’s so important Enjoy this newsletter, and please pass it shows that a beautiful smile to have a full set of healthy on to a friend or family member who may can make you appear more teeth, to ensure you’re able to also be interested in reading up on the intelligent, interesting, successful eat all the right foods to keep latest dental health news. and wealthy to others! your whole body healthy. Good A beautiful smile begins with general health starts with good All the best, healthy bones, gums and strong nutrition. This is the reason we
teeth. Covered with enamel, the constantly stress the importance Hema Pombra hardest substances in the body of taking care of your teeth Dr. Hema Pombra are teeth, which are necessary for through daily flossing and tearing, cutting and grinding food brushing, and regular dental visits. Don't forget to visit our website in preparation for swallowing and If you haven’t already reserved www.drpombra.com for digestion. Each type of tooth is a convenient time to come in valuable information on your responsible for a specific function for your next dental checkup, dental health and exciting in the eating process. Starting at please take a minute to call us the front, the incisors — the front now. We look forward to helping updates on our office! teeth — cut food when you bite you improve and maintain, And check us out into them. The longer, sharper not only your beautiful smile, ® canines beside them tear the but your overall health, too! on Facebook ! GEN
Vo l u m e 9, Is s u e 1 You may already have completed your spring-cleaning and organized your spring wardrobe, so why not view the new spring season as an opportunity to embark on a fresh oral hygiene program, too?
Halitosis (bad breath) is a common oral health concern. As mentioned earlier, what you eat can cause bad breath, Whether one’s chronic bad breath (as opposed to but what you don’t eat can also leave a bad smell in temporary “morning breath,” or bad breath from garlic, your mouth. For example, low-carb diets force the body onions or other odorous foods) is caused by dental to burn stored fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. hygiene issues or gastrointestinal problems, the culprit As excess fat gets burned away, the body releases ill- can usually be traced back to bacteria — the root of many smelling chemicals called ketones through the breath and dental problems. In fact, bacteria is directly linked to urine. The high-protein component of low-carb diets can dental caries (cavities) and gum disease, as well as bad also contribute to halitosis from the breakdown of food breath. Keeping excess bacteria in check is a continual particles that produce sulfur compounds. process, beginning with proper dental hygiene. Tobacco use, a respiratory tract infection, chronic It’s essential that you brush and floss your teeth daily in sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, order to get rid of the food that can collect between your gastrointestinal disturbances, and liver or kidney ailments teeth, on your tongue and in and around your gums. If are also some possible sources of bad breath. If we food particles are not removed, they can decay, leaving determine that your mouth is healthy and that your an unpleasant odor in your mouth. Because oral bacteria oral hygiene is on track, we may suggest a visit to your excrete volatile sulfur compounds, it’s essential to family doctor to determine continually remove those bacteria from your teeth, gums alternate medical causes and tongue. In fact, stick out your tongue. If you see a of bad breath. white layer of plaque at the back of your tongue, you can be sure it’s creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria — and therefore bad breath — to flourish.
Persistent bad breath can be a sign of gum disease. If you notice you have red, swollen or tender gums that bleed when you brush your teeth, or gaps in-between your gums and your teeth, you may be experiencing the first signs of gum disease. Talk to us about steps you can take to halt or even reverse the indications of this preventable disease.
Dry mouth can trigger bad breath when the production of saliva, known as “nature’s mouthwash” because it washes away bacteria and sulfur compounds in the mouth, slows down. Dieting, fasting, dehydration and certain medications can slow down the production of saliva, as can salivary gland problems or continuous breathing through the mouth. In addition to bad breath, dry mouth can also put patients at risk for cavities and gum disease. When saliva is not present to flush away foods, food particles might adhere to teeth and begin the decay process.
If you have any concerns at all about your breath, please don’t be embarrassed to ask us for suggestions.
Page 2 Protect Your Teeth Against Enamel Erosion Enamel is the hard, protective outer layer of your teeth. If it erodes, it can be very uncomfortable, with symptoms ranging from tooth sensitivity and discoloration, to painful cracks in the teeth. What is tooth erosion caused by, and how can you prevent it?
The acid in the foods and drinks we put in our mouths can cause tooth enamel to wear away. While the calcium contained in your saliva will help remineralize (strengthen) your teeth after enamel is exposed to small amounts of acid, saliva alone is not enough to fight a constant barrage of acids from carbonated drinks, fruit juice or wine, or even the effects of acid reflux or frequent vomiting.
Follow these tips to help avoid the destructive effects of acid on your tooth enamel: n Reduce or eliminate drinking carbonated drinks. n If you do enjoy an occasional carbonated or acidic drink, have it pass through your mouth quickly — don’t sip it over an extended period of time — and use a straw, when possible, to reduce the liquid’s exposure to your teeth. n Rinse your mouth with water after consuming an acidic drink, and wait an hour before brushing, to allow the enamel to remineralize. n When you do brush, use a soft toothbrush, and fluoridated toothpaste.
Please ask us to discuss the causes, effects and steps necessary To fight enamel erosion in order to maintain the most healthy, comfortable and attractive smile possible.
Ensure Purr-fect Oral Health for the Whole Family! While this obviously isn’t a pet clinic, we know that many of our patients have cats and dogs, so we thought it worthwhile to spend a few minutes discussing dental issues to watch out for in your pet’s mouth.
Like humans, dogs and cats are susceptible to gum other dental problems. Your veterinarian should give Fido disease. In fact, by the time your pet is three years old, or Fluffy a dental checkup and professional teeth cleaning there’s an 80 percent chance that his or her gums are once or twice a year, but, in between visits, you’ll need already under attack. The same research that has linked to make an effort to remove plaque from your pet’s teeth, poor dental health to poor overall health in humans is too. Ask your veterinarian about the many pet-specific applicable for animals. Like in humans, any bacteria and oral cleaners and oral hygiene solutions available today, infection in an animal’s mouth may spread through the and about dental-friendly foods and treats that will make bloodstream to cause heart, kidney or liver disease. These achieving good oral health easier for both you and your pet. diseases can cause serious damage to the organs and potentially lead to premature death. Be your pet’s best friend by ensuring many years of health and happiness, from head to tail! Does your pooch have “doggy breath”? This can actually be odor from the by-products of bacteria in the mouth, and it is often the first sign that your pet has gum disease or
Volume 9 Issue 1 Page 3 Don’t Spit, QUIT! Great Gums!
While the image of a Today’s society promotes straight, puffy-cheeked ball player white smiles as the ideal goal for might first come to mind both men and women aiming for a more attractive appearance. when mentioning chewing As dentists, we know that while (“spit”) tobacco, the beautiful teeth are an integral part reality is that smokeless of an ideal smile, gums deserve tobacco is also a daily just as much, if not more, attention. habit to millions of everyday North Americans, Beautiful teeth can only sustain both young and old. themselves if healthy gums support them. Healthy gums help retain teeth in their sockets, in addition to helping to cosmetically It’s important to know that, just because chewing tobacco is smokeless, frame the teeth, providing it’s far from harmless. In fact, all forms of smokeless tobacco contain high attractive aesthetic contours. concentrations of cancer-causing agents, and because of the practice of Most people appreciate the “chewing” and “dipping,” tobacco and its juices are left in contact within importance of brushing their and around the oral cavity for extended periods of time. This extended teeth at least twice a day, but to exposure subjects users to an increased risk of cancer, not only of the properly clean your teeth and mouth (including cancer of the lip, cheeks, tongue, gums, floor and encourage great gum health, roof of the mouth), but also of the pharynx, larynx and esophagus. dentists recommend you also floss Smokeless tobacco also leads to uncomfortable, unhealthy and potentially daily. Flossing removes bacterial expensive dental issues, including premature loss of tooth enamel, which plaque — the stuff that causes causes painful, sensitive teeth, an increased chance tooth decay and gum disease — of tooth decay, and permanent damage to gums, by getting in-between your teeth, leaving teeth vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, where your toothbrush can’t reach. decay and even loss of teeth. Add stained teeth Please ask us for a refresher on and bad breath to this list, and the pleasures of proper flossing techniques, or chewing tobacco are quickly snuffed out. for other options available to Please take the first step toward a healthier future by people who may find flossing asking us about special health alerts for tobacco users, difficult due to dexterity issues or and by coming in for teeth cleaning and an oral cancer compromised medical states. check today.
Hema Pombra, D.D.S. Hema Pombra, D.D.S. Care To Share Program! Our Services Include: 797 Jenevein Ave. • General & Cosmetic Dentistry If you are happy with our San Bruno, CA 94066 • Teeth Whitening • Denture Fittings practice, please • Bonding, Veneers, Crowns & Bridges refer your Friend or Phone: 650-873-4776 • Emergency Dental Care Family member and Fax: 650-873-4790 • Digital X rays (95% less radiation) receive $25 towards your Web: www.drpombra.com • Cash Patient Discounts account. We will also • We Accept Most Insurances give your referral a $25 Office Hours: credit towards their Mon. - Wed.: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. account. (Referrals must Thurs., Fri.: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Check us out be treated as patients to receive the credit). Sat.: By Appointment on Yelp! The information contained in this newsletter is not designed as dental advice, but rather as a means to encourage interest in your dental health and communication with your dentist. Whole or partial reproduction of this newsletter is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. © Market Connections Inc. 2011, Phone: (800) 795-8021, Website: www.dentalhealthnews.org
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