Dry Mouth

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Dry Mouth One of the natural defenses of your body is saliva.  Saliva is our body’s natural defense against plaque because it rinses out the bacteria in our mouth, which causes cavities as well as other harmful particles.  The medical term for dry mouth
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Gingivitis/Gum Disease

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Gingivitis/Gum Disease Periodontal disease refers to the breakdown and infection of the tooth’s structure, including the surrounding bone and gums.  Your child’s natural response to the bacterial infection also influences the periodontal disease.  Prevention is the key because periodontal disease can later cause gum
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Cavities and Tooth Decay

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Cavities and Tooth Decay The term “caries” is the more commonly know disease called tooth decay.  The disease caries is the result of the destruction of the enamel, dentin, or cementum of the tooth due to the long-term exposure to noxious bacteria. Many diseases
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Diabetes

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Diabetes People who live with diabetes are susceptible to a multitude of systemic problems throughout their body.  Like the rest of the body, for people with diabetes, the mouth and teeth are vulnerable to problems and complications.  Sometimes these problems go undiagnosed. Some common
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Tobacco

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Tobacco There are many questions about oral health that relate to smoking and tobacco.  Are products of smokeless tobacco safe?  Are cigars really a safe alternative to cigarettes?  The ADA (American Dental Association) has posted several alarms related to smoking and tobacco and its
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Tongue and Oral Piercings

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Tongue Piercing Is Not Cool Some children are allowed to have small piercing (usually steel balls) on the lower or upper pare to the tongue.  Like a pierced ear, a tongue piercing is a small perforation on the tongue. I do not recommend that
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Mouth Guards

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist About Mouth Guards If your child is an athlete and takes part in sports, a mouth guard could save your child’s life and appearance. According to the ADA (American Dental Association), all people who participate in sports that carry significant risk of physical injury
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Fillings

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist What’s in a Filling? Amalgams, the clinical term for fillings, are made out of synthetic materials that are used to repair a part of the tooth that has been damaged due to traumatic injury or decay.  There are three main materials that are used
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Dental Sealants

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist What Are Sealants? I may put sealants on your child’s teeth to protect the teeth from harmful bacteria and germs.  Sealants are made of special materials that are placed on the teeth. The sealants fill up the small grooves on the chewing section of
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X-rays

By: J. Shahangian, DDS, MS- San Diego Board Certified Pediatric Dentist What Are X-rays? I may recommend that your child get mouth “X-rays”.  This fast and easy procedure involves placing a small piece of cardboard in the mouth, which your child will bite down on.  Usually, my dental assistant will help me with this.  My
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