INSURANCE BENEFITS UPDATE

Adult and Kid's Dental Care is proud to serve our community with their dental care needs.  We accept almost all insurances including Denti-Cal.  As you have known, most of the benefits for Denti-Cal/Medi-Cal were limited to emergency care for adults over the age of 21 since 2009.  However, we have learned that adult benefits have been reinstated as of January 1, 2018  These increased benefits include cleaning, fillings, dentures, partials, root canals and much more.  Please check with your primary insurance for any changes.
If you have any questions, you may contact our office (818)881-6761.

I Brush My Teeth... But I Still Get Bad Odor... Why?

We, at Adult and Kid's Dental Care, try our best to answer most of the questions given by our patients. One of them being... Why do I still get a bad odor even after brushing my teeth all the time?

To answer that question.. we might have to break it down to few more questions...

1. Do you have periodontal disease?

2. Do you have cavities and when was your last check up?

3. Do you eat certain food that have distinctive odors?

Periodontal disease is something that can cause odor coming from periodontal pockets. This is where you have bacteria that builds up on the tooth surface and likes to hide in the gums. This not only creates inflammation of the gums but also wears away your bone that supports the tooth. It is very important to get diagnosed early on to prevent Periodontal bone loss and of course the odor.

Second, cavities are pretty much decayed tooth structures which carry bacteria. If the tooth is not restored, more tooth structure will be destroyed. In most severe cases, the tooth might need to be extracted. This bacteria that eats away on the tooth will cause odor.

Thirdly, in some cultures people tend to eat food that have distinctive odors and staining. It is important to also scrape the tongue for any bacteria that collects on the back of the tongue as well as wash away and food debrief that collects and causes odor.

It is very important to get the correct diagnosis and treatment in order to have healthy gums, teeth and overall hygiene.

Please call us at (818)881-6761 and make an appointment for your next visit for an exam.

What is your New Year's Resolution?

To all our dearest patients, we would like to wish you a Happy New Year!!!

The beginning of the year is always filled with wishes and dreams. This time of the year is when everyone tries to better their lives and aspire to achieve even the hardest goals set towards the rest of the year.

And we, here in Adult and Kid's Dental Care, would be honored to be apart of your New Year's Resolution in order to achieve a better oral hygiene and of course have a beutiful smile. We are pleased to have you as our patients and will continue to offer our services for your well being.

Please reach out to us and ask questions about making your health a priority and we will work together to achieve those dreams together.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

From all of our staff here in Adult and Kid's Dental Care... we would like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving!!!

May you gather with loved ones and celebrate all the wonderful things that you have and appreciate how special you are to one another and of course to us.

We would like to remind you that the year is coming to an end and for those with dental insurances, your yearly benefits will be cleared as the year ends. Therefore, take advantage of this special opportunity to receive dental care treatments at Adult and Kid's Dental Care.

For all our patients.. and for their friends and family... please check out our SPECIALS (click on the Special on the right side of this page) and see what gifts and prizes await you.

To make an appointment or to ask any questions regarding our services or specials...

Please call (818)881-6761

If My Child Has Cavities, Can't I Just Wait Until They Fall Out... After All They Are Baby Teeth?

Most parents wonder if their child needs to be seen by the dentist when they haven't yet gotten their permanent teeth yet. After all, they think, those teeth are only there temporarily and will fall out as soon as their child gets their adult teeth.
This is a major No No. You have to realize that cavities involved, weather it is on primary (baby) teeth or permanent (adult) teeth, are still composed of bacteria. And bacteria has a way of eating away the tooth and jumping from one tooth to another. So just to simplify this even more, lets look at what are the possible problems that can accur from cavities growing on baby teeth.


Cavities can eat their way all the way to the pulp of the baby tooth and cause a lot of pain. After all, baby teeth are no different than permanent teeth as far as their composition. They still have enamel, dentin, pulp and roots. So if the cavity is big enough, they will cause pain

1. When a cavity is formed, it has a way of deforming the tooth. The teeth may seem darker with visible holes and odor.


2. Cavities are bacteria that can jump from one tooth to another. This means that if a baby tooth with cavities are not restored, the bacteria from the baby tooth has a way of infecting the teeth around it, which may even involve permanent teeth if the child has a mixed dentition. This meanse, at around age 6, kids start erupting their first permanent teeth while still having their baby teeth. All the way until age 11-12, the kids still have a mixed dentition. So from age 6 to 12, the cavities from baby teeth have a way of infecting the adult teeth as well.


3. Cavities that have involved the pulp of the tooth may cause pulpal infection and abcess. This means that the baby tooth is no longer fixable and it needs to be taken out. This may cause two problems. One, the infection under the baby tooth may deform the newly forming adult teeth right underneath it. And two, if a space is now open where the tooth was removed due to infection, the teeth might shift and cause problems when the adult tooth is about to erupt. So if there is no space left, the tooth may erupt sideways or even get impacted and never come out.
   

Therefore, it is a big NO NO to wait for baby teeth to come out on their own. They still will fall out on their own, there's no question about that, but the damage will be all done by than.

So make an appointment for your child for an intial check up and reutine recalls at Adult and Kid's Dental Care. Call (818)881-6761 for an appointment.

If I don't have pain... Why should I visit the dentist?

Here's why... if you already have pain, than in most cases, it's too late!

Just imagine your gums, teeth and the rest of your oral cavity were actually your heart, kidneys or liver. If they started hurting or started bleeding with a touch, would you panic?

You have to realize your oral cavity is a vital part of your body. It is not normal for your gums to bleed when you brush or floss. And no... it shouldn't be common to have a visible cavity in a tooth where it already created a hole.

Our body is a whole. Everything functions as one. This is the mentality you should adapt to in order to live a healthier lifestyle. If one organ in our body is not maintained, every other organ in that body is therefore under stress.

Normal dental visits should be mainly for maintenance. Regular dental maintenance are done in 6 months recall such that for example a car that should receive regular service to avoid further problems that are more costly in the future.

Regular dental recalls include few X-rays to detect cavities that are between the back teeth, a cleaning and examination. If everything seems to be good, next visit is in 6 months for the next recall.

So, if it hurts... most likely the cavity is too big and the tooth will most likely need a larger restoration. Teeth requiring large fillings are prone to breakage and possibility of ending up with a root canal. In most cases where a patient comes in with pain, the tooth will require a root canal, meaning the cavity has infected the pulp area where the nerve lies. After a root canal, the tooth most likely will require a post and a

crown as a restoration since to access the roots to do the root canal, too much tooth structure will be lost for a simple filling restoration.

Sometimes, the tooth will have too much decay where saving it would be impossible. In this case the tooth will need to be extracted. Since the tooth is gone, you will require a bridge or an implant to fill up the space. That could be expensive!

And periodontal disease is so much like high blood pressure... the silent killer! What I mean by this is that it may do so much damage to the bone and gums without the patient even detecting it. In most cases with sever periodontal disease, even the teeth that are strong and have no cavities will be lost because the bone that holds their roots are slowly wearing away. Yes.. this will lead to tooth loss, forcing the patient to wear dentures.

So... there you have it... when we ask you to visit us at Adult and Kid's Dental Care on a regular basis... it is for your best interest.. both economically and healt

h wise.

If it has been more than 6 months from your last dental visit.. call (818)881-6761 to make an appointment.

Can Gum Disease cause health problems?

The answer is YES!










Studies from American Academy of Periodontology have shown the following:

Gingivitis may increase the risk of Heart Disease and Stroke.

The risk of Cardiovascular disease may increase as the level of Periodontal
Disease increases.

So what may cause this?

The answer is BACTERIA!

Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease are caused by the bacteria found in plaque and calculus (tartar). Some other factors may increase the likelyhood of Gingivitis and Periodontitis such as:

• Tobacco
  
• Certain Medication
• Gentics
• Clenching/Grinding Teeth

However, the underlying cause of Gum Disease is Bacteria.

So what can you do to prevent Gum Disease?

The answer is call (818)881-6761 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Ohanian will propertly identify and treat your gums. An important rule of thumb is proper home care. Take a look at the video at the bottom of the page for proper brushing and flossing to minimize Gingivitis and Periodontitis after you have had professional gum treatment.