Preventing Bad Breath

We want all our patients at Ardas Family Dental in Parker to feel confident in their mouth’s beauty. There are lots of cosmetic options available for straighter, whiter teeth, but halitosis can mar a lovely-looking smile. Worse, it could be a sign of a disease, which is why we want our patients to understand why they should take it seriously.

Pathogenic oral bacteria emit a foul odor. This is obvious when they eat food debris lodged in between teeth and build up as tartar, but it is also true when they are hiding in the crevices of the tongue. Bacteria can consume things like nasal drip that you wouldn’t think of as food, which is why brushing and scraping the tongue is so important. Dry mouth will enable bacteria to grow more rapidly and consume debris that isn’t being washed away by saliva, so you may need to ask your doctor about switching away from medications that cause dry mouth as a side effect.

Some conditions make dry mouth or tooth decay likelier. Diabetes impedes the immune system’s function and raises saliva’s sugar content. Acid reflux can cause stomach acid to enter the oral cavity. Foods that commonly trigger acid reflux, such as onions and garlic, also contain the chemicals that enter the lungs through the bloodstream and cause bad breath from there, although that is not a serious health concern. The best way to prevent halitosis is by drinking lots of water and by using a humidifier to keep the mouth moisturized while asleep.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Choosing a Toothbrush

At Ardas Family Dental, we advise our patients to brush twice a day to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It is important that you use a toothbrush that you’re comfortable using and that is cleaning your teeth effectively. Choosing the right toothbrush can be difficult, which is why we encourage our patients to ask us for advice.  

Our dentists encourage our patients to use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small-headed brush. Most dental professionals agree that soft-bristled toothbrushes clean your teeth the best and remove bacteria and plaque. The small-headed toothbrushes are more versatile and can reach every part of your teeth and gums.

Regardless of the type of toothbrush you use, as long you’re cleaning for a full two minutes with fluoride toothpaste any toothbrush will do. We recommend to our patients to use an electric toothbrush if they have trouble reaching certain areas of their mouth as they clean more thoroughly.

Don’t forget to change your toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the bristles begin to harden to maximize your brushing.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Infections around Crowns

Ardas Family Dental in Parker carefully monitors the progression of our pediatric patients’ teeth. Misalignments can make flossing and brushing difficult, disrupt the bite, and contribute to a low self-image. But there is an additional risk when a tooth is impacted, meaning it is unable to erupt fully. Such a tooth could become the site of pericoronitis—infection around a crown.

Orthodontic work is usually done when children are between the ages of eleven and fourteen. At that age, they have most of their permanent teeth, but their jaws are still malleable. The wisdom teeth often do not erupt until late adolescence, and there is usually not enough room for them to emerge without disrupting other teeth. The lower ones are especially at risk of becoming impacted part-way, resulting in them being partly covered by a flap of gum tissue called an operculum. The operculum is a trap for food debris and oral bacteria, which will result in inflammation.

There are some easy ways to combat oral infections. A patient could take antibiotics and swish salt water around in their mouth twice a day. But an operculum is very difficult to clean, and infections will likely reoccur as long as it exists. Wisdom tooth extractions are among our routine services at Ardas Family Dental, and when patients visit us regularly, we’ll be able to identify dangerous situations and take care of them before pericoronitis develops.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

National Children's Dental Health Month

At Ardas Family Dental, we stress the importance of taking care of your children’s teeth from an early age. As soon as their baby teeth come in, we advise you to bring your children in for a dental cleaning. The earlier you begin to take care of your children’s teeth and gums, the greater their chance for healthy teeth when they’re older.

Every February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, which raises awareness about the importance of oral health. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, although it is preventable when they practice good oral hygiene. We advise our patients to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss to prevent cavities.

We encourage our patients to eat a healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Consuming foods and drinks that contain too much sugar and acids put kids at a greater risk of tooth decay and cavities.

Don’t forget to begin brushing your children’s teeth as soon as their baby teeth come in. Although they will fall out, pain from tooth decay can delay a child's development. Good oral hygiene at a young age will set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.

To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roopi Kattaura of Ardas Family Dental, visit www.ardasfamilydental.com for more information or call 720-459-8420.