San Jose Smiles

Commonly Asked Questions About Tooth Enamel

cupertinodentist — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:56 +0000

Your tooth enamel protects your teeth from cavities and tooth decay. Your enamel is a thin, semi-transparent layer that covers the outside of each tooth. Did you know that it is stronger than any substance in the human body? Despite its strength, it can be damaged by the foods you eat and beverages you consume. Tooth enamel loss or erosion concerns dentists because it cannot heal itself. It does not contain living cells like other tissues in your mouth.

What Causes Enamel Loss?

Eating sugary or sour foods can contribute to enamel erosion. In addition, drinking sugary beverages such as sodas, fruit juices, energy drinks, and sports drinks also weaken and damage enamel. Some medications can affect the health of your enamel. Vitamin C supplements, acoffee, tea, anti-histamines, and aspirin all have the potential to damage your enamel as well. Alcoholics and bulimics tend to experience enamel erosion.

How Do I know if I Have Enamel Loss?

Most patients who have weakened or damaged enamel experience sensations of pain if they consume hot or very cold beverages. Yellowing of the teeth is sometimes an indicator of enamel loss as well. Dents in the tooth’s structure or jagged edges can also point to enamel damage from abrasion, erosion or stress on the teeth.

How Do I Prevent Damage to My Enamel?

Commit to thorough dental hygiene. When you brush your teeth properly and floss daily, you can reduce your risk for enamel loss. Cut down on sugary and acidic foods, and if you happen to consume problematic foods, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with water afterwards. (Yoou may want to rinse off your teeth first, to reduce teh acid on the teeth before you brush.) Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to dilute harmful particles in your mouth.

If you are concerned about enamel loss or tooth decay, contact our Cupertino dentist office at (408) 996-8495 to schedule an examination with Dr. Randall LaFrom. We serve patients in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Campbell, Saratoga, and Santa Clara County.

How much impact does lifestyle have on jaw shape?

cupertinodentist — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:02:46 +0000

Your lifestyle affects many aspects of your health. For example, you’re less likely to have heart disease is you exercise regularly, and you’re more likely to have lung cancer if you smoke.

UK anthropologist Dr. Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel says that our lifestyle may change the shape of our jaws.

The Study

To test this theory, Taubadel made detailed measurements of the skulls and jawbones of nearly 300 individuals from 11 different cultures with varying backgrounds, means of survival, and daily habits from the past few thousand years.

She found that skulls of people from hunter-gatherer societies had long, narrow jaws, while those who lived an agriculture-based life tended to have short, broad jawbones. When she considered other factors, such as climate, geographic location, genetics, heredity, and type of lifestyle, genetics and heredity were the only factors that proved to be insignificant when determining what type of jawbone was present. This suggests that the jawbone shape and size was dependent on something biochemical, such as lifestyle, location, and daily habits, rather than genetic make-up.

The Reason

Taubadel believes that chewing habits may have an impact on the jaw structure. For example, the hunter-gatherers may have chewed more than people who ate farmed food because agricultural populations tend to have a starch-based diet, which may be softer. Additionally, hunter-gatherers most likely chew for more of the day as they tend to “graze”" rather than eat at definite meal times.

The Relevance

Even though the subjects of the study were people of the past, there is some relevance to us. Because of our relatively soft, highly-processed diet, we chew less than our ancestors did. This has potentially lead to a shortening of the jaw and, as a result, overcrowded teeth.

Interesting, isn’t it? San Jose dentist Dr. Randy LaFrom treats patients with a variety of jawbone health needs. If you have pain or discomfort in your jaw, or if you notice that something has changed within any of your oral structures, call LaFrom Dentistry, serving the areas of Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Los Gatos, at (408) 996-8595 or visit us online at lafrom.com.

“What do I Need to Know about Fluoride?”

cupertinodentist — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:00:53 +0000

Dr. Randall LaFrom encourages the use of fluoride to protect his patients’ teeth from cavities and tooth decay. Using fluoride is a proactive approach to prevent damaging dental problems and costly procedures in the future. You probably already know that fluoride is present in most toothpaste brands. The American Dental Association strongly encourages Americans to use fluoridated toothpaste as a part of their daily oral health regimens. Below, Dr. LaFrom and his staff have compiled some interesting and important facts about fluoride.

Fluoride is on the periodic table. It is a naturally occurring mineral found in some foods and springs.
Every day, the food, drinks, and the acidic environment in your mouth strip away vital minerals present in your teeth. Fluoride helps replenish these minerals.
Children are often given fluoride treatments to strengthen developing teeth and enamel.
Enamel erosion cannot be reversed because it is not a living tissue. This is why protecting your enamel with fluoride is very important.
A lot of research has been devoted to studying the benefits of fluoride for over a century.
Fluoride is also beneficial to reducing the acidic particles in your mouth. This helps prevent enamel loss, tooth decay, and gum disease.
If tooth decay is present in your mouth, Dr. LaFrom may recommend that you get more fluoride which we may apply in-office fluoride treatments or write a prescription for a mouth rinse with higher concentrations of the mineral
Most cities and towns in the United States have treated the water supplies with small amounts of fluoride. This has drastically reduced the incidences of decay and cavities in children and the poor.

While there is some controversy about whether fluoride is healthy for you, for patients not experiencing frequent gumline cavities or demineralization, you are probably just fine, especially if you are an adult. In some patients who might be higher risk, fluoride gels are one of many treatments we can offer to assist with minimizing the acidic effects of certain foods or side effects of certain medications. If you’re curious about fluoride, tooth decay, and cavities, schedule an appointment with our office today for a gentle and thorough dental examination. Dr. LaFrom is currently accepting new patients. You can contact our Cupertino dentist office at (408) 996-8595. We protect smiles in Sunnyvale, San Jose, Campbell, Saratoga, and Santa Clara County.

Resolve to Get a Beautiful Smile in 2012

cupertinodentist — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:00:36 +0000

What did you put down on your list of New Year’s resolutions? Did you include “taking better care of your smile?” Remind yourself to practice good oral hygiene at home and to schedule your checkup and cleaning with Dr. LaFrom every six months. Have you been avoiding addressing problems with your smile? Stop procrastinating and ask Dr. LaFrom how you can get the smile of your dreams in as little as one visit.

A Whiter, Brighter Smile for the New Year

If you’re like most Americans, having a whiter smile is on the top of your dental wish list. Teeth become discolored from our diets, our lifestyle choices like smoking, and even from the ordinary process of aging. Stained teeth can’t be fixed by brushing. Professional whitening has the power to turn back the clock and restore your smile to its original brilliance. Dr. LaFrom offers at-home and in-office whitening, depending on your needs and schedule. If you choose to whiten your teeth at home, you’ll be provided with a set of custom-molded whitening trays and a supply of whitening gel. Most patients wear the trays for about an hour a day for several weeks. Our in-office whitening procedure, Zoom 2!, only takes a single visit to achieve lasting results. Call our office today to find out our NEW YEAR WHITENING SPECIAL!!

Set the Record Straight

Are your teeth crooked, crowded, or misaligned? Are there large black gaps between them? You can achieve a straighter smile with help from Dr. LaFrom. During your consultation, you’ll learn about porcelain veneers, CEREC crowns, and Invisalign clear braces. Dr. LaFrom will evaluate your needs and discuss which option is best for you. You may be able to get the straighter smile you want in a single day!

This year, let your smile speak for you. Call our office at (408) 996-8595 today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Randall LaFrom. We serve patients in Campbell, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and the communities surrounding Cupertino.

Your Dental Health in 2012- And a Few Weird Dental Requests

cupertinodentist — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:44:46 +0000

“Will you wire my mouth shut to aid in my diet?”

“Can you put a gold crown in my denture so it looks more real?”

“Can you extract my tooth without anesthesia?”

“Can you give my dog a root canal?”

San Jose dentist Dr. Randy Lafrom has heard all of these bizarre requests and more during his many years as a dentist.

If you’re looking for a beautiful smile, you’ve come to the right place.

Dr. LaFrom has created beautiful, healthy smiles for countless patients from across the greater San Jose area. Using only the most advanced cosmetic, restorative, and general procedures, Dr. LaFrom has made the dream smiles of his patients become a reality.

Just take a look at a few of the smile makeovers Dr. LaFrom has completed:

So, while Dr. LaFrom won’t give your dog braces, and he won’t pull out all of your teeth and replace them with dentures, he does have your best interests at heart and in mind. He wants you to have a healthy smile so that you can live a healthy and high-quality life and avoid severe dental and overall health problems later down the road. He wants to help you become the best version of yourself by breathing new life into your smile. All of this and more is available at LaFrom Dentistry.

An Invitation for You in 2012

With the end of 2011 upon us, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to better yourself in the New Year. Dr. LaFrom urges you to make your dental health a priority in 2012. You can start by reserving a dental cleaning and exam or consultation appointment with Dr. LaFrom early in 2012 by calling (408) 996-8595.

Happy Holidays to you and your family from LaFrom Dentistry!