Pregnancy and Oral Health

Pregnancy and oral health are two things that go hand in hand when you are expecting a baby. We encourage all of our patients to take good care of their dental hygiene and oral health when they become pregnant.

 

Most women know how vital it is that they take good care of their physical health, but often don’t consider the impact oral health has on their overall health. A surge in hormones can exasperate the way a pregnant woman’s gums react to plaque. As a result, there is an increased risk of tooth decay, loose teeth, and gum disease if proper oral hygiene isn’t maintained.

 

The following steps are important to follow while you are pregnant.

 

1. Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each session.

2. Floss your teeth regularly, preferably once a day.

3. Visit dentist Shital Kazi for a check-up and cleaning.

4. Inform Dr. Kazi that you are pregnant and avoid getting x-rays.

5. Avoid eating sugary snacks as it increases the risk of tooth decay.

 

By following these steps, pregnant women have a better chance at maintaining their good oral health during pregnancy. Contact our dentist, Dr. Shital Kazi in San Lorenzo, CA to discuss pregnancy and oral health in more detail.

Cosmetic Bonding

Did you know that a chip, crack or shorted tooth can not only affect the look of your smile, but also your oral health?  While such issues can be considered minor, they are indeed worth fixing. Here at Lewelling Dental Care, we offer cosmetic bonding to quickly and reliably repair small structural issues that affect a tooth.  With cosmetic bonding, we can fill gaps, correct chips and even lengthen the surface of a tooth.  Not only will this service improve the appearance of your smile, it will help to prevent issues such as bacteria proliferation, further breakage and misalignment issues.

 

To learn more about cosmetic bonding and to determine if this service can help you, please visit our website, www.lewellingdental.com. You can also call (510) 276-6040 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shital Kazi at Lewelling Dental Care in San Lorenzo, CA. 

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes breaks in the person’s breathing, as well as shallow breathing. These pauses typically last a few seconds, but can be minutes. Not only does it interrupt the patient’s sleep, but it can be dangerous when the patient does not breathe multiple times at night. Dr. Shital Kazi offers a variety of sleep apnea corrections through surgery.

 

Lewelling Dental Care offers procedures to help with sleep apnea, because of the dangerous side effects it can cause. When sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to an increased risk of heart failure, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart attack and stroke, in addition to possible arrhythmias. It can also lead to an increase in the risk of work-related accidents and car accidents because of poor sleep. That's why it is important to get treatment if you've been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

 

There are three procedures offered in our San Lorenzo, CA office: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), maxillomandibular advancement, and tracheostomy.

 

The UPPP procedure removes excess tissue from the throat and mouth, and is performed in a local hospital. The maxillomandibular advancement also helps with sleep apnea by moving the jaw forward from the facial bones, helping to create an open airway. Lastly, there is the tracheostomy, which puts a tube in the patient’s throat to be covered during the day and open while sleeping.

 

Visit www.lewellingdental.com for more information about treatment for sleep apnea or call 510-276-6040 to set up an appointment with Dr. Shital Kazi. 

White Fillings

If you have a cavity that you need to fill or are hoping to replace an old filling with a newer and higher quality restoration, we can do this with white fillings. White fillings are made from composite resin, mixed to match the color of your tooth. They help fill a cavity in order to prevent further decay and destruction of the original tooth’s structure.

• Benefits to getting white fillings here at Lewelling Dental Care include:
• Preventing further damage of your tooth
• They do not contain mercury
• They match the color of your tooth
• Less of your tooth structure needs to be removed
• They don’t expand or contract in your tooth

Most often, white fillings are used to protect a tooth that has a cavity or tooth decay inside the tooth. However, it can also be used here in San Lorenzo, CA for cracked or broken teeth, as well as for teeth being worn down due to clenching and grinding the teeth. For white fillings, the tooth is first prepared by removing any possible decay, then numbing the area. The filling is prepared to match the tooth and then bonded to the tooth.

 

If you are interested in learning more about white fillings, visitwww.lewellingdental.com or call 510-276-6040 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shital Kazi. 

Full/Partial Dentures

If you have missing teeth, you know how it can interfere with your speech and chewing. Having missing teeth can also cause the structure of your face to change. In addition to physical issues caused by missing teeth, it can lead to decreased self-esteem or self-consciousness.

 

At Lewelling Dental Care, we offer solutions for replacing missing teeth including dentures. Conventional dentures involve having the teeth extracted and giving the gums time to heal. After healing takes place, dentures are placed.

 

In addition to conventional dentures, we also offer immediate dentures. This option involves placing the dentures immediately after the teeth are extracted. One benefit of immediate dentures is you don’t have to wait for your dentures to be placed. Dr. Shital Kazi will evaluate your situation and determine if immediate dentures are right for you. If you still have some remaining teeth, which don’t need to be extracted, partial dentures may also be a good option.

 

Dentures may take a little time to get used to. In most cases, dentures are a comfortable option for replacing missing teeth. It’s also important patients take proper care of their dentures. Maintaining good oral hygiene is still essential if you have dentures.

 

Our team here at Lewelling Dental Care is experienced in various areas of dentistry including cosmetic, preventative and restorative services. For more information on dentures or any of our services, please call Lewelling Dental Care at (510) 276-6040. 

Sports Guard

Playing contact sports is not only a great way to get exercise, but it can also be fun. Nothing ruins the fun and competition of sports faster than an injury. While people participating in sports often remember protective gear, such as helmets and pads, sports mouth guards are also an essential piece of equipment.

Dr. Kazi and her staff at Lewelling Dental Care can provide custom fittings for sports mouth guards. Whether you are an adult or child, you need to protect your teeth during contact sports, such as football, lacrosse, wrestling and other sports where physical contact is possible.

A sports mouth guard can limit injuries to your teeth, tongue and the soft tissue in your mouth. For example, a properly fitted sports mouth guard can prevent teeth from damage, such as chipping or fractures.

Although over the counter sports mouth guards can be purchased in sporting goods stores, they may be uncomfortable and not provide proper protection. Dr. Kazi will custom fit a sports guard for your mouth. A custom fit mouth guard provides a better fit and better protection against injury.

After a mold of your teeth is taken, a guard is made out of thin plastic, which allows for easy breathing and speaking. Both of which comes in handy on the playing field.

Call Lewelling Dental Care at (510) 276-6040 and have Dr. Kazi custom fit you for a sports mouth guard.