Most of us aren’t surprised to see ice hockey players with missing teeth. But you don’t need to be an ice hockey player to be susceptible to sports related dental injuries. In fact, some of the most common dental injuries are the result of contact sports like basketball, soccer or lacrosse. However, with sports mouth guards made in our Modesto dental office, your chances of getting a dental injury during a sporting event is greatly decreased.

Using a sports mouth guard while playing any contact sport reduces the risk of injuries to your lips, tongue, gums, jaw, and of course, your teeth, and protects your mouth from some of the most common dental injuries.

Sports mouth guards not only protect the inside of your mouth, they can also help protect you against concussions and jaw fractures. However, not every mouth guard can protect you equally.

There are three basic types of sports mouth guards:

• Stock mouth guards often fit loosely over the upper teeth, aren’t individually shaped, can interfere with breathing and speech, and tend to move around a lot and therefore don’t fully protect your teeth.

• Self-adapted mouth guards (often referred to as boil and bite) can be individually shaped during a heating-biting process but are still prone to move around in the mouth, are easily bitten through and can’t protect as well as a custom-made mouthguard.

• Custom-made sports mouth guards from your Modesto dentist are constructed to fit your mouth like a glove. They last longer, are more comfortable and provide the ultimate level of protection.

Both the American Dental Association and the Academy for Sports Dentistry recommend a properly fitted custom-made mouth guard to reduce the risk of sports related dental injuries, and your Modesto dentist can properly fit you for one.

If you’re joining a recreation league, your kids are trying their hand at basketball, or if you’ve been playing forever, Vintage Dental can help protect your mouth, and your smile. Contact us today to learn more about sports mouth guards in Modesto.

In our previous two blogs we’ve covered what periodontal disease is, how to recognize it, and how it can affect the rest of your body. All of us here at Vintage Dental in Modesto not only want you to be aware of the basics of periodontal disease and the dangers that it can cause to your overall health, we also think it’s important that you’re aware of how you can prevent gum disease in the first place.

Brush well and brush often!

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, and, ideally, after every meal, is the easiest way to prevent gum disease. By using a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to clean all sides of your teeth as well as your tongue to remove as much plaque as possible. If your gums hurt when you brush, it may be a sign of a more serious problem and it’s important to see your dentist in Modesto as soon as possible.

Floss, floss, floss!

Flossing once a day will help remove any food particles and clean the spaces between your teeth that your toothbrush may miss. This is an important habit to to get into as cleaning in these hard-to-reach places can more effectively remove plaque and bacteria.

See your dentist regularly!

Because gum disease sometimes doesn’t have any symptoms in the early stages, maintaining your dental appointments with your Modesto Dentist is a very important step in prevention. Regular visits to your dentist at least twice a year ensures that your gums are healthy and that no problems are going unnoticed.

If you’re concerned about the health of your gums, or if you’re due for a checkup and cleaning, call our Modesto dental office at 855-410-2544 to schedule your appointment today. We will perform a thorough cleaning and examine your gums for any problem areas. If we do find active gum disease, don’t worry! Although gum disease is scary, it is often easily treated. And if caught early, treatment is even easier. Don’t wait for gum disease to cause bigger problems. Schedule your appointment  today!

In our last blog we covered the basics of periodontal (gum) disease, and we all now know that it’s dangerous to the health of your mouth and can lead to tooth loss. But all of us at Vintage Dental want you to know that the health of your overall well-being can also be affected by gum disease.

The bacteria in gum disease can cause various health issues by being absorbed into the bloodstream and carried throughout your body, inhaled into your lungs, transferred from person to person, and can even lower your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.

Numerous studies have shown that gum disease has been linked to serious medical conditions and diseases including:

• Lung Disease

• Cancers

• Osteoporosis

• Heart Attacks

• Strokes

In fact, those with periodontal disease are at double the risk for a fatal stroke or heart attack.

Given the serious nature of gum disease, our Modesto dental office urges you to keep up with your routine dental checkups since early detection and treatment are the best way to keep gum disease from affecting the rest of your body and your overall health.

If you’ve noticed any signs of gum disease including bleeding gums, loose teeth, or chronic bad breath, or if you’re due for a checkup and periodontal screening, we encourage you to call our Modesto dental office as soon as possible. We’ll perform an in-depth examination of your gums and start any necessary periodontal maintenance to keep your mouth, and your body, healthy.

At Vintage Dental in Modesto, we do! In fact, we’re going to devote the next few blogs to gum disease. We want all our patients to be aware of the signs of gum disease, and how important it is to prevent it, or treat it at the first signs.

Periodontal Disease

“Periodontal disease” is the technical name for gum disease, an infection of the tissues that support and surround your teeth. Gingivitis is early-stage gum disease and periodontitis is a more advanced and serious infection. Periodontitis can lead to loose, or even lost, teeth.

Signs of gum disease include:

●      Gums that bleed during and after tooth brushing

●      Red, swollen or tender gums

●      Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth

●      Receding gums

●      Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums

●      Loose or shifting teeth

If you notice any of these symptoms, call us ASAP! Dr. Rick Rodig will determine if you have periodontal disease and recommend treatment options for you. Our first priority is to save your natural teeth. Restorative dentistry can work wonders, but there’s nothing like smiling with your own teeth.

Protect your health…prevent periodontal disease!

According to the National Institutes of Health, smoking is the #1 risk factor for gum disease. In fact, using tobacco makes treatment more difficult. It’s never too late to quit!

If you’re due for a regular visit, or have any concerns about your teeth and gums, give us a call at our Modesto dental office at 209-524-5044 today.

A dental emergency or pain is always unexpected, but when you’re at or near home, you probably have a general plan for emergency care. What do you do, though, if you’re on vacation and nowhere near our dental office in Modesto?

Until you find dental care, there are steps you can take to help prevent further trauma and alleviate symptoms and pain.

Toothache? Rinse your mouth with warm water and use dental floss to remove lodged food if possible. If there’s swelling, hold a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek.

Chipped/broken tooth? Rinse the mouth and any broken pieces with warm water.

Knocked Out Tooth? Retrieve it if possible; hold it by the crown (not the root). If possible, try to replace the tooth. If you can’t, place the tooth in milk or a glass of water with a pinch of table salt.

You can use these techniques for nearly every dental emergency. And get to a dentist as soon as possible, even if you’re out of town. The sooner your emergency receives appropriate care, the better your chances are of saving your tooth.

Once you return home, schedule an appointment at our dental office in Modesto at 855-410-2544. We will examine the tooth and if necessary repair it with restorative or aesthetic dental services such as a crown, bonding or veneers.

Unless you’ve ignored any symptoms of pain or problems with your wisdom teeth, or if you haven’t visited Vintage Dental in Modesto lately, you shouldn’t worry about them at all!

What are wisdom teeth?

The wisdom teeth are technically called the third molars. They usually start to come in during the late teens and early 20s, when many people are in college or starting new jobs, hopefully learning and gaining wisdom!

Why are wisdom teeth extracted?

There are several reasons as to why wisdom teeth need extracted.

• Your wisdom teeth may damage neighboring teeth or become infected.

• They may be partially or fully impacted, meaning they’ve only partially broken through the gums or haven’t broken through at all.

Why do we get wisdom teeth?

Good question! It’s generally believed that because the human diet has changed over time, we don’t have the bigger jaws we had and don’t need the extra chewing power.

One thing we do know for sure, it’s always a smart choice to keep up with regular dental visits. They can help Dr. Rodig determine if there are any potential problems with your wisdom teeth, and if extractions are necessary. If you’re due for a dental checkup give us a call at our Modesto dental office today!

…biting and chewing food, talking and giving your face its structure. Period! Tooth enamel seems like a hard surface, but it’s not made to withstand excess pressure or habits that erode it. At Vintage Dental in Modesto, we often treat broken teeth because they were used for tasks they weren’t made for!

Do any of these actions sound familiar to you?

●      Crunching and sipping

Now that may sound like what teeth are made for, but we’re talking about crunching things like ice cubes, or even popcorn kernels. Bite down on them the wrong way, and you could end up with a cracked tooth.

Sipping? Yes! Soda (even diet), tea, and other acidic beverages can eventually erode your teeth, especially if you habitually consume them.

●      Using teeth as tools

Teeth aren’t nutcrackers or bottle openers! Or any other tool!

●      Tooth grinding

If you grind your teeth, even in your sleep, you can wear them down without even noticing! You may need a night guard or other appliances to help stop grinding, and if your teeth are worn down, you may need further dental treatment to rebuild your bite.

●      Hard-bristled toothbrush

A toothbrush with hard bristles might seem like a good idea, but it’s better to use a soft- or medium-bristled brush, and brush regularly and longer!

●      Not brushing or flossing enough

Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, in the morning and before bedtime. If you can’t brush during the day, try to drink plain water so you can at least “rinse” out any food particles or acidic drinks.

If you have any of these habits, it’s never too late to change! If you have any tooth or gum pain for any reason, please call your Modesto Dentist at 855-410-2544.

Most people know something about root canal treatments. Mostly, they know they want to avoid one! But do you know what it is, and why we perform root canal therapy at Vintage Dental in Modesto?

Why would I need root canal treatment?

The pulp cavity and root canals of your tooth contain the blood vessels and nerves that your tooth needs to thrive. If these tissues become injured or diseased, infection can set in and will need root canal therapy.

How is root canal therapy performed?

When we perform root canal therapy, we treat the infection and remove the infection inside the pulp and root canals. After cleaning out any bacteria or debris, we then fill in the root canals to replace the tissue and help seal out bacteria to prevent future problems. The root itself remains intact. Only the diseased tissue is removed.

Once the root canals have been treated and filled, we’ll generally reinforce and help protect your tooth by placing a porcelain crown over it. This can also help prevent future damage or infection and preserve your natural tooth.

If you’re experiencing pain, or recurring soreness and inflammation, please contact our Modesto dental office at 855-410-2544 to see us as soon as possible. In some cases, you may not feel any symptoms, but a general exam and x-rays might show us a problem before it becomes painful. So remember to keep up with regular checkups too!

There’s so much to think about and look out for when you bring a new baby home. Whether it’s your first, or you’re bringing home a little brother or sister, visits to the dentist and dental care are probably the last thing on your mind!

But healthy teeth and gums are important to everyone’s overall well being. Here are a few tips to get your little ones started on a lifetime of good dental health and habits.

Clean your baby’s mouth every day

Start taking care of his teeth before they ever appear! Gently wipe his gums twice a day with a soft, moist cloth or gauze. It will help keep any milk or food residue from creating bacteria in his mouth.

Begin brushing when the first tooth appears

That first darling tooth needs as much care as all his permanent teeth later on. Begin with a small, soft toothbrush and a tiny drop of non-fluoride toothpaste (more on this below). Use a circular motion to very gently brush his teeth (or tooth!) and gums.

No fluoride before 6 months

Fluoride is an important part of keeping our teeth cavity-free, but introducing it too early can cause permanent problems, such as mottled or stained teeth. Use non-fluoride toothpaste, and reconstitute your formula with non-fluoridated water until your infant is at least a year old, and then be careful not to overload him with fluoride. When your child is older, Dr. Rick Rodig can apply fluoride treatments if necessary.

Limit the sweet drinks

We don’t have to tell you this but we’ll say it anyway! Limiting sweet drinks like juices will give your child a good start on healthy eating habits and also help prevent decay. And of course, you don’t want to leave a bottle filled with juice or anything but water with your baby for any period of time. This also gives harmful bacteria a chance to start growing.

You have a lot to think about raising a family, but don’t forget your own dental care. If you’re due for a checkup call our dental office in Modesto today!

Do you have good hand washing habits? And how do you know your hands are really clean? Obviously, it’s an important issue at our dental office in Modesto. We wash our hands all the time! We’d like to pass a few tips on to you about keeping your hands clean.

First of all, just how important is it really to wash your hands regularly? Well, in one study, more than 10% of people’s hands carried as much fecal bacteria as you’d find in a dirty toilet bowl. And this kind of contamination was found on bank cards and money too!

(If you want to wash your hands right now, go ahead! But come back and read how to do it really well.)

If You’ve Got 20 Seconds…

That’s all it takes to do a thorough job of hand washing, if you follow these steps:

• Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.

• Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

• Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.

• Rinse your hands well under running water.

• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

When Should You Wash?

If you’re cooking, it’s good to wash before, during and after working with food. Any time you’re caring for someone with a cold, or with a cut or wound, or after sneezing and coughing. And of course, after using the toilet and after changing a diaper or helping a child in the bathroom. If in doubt, just wash!

Of course you’ll see us washing our hands often at Vintage Dental, as well as using gloves and masks for exams. But we do much more to make sure our dental office is clean and sterile for you. We follow or exceed every guideline and regulation set for dental offices by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and by the state of California. If you’d like to know more about it, just ask us during your next visit at our Modesto dental office!