You May Be Staining Your Teeth with Your Favorite Foods

According to your San Luis Obispo Dentist Dr.Deborah McNeil Amorteguy, even tea teetotalers can have stained teeth. If you abstain from drinking red wine, coffee and tea there are still plenty of foods that can cause unsightly stains to your pearly whites.

Blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and other fruits such as pomegranates have lots of pigmentation that will stain your teeth. If you like to indulge, your Dentist in San Luis Obispo advises you to make sure and rinse with water immediately after eating. Although white cranberries and white grapes have less pigmentation, it is still a good idea to rinse as these fruits contain acid that could harm the enamel on your teeth.  

Recent studies have shown that sports drinks contain acid, which could cause tooth discoloration. Energy and sports drinks can erode the enamel on your teeth setting you and your teeth up for staining. The Best Dentist in San Luis Obispo recommends that you limit your intake of sports and energy drinks during exercise. Water is a far better choice for your teeth.

Your favorite sauces such as tomato, soy, and curry could be staining your teeth. Dark colored pasta sauces have lots of pigment, but also contain acid, which could temporarily open the pores in your teeth allowing the pigments to stain your teeth. Your San Luis Obispo Dentist suggests white cream sauces instead of red sauces to minimize the risk.

Soda contains chromogens and acid that can lead to teeth staining. Even lightly colored sodas can encourage staining because of the acid content. If you drink lots of soda, your teeth could become stained from other foods that you consume. Some studies suggest that the acid in soda can be likened to battery acid. Soda also contains additives that could have erosive effects on your teeth.

Of course, if you must indulge in your favorite foods there are a few things you can do. Try drinking with a straw and rinse before you brush as the enamel that coats your teeth is at risk from the abrasive action of your toothbrush. Try to swallow your food as quickly as possible. You may want to savor the flavor of your favorite spaghetti sauce, but it is important to chew and swallow to avoid potential staining. Brushing twice and flossing once a day will keep stains at bay, but so will a visit to your Dentist in San Luis Obispo.

If your teeth are stained, there is something you can do about it. Schedule an appointment with your San Luis Obispo and ask about tooth whitening to get back that smile you thought was lost forever.

You may want to replace your old fillings

Dentistry has certainly come a long way since the old silver amalgam fillings. These days you can visit a San Luis Obispo Dentist and replace your old filling with new fillings that will last for years, but dental aesthetics may not be the only reason to replace your old fillings.

Most people have no idea that tooth decay can still develop underneath your old fillings, and worse yet, you may not even know that you have cavities under your existing fillings. Your Dentist in San Luis Obispo will even tell you that the majority of cavities that occur under fillings are painless because your enamel does not have nerves. It is only when the tooth decay begins to penetrate the dentin that you might begin to feel some sensitivity.

According to Dr. Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy, your old metal fillings could be defective causing stress to your teeth. Your old silver fillings are probably not bonded, which means that they could be cracked. If your old fillings are cracked, bacteria can get underneath your old fillings causing damage.

Unfortunately, do not do anything to prevent additional tooth decay and they certainly do not prevent cavities. Tooth decay, or caries, is the bacteria that lives in your mouth and it is the metabolic and acidic by products that attack your teeth. When your San Luis Obispo Dentist cleans out the hole and puts in a filling, she will make sure that the filling is bonded, as the edges of your new filling are the perfect place for new bacteria to grow. Once the bacteria start to build up, you could be dealing with a new cavity under your filling.

Because old fillings will not usually cause pain, you may not even know that you have tooth decay under your old fillings. If you have sensitivity to hot and cold and persistent bad breath, it could be a sign that your old fillings are covering up new cavities and tooth decay.

If you suspect that your old fillings may be harboring new cavities, it is imperative that you schedule a thorough dental exam with the best Dentist in San Luis Obispo. Only Dr. McNeil Amorteguy will be able to determine if your old fillings are creating new cavities.

Your San Luis Obispo Dentist Can Help Prevent Cavities

Dr. Amorteguy understands how important it is to maintain healthy teeth and gums, but the best Dentist in San Luis Obispo will also tell you that the food you eat and the drinks you consume could have plenty to do with your smile.

A few decades ago, food was not filled with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics and other additives. These days packaged foods are loaded with sugar, high fructose corn syrup and much more. Your San Luis Obispo Dentist recommends that you avoid cakes, cookies, candy, and other sweet treats. If you must curb your sweet tooth stick to fresh fruits like berries, apples, bananas, peaches, melons, nectarines, pears and grapes. If you do indulge in an extra sweet treat make sure you rinse your mouth out and brush as soon as you can. Your favorite San Luis Obispo Dentist also advises consuming sweets during meals as the extra saliva can help rinse your mouth.

Most people know that your San Luis Obispo Dentist recommends brushing twice a day and flossing once a day, but your San Luis Obispo Dentist also advises you to choose the right foods to help maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Cheese is great for your teeth. Not only is it high in calcium and low in sugar, but it also contains the protein casein. Casein helps fortify the surface of the tooth. Ask your San Luis Obispo Dentist about remineralizing toothpastes that contain casein.

With all of the negative press surrounding artificial sweeteners, it is good to know that your San Luis Obispo Dentist recommends sugar-free gum. Look for brands that contain Xylitol. This sugar replacement is known as the anti-sugar as it feeds the bacteria that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. In addition, chewing gum will help remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth.

The best Dentist in San Luis Obispo will tell you that most fresh vegetables are good for your teeth. Chewing raw veggies, especially celery, causes you to salivate. Celery is also a good choice because the fibrous strand will naturally clean your teeth.

Instead of bottled water, which may not contain fluoride, turn on the tap. Tap water that is fluoridated helps to prevent tooth decay because it remineralizes your teeth. Fluoridated tap water can actually reverse the damage cause by acidic foods.

Sesame Oil is great for your teeth and is used in Ayurvedic medicine. “Oil Pulling,” is a technique that involves washing and gargling with sesame oil. Oil Pulling can be just as effective as using mouthwash that contains chlorehexidine.

Talk to your San Luis Obispo Dentist about your diet and find out if the foods you enjoy are causing tooth decay. 

San Luis Obispo Dentist Makes You a Top Priority

Finding a San Luis Obispo Dentist does not have to be that difficult, and if you have been avoiding the Dentist in San Luis Obispo out of fear, you have not been to Dr. Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy. The finest San Luis Obispo Dentist practice is dedicated to minimizing wear and disease, maintaining healthy teeth and gums, and most importantly, creating a San Luis Obispo Dentist experience that you will not likely forget because you will look and feel great.

Unlike other San Luis Obispo Dentist practices that you may have visited in the past, Dr. Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy will make sure that you are involved in every step of your treatment. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is a team effort, and Dr. McNeil-Amorteguy will do everything she can to make sure that you know what to expect the minute you walk through the door of the best San Luis Obispo Dentist. Your San Luis Obispo Dentist office works hard to earn your trust and knows how important it is to maintain a healthy mouth.

According to Web MD and your San Luis Obispo Dentist, taking care of your teeth and gums can keep them healthy for the rest of your life. Dr. Deborah McNeil-Armorteguy will do everything in her power to make sure that the teeth that you were born with are the same ones that you will have when you are in your 70’s or 80’s.

The five basic steps to healthy teeth and gums include, brushing, flossing, rinsing, eating right, and visiting the SanLuis Obispo Dentist regularly. By brushing at least twice a day and after every meal you will be removing the bacteria, or plaque, that clings to your teeth. Plaque causes bacteria that can lead to tooth decay. Try to floss once a day as this will get rid of the plaque and food that is lodged between your teeth. Plaque that is left behind will eventually harden turning into tarter. Tarter is something that can only be removed by your San Luis Obispo Dentist.

If you can’t remember the last time you saw your San Luis Obispo Dentist, make an appointment with Dr. Deborah McNeil-Amorteguy today, after all, your teeth and gums are the good San Luis Obispo dentists top priority.

Dr. Amorteguy's Office Gets A New AED Machine

As many of Dr. Amorteguy's patients know, she is committed not only to healthy teeth, but also heart health. Dr. Amorteguy is an ardent supporter of the American Heart Association and in her free time, she volunteers for the AHA by fundraising for the organization.

Dr. Amorteguy knows that oral health can affect not only your mouth but your heart as well. But what about tragic heart conditions that may not necessarily be linked to whether or not you've been brushing your teeth? Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the number one killer in the United States and it can happen to anyone at any age. That's why Dr. Amorteguy purchased an AED (automatic external defibrillator) for her office from the Ryan J. Clarke CPR Fund For Schools, a nonprofit organization committed to preventing death by Sudden Cardiac Arrest by providing CPR and AED training to 9th and 10th graders. Dr. Amorteguy, along with the Ryan J. Clarke CPR Fund For Schools is further ensuring the safety of her patients with this life saving device.

To find out more about what the Ryan J. Clarke CPR Fund or to donate to the cause, visit their website or facebook page. 

Dr. Amorteguy Receives Her Oral Conscious Sedation Certification from State of California

Dr. Deborah Amorteguy, a San Luis obispo dentist, recently acquired her Oral Conscious Sedation Certification from the State of California. This certification ensures she has the skills required to sedate healthy adults while applying established safety standards and provides positive experiences for patient and practitioner. 

Additionally, this certification lets her patients know that Dr. Amorteguy is doing everything she can to continue her education in the field of dentistry, while also bringing in new patients who are normally fear dentistry by managing their pain and anxiety while in her care. 

Congratulations to Dr. Amorteguy!

San Luis Obispo Dentist Discusses: When Hot and Cold Temperatures Really Hurt

Have you ever taken a sip of a cold beverage, expecting refreshment, only to wince in sharp pain? Has a warm cup of tea been the source of unrelenting toothache? If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms when dealing with temperature, it is likely that you suffer from sensitive teeth. Dr. Amorteguy, a San Luis Obispo dentist, wants to help you understand why your mouth is reacting to environmental temperature shifts.

There are numerous reasons why people experience sensitivity in this way. More specifically, and usually the most likely culprit, is that the root is exposed at the base of the tooth. It is there that millions of tiny tubes (called dentin), which are connected to nerve endings, are exposed to the elements. Gum recession, teeth grinding, aggressive brushing techniques, and acidic drinks all contribute to exposed gums and ultimately sensitive teeth.

Dr. Amorteguy say thats some people don’t realize they’re brushing too hard, thus affecting tooth sensitivity through enamel erosion and gum wear. Your most loved beverage -- coffee, tea, juice, wine, and popular energy drinks -- are also putting the condition of the tooth’s enamel and the dentin in a vulnerable position.

If you’re experiencing severe sensitivity, talk to Dr. Amorteguy about bonding the problematic areas. This is essentially a very fine varnish your dentist applies to the tooth. It's not a permanent fix, though. In the meantime, consider brushing gently, reduce your acidic beverage intake, and be aware of any tooth grinding you may be experiencing.