Perhaps you are dealing with this scenario–you brush your teeth after every meal, floss at least once a day, and you are still experiencing cavities and tooth decay. Even after following all the “rules,” you still manage to suffer from cavities in your teeth. What’s going on? How do you figure out the cause for this excessive decay? One way you can learn about your risk for cavities is by having your dentist perform a CAMBRA examination. CAMBRA stands for “Caries Management by Risk Assessment.” This acronym represents a medical approach to the disease of dental caries. A tooth (locally) … Read Full Article
What are the Benefits of a CAMBRA Evaluation? If you are experiencing tooth decay and cavities even after following your dentist’s instructions on great oral hygiene, you may have something else working against you that you didn’t even know about. Dental caries is what causes tooth decay and cavities in your teeth, and are not just present because of bad oral hygiene habits. In fact, medications, genetics, and high acidity in your saliva can all be reasons why you experience more caries than others. This is why it is so important to be evaluated to determine your risks for dental … Read Full Article
Dental caries is another way to say cavities or tooth decay. This decay occurs when acid and demineralization breaks down the enamel of a tooth. This problem is not always caused by poor hygiene. As a matter of fact, there are some individuals who follow their dentist’s instructions strictly and still have dental caries. In some cases the problem is caused by poor food choices. Foods that are high in sugar or are very acidic, can lead to dental caries. Improper pH levels in the saliva or an inadequate amount of saliva (dry mouth), due to certain medications, can also … Read Full Article
The current understanding and professional consensus regarding dental caries, or “tooth decay,” is that it represents an infectious process via a biofilm composed of various bacteria and bacterial bio-products that break teeth down. Once the teeth are significantly affected by this process–which may occur with or without pain – a restoration such as a filling, onlay or crown is required to replace the infected tooth structure. Replacement of an existing restoration (recurrent decay) is sometimes required as well, or even an extraction of the tooth if it is completely unrestorable. There are currently two accepted approaches to manage this disease … Read Full Article
Dental caries, which are essentially “cavities,” is a serious form of decay that can damage the structure and integrity of your teeth. In some cases, it can be so severe that a filling will not be able to save the tooth, and it must be entirely extracted in order to save the other teeth from becoming affected as well. Getting dental caries can be due to a number of various factors. While many understand that poor dental hygiene can be the main factor of getting dental caries, this is not the only reason why someone could experience such problems with … Read Full Article
You have decided that you want a CAMBRA evaluation done with Dr. Cruz. Congratulations on taking advantage of the technology out there to help you take the best care of your teeth! Part of a CAMBRA evaluation includes a saliva test, called the salivary secretion and buffering capacity quantification. This test helps determine the pH levels in your saliva, as well as tests for certain bacteria that may be causing you to become more prone to dental caries regardless of your dental hygiene routine. The examination takes approximately 20-30 minutes. Before you arrive, about an hour before the test, there … Read Full Article
You may have heard of acid reflux, or heartburn. These are typically used to describe the symptoms that one experiences when they have GERD. GERD, which stands for “Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease,” is when an individual experiences stomach acid that comes up into their oesophagus. Gastroesophageal Reflux, or GER, is defined as the return of the content of the stomach and/or the duodenum into the esophagus. It is a physiologic phenomenon, which, in normal conditions, occurs after eating and is asymptomatic. When the number and duration of daily reflux episodes increase, symptoms and/or lesions appear in the mucosae which results in … Read Full Article
Given a choice, most people would prefer a full set of healthy teeth, free of dental restorations. Dr. Mark Cruz strives to preserve that choice with forward-thinking care strategies. CAMBRA is part of his commitment to helping patients in the Dana Point, CA area avoid the need for extensive dental work. Tooth decay remains a prevalent concern “Cavities” have been around as long as mankind has had teeth. Silver-colored amalgam fillings have been widely used in the United States since the mid-1800s to repair the damage. As a country, we started to take prevention of tooth decay more seriously after … Read Full Article
The state of California has over 100 shopping malls. The primary reasons shopping centers are so popular are convenience and familiarity. Shoppers drive to one spot and find just about everything they need. They become accustomed to the layout and get to know the staff at their favorite stores. It’s no surprise that busy patients in California also enjoy building a trusting relationship with a dental practice that provides the convenience of a broad range of dentistry services. Dr. Mark Cruz has been tending to the varied needs of patients in and beyond Orange County since 1986. He keeps their … Read Full Article
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging reports that the number of Americans who will reach the age of 65 over the next two decades has increased by 31 percent in the last ten years. That’s great news! Even better is that more seniors than ever are keeping some, or all, of their teeth for a lifetime. Oral health plays an important role in maintaining overall wellness, appearance, and self-confidence. If you are one of the 25.6 percent of the population in Laguna Niguel who are over the age of 50, it’s important to find … Read Full Article
