Dr. John Ha DDS and the team at Honolulu Smile Design are pleased to provide professional and caring dental services to their patients in Honolulu HI and the surrounding communities. Our dental services include: children's, cosmetic, family, general, implant, laser, preventive and restorative dentistry.
Below is an excerpt from an article found on MouthHealthy.org. If you ever get nervous just thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Perhaps you’re scared the visit might hurt or you haven’t been in a while and not sure what the dentist will find. Whatever your reason, the right dental team will make sure your dental and your emotional health are taken care of. The more you delay - or just don’t go - to the dentist, the higher your risk of developing dental problems that will make gearing up for future dental visits more difficult. In fact, seeing your dentist regularly can actually make the entire process - from making an appointment to sailing through it - much easier on many levels. Use these strategies at your next appointment to help ease your anxiety and strengthen your smile. 1. Speak up Anyone with anxiety knows sharing your feelings makes a world of difference. If you're tense or anxious, do yourself a favor and get your concerns off your chest. Your dentist and dental team are better able to treat you if they know your needs. 2. Distract yourself Taking your mind off the exam may seem impossible when you’re nervous, but there are some things that that can help distract your thoughts. 3. Use mindfulness techniques Relaxation starts in the mind. Try deep breathing exercises to help relax tension in your muscles. To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org. The remainder of the article contains more information under each of the headings:
Nutrition Tips Following a proper and nutritious diet not only helps keep your body healthy, but your mouth as well. Nutrition plays an important role in the health and cleanliness of your teeth, gums and mouth. Limit Soda, Coffee and Alcohol Although these beverages contain a high level of phosphorous, which is a necessary mineral for a healthy mouth, too much phosphorous can deplete the body's level of calcium. This causes dental hygiene problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Beverages containing additives such as corn syrup and food dye can make pearly white teeth appear dull and discolored. Therefore, it is best to choose beverages like milk, which helps strengthen teeth and build stronger enamel, giving you a healthy, beautiful smile. Drink Tap Water When Possible If bottled water is your main source of drinking water, you could be missing the decay-preventive benefits of fluoride. Monitor Your Low-Carb Lifestyle Despite their popularity, low-carb diets can cause bad breath. A balanced, dental-healthy diet can help reduce tooth decay. Increase Your Calcium Intake After age 20, both men and women lose more bone mass than they form so it is important to restore lost calcium with a daily supplement and by eating fruits and vegetables high in calcium, such as dark leafy greens. These foods will also help to lower the acid buildup in the saliva that can lead to breakdown of tooth enamel. Take a Daily Dose of Vitamins C and D These vitamins help support the absorption of healthy mouth minerals such as calcium and phosphorous, which support the bone and gum tissue, keeping it healthy. This is an easy way to maintain dental hygiene and fight gum disease. Put Out the Cigarette Smoking cigarettes is one of the greatest contributors to the aging mouth. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 22 million women in the United States smoke cigarettes. In addition to staining teeth, smoking interrupts calcium absorption in the body and can also cause potentially life-threatening diseases such as oral cancer. So stop smoking and enjoy the health benefits as well as a healthy, beautiful smile. The above article is from: OralB.com Honolulu Smile Design John Ha, DDS 1481 S. King Street, Suite 303 Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 941-2088 HonoluluSmileDesign.com
Bad Effects Of Dental Grills Dental grills, also known as “grillz,” have become popular among some teens and adults due to their popularity among celebrities, especially rap musicians. Grills are decorative covers that snap over one or more teeth. They are usually made of gold, silver or other precious metals. But less expensive grills are often made from base metals that can cause irritation or an allergic reaction. There are no long-term studies of dental grills, so there are no data about long-term safety or about problems resulting from long-term wear. Grills can promote plaque buildup and tooth decay because food particles and bacteria may build up between the teeth and the grill. A grill may also cause abrasion of the teeth that border it. Excessive wearing of grills may discolor teeth, too, so grill fans may need to whiten teeth when they decide to stop wearing the grill. Anyone who wears a dental grill should be especially attentive to dental hygiene, and follow a consistent routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. Also, be sure to remove the grill before eating and rinse it often to remove bacteria and food particles. Talk to your dentist before getting a dental grill and be sure to find out how best to reduce the risk of bacterial buildup and other complications. The above article is from: OralB.com Honolulu Smile Design John Ha, DDS 1481 S. King Street, Suite 303 Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 941-2088 HonoluluSmileDesign.com
The American Dental Association has created informative videos called Ask the Dentist. Here is their video on: 'My Child Has a Toothache. Should I Call the Dentist?'
Saliva has an important job to do in your mouth. For starters, it helps to remove food particles. But it also helps prevent tooth decay and infection by washing away plaque and keeping disease-causing bacteria from building up on your teeth and gums. But saliva can’t do all that work by itself. So it’s important to remove plaque yourself by practicing good oral hygiene, which means proper flossing each day, and twice-daily tooth brushing. Most of us don’t think about the moisture in our mouths until our mouths become dry. A variety of conditions can cause dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, including the following:
Cancer treatments. If you have any type of cancer of the head or neck and you receive radiation therapy, dry mouth is a common side effect because the radiation damages the salivary glands in addition to destroying the cancer. Some medications used to treat cancer in any part of the body can also cause dry mouth.
Prescription medications. Hundreds of common medications, including many antidepressants and medications for high blood pressure, can contribute to a dry mouth. If you take medications that seem to make your mouth feel dry, be especially vigilant about tooth brushing and proper flossing.
Nerve damage. Some types of injuries to the head or neck can damage the specific nerves that tell the salivary glands to produce saliva.
Chronic illness. Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and Parkinson’s disease are among the diseases that can contribute to a chronic dry mouth.
Drug use. Methamphetamines have been associated with dry mouth.
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Perhaps you’ve been neglecting a good oral health routine. Or, you’ve done your best, but you’ve developed plaque and tartar buildup. A regular routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing is an important part of regular plaque removal for everyone. But if you have risk factors that have caused a buildup of plaque on your teeth and gums to harden into tartar, your dentist or dental hygienist may suggest scaling or root planing your teeth to remove the buildup. If left untreated, severe tartar buildup along and under the gum line can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, which may increase the risk of gum disease. Scaling and root planing are common nonsurgical techniques that may prevent the need for more serious procedures, such as periodontal surgery or a root canal. Here’s what to expect if your dentist or dental hygienist recommends these techniques:
You won’t feel it. You’ll receive a local anesthetic to numb the area.
Scaling: Your dentist or dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar from the areas both above and below the gum line.
Root Planing: Your dentist or dental hygienist uses special tools to smooth rough spots on the tooth roots. This process not only removes bacteria and helps reduce plaque buildup, but it provides a smooth surface for gums to reattach to the teeth.
After a scaling and root planing procedure, be sure to follow your dentist’s instructions and maintain an oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. If your gums are sensitive after the procedure, try a spongy floss, such as Oral-BÆ Ultra FlossÆ, to help prevent painful flossing. The above article is from: OralB.com Honolulu Smile Design John Ha, DDS 1481 S. King Street, Suite 303 Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 941-2088 HonoluluSmileDesign.com
If you ever get nervous just thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Perhaps you’re scared the visit might hurt or you haven’t been in a while and not sure what the dentist will find. 
