Drinking tap water can be beneficial for the teeth regardless of your age; most municipal water is fluoridated and will help to prevent tooth decay.

If you have Diabetes, tooth decay can be more common than usual. Getting regular cleanings at the dentist is recommended to help identify and stop gum and tooth problems. Diabetes and oral health also connect in that treating gum disease can improve the management of blood sugar levels, but Diabetes also means a lower resistance to infection and increased healing times for the mouth.

If you have lost your teeth, cleaning your dentures every day is a must for a healthy mouth. Washing dentures removes food from them in the same manner as it does for natural teeth. Brushing your gums lightly with a soft brush before inserting your dentures is good for increased circulation and to remove plaque from surfaces in your mouth.

Proper diet can be a major contributing factor to keeping your teeth as you age. Minerals and vitamins from fruits and vegetables are important as well as drinking lots of water. Snacking throughout the day can reduce the effectiveness of your saliva and lead to tooth decay. Getting older can mean gums might recede, and teeth can become yellowed or discolored (brown) with age. Whitening procedures as well as gum and mouth restoration can help combat those aspects of an older mouth.

To schedule an appointment or get information about your tooth and gum health, call Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen at (626) 967-6453.

Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street,
Covina, CA 91723
Phone: (626) 967-6453

This video will show how tooth decay and cavities can affect the teeth:

Quick Checklist for avoiding Tooth Decay:

• Fluoride supplements or fluoridated municipal water can be very beneficial in maintaining the mineralization of the enamel. Even more available and easy to use are fluoride rinses and toothpastes, which can be easily worked into your daily oral care routine.
• Many foods that are acidic will rapidly damage the tooth when left on the surface for extended periods of time. Make sure to clean acidic and sugary food off your teeth, especially when going to bed.
• Brushing your teeth twice daily is essential for your gum and mouth health. Before going to bed, pay special attention to cleaning your teeth well.
• Chewing sugarless gum after a snack or meal can be beneficial in removing bits of food and sugars from the surface of the teeth. The physical act of chewing gum after a meal stimulates saliva production and scrapes the teeth and gums clean of small food particles.

To make an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, call (626) 967-6453.

Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street,
Covina, CA 91723
Phone: (626) 967-6453

Watch this video from the ADA about the American Cancer Society’s “Great American Smokeout”:

Smoking can contribute to these problems in the mouth:

• Discolored teeth
• Inflammation of the gums
• Bone loss in the jaw
• Increase of plaque and tartar buildup
• More risk of gum disease, oral cancer, and periodontal disease

In addition to immediate benefits to your oral health, cessation of smoking also reduces your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and lung cancer. Smokers who quit get to immediately see a whiter smile and better gum health.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen and check on the state of your oral health, call 626-967-6453.

Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street,
Covina, CA 91723
Phone: (626) 967-6453

• Tooth decay: Cavities–caused by acids, sugars, and bacteria penetrating the enamel–will eventually reach low enough in the tooth to cause either direct sensitivity of the nerve, or microcavities in the teeth that are sensitive to heat, cold, and different types of pressure.
• New teeth coming in: When adult teeth or wisdom teeth are erupting through the gums, the inflammation associated with it can make teeth sore.
• Tooth fracture: Accidentally biting the wrong thing can cause an internal or external crack or fracture in a tooth. In some cases a broken tooth may be extremely painful, other times it may not cause any pain at all. Depending on how the tooth is damaged, it will be more or less sensitive.
• Damaged fillings: Fillings may fall out or be knocked loose, resulting in a previously cleaned and filled cavity being opened. Because this part of the tooth may be hard to clean, it generally will degrade faster than the rest of teeth due to buildup of food or acids.
• Gum infections: If there is inflammation, swelling, or other signs of infection, pain in the gums can sometimes be felt as pain in the tooth. It is important to treat infections soon because they can quickly damage the mouth or spread beyond it.

Using a fluoride-based toothpaste to brush, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are generally good ways to avoid degradation of the teeth and complications leading to tooth damage. Healthy gums are also crucial to maintaining proper overall oral health, and preventing toothaches. There are many other causes of a toothache, and many will vary with regard to sensitivity to temperature, sensitivity to sweets, and pain when applying pressure.

If you have a toothache that lasts longer than a few days, or is painful, call the office of Dr. Cohen at 626-967-6453

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 967-6453

Typically, impacted wisdom teeth are categorized into a few commonly found forms:

• Mesioangular impaction, where the tooth is angled forward, accounts for half of all impacted wisdom teeth.
• Vertical impaction is also common, happening when a wisdom tooth does not fully erupt through the gum.
• Distoangular impaction and Horizontal impaction are the least common, being seen in only a small percentage of all wisdom teeth. These types of impaction are when the tooth is angled backwards or sideways, respectively.

Because of the abundant levels of bacteria in the mouth, it often leads to pericoronitis, an infection of the gum mostly occuring in young people. When a tooth partially erupts from the gum, it exposes a flap of tissue that can trap bacteria and lead to infection. Keeping up with oral hygiene is extra important while wisdom teeth are breaking through the gums.

Generally, wisdom teeth are extracted quickly and painlessly. For many people, wisdom teeth will threaten to be impacted and change the bite or position of other teeth, and are generally considered to be unneeded. Others may not have wisdom tooth problems, or may not grow the teeth at all.

If you or someone you know is having an issue with a wisdom tooth affecting dental work, teeth, or gums, call the office of Dr. Cohen at 626-967-6453.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 967-6453

Vitamins A, C, and D are vital to the health of your teeth, both for protecting and building them.
Vitamins A and D help to maintain and develop strong and healthy teeth. The antioxidant vitamin C helps to keep connective tissues and the gums healthy, helping the healing process of scapes or cuts in the mouth. Calcium is also important for the teeth, creating a strong jawbone and foundation for the teeth. In order to keep up your oral health, make certain that your diet has some sources of these vitamins, or foods that contain them.

The following is a list of common sources of vitamins A, C, and D:

• Vitamin A: Find it in dark green vegetables, eggs, liver, and fortified dairy products. Also sweet potatoes, cheddar cheese, pumpkin, cantaloupe melon, apricot, and papaya.
• Vitamin C: Find it in oranges, spinach, raspberries, gooseberries, plums, kale, garlic, and raw cabbage. Animal sources include raw liver, raw oysters, and cod roe. Vitamin C supplements are also an easy option.
• Vitamin D: Find it in catfish, mackeral, tuna, eggs, and fish or vegetable vitamin D supplements. It is also added to many calcium supplements, as these vitamins are harder to find in common foods than vitamins C and A.
• Calcium: Found in milk, soymilk (when calcium is added), nuts such as almonds, and sesame seeds. Because dairy is the most common calcium and vitamin D source, vegans or those who avoid dairy due to lactose intolerance may need to include blackstrap molasses, beans, figs, quinoa, collard greens, or okra.

Additionally, foods containing lots of sugar are most often not great for the teeth. Sticky foods like chocolates or caramels easily get stuck to tooth surfaces for extended periods of time, breaking down the tooth surface and causing cavities.

To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Dr. Cohen today at 626-967-6453.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 967-6453

On the surface of the teeth there is actually a complicated, harmless biosphere of various bacteria called a biofilm, or plaque. This biofilm is a diverse collection of bacteria colonies, which are attracted to the smooth surface of the teeth. In contrast to mostly all other parts of the body, the teeth do not shed to replace their cells, only shedding once as baby teeth. Around 25, 000 bacteria species may be present in the biofilm; it is speculated that the body allows plaque to build as a way of stopping large amounts of dangerous bacteria from building up on the same surface.

However, this biofilm does not stay harmless for very long. At first, the biofilm is soft enough to scrape or brush off, but after around 10 days sitting on the teeth, plaque becomes calculus, or tartar. Tartar is solid and hard to remove, and while plaque and tartar are on the teeth, different processes and reactions created by the bacteria result in acid that may cause cavities. Tooth decay is the primary danger of plaque and tartar sitting on the teeth.
Saliva makes for an ideal environment for bacterial growth, acting as a pH buffer and keeping the pH around 7. Nutrients are also present in saliva, giving the bacteria food. To help prevent cavities and the damage from plaque buildup, brushing your teeth is essential- saliva cannot penetrate the surface of the biofilm to reduce the acidity.

The following is a short list of oral hygiene habits to reduce acid buildup, plaque, tartar, and cavities:

• Brush your teeth (for plaque removal)
• Floss
• Cleaning your tongue
• Gum hygiene
• Foods containing beneficial nutrients, like calcium, fluoride, and phosphate.
• Chewing sugar-free gum after eating.

Regular tooth cleanings and checkups will remove tartar and plaque buildup better than you can at home. Getting a dentist’s cleaning two times a year is recommended for sufficient removal of built up tartar. The application of a fluoride treatment is a common dental treatment that will help strengthen your teeth.

Whether you think you have a cavity or want to ask about teeth cleanings, call Dr. Jeffrey Cohen at 626-967-6453 today to schedule an appointment.

The Dental Office of Dr. Cohen is convenient to the Azusa, Covina, El Monte, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and West Covina areas.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 967-6453

Teeth grinding, or Bruxism, is the clenching, grinding, or biting of your teeth. It occurs during daytime and nighttime, resulting in cases where nighttime grinding and gnashing goes unknown. Commonly found in children, nighttime grinding and chewing on the teeth can cause sensitivity and wear on baby teeth; when adults grind their teeth, the damage is more serious.
The causes of teeth grinding are unclear, but daily stress, sleeping habits, and tooth alignment play a factor.

Grinding your teeth may produce the following symptoms:

A constant, pounding headache
Tooth wear and tear, cracked or worn molars
Fractured or loosened teeth
Soreness or sensitivity of the teeth, gums, or jaws

It’s harder to control tooth grinding during sleep, so it may go unnoticed and symptoms may seem to have no cause. Generally, symptoms affect the muscles and other structures around the jaw, possibly causing “temporomandibular joint problems” (TMJ). Teeth grinding can also lead to worn down teeth, a misaligned bite, or any of a list of other jaw-related problems.

Most treatments for teeth grinding seek to reduce pain, prevent damage to the teeth, and reduce the time spent grinding or clenching teeth. Mouth guards or appliances, such as splints, are recommended for the prevention of damage to the teeth and jaw. Heavier tooth damage may require a crown or bridge to repair, or realignment of the teeth. Many devices and systems exist to dissuade nighttime chewing and biting, ‘training’ you not to grind your teeth at night.

If you have any of the symptoms of Bruxism (tooth grinding or clenching), call Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS at 626-967-6453 and schedule an appointment.
There are many options available to resolve the issue, both for prevention and repair. Mouthguards can aid in preventing nighttime tooth grinding, while surgery for crowns or bridges may be needed for teeth that have been severely damaged.

While you’re waiting for your appointment, cut back on alcohol and caffeine, apply ice or warm water to relieve soreness, relax and avoid stress, and you can warm your face (with a warm washcloth or steam) to relax the jaw muscles before sleeping.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Cohen today by calling [626-967-6453].

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723

As they continued checking the office, they were amazed to see the impressive array of emergency and resuscitation equipment in the office.
One of the firemen commented that he had never seen this level of patient- monitoring devices outside the hospital emergency room. Equipment in the office includes an automatic cardiac defibrillator, automated blood pressure and pulse-oximeter, positive pressure oxygen delivery. Dr. Cohen, a sedation and cosmetic dentist, and his experienced staff are well trained and certified in the use of these and many other emergency medical devices.

When a patient is taking just two medications, the likelihood of cross-reactions is 6%. This increases dramatically with each medication that is added to a patient’s regimen. With five medications or supplements, the likelihood of negative cross- reactions is 50%. By the time one takes eight medications or supplements, the statistical likelihood of adverse interactions increases to 100 percent.

Dr. Cohen’s concern is about these reactions and the possible interactions with drugs and medicines typically used in dentistry. These medications include topical and local anesthetics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications and various medications used in sedation dentistry.
Dr. Cohen is a sedation dentist and has been trained to provide an advanced level of dental treatment, where patients are so relaxed during dental procedures they often feel they have slept through their treatment.

Incorporated in Dr. Cohen’s treatment rooms are computers tied to hospital pharmaceutical software. During new patient examinations, patients’ medications and supplements are listed then checked and crosschecked against each other and to any medications that Dr. Cohen might consider using.
“It is amazing how often we find negative drug interactions for our patients. We even uncovered negative reactions in my own mother’s prescription medications. She has several physicians and specialists treating her, and sometimes one doctor is unaware of other medications that she is taking.” Asked if Dr. Cohen adds a fee for this service, he replied, “You really can’t put a price on this kind of ‘piece of mind’. This is just one of the ways that we really take care of our patients.” At Dr. Cohen’s office, we believe that if you smile more, life will be better. Knowing that your medications are safe is certainly a reason to smile.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS
204 West College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 967-6453