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Posts for: November, 2017

By Bruce P. Mercado, DDS, PC
November 20, 2017
Category: Oral Health
ActorDavidRamseyDiscussesBabyBottleToothDecay

Cavities can happen even before a baby has his first piece of candy. This was the difficult lesson actor David Ramsey of the TV shows Arrow and Dexter learned when his son DJ’s teeth were first emerging.

“His first teeth came in weak,” Ramsey recalled in a recent interview. “They had brown spots on them and they were brittle.” Those brown spots, he said, quickly turned into cavities. How did this happen?

Ramsey said DJ’s dentist suspected it had to do with the child’s feedings — not what he was being fed but how. DJ was often nursed to sleep, “so there were pools of breast milk that he could go to sleep with in his mouth,” Ramsey explained.

While breastfeeding offers an infant many health benefits, problems can occur when the natural sugars in breast milk are left in contact with teeth for long periods.  Sugar feeds decay-causing oral bacteria, and these bacteria in turn release tooth-eroding acids. The softer teeth of a young child are particularly vulnerable to these acids; the end result can be tooth decay.

This condition, technically known as “early child caries,” is referred to in laymen’s terms as “baby bottle tooth decay.” However, it can result from nighttime feedings by bottle or breast. The best way to prevent this problem is to avoid nursing babies to sleep at night once they reach the teething stage; a bottle-fed baby should not be allowed to fall asleep with anything but water in their bottle or “sippy cup.”

Here are some other basics of infant dental care that every parent should know:

  • Wipe your baby’s newly emerging teeth with a clean, moist washcloth after feedings.
  • Brush teeth that have completely grown in with a soft-bristled, child-size toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste no bigger than a grain of rice.
  • Start regular dental checkups by the first birthday.

Fortunately, Ramsey reports that his son is doing very well after an extended period of professional dental treatments and parental vigilance.

“It took a number of months, but his teeth are much, much better,” he said. “Right now we’re still helping him and we’re still really on top of the teeth situation.”

If you would like more information on dental care for babies and toddlers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “The Age One Dental Visit” and “Dentistry & Oral Health for Children.”


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By Bruce P. Mercado, DDS, PC
November 12, 2017
Category: Dental Procedures
HereisHowYoucanImproveYourWeddingDaySmile

Congratulations—you’re engaged! It’s a stupendous (and hectic) time in your life as you plan your upcoming wedding.

You want to look your best for the big day—which means you may be dieting, exercising or making changes to your hairstyle and makeup. Be sure, though, to consider another important part of your appearance—your teeth and gums. Here are a few options that could help your wedding day smile shine even more.

Cleanings and whitening. While dental cleanings are primarily about removing disease-causing plaque and tartar they can also give your teeth that clean and polished look. And if you want an extra boost in brightness, consider whitening—we may be able to lighten up your teeth’s stain-induced dullness.

Bonding. If your teeth have slight imperfections—chipping, slight gaps or staining that doesn’t respond well to whitening, consider bonding techniques to repair or cover these defects. Composite resin is a dental material that can be shaped and bonded to teeth to reform a deformed tooth—and with color matching as well. For more extensive defects you can cover the front of imperfect teeth with bonded porcelain veneers or completely cap a tooth with a custom crown.

Tooth restorations. If you have missing teeth marring your smile, you have several options. The top choice: dental implants, which replaces the root of the tooth and will be able to have a crown attached to it. An implant can thus restore both better function and appearance. For more affordable options, you can also turn to fixed bridges or removable dentures. The latter can be custom designed to replace all the teeth on a jaw arch or just a few in different locations.

Gum enhancements. Teeth aren’t the only part of your smile that might need a helpful touch—your gums’ appearance might also be a problem. There are cosmetic procedures including plastic surgery and tissue grafting that can help correct overly prominent “gummy” smiles or, at the other end of the spectrum, longer appearing teeth because of gum recession.

Orthodontics. If you have extended time before the wedding date, we may be able to correct crooked teeth or a poor bite (malocclusion) that’s adversely impacting your smile. In some cases, you may be able to choose clear aligners, removable plastic trays that are hardly noticeable to others, over more visible braces to correct your bite.

If you would like more information on cosmetic dentistry for lifetime events, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.


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