Archive for the ‘Oral Health’ Category

Healthy Teeth and Your San Diego Diet

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Healthy Teeth and Your San Diego Diet Maintaining healthy teeth is an important concern for our local San Diego residents. As your Dentist, it’s my job to help you understand how to care for your teeth and to keep them healthy. Everyone in the San Diego knows that maintaining healthy teeth requires regular daily brushing and flossing. Regular visits to your local San Diego dental practice is also necessary to keep watch for cavities and to help you maintain proper dental hygiene. We often forget that maintaining a healthy diet can also be beneficial for the health of your teeth.

A San Diego diet that includes foods that help your muscles and bones will also help you develop healthy gums and healthy teeth. Examples of local San Diego foods to include in your diet include foods rich in vitamin B such as breads and cereals. Foods rich in vitamin C, usually fruits and vegetables, help improve the health of your gums. Zinc and magnesium are also good for the health of your teeth and are found in foods like lean beef, fish, and poultry.

All foods increase the production of saliva. Saliva is important to healthy teeth because it helps to maintain the pH balance in your mouth. Maintaining this balance helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. Foods high in fiber also encourage saliva production as does the chewing of sugar-free gum. Gum, however, can damage unhealthy teeth or pull out dental fillings, so always use caution when deciding whether to chew gum and which brand to chew.

Just as certain diet choices in the San Diego area can be beneficial to the health of your teeth, others can be detrimental. Foods and drinks that are high in sugars are more likely to form the acids that attack your teeth and result in decay. And while table sugar is often associated with the formation of cavities, other sugars such as glucose, fructose, and maltose are also causes, and are often found in juices and sodas. Limiting the consumption of sugars to mealtimes lessens the amount of time your healthy teeth are exposed.

Making good diet choices and limiting between meal sugar consumption can improve the health of your teeth and gums.

If you would like to learn how to better care for your healthy teeth in the San Diego area, contact Marcos Ortega DDS at 619-717-8459. We would love to hear from you.

-Dr. Marcos Ortega

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Your California Dentist And Cleaning Your Teeth

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Your California Dentist And Cleaning Your TeethCalifornia is known for its beautiful smiles, and our local San Diego community is no exception. Keeping your teeth clean is an important factor in maintaining your beautiful San Diego smile. One of the benefits of regularly visiting your local San Diego California dentist is a thorough teeth cleaning and a review of your brushing habits.

Our San Diego dental hygienist helps you keep your teeth clean by assessing the condition of your teeth, and recommending improvements to your daily teeth cleaning habits. Our San Diego oral hygienist can also professionally clean and polish your teeth at your regular San Diego dental check up. You should schedule a regular dental check up every six months.

I am a and I work at Marcos Ortega DDS located in the state of California. We specialize in cosmetic and sedation dentistry in the San Diego California community, including the surrounding areas of Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Mission Valley.

Cleaning your teeth in California is the simple task of removing plaque (a sticky deposit that gets left on teeth in which bacteria thrives) and tartar (a calcium deposit that forms on teeth and aids in tooth decay). This is done by brushing regularly with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and flossing. Brushing and flossing at least twice each day can keep plaque and tartar from building up on your teeth and results in cleaner, healthier teeth. A regular visit to your local San Diego dental hygienist will help you stay on top of problems that can go unseen.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends visiting your local San Diego, California dentist at least once every 6 months for a regular dental check up and teeth cleaning. These regular visits to your California dentist potentially prevent the undetected development of problems that can occur from neglecting to clean your teeth.

To keep that beautiful San Diego California smile in good shape, come in for a dental check up and teeth cleaning.

Call Marcos Ortega DDS in San Diego California to make an appointment. You can reach us right now at 619-295-4545.

Dr. Marcos Ortega

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San Diego, California Residents Visit the Dentist

Friday, February 26th, 2010

San Diego, California Residents Visit the DentistWhether you have lived in California for a long time, or just moving in to the San Diego area; taking care of your teeth eventually involves a visit to the dentist. We are Marcos Ortega DDS located at 306 Walnut Ave., Suite 25 in San Diego, California, and our specialty is cosmetic and sedation dentistry.

You can reach Marcos Ortega DDS by calling 619-295-4545.

Going to the dentist for the first time in San Diego, or if you have not been for while, can be an unsettling experience for both kids and adults. The very idea of a ‘dentist’ seems to hold negative connotation for many people. If you are an adult who is moving to the San Diego area, or your child is preparing to visit the dentist for the first time, here are a few tips that may help ease you into regular dental checkups and put you on the path toward increased oral health and wellness.

Choose an San Diego dentist who is appropriate for your needs. When you meet your new San Diego dentist for the first time, make an effort to ask questions about the care you will receive. Ask questions that are relevant to your situation including questions about experience, age range of patients, and recommended procedures for any conditions you may have. Get to know your dentist so you feel comfortable with the care you will receive.

Introduce yourself to your San Diego dentist and get to know the office staff. Visiting the dentist in San Diego will seem less of a chore when you feel you have trusted friends who are there to help.

Be prepared to provide your dentist with information. Whether you are experiencing specific pain at that moment, or anticipating a problem, be sure to discuss everything with your dentist. Many patients become intimidated in the office environment and avoid expressing pain or discussing issues. As your dentist, I need to know everything you are experiencing and will be better prepared to help as you ask questions and express your concerns.

I understand that everyone is unique; what works for one person may not work for another. You know what works best for you, and the best way to have a good experience with your dentist is to communicate. Let me know what you are experiencing so that I can make adjustments and help you feel more comfortable and secure.

At Marcos Ortega DDS our very comfortable and friendly staff will work to make your dental experience a pleasant one. We know it can be frightening to visit the dentist for the first time, or after a long while. We’ll do what we can to make you feel comfortable, secure, and among caring friends.

If you are in San Diego, California and are ready to visit the dentist again, give us a call at 619-295-4545, or stop by to meet us; we’re excited to meet you.

-Achieving Health and Beauty with Modern Dentistry

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Bad Breath Is No Fun For San Diego Residents

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Bad Breath Is No Fun For San Diego ResidentsImagine you are starting a new job in San Diego and meeting your new boss for the first time. Confidence is key to your success. As you reach out to shake the extended hand your broad confident smile exposes rows of pearly white teeth, yet when you open your mouth to exchange greetings you worry about bad breath. Perhaps your breath is not as a pleasant as you had hoped. Bad breath is a worry and possible embarrassment for many residents of San Diego, California, from ages 25 to 75. Regular dental checkups at Marcos Ortega DDS can help alleviate your concern over bad breath. We have been addressing bad breath since 1986.

The technical term for bad breath is halitosis. Many factors can cause or contribute to halitosis. One of these factors is the food you eat. Onions and garlic are both known for having a potent affect on your breath. Simply observing the foods you eat here in San Diego can result in a change in your breath.

In most cases, bad breath originates in your mouth. Transient bad breath can be resolved through eating or brushing, and is a temporary condition usually associated with a dry mouth. Persistent bad breath can be a serious problem effecting as much as 25 percent of our San Diego residents. Persistent bad breath can be caused by dry mouth, and is made worse when food is not cleared away properly.

Brushing and flossing daily is a critical step in curing bad breath. Food particles can build up in your mouth and foster bacteria which can cause bad breath. This not only includes the food particles that may get stuck between your teeth, but also the food that collects around your gums or on your tongue. Brushing and flossing daily can help reduce the amount of food particles that stay in your mouth and cause bad breath. Regular visits to Marcos Ortega DDS in San Diego can also reduce or eliminate the progression of bad breath.

Other factors that can contribute to bad breath for San Diego residents include dry mouth, tobacco use, and health concerns such as infections. Come visit Marcos Ortega DDS located in San Diego, California; we’ll provide you with information about bad breath in a professional environment. Give us a call at 619-295-4545 to set up an appointment.

Dr. Marcos Ortega

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General Dentistry

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

San Diego General DentistryWhat is ‘ General Dentistry ‘? Here are a couple definitions, found from around the web:

The World Health Organization defines General Dentistry as “the science and art of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries and malformations of the teeth, jaws and mouth”.

According to Wikipedia :

A dentist is a healthcare professional qualified to practice dentistry after graduating with a degree of either Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent), Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae (BDS) or (BChD) or equivalent.

In most western countries, to become a qualified dentist one must usually complete at least 4 years of postgraduate study. Generally, 2 years of clinical experience working with patients in an educational setting are required.

If you have a need for General Dentistry in the San Diego area, please give our practice a call. We are Marcos Ortega DDS, and our general dentistry office is located at:

306 Walnut Ave., Suite 25
San Diego, California 92103

We practice General Dentistry in the city of San Diego. We provide general dentistry services to the greater San Diego area, which includes dentistry services for anyone in the cities of Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Mission Valley or Bankers Hill.

Give us a call at 619-295-4545 to schedule a general dentistry appointment in San Diego, or to ask questions about general dentistry.

Achieving Health and Beauty with Modern Dentistry

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Saving Teeth in San Diego

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Root Canals in San Diego When a tooth is threatened by severe decay, periodontal disease, or damage from an injury, a skilled San Diego dentist or endodontist must make a judgment call concerning the course of treatment. If the pulp of the tooth is infected or inflamed, a root canal is often the only way to save the tooth.

Marcos Ortega DDS: 619-295-4545

During a root canal procedure (or endodontic treatment) the soft tissue in the root of the tooth is removed. This tissue contains veins, arteries and lymph vessels. Once the roots are cleaned out and widened, they are filled with a special rubber material. The root canal is only the first step in the complete tooth restoration. After the root canal, without a crown, the tooth will become dry and brittle. The final steps are the core build up and crown.

At Marcos Ortega DDS, we fabricate strong, natural-looking crowns that blend perfectly with the surrounding teeth. With proper oral hygiene and regular visits to a San Diego dentist, a tooth with a filled root can often function problem-free for the rest of a patient’s life.

I am Dentist Dr. Marcos Ortega DDS of Marcos Ortega DDS. I have been practicing dentistry since 1986. During that time I have seen hundreds of teeth saved by this effective dental procedure. Root canal therapy at Marcos Ortega DDS in San Diego has a very high success rate.

Because teeth with infected pulp tissue often cause no symptoms, it is important to have regular dental examinations. I can determine which (if any) teeth have infected roots. If the infection in the soft pulp tissue is left untreated, it can progress to a point where the tooth cannot be saved. Is it time for a thorough dental exam? Call our office at 619-295-4545.

Call Marcos Ortega DDS immediately if one of your teeth is screaming for attention!

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Keeping Bones Strong in San Diego

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Marcos Ortega DDS There is a tooth connection that links osteoporosis and oral health. If you are a woman, you have probably heard about the high rate of osteoporosis in America. The state of California is no exception. Osteoporosis can often progress without any outward symptoms. However, there may be clues in a person’s mouth that indicate compromised bones in the rest of the body.

The following dental and periodontal issues could indicate the presence of osteoporosis:

  • Gum detachment
  • Ill-fitting dentures
  • Jaw bone recession and erosion
  • Difficulty with ordinary mouth function such as eating or speaking

There are many San Diego dental professionals that can determine the presence of bone deterioration with x-rays and other diagnostic tools. If we suspect the possibility of osteoporosis, we can refer you to a local medical professional, whether you live in Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Mission Valley or Bankers Hill.

The experienced dentist at Marcos Ortega DDS is trained in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the oral health problems sometimes associated with osteoporosis. Schedule a consultation in San Diego by calling 619-295-4545 and we can discuss your dental concerns. While you are here, we can also tell you about the cosmetic dental services we provide. Aesthetic dentistry continues to improve smiles for our friends and neighbors in the San Diego area.

If you suspect you may be suffering from osteoporosis, please see your physician right away. While your dentist can help identify some of the symptoms associated with osteoporosis, you should not rely on your dentist to provide a diagnosis of osteoporosis.

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San Diego Dentistry

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Educating San Diego Dental Patients About Little-Known Risks Hi, I’m Dentist Dr. Marcos Ortega, DDS. Most every day, I can be found at my San Diego area dental office treating dental patients with tooth and gum problems or helping patients prevent them. There are many common medical conditions that pose a risk to oral health.

1) San Diego diabetes patients with high blood glucose often have a higher risk of dental issues. If you have diabetes, let’s talk. My number is 619-295-4545.

2) A persistent dry mouth due to an inadequate amount of saliva can accelerate tooth decay, cause or contribute to gum disease, and trigger chronic bad breath. Many medications used by thousands of San Diego folks, including those for high-blood pressure and depression, cause dry mouth. This side effect is not only unpleasant, it is dangerous. Anti-depressants (especially SSRI’s) and anti-psychotic drugs can also trigger tooth-grinding (bruxism).

3) Acid reflux in children and adults is associated with a host of dental problems such as decay and periodontal disease.

I help many dental patients prevent problems associated with medical conditions that sometimes seem unrelated to dental health. Regular professional dental care is essential for oral health, and an important part of your overall physical health.

http://www.MySanDiegoSmiles.com

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Periodontal Disease in California

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Periodontal Disease in California

Periodontal disease in California is more common than you might think, and can be cured with varying degrees of treatment depending on the severity.

What is periodontal disease? According to this article on Wikipedia, periodontal disease is ‘the name of a collection of inflammatory diseases affecting the tissues that surround and support the teeth.’

Periodontal disease, more commonly called ‘gum disease’, is an inflammation or infection of the gums. Periodontal disease can be very painful in some extreme conditions, and can limit your ability to eat normally. In some cases, periodontal disease can affect your smile, and can create cosmetic concerns.

If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause irreversible damage. When caught early and treated, periodontal disease can be little more than an inconvenience. However the best policy is to practice good dental hygiene to keep periodontal disease at bay.

One of the best ways to avoid periodontal disease is to get a regular dental check up at your local San Diego dentist.

Give us a call at 619-295-4545 to schedule your next dental checkup; we look forward to seeing you.

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Tooth Sensitivity Treatment in San Diego

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Tooth Sensitivity Treatment in San Diego Have you ever been eating an ice cream cone in San Diego when you felt a sudden jolt of pain in one of your teeth? If the enamel is eroded, or the gums have receded, the dentin layer of the tooth is exposed. The substances that cause tooth pain travel to the pulp where the nerves of the tooth are located. Ouch!

Tooth sensitivity can be a signal that something is wrong. It may be caused by periodontal disease or bacteria build-up in a crack in a tooth.

Enamel erosion can be caused by a number of factors including acidic foods and drinks, teeth grinding, or cracked teeth. If your teeth are sensitive following a professional teeth whitening such as the ones we do here at Marcos Ortega DDS, the sensitivity will probably be gone in a few weeks.

Surprisingly, one cause of gum recession for our San Diego patients is brushing too hard. That’s right; it is possible to brush too hard!

If you experience constant or intermittent pain in your teeth or gums, call 619-295-4545 right away to make an appointment. Dr. Marcos Ortega takes tooth pain seriously.

At Marcos Ortega DDS in San Diego, we not only treat tooth sensitivity problems, we also perform entire smile makeovers for cosmetic dentistry patients in the Hillcrest and Mission Hills, Mission Valley areas. You’ll find us in the 92103 zip code area.

Achieving Health and Beauty with Modern Dentistry

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