Isaac Lin DDS Santana Park Dental Care
Plaque, Gum Diseaseand Tooth Loss
Plaque strikes people in the San Jose area at all stages of life: From the youngest child through the elderly population. And as a family dentist, Dr. Isaac Lin of Santana Park Dental Care can help patients of all ages by removing the build-up of plaque that accumulates between dental visits.
You can help reduce the accumulation of plaque if you brush and floss regularly. When this soft, sticky layer of bacteria is allowed to build up, it can have serious consequences for your teeth. Dr. Lin is dedicated to educating the San Jose area about the danger of plaque build-up leading to gum disease.
Avoiding the dentist can allow dental problems such as this to compound, leading to tooth loss. A missing tooth is not only unattractive, but it can cause structural problems in your mouth.
Some patients assume that as long as they’re still able to eat without their missing tooth, that there’s no problem. Dr. Lin helps patients understand that just one missing tooth can lead to other oral difficulties. The remaining teeth may begin to drift into the empty space, causing a change in the way you bite or chew.
It also forces the remaining teeth to carry an additional load, and you may begin to experience pain when you’re eating—or even when you aren’t.
Dental Care in Seniors
Our bodies change as we get older and so does our need for dentistry. These changes take different forms in different people, depending on our inherited physical traits, our lifestyle and nutritional habits, and our medical conditions. Age brings changes in oral health and your need for dental care, too. There are some specific areas where seniors need to pay close attention to protect and extend their oral health.
Gum Disease
Daily cleaning and good nutrition are critical for healthy gums. When gums become infected and diseased, they set off a chain reaction that can result in losing teeth or weakening the jawbone. Either condition creates more problems for your health and increases your medical costs. Contact your dentist if your gums become red or you have bleeding gums.
Tooth Color
Plaque is an invisible layer of bacteria that forms on our teeth, and can trap stains at any age. But as we get older, plaque builds up more quickly and is harder to remove. At the same time, the tissue that lies underneath the tooth enamel, called "dentin," is changing, and those changes can make teeth appear darker. You may also want to consult your dentist about using commercial rinses that remove plaque.