Hi, I’m Doctor Ted Floor of Floor Dental Group. Today’s post focuses on an article that appeared recently on ScienceDaily.com. The article describes a study of Brazilian ICU patients that compared infection rates of those who received enhanced oral care instead of routine oral care. The patients who received the more intense dental care were 56 percent less likely to develop a respiratory infection during their stay.
“Enhanced dental care included teeth brushing, tongue scraping, removal of calculus, atraumatic restorative treatment of caries, tooth extraction, and topical application of chlorhexidine corresponding to each patients’ needs four to five times a week. Comparatively, regular treatment consisted of mechanical cleansing using gauze followed by topical application of chlorhexidine three times a day.”1
“Bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections often start in the oral cavity,” said Fernando Bellissimo-Rodrigues, MD, lead author of the study. “This study suggests that having a dentist provide weekly care as part the ICU team may improve outcomes for vulnerable patients in this setting.”1
If a member of your family has serious health matters, you may want to talk to their doctor about the oral health implications of their condition. In unfortunate cases where one of my patients experiences severe health issues, I am happy to work with their medical team to ensure that their dental health is not compromised. Even some manageable chronic conditions can require more frequent exams and cleanings.
Though this study pertains to ICU patients, it is also a reminder to all of us. Receiving consistent quality dental care and practicing proper daily oral hygiene is critical for everyone. Some patients have an inaccurate view of oral health – they seem to have the notion that it exists autonomously. It is actually interdependent with general physical health.
At Floor Dental Group, we see ourselves as key members of your healthcare team and are dedicated to your physical, mental, and emotional health. If you are looking for a comfortable dental practice in Cupertino, we invite you to schedule a consultation by calling 408-255-4500. You can meet me, doctor Floor, and my team of dental professionals. Thanks for visiting our dental blog.
1Wanessa T. Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Mayra G. Menegueti, Gilberto G. Gaspar, Edson A. Nicolini, Maria Auxiliadora-Martins, Anibal Basile-Filho, Roberto Martinez, Fernando Bellissimo-Rodrigues. Effectiveness of a Dental Care Intervention in the Prevention of Lower Respiratory Tract Nosocomial Infections among Intensive Care Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 2014; 35 (11): 1342 DOI: 10.1086/678427
Will your California dental insurance cover cosmetic dental procedures? Many people assume their dental insurance won’t cover any procedures obtained solely for cosmetic purposes. This is probably true for tooth bleaching or dental bonding. However, many California dental insurance plans and supplemental plans cover orthodontia and any treatment required to repair damage from an injury. Medical insurance and worker’s compensation plans may also cover injury treatment.
Ask Your Provider, You May be Surprised
Some dental insurance plans cover replacement porcelain veneers in certain circumstances. Check with your carrier for benefit specifics if you need replacement veneers due to deterioration. We can then look at treatment options such as replacement veneers or porcelain crowns. When the treatment is completed, we may be able to help you submit your dental claim form if your plan requires one.
Talk to Floor Dental Group
If you are in need of any kind of dental treatment; from a cleaning to major restorative work, come into Floor Dental Group on 10055 N Portal Ave #100 in Cupertino. You can meet our comfortable team, undergo an extensive evaluation and discuss financing options. Even if you do not have California dental insurance, let’s talk about solutions. Top-quality dental treatment is a valuable investment and may be more cost-effective than you think.
Floor Dental Group has been proudly serving Cupertino residents since 2022. Floor Dental Group is a network dental provider for many California dental insurance plans.
Hello, friends of Floor Dental Group! If you haven’t visited our blog in a while, we welcome you back. It has been an outstanding month at our practice.
If you have never seen our photo gallery of smile makeover patients, you are probably not aware of the limitless possibilities. There is virtually no dental problem that can’t be improved with modern cosmetic dentistry performed at Floor Dental Group.
We Provide Modern Smile Solutions
Doctor Floor uses all the tools of cosmetic dentistry: veneers, porcelain crowns, aligners, teeth whitening, soft-tissue grafts, crown lengthening, and dental bonding to create brilliant smiles. If you are not happy with your smile, call us at 408-255-4500 today to schedule a smile design consultation.
With a Smile Makeover, There is Never Buyer’s Remorse
The vast majority of cosmetic dental smile makeover patients have absolutely no regrets about their investment in a stunning smile. There is no physical feature as eye-catching as an attractive smile. When your smile is remarkable, you smile all the time!
We are Passionate About Changing Lives
We are dedicated to changing lives, one beautiful smile at a time. Our patients who have transformed their smiles with cosmetic dentistry report feeling more confident at work and in social situations.
It’s Never Too Late to Improve Your Dental Health
We are thrilled when our patients step up their oral hygiene to reverse gum disease or have had us remedy tooth decay. They say renewed efforts to overcome dental issues improve their outlook on life and give them motivation to keep their smile healthy.
If you need a reason to smile, then think about a smile makeover from one of the top dentists in California. See for more information and photos. We look forward to making your smile the best it can be!
Though they are not as well known as traditional dental implants, mini implants are being used successfully in the Cupertino area to improve smiles.
Like their larger diameter counterparts, mini implants can support a restoration for one or more missing teeth or replace a bridge or fixed denture. Denture wearers benefit dramatically from these slip-free dental implants that are inserted securely in the jaw bone.
In some cases, a patient is unable to receive standard full-size dental implants due to insufficient bone thickness. There are also mini implant patients who are not able to withstand dental implant surgery due to health issues. These patients are often excellent candidates for the mini version.
The placement of toothpick-size mini dental implants can sometimes be done in one dental visit. The placement usually requires no incisions or stitches. Recovery time, if required, is typically very short. Most patients are able to eat dinner that evening.
Life gets busy. Sometimes it seems impossible to keep up with everything you “gotta do”. At Floor Dental Group, we understand that. But we encourage you to think twice before you cancel or postpone a dental checkup because you think it’s less important than the other twenty things on your to-do list.
Twice-yearly dental exams are indispensable for keeping your smile in optimal shape!
“But my teeth feel fine.”
We’ve heard this excuse. The fact is that no news isn’t necessarily good news. Dental dilemmas can be progressing without you being aware of it.
1. Your Gums May Be Receding
Gum recession doesn’t happen all at once. Gum tissue can move back almost imperceptibly until teeth and bone are in jeopardy.
2. Decay May Be Lurking
When the acids in plaque start drilling into a tooth, we usually don’t feel it until it has passed through the enamel and dentin and hits the nerve. Ouch! By that time, there is a crater in the tooth. Regular cleanings remove plaque before it can do any deterioration.
3. Prevent Oral Cancer
About 50,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year.1 Doctor Floor will screen for oral cancer during your exam. As with all types of cancer, early diagnosis is essential.
After your entire mouth has been examined, doctor Floor will detail what is required moving forward. Whether that’s flossing more often or discussing major fixes such as braces, we will make certain that you get all the information you need to ensure your smile is bright and beautiful! Scheduling twice-yearly exams with Ted Floor at Floor Dental Group will ensure you avoid severe dental problems.
With porcelain veneers, you can enhance your smile without significant restorative dental work.
Dental Veneers Transform Your Teeth
Porcelain veneers are glass-like, wafer-thin covers that are attached to the front of your teeth. Porcelain has been used in dentistry for many years because no other restorative material is such an excellent match for natural tooth enamel. Porcelain is translucent and can be matched to the color of any tooth. It is stronger than enamel and resists stains.
Cosmetic Dental Masterpieces
Dental ceramists who create porcelain veneers are both artists and technicians. They create spectacular paper-thin wafers that adhere to teeth, correcting chips and stains. Porcelain veneers can also straighten crooked teeth for patients who don’t need orthodontic work.
Veneers Are Less Invasive Than Complete Dental Crowns
Patients who receive porcelain veneers appreciate the less-invasive process of upgrading their smile. Newer techniques require no removal of healthy tooth enamel.
We would be happy to show you what veneers can do for your smile.
Floor Dental Group is located at 10055 N Portal Ave #100 in Cupertino. We provide skilled dental care for patients in the greater San Jose area. Our phone number is 408-255-4500. You can visit us here. For information about our practice and our comfortable team.
The effectiveness of teeth bleaching depends partly on the types of stains.
Extrinsic tooth stains are the simplest to remove. These surface stains have not yet penetrated through the enamel into the dentin. Extrinsic stains are caused by dark-colored foods and drinks like blueberries, carrots, coffee, red wine, and cola. And nicotine is no better for your smile than it is for your lungs.
Unfortunately, even if you prevent these common teeth stainers, your teeth will become discolored over time. Like gray hair, wrinkles, and memory lapses, a dull smile is an inevitable part of aging for some individuals.
Intrinsic tooth stains ensue from the inside out. Tooth injury or tetracycline are the usual culprits. Intrinsic stains are more difficult to remove entirely, but it is possible to lighten them with professional tooth whitening available at your cosmetic dental office.
If your teeth are darkened, whether from coffee, tetracycline, or excessive fluoride, call Floor Dental Group at 408-255-4500. We have treated many patients with extreme tooth discoloration.
It is never too late or too early to beautify your smile.
Men and women can take years off their appearance by restoring the youthful white smile they once enjoyed. Teens and young adults with surface stains can prevent them from becoming intrinsic stains with tooth bleaching.
It’s not just about looks. According to research by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), a healthy and attractive smile makes you appear more intelligent, successful, friendly and interesting.
You Can Beautify Your Smile
Our smile makeover patients who have undergone restorative and cosmetic dentistry at Floor Dental Group in Cupertino have experienced this phenomenon firsthand. They have expressed that they not only feel great about their looks, they are more confident in professional and social situations.
We Create Custom Treatment Plans
I’m Ted Floor of Floor Dental Group in Cupertino. I enjoy using my years of training and experience to provide premium cosmetic dentistry for my patients in the Saratoga and Campbell area. I am passionate about developing a custom treatment plan for each Cupertino dental patient. Some of my Sunnyvale patients had lived with misaligned or crooked teeth for years. Others had been self-conscious about missing or stained teeth.
Let’s Discuss the Possibilities for Your New Smile
There has never been a better time to upgrade your smile. There are solutions for every kind of dental problem. If you are not familiar with the latest teeth whitening, crown restoration and tooth replacement procedures, it is time to find out. Call 408-255-4500 to schedule a consultation. Come in to our office on 10055 N Portal Ave #100 in Cupertino and see photos of our happy San Jose dental makeover patients who are enjoying their beautiful smiles every day!
The oral bacteria in question is Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis for short). The “gingivalis” in its name gives you a clue to what type of bacteria it is. As you may have imagined, P. gingivalis is the bacteria that causes gingivitis and the more advanced form of gum disease called periodontitis.
Your Mouth Produces Natural Viral Protection
Interferon lambdas are a family of proteins created by cells in the mouth. These proteins safeguard us from all types of bacterial and viral infections in addition to the coronavirus. The danger of P. gingivalis is that it makes Interferon lambdas less effective at protecting us.
This is how one of the researchers explained it:
“Our studies identified certain pathogenic bacterial species, P. gingivalis, which cause periodontal disease, can completely suppress interferon production and severely enhance susceptibility to viral infection. These resident oral plaque bacteria play a key role in regulating antiviral responses.” Juhi Bagaitkar, assistant professor, University of Louisville Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Disease.
Oral Health and Physical Health Go Hand in Hand
As if you needed one more reason to prevent gum disease! Not only does gum disease put you tooth loss, it makes you more susceptible to the potential problems of viruses. To recap: if you protect against gum disease, you protect your mouth from P. gingivalis. This lets you benefit from Interferon lambdas and the virus protection they provide.
Let’s explore basic oral hygiene practices that can prevent periodontitis and keep your smile healthy:
Brush at least twice daily using the correct brushing techniques
Use a fluoride toothpaste
Floss daily using the correct flossing technique
Get a professional dental cleaning twice a year
Schedule twice-yearly dental exams
Take care of dental issues in their early stages so they don’t progress
Has it been a while since you’ve had a dental exam and cleaning? Call today to schedule a visit. We are located in Cupertino and serve the San Jose area. Our friendly team of dental professionals is here for you and your family.
At Floor Dental Group in Cupertino CA, our cosmetic dental smile makeover patients believe that life-changing cosmetic dentistry is a beneficial investment. Indeed, for most people, the value of a healthy, attractive smile cannot be measured in dollars. We recognize, however, that cosmetic dentistry is not cheap.
Do you have to spend thousands of dollars to upgrade your smile? Actually, no. Today’s post focuses on the most affordable cosmetic dental procedures.
Dental Bonding
In many cases, dental bonding can be used to repair a tooth that has been chipped.
When we repair a tooth with dental bonding, a pliable resin material is applied to the tooth. We expertly molds the material to create the desired shape. The resin is then hardened using a special light. After hardening, we perform any required trimming and shaping followed by a final polishing.
Dental bonding is usually less costly than porcelain veneers or dental crowns.
Beware of brand-new practices that advertise very low prices for dental bonding, veneers, or dental implants. The proficiency and artistic ability necessary to attain minuscule tolerances should not be undertaken by a beginner. Thoroughly research any new cosmetic dentist you are considering for any cosmetic dental procedures or complete cosmetic dental smile makeover.
Tooth Whitening
Most people are aware that there are several different tooth whitening methods. We recommend scheduling a tooth whitening consultation to discuss your options. Even inexpensive OTC tooth bleaching systems can be misused and result in tooth sensitivity, damage to tooth enamel, and uneven coloration.
Regarding the cost of teeth whitening: if you choose an at-home system from a drugstore, you may have to buy several packages to attain even slight whitening. In-office whitening or a take home system from our office may be more economical in the long run.
We at Floor Dental Group in Cupertino CA can give you a stunning smile. We serve patients in Saratoga, Campbell, and Sunnyvale and also provide implants and general dentistry. Schedule an appointment today.
