Did you know that one third of dental injuries are sports related? It’s true. So how can you protect your teeth and mouth in contact sports? The answer is a custom fit sportsguard/mouthguard, which can help you to avoid injury and in turn, dental visits. Sportsguards not only protect your teeth, but your tongue, lips, face and jaw too. A 2014 study in an issue of General Dentistry showed that a custom-made, properly fitted, pressure-laminated mouthguard may also reduce the incidence of sports-related concussions.

Mouthguards are used in sports including football, basketball, lacrosse, water polo, and ice hockey among others. For more information on custom-fit sportsguards please call our office at 949 640 0300. 

This Valentine’s Day, Show your teeth some love with Cocofloss.

Why do we LOVE Cocofloss? Because it’s ultra-cleansing and unlike ineffective “gliding” floss, Cocofloss features a textured, loofah-like weave. As you floss, these soft strands expand to whoosh away sticky plaque and cavity-causing bacteria.

Flossing basics: 1) floss once a day; 2) gently glide the floss up and down, rubbing it against both sides of each tooth. As the floss reaches your gums, curve the floss at the base of the tooth to form a C shape. Regular flossing will reduce gum disease and bad breath by removing plaque.

If you haven’t tried Cocofloss, please ask us for a sample the next time you’re in. Cocofloss is available online at cocofloss.com or through our office.

June 1, 2020

Dear Patients:

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been challenged over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety and health while providing medically necessary treatment.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice. You may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control protocols are rigorously followed so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the California Department of Public Health. We follow the guidelines of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new advancement, rulings, or guidance that may be issued. Our infection-control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ science-based recommendations.

You may see some changes at your next appointment. We made these procedure and equipment changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

• Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
• We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. It is available in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
• You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines and books –– as those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
• We will schedule greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
• Please wear a face covering in the office, during non treatment times. This has been recommended by the California Department of Public Health.
• We are using new equipment and techniques to eliminate and mitigate aerosols during treatment.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 949-640-0300.

As always, thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Warmest regards from,
The Johnson and Genc Dental Team
Kimberly Johnson Genc DDS, FAGD
Robert D. Genc DDS

Custom made porcelain vampire veneers –– for the ghoul with everything.

Wishing you a happy Halloween!

(Creative custom veneers made by lab technician Jackson Aoki at Johnson & Genc Dentistry.)

It seems like common sense that putting something messy and black on your teeth would only serve to make them the opposite of white. So what gives with all the recent chatter about activated charcoal and whiter teeth?

According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, “There is no evidence that shows dental products with charcoal are safe or effective for your teeth.” Dr. Kimberly explains it this way, “Bleaching your teeth is all about changing the inherent color of the teeth. If you’re using a product that’s rough on the enamel –– like activated charcoal –– you can wear the enamel away causing your teeth to be actually more porous, sensitive, and look more yellow. And once the enamel is damaged, it’s permanent.”

So in short, stick with an ADA-approved bleaching system from your dentist’s office … and save the charcoal for the barbecue.

Ever wonder about the best way to care for your toothbrush? It’s pretty simple, really, and you’ll be in good shape if you follow these basic steps: 

1) No sharing. Don’t get us started on the enormous bacterial exchange that happens when you share a toothbrush. Just say no. 

2) Rinse thoroughly. After brushing, rinse your toothbrush well.

3) Store upright. Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow it to dry thoroughly. Separate it from other toothbrushes to avoid cross-contamination.

4) Avoid closed containers. Don’t store toothbrushes in closed containers that will promote bacterial growth; a toothbrush needs the open air. 

5) Replace every 3 months. Toothbrushes wear out, bristles become frayed with use, and their ability to clean effectively diminishes. The best rule is to replace a toothbrush every 3-4 months. 

Whitening toothpaste, whitening strips, whitening gels. The dizzying array of choices in the toothpaste aisle is intimidating, to say the least. So which to choose, what is best?

The quick answer is this: the products at your local drugstore all have similar whitening ingredients to what’s available at your dentist’s office, the main one being peroxide. The difference between what you can buy at the store and what your dentist provides is a matter of concentration. The drug store products all have a very low percentage of active ingredient, between 1 – 2%, versus up to 35% in the products available from your dentist’s office. Professional teeth whitening at the dentist’s office is a more concentrated peroxide product, and therefore more effective. 

So which is better? Dr. Kimberly recommends using 35% Opalescence bleaching gel in custom trays, made by your dentist and worn at home for 30 minutes a day until the desired shade is achieved. On average, it takes 10-14 days and the results are the best out there.

For more on teeth whitening, check out this Washington Post article here. And to stay white, skip stain-causing foods such as coffee, tea, and red wine –– and avoid fad teeth rinses like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and activated charcoal because they will damage and erode the enamel of your teeth. Whatever product you purchase, make sure it has the ADA seal, which means it’s safe and effective. For questions regarding teeth whitening, please call our office at 949 640 0300. 

Valentine’s Day brings to mind images of hearts, flowers, and loads of pink. But we’re not here to talk about that. We’re all about the kiss –– and more specifically, a clean, sparkling mouth. How to get it? Brush twice daily for two minutes each time, floss, rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash, and chew sugar-free gum in a pinch. For more on Valentine’s Day healthy mouth tips go here.  

Wishing you a happy one.