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. 

If someone asked you to name the worst teeth-staining foods and drinks out there you’d probably say coffee, tea, and red wine. And you’d be right. But there are other stealth stainers that might surprise you. Like what?

– LEMONADE: due to its high acidity, lemonade erodes enamel and leaves teeth vulnerable to staining. 

– BERRIES: both blue and black, berries may scream summer but they also scream stains. 

– WHITE WINE: yes, white wine –– it’s acidic and opens your teeth up to staining by other foods. 

– POPSICLES: brightly colored and sugar filled, popsicles are a double dose of bad for your teeth.

– POOLS: who knew? The chemicals used in pools can give your teeth a brown hue. 

– BALSAMIC VINEGAR: its dark color and high acidity make it one of the worst offenders. 

– MARINARA SAUCE: acidic and tomato red, this sauce clings to both pasta and your teeth.

– COLA: brown, fizzy, acidic and pure sugar –– need we say more? 

So what can you do? Indulge in your favorites, but aim for moderation. And make sure to rinse your mouth with water (to remove the acidity) before you brush your teeth.

Bad habits are hard to break but when it comes to teeth, here are six you should consider leaving behind.

1) NAIL BITING

The problem: nail biting can chip and wear teeth.

The solution: identify triggers, reduce stress, try to find something to keep your fingers busy, commit to stop.

2) BRUSHING TOO HARD

The problem: brushing too hard can irritate gums and damage teeth through abrasion

The solution: brushing for two minutes twice a day is best — use a soft toothbrush and don’t apply too much pressure.

3) GRINDING

The problem: grinding can cause chipped or cracked teeth in addition to joint pain and muscle pain.

The solution: a mouthguard for nighttime, relaxation exercises.

4) CHEWING ICE CUBES

The problem: broken or chipped teeth.

The solution: just say no.

5) CONSTANT SNACKING

The problem: snacking all day — especially on sugary foods — puts you at higher risk for cavities.

The solution: if you need to snack, try to stay away from sugar. And follow the snack with a glass of water to rinse away leftover food.

6) USING YOUR TEETH AS TOOLS

The problem: using your teeth as scissors, pliers, etc. which can chip, break, or wear teeth.

The solution: take the time to get the right tool –– not your teeth –– to get the job done.

Good dental health is a family affair — with nobody left behind. Meet Ace, our new sharp-toothed lab puppy with a thing for chewing on shoes –– and anything else he can get in his nine week old puppy jaws. He’s naughty but nice. We’re smitten.

Apple cider vinegar has been all over the news lately — with claimed health benefits ranging from supporting weight loss to lowering blood pressure to improving diabetes. It has also been claimed to whiten teeth. So does it?

We can’t speak to all the claims, but when it comes to teeth, apple cider vinegar is actually a bad idea. According to Dr. Kimberly Johnson, “Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic and can cause severe erosion of enamel –– which leads to weak enamel, sensitivity, and an increased risk of cavities.”

A way around this is to make sure you never drink it straight but rather, dilute it with at least ten parts water. Questions? Give us a call at 949 640 0300, we’re always happy to talk teeth.

Halloween means candy, there’s really no escaping it. But if you can avoid the worst of the worst, why not? So we’ve compiled a list of the worst offenders. Following are our top five.

• Sour candy. Why? Sour candy is actually worse than sweet candy because it has a double punch of sugar AND citric acid, which sticks to your teeth. It also has a high acidity content, and breaks down tooth enamel.

• Gummies. Gummy anything is just bad. Why? Simple. They stick to your teeth and hang out there for an extended period of time.

• Hard candy. Why? Sucking on hard candy (including lollipops) increases the time it’s in your mouth. Even worse, chewing them can break or crack teeth or damage dental work.

• Caramels/taffy. Why? Again, just plain sticky and they end up hanging out in your mouth too long, getting stuck in grooves and cracks, not to mention possibly yanking out a filling.

• Pixie Stix. Why? Although they dissolve quickly, they actually contain nothing but sugar, providing bacteria with an enormous feast.

Great news for gum chewers: a recent study from the journal PLOS One found that chewing a single piece of gum for just ten minutes can trap up to 100 million bacteria in your mouth –– making the whole process nearly as effective as flossing.

Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands had volunteers chew gum for varying amounts of time. They found the optimal time for trapping bacteria was less than a minute.

So chew away. And keep these two important details in mind: make sure the gum is sugar free and and spit it out in ten minutes or less. Oh –– and don’t give up the brush OR the floss. For more details, see the complete study here.

Our top ten list of what foods to avoid and why:

1) Hard candy. Why? Constant exposure to sugar is not a good thing.
2) Ice. Why? Chewing on it can leave your teeth vulnerable to a dental emergency and can also damage enamel.
3) Citrus. Why? Acidic foods can erode enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay over time.
4) Coffee. Why? It’s not coffee that’s so bad for you, it’s the sugar that gets added to the coffee.
5) Sticky foods. Why? Sticky foods are damaging as they stay on your teeth longer than other kinds of food.
6) Starchy foods. Why? Foods like chips tend to get trapped in your teeth and cause plaque build up.
7) Soda. Why? It’s basically liquid sugar that breaks down the enamel on your teeth.
8) Alcohol. Why? Alcohol causes dehydration which reduces saliva flow and in turn, can lead to tooth decay.
9) Sports drinks. Why? Sugar is the main ingredient.
10) Gummy anything. Why? They get stuck in your teeth and remain in and around teeth long after they are eaten.