5 Back to School Tips for Your Oral Health

As the holiday season comes to a close and 2016 quickly approaches Dr. Russell Cureton would like you to consider these 5 tips as you head back-to-school.

1. Manage your stress

With a new semester comes new teachers, new expectations and a slew of new papers. There is the juggling of the new class schedule, maybe a break-up over the holiday’s or guests still in your home lingering from the holiday’s. As the stress starts to pile up, so can the effect it has on your body. You'll often feel it in the forms of headaches, muscle pain or jaw pain.

Teeth grinding can be a main contributor to these aches and pains. Although most teeth grinding occurs during sleep, stress and anxiety can lead to prolonged grinding which can damage teeth and cause other oral health implications.

If stress is causing your teeth grinding, consider visiting your Salinas dentist Dr. Cureton D.D.S., about options to reduce your stress. Avoid or cutback on foods that contain caffeine such as colas and coffee. Don't chew on pens, pencils or anything that isn't food. If you notice yourself grinding your teeth or clenching them during the day, position the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This trains the muscles in your jaw to relax.

2. Watch your alcohol consumption

Back-to-school post holiday’s, with college football bowl games and big New Year’s events can mean more socializing with friends over beverages. Overconsumption of alcohol does more than just affect your liver—it can have negative effects on your teeth as well. Due to its high sugar and acid content, frequent consumption of alcohol can lead to increased tooth decay. The sugars from alcohol pose the biggest threat to your teeth which, when broken down in your mouth, can create the ideal acidic environment for bacteria to breed.

Some tips to combat the effects of alcohol include alternating alcoholic drinks with water or using water as the mix. Water increases saliva flow and can rinse away sugars and acid in your mouth. If you often forget to brush your teeth after a night out, leave a toothbrush on your pillow to give you a reminder.

3. Be careful with energy drinks

While trying to get back in the swing of waking up for those early morning classes, grabbing an energy drink may not be your best option for a number of reasons. Most energy drinks are loaded with citric acid, preservatives and sugar. These drinks can wreck havoc on your teeth and gums and lead to tooth decay, tooth sensitivity and cavities. Over time, energy drinks can also strip the enamel from your teeth. If you do have to have an energy drink, drink it through a straw and don't hold the drink in your mouth before swallowing. Afterward, rinse your mouth out with water, which will help to neutralize the acid and increase saliva production. The best advice however, is to refrain from drinking energy drinks all together. Water is one of the best hydrators, a natural energy-booster and doesn't contain any calories.

4. Protect yourself on the sport field/court/rink/etc.

A new semester brings new intramural sports activities. The closer we get to spring, the more we begin to recreate outside with friends, roommates and become more active. It's important to remember to protect your mouth while you get back on the field or court. Dr. Russell Cureton recommends a mouth guard for contact sports like roller hockey, soccer, basketball, football, rugby and lacrosse. Mouth guards not only protect the teeth, but they could also help prevent serious injuries such as jaw fractures, concussions and neck injuries. Many athletes opt not to wear a mouth guard because of bulkiness or poor fit. If this is the case, schedule a visit with Dr. Cureton here in Salinas, California about a custom-made mouth guard; he will provide the best fit, protection and comfort. Other options include boil and bite mouth guards and stock/ready made mouth guards.

5. It's all about routine

Starting the new year with a resolution to get into routine helps with the hustle and bustle of college life. Booking those hygiene and dental appointments are important. Making sure brushing and flossing are part of your everyday routine are equally as important. Most students study late into the night and getting ready for bed is a scramble for much needed sleep. To avoid missing your nightly brush and floss, try taking a study break earlier in the evening once you know you're finished consuming foods and beverages. You should brush for at least two minutes. A good way to time this is to brush for the full duration of your favorite song. Instead of flossing in the bathroom, you can floss while studying by using a dental floss pick. These make flossing on the go easy and less socially awkward when studying in the library or public place. Another great time to floss is while watching television, make it a habit to floss during the first commercial break.

If you are a student in the Salinas, Monterey, Prunedale or Seaside area, consider scheduling a visit with Dr. Russell Cureton in his Salinas office at the start of 2016. With more than 20 years experience as a local dentist he is a trusted source of oral care. Call him today 831-449-8363.

Tooth Restoration

There are a variety of different ways that a person can damage their teeth, luckily with todays modern technology, Dr. Cureton can help you with any sort of tooth restoration in Salinas that you need. Tooth restorations are the various ways Dr. Cureton can replace missing teeth or repair missing parts of the tooth. Teeth can be damaged or missing due to decay, deterioration of a previously placed restoration, or fracture of a tooth.

Tooth restorations are wide in its practice, and Dr. Cureton is here to help you with all types of damages, broken, missing, or stained teeth. Some examples of restorations include the following:

• ·      Fillings are the most common type of dental restoration. Teeth can be filled with gold, silver amalgam, or tooth-colored plastic materials called composite resin fillings.
• ·      Crowns are a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, appearance, to hold a bridge in place or cover a dental implant.
• ·      Bridges are false teeth that are designed to "bridge" the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Bridges can be anchored on either side by crowns and cemented permanently into place.
• ·      Implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants are actually a small post made of metal that are placed into the bone socket where teeth are missing. The implant is covered with a replacement tooth called a crown.
• ·      Dentures are a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. They are made of acrylic resin sometimes combined with metal attachments. Complete dentures replace all the teeth; partial dentures are considered when some natural teeth remain and are retained by metal clasps attached to the natural teeth.

Some benefits of tooth restoration as opposed to other treatments include them being strong and stable, a dental implant restores a lost tooth so that it looks, feels, fits and functions like a natural tooth. Other options can lead to bone deterioration, and may interfere with eating, smiling, speaking and other activities of everyday life.

With tooth restoration you can have the smile of your dreams! If you are in the Salinas, Monterey, or Prunedale areas and want to know if getting a tooth restoration is for you; contact Dr. Cureton for your free consultation.

Choosing a Family Dentist

While having a glowing white smile is important, there is much more to your oral health than just the shine of your teeth. Truly healthy teeth and gums are imperative to aid in great over-all health and, in order to maintain great oral health, it is necessary to make regular visits to a dentist. Taking time to choose a dentist for you and your family will make dental visits more pleasant and consistent. Dr. Russell Cureton DDS recommends a couple of ways to choose a family dentist that will help your entire family’s oral health stay in great shape.

Research their qualifications and experience

Beyond the obvious that they have graduated from an accredited dental school and have been Board Certified to practice, dentists should belong to the California Dental Association. They should also be  attending regular dental educational seminars to keep up their CEU’s (Continuing Education Units). This tells you the dentist you choose takes updating their education in today’s advancing dental technology seriously. Thusly, he can provide a higher standard of care and is not relying solely on his past school education to treat you in his practice.

In addition, look for a family dental practice with experience to give you the best dental care. Feel free to ask the dentist, office staff, and hygienist how long they have been working and what dental services are offered - they should be more than willing to give you all of the information you request.

Look at the services they offer 

​Not all family dentists offer an array of services. While it is important to find a dental office that can provide a good dental cleaning, you should also look for a practice that offers a wide variety of services (eg oral surgery, orthodontics, implants, single visit crowns) so your family can be helped with all their dental needs at one location.

Reviews are important ​

Current and past patients are the best resource when searching to find the right family dentist for you. Check reviews for a number of different offices to see what prior patients have to say about the
services, the dentist, and their overall experience. If you see mostly positive reviews for a Salinas Family Dentist, you should feel confident that they would offer you the care and attention you need. There are many places people can review their dentists: Facebook, Google+, Yelp, HealthGrades, along with several other websites. Although reading through pages of reviews may seem a bit daunting, spending the time now will help save a mountain of headaches in the future. 

 
Check out the office atmosphere ​

The atmosphere of the office is an important part in choosing your Salinas Family Dentist. Before you decide on a particular dentist, you should visit the office to see how it feels- is the waiting room comfortable, is the dentist and staff friendly, is the office clean, etc. If you and your family feel comfortable with all these aspects, you will be less likely to miss or skip dental appointments. Making sure that your children have a positive experience with their dentist when they are young will help set the foundation for their future dedication to their oral hygiene.

If you are looking for a Salinas Family Dentist in the Salinas, Prunedale, Gilroy, Hollister, Monterey Bay or South County areas, call Dr. Russell Cureton at (831) 449-8363 or, stop by our office at 620 E. Alvin Dr. Ste. E Salinas, CA 93906 so we can answer all of your questions. We look forward to meeting you and serving the dental needs of you and your family for many years to come.

Why Choose Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain Veneers 

You’ve seen them on the red carpet and lighting up the silver screen, but now, those magnificent celebrity-like smiles could be yours- thanks to the help of porcelain veneers.  Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that are bonded to the front of your teeth.  Veneers are custom made based on the needs and desires of each patient so you are able to get exactly what you want from your veneers.  Once veneers are decided upon, the porcelain is bonded to your teeth to ensure that the veneers stay in place for a long time to come.

There are countless benefits to choosing porcelain veneers- from their beautiful shine to the confidence they can give you.  Here are the top five reasons why veneers are a great choice for your dental future:

Porcelain Veneers are Quick and Easy

While most cosmetic dental procedures require dozens of trips to the dentist, porcelain veneers can usually be completely applied in only two visits to your dentist.  The procedure itself also usually requires minimal, if any, anesthesia, which means you will likely be back in action right after your appointment.

Porcelain Veneers Offer Instant Results

Instead of having to wait days or even weeks to see the results of whitening or orthodontic treatments, the beautiful benefits of veneers are ready to be shown off as soon as the veneers have been put on.  Instantly being able to see the gorgeous effect of your veneers makes veneers a great choice for important events or adopting a new look.

Porcelain Veneers Look Natural

The porcelain that is used to construct veneers reflects light in a similar way to natural teeth, which make the veneers appear very natural.  And since you are able to choose the color, shape, and size of your veneers, you can make sure that your porcelain veneers are a great fit for your mouth and look as much like your own teeth as you want them to.

Porcelain Veneers Are Low Maintenance

Taking care of veneers is no different than taking care of natural teeth so you can carry on your normal oral hygiene practices.  Just like teeth, veneers should be brushed and flossed regularly to ensure that your entire mouth stays clean and healthy.  Other than normal oral hygiene, no special treatment is necessary upon getting veneers.  An added bonus is that porcelain veneers are stain resistant, so you don’t need to change your lifestyle to accommodate your veneers.

Porcelain Veneers Give You the Smile of Your Dreams

Porcelain veneers make the million watt smile you have always dreamed of into a reality. You will no longer need to hide your smile or feel self-conscious of your teeth,  With new, beautiful teeth comes increased confidence and greater pride in your smile.  Veneers not only make you look good, but also make you feel like a whole new person.

You don’t need to be a celebrity to deserve to have a beautiful smile to show the world.  With the help of porcelain veneers, that perfect smile is ready and waiting for us all.  When you are ready to make the bright move to porcelain veneers, contact the office of Russell Cureton, DDS for help making your dental dreams into a reality.

Dr. Cureton has been a practicing dentist in Salinas for more than 25 years. Feel free to stop by our office at 620 E. Alvin Dr. or call us at 831-449-8363 to schedule your first appointment.