At our San Jose dental office, it’s second nature for us to say that a healthy mouth leads to a healthy body and a healthy life. But we understand that not everyone sees all the intricate, important connections between your oral health and your overall health. That’s why we’re happy [...]
Candy, cookies, pies, cakes, wine, and sweets galore! There’s nothing quite like the holiday season. Unfortunately, the indulgence during the holiday season can have an impact on your health. We’re not talking about your waistline – we’re talking about your teeth. Sugar and starchy foods can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease if [...]
Most people will experience a cavity at some point or another in their life. When a tooth develops a cavity, the easiest way to treat it is by removing the decay and sealing the tooth with a {{{{link id='20' text='dental filling'}}}}. Unfortunately, dental fillings don’t last forever and eventually {{{{link id='50738' text='need to be [...]
At our Los Gatos dental office, Top Down Dental, we make safety our #1 priority at all times. In light of COVID-19, we’ve recently invested in new technology for our dental office to reduce airborne contaminants and therefore limit the spread of COVID-19 if we happen to encounter it in our [...]
Oral health is important and can be achieved with regular brushing and flossing of your teeth, using mouthwash and eating nutritional foods. However, did you know that oral health can reveal how the rest of your body is doing? Indeed, oral health is a window to your overall health and that is due in part [...]
Recently, many of us were horrified to learn about people pulling their own teeth amid the coronavirus pandemic. While we know that most of our patients would never even consider such a thing, there are a few types of DIY dentistry that many people think they can do on their [...]
Do you know the old saying “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure?” If you worry about bad breath there are a few simple remedies you can try. Bad breath smells unpleasant and can make people you’re talking to stand at a distance. You might feel embarrassed to even [...]
Here in Los Gatos, we’ve been on lockdown for several weeks now. If it’s taking a toll on you, we understand. Our team has also been feeling the effects of coronavirus, worrying about family members and patients alike. However, we want to encourage you during this time that your oral health is more important than [...]
Every day, we find out more horrible news about the coronavirus (strain COVID-19). Yesterday, ten new cases erupted in the United States, today we found cases without a known cause, tomorrow maybe there will be a case in our town. With such a terrifying pandemic on the rise, it’s important to keep yourself and your [...]
At Top Down Dental, we believe the root of your overall health starts with your oral health. Maintaining proper dental hygiene is just one of the ways to benefit your overall health. Brushing your teeth regularly is just one piece of the puzzle. You might wonder what type of toothbrush is best for [...]
Every day, researchers are finding ways in which your oral health relates to your overall health. A recent study out of the University of Bergen in Norway has connected gingivitis bacteria to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that the bacteria that causes gingivitis can progress to the brain. That bacteria creates an enzyme that can destroy [...]
Brushing and flossing are very important to maintaining good oral health. However, they can also be a bit of pain. That’s why not everyone actually keeps up with these critical oral health habits. Only about 60% of Americans brush their teeth twice a day, and much fewer--30%!--floss their teeth every day. How [...]
If you listen to older people talk about modern cars, you’ll probably hear the complaint that modern cars are terrible because they pop apart in an even minor collision. However, real crash testing shows just how much better modern cars are in crashes. Part of the reason for that is the use of better modern [...]
What do you do if you have a dental emergency and the nearest dentist is over 250 miles away? What if the dentist is actually 30 million miles away? That’s the situation that could be facing astronauts on a potential trip to Mars. Before we start sending people on distant trips, we have to figure [...]
As we move into the autumn eating season in San Jose, we know that there are numerous occasions where we’ll be eating more sugar than is good of us, and sugar that can cause cavities. Halloween kicks off the sugary holidays, and it all goes downhill from there! So you might be [...]
Home Alone’s Kevin told us that the toothbrush to buy is always the one that’s been approved by the American Dental Association, but apart the ADA’s stamp of approval, there are other factors you can use to shop for an effective toothbrush. The ADA’s seal guarantees that the toothbrush in your hand won’t fall apart [...]
We’ve all been told that we should see our dentist regularly. But there are many people who ignore this advice and think they should see their dentist only when they have a problem. But there are many important reasons why you shouldn’t wait until there’s a problem to see your dentist. Here are three benefits [...]
Patient comfort is a high priority at Top Down Dental, so we’ve introduced many technologies that help people to be more comfortable during and after their dental visit. One of these introduction is Anutra, a system for providing buffered anesthesia. Buffered anesthesia has many potential advantages, and now a new study confirms [...]
Having a healthy, attractive smile is a great asset. It’s not just your ability to charm people you meet. It goes far beyond that. If your teeth aren’t healthy or attractive, it can be a significant impairment to your productivity. Missing Work for Dental Care Everybody likes a day off from work now and then, [...]
Natural dentistry means to some extent understanding the natural history of oral health, including the recognition that your mouth is a microbiome. A microbiome is a localized environment that provides living conditions for organisms. Your mouth is full of many microorganisms that thrive there. Some of them are helpful, natural symbiotes that [...]
Dental implants are the tooth replacement that is most like your natural teeth. They’re so much like your natural teeth that they are threatened by the same disease that most often leads to tooth loss: gum disease. Although there is some dispute about whether gum disease is the same when it affects [...]
Most of us have a natural craving for sweet foods that probably served us well when the main source of sugar was whole fruits that are also high in nutrients. And we often had to earn that sugar by walking miles or climbing high into a tree. But now that sugar is so readily available [...]
Medical imaging is a powerful tool for doctors and dentists, allowing us to gain vital information to diagnose illness and plan treatments. We know that the more we can see, the better we can treat. But sometimes metal dental restorations like dental crowns and metal amalgam fillings, can interfere with imaging, {{{{link [...]
Many people think oral health is just about brushing and flossing and dental checkups, but it’s much more than that. In fact, as a practitioner of holistic dentistry, Dr. Nancy Nehawandian sees the significant connections between your oral health and almost every aspect of your lifestyle. But, really, [...]
Did you know that a tooth ignored can turn deadly? It’s something that happens a dozen times or so a year, and it’s always tragic because these deaths could have been prevented with regular dental checkups. But the recent case of 26-year-old Vadim Kondratyuk, a generally healthy long-haul trucker from Sacramento, is particularly tragic as [...]
Being in love won’t just make you smile--it can help make your smile healthier, too. That’s according to recent research out of the University of Queensland in Australia. They found that people who reported greater happiness in their relationship were more likely to visit the dentist regularly and be happy with the appearance and quality [...]
Although there wasn’t as much publicity as for the larger races, a lot was at stake up the road in San Francisco, Oakland, and Albany when voters decided on new soda taxes. The addition of a new one cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages has the potential to dramatically decrease consumption of sugary beverages. Although much [...]
Nobody wants to have bad breath. And, fortunately, nobody has to live with bad breath. If we take it seriously and get treatment, bad breath can be handled. But many people don’t take it seriously, despite the fact that bad breath can be a sign of serious oral health problems, as well as [...]
Top Down Dental believes deeply in our duty to take complete care of our patients. Our holistic dentistry philosophy means that we look at your dental health as part of your overall health and our philosophy of care means you should be treated as a whole person. Our philosophy of care extends to [...]
For over 150 years, silver metal fillings, which are more properly known as mercury amalgam fillings, have been used to fill teeth. But in recent years, many people have become concerned about the potential toxicity of mercury fillings, which are typically more than 50% mercury by weight. Organizations like the FDA and the [...]
Although you shouldn’t, many people use pain as their guide for when they should see a dentist. And when you have a serious toothache, it’s hard to do anything else until that gets treated. The problem is that toothaches can be very difficult to pinpoint. The pain might feel like it’s coming from an entirely [...]
Every aspect of your life and health is intertwined, and every lifestyle choice you make has the potential to influence your risk of cavities. According to a study in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, even something as simple as what time you like to be awake and working--whether you’re [...]
Brushing is key to preventing tooth decay and protecting your teeth from gingivitis. Many people, especially those with arthritis, opt for powered toothbrushes instead of manual. Most people find that the extra rotations that come from a powered toothbrush are great for cleaning their teeth. However, recently there has been an upswing in [...]
A study released by the Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) reveals that many adults don’t understand cavity prevention. Although the focus of the study was on preventing childhood cavities, it also shows that adults are probably putting themselves at risk because of their lack of knowledge. “Little or No Control” Over Cavities Perhaps [...]
People who have poor oral health often have a hard time facing up to a simple but important life activity: kissing. If you or your romantic partner has gum disease or other oral health issues, it can be embarrassing for both of you when it comes to kissing and getting close. [...]
Dentists frequently use the phrase “oral health,” but oral health doesn’t stop at your throat. The health of your teeth, gums and mouth affects the health of your entire body. This is the concept of oral systemic health. Research supports the idea that oral health affects your whole body, and
Do you have swollen gums? Is there evidence of blood after cleaning your teeth? Are you aware these are early signs of gum disease? If you have any of these symptoms, take a few minutes to read our five quick facts about gum disease. Two Types Of Gum Disease The first type of
Many people feel a twinge of fear when it's time to visit the dentist. Unfortunately, this sometimes keeps them from visiting the dentist in a timely fashion which may have an adverse impact on not only their oral health, but their overall physical health. In addition, avoiding the dentist often makes problems [...]
Many people are trained in first aid, it's a common skill these days, but do you know what to do in a dental emergency? Imagine this scenario. You’re out bike riding with the gang on a Sunday afternoon when Shelly decides she’s going to try to hop his bike up the curb. She misses [...]
Did you know that the food you put into your mouth and in your child’s mouth can have an impact on their teeth? It is that time of the year, where children go off to school, and eat their lunches at school, do you let your children eat what the school has to offer or [...]
