Types of Teeth

Our teeth serve lots of functions and have different health needs, so we at Fresh Meadows Dental Care wanted to provide our patients with a basic run-down of how teeth differ from each other. Adults naturally have thirty-two teeth, sixteen to each jaw.

The incisors are the four front teeth. They are the teeth we do most of our speaking with and which we use to tear off small bits of food, but they cannot withstand the strong forces needed for chewing. The canines, also called cuspids, are the pointy teeth on each side of the incisors. They are for piercing and occupy the point of maximum change of curvature in the jaw arch, which makes them important for stabilizing the jaw bone. The upper canines often get stuck erupting and need orthodontic correction.

Each jaw has two pairs of premolars and three pairs of molars for chewing with. The backmost molars, called wisdom teeth, also often have trouble erupting. Lower molars generally have two tooth roots, while upper ones have three. Upper molars are particularly vulnerable to the harm of acid reflux. Chewing teeth are often treated with sealants to protect them from decay.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

H2O for Oral Health

If your diet consists primarily of sugary foods and beverages, it might be time to make healthier choices. Sure, sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice can wash down that pizza you’re eating, but it’s doing damage to your oral health. Drinking water contains fluoride, which protects teeth from decay. This is why Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care wants patients to reduce their sugar intake and start reaching for the H2O.

Unlike sugary beverages that wreak havoc on tooth enamel, water cleans the mouth with every sip. It also replenishes saliva which is our mouth’s first defense against tooth decay. The fluoride that drinking water contains shields teeth from cavities and helps remineralize carious lesions that may have been brought on by periodontal disease. Drinking more water is only beneficial to not only your dental health but your overall health as well.

If you have questions or concerns regarding tooth decay, please give us a call. To learn more about mouth guards and all the services we provide, visit www.freshmeadowsdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, NY, call 718-224-7272.

Scaling and Root Planing

If gum disease is treated early, before it causes damage to the structures of the tooth, a professional cleaning should fix the problem. Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure that is recommended for patients with chronic periodontitis. If you’ve failed to treat gingivitis and it has advanced to periodontitis, it might be time for a scaling and root planing procedure from Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care.

Healthy gums should sit snug around a tooth, when periodontal disease develops, it can create pockets that fill with bacteria. Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque and tartar below the gum line and is performed in two parts. Scaling removes hardened plaque above and below the gumline, cleaning the pocket that has formed, while root planing smooths out tooth roots to help the gums reattach to the teeth. After a scaling and root planing procedure, you may feel mild discomfort or sensitivity. Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh will recommend a follow-up appointment to see how your gums are healing.

If you have questions or concerns regarding scaling and root planing, please give us a call. To learn more about mouth guards and all the services we provide, visit www.freshmeadowsdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, NY, call 718-224-7272.

Bad Breath in Children

Nobody wants bad breath, and at Fresh Meadows Dental Care, we help even our youngest patients to maintain a smile that pleases in every regard. As with adults, halitosis in children is most commonly due to poor hygiene, but there are some specific issues which should also be investigated during an examination.

Creviced soft tissue is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, particularly if food particles can get trapped in it. Children often have not had their tonsils removed, providing one such ideal home, but the tongue is another area which foul odors often originate from. This is why oral hygiene instructions now emphasize the importance of tongue brushing, as well. People who suffer from dry mouth, which is a common side-effect of ADHD and anxiety medications, also need to take particular care of their oral hygiene.

Another reason for childhood halitosis is that children tend to get sinus infections more frequently than adults. The drip from their nasal passages is an additional food source for bacteria while mouth-breathing in response to a stuffy nose results in dry mouth. A foreign object lodged in a child’s nose will also cause nasal drip.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Dry Mouth

We teach all our patients at Fresh Meadows Dental Care about the importance of oral hygiene, but people who suffer from dry mouth need to be especially vigilant. Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth isn’t just irritating; it raises a patient’s risk of developing infections and complicates several other conditions.

Dry mouth has become common because it is a side-effect of a large number of medications, particularly for cancer. However, it can also result from Sjögren’s syndrome, which is a disorder of unknown origin which causes dryness in the mouth and eyes. Because saliva is important for keeping bacteria and fungus growth under control, its absence makes patients more likely to develop periodontal disease and thrush.

Patients can improve their saliva production by reducing their intake of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. However, if their dry mouth is being caused by a medication which they cannot have changed, patients may need to consider alternate means of moisturizing. These include rinses and mouthwash, as well as additional medications. Chewing sugar-free gum and candy is another way to boost saliva production. But regardless of what other steps they take, dry mouth patients have to be especially sure to brush properly.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Dental Bridges

Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care has a wide variety of restorative options to choose from if you have missing teeth. Today, however, we are going to discuss dental bridges. The objective of a dental bridge is to literally bridge the gap that has been created by one or more missing teeth. They are usually supported by natural teeth or dental implants and can be permanent or removable.

Dental bridges have numerous advantages such as restoring your smile, restoring your ability to properly chew and speak, maintain the shape of your face, and prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position. After you and Dr. Hakimzadeh discuss which type of bridge is right for you, it will take about two visits to complete the procedure. During the first visit, the abutment teeth are prepared for a dental crown and impressions will be made. Dr. Hakimzadeh will then give you a temporary bridge to wear home. During your second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and your permanent bridge will be set in place.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental bridges, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.freshmeadowsdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, NY, call 718-224-7272.

Dental Sealants

If you had the opportunity to barricade cavities forever, would you take it? Well, Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care may not be able to eliminate them forever, but he can reduce your chance of developing decay, with dental sealants. Dental sealants consist of a plastic material that is placed on the chewing surface of the permanent molars to help protect them from bacteria and acids that cause tooth decay.

Though adults can reap the benefits of dental sealants, they are more for children and teenagers. This is because of the likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the molars. Although thorough brushing and flossing remove food particles that cause decay, sometimes it’s hard to reach in the back of the mouth to brush the molars. Sealants have the ability to protect these vulnerable areas for up to ten years, therefore the earlier they are placed, the better.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental sealants, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.freshmeadowsdental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farid Hakimzadeh of Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Oakland Gardens, NY, call 718-224-7272.