Dental Phobia

At Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS we want our patients to feel as comfortable when they visit us. An estimated 9% to 15% of people avoid the dentist due to dental phobia. Patients who avoid going to the dentist have a greater chance of developing gum disease and early tooth loss. To ease your mind, we will talk with you about any concerns or fears you have.

Some signs that you might have dental phobia include tense or nervousness, sleepless nights before the dentist, and the thought of the dentist makes you feel sick.

We know and understand your anxiety. That's why we have invested in a very soothing massage while you are in our office, headphones to listen to your favorite show on television or music. We will help you establish your yoga breath to relax you. We even have air abrasion and laser where we may not even need to give you injection to numb you. 

If you have a fear of pain we offer different anesthetic gels that can numb your mouth during procedures. Anesthetic’s take away any pain you might normally feel and allow you to relax.

We encourage our patients to ask us questions before your appointment so we can make you feel more comfortable. We are just as much about your comfort as your teeth.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit Dentist NJ and fill out a contact form

Avoiding Tooth Decay During the Holidays

There are lots of sugary drinks and snacks available in the fall. With Thanksgiving fast approaching and the winter holidays right around the corner, we at Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel dental practice want our patients to enjoy the festivities without the risk of tooth decay. We thought it would be a good idea to point out some common sources of sugar and how to maintain good hygiene while indulging in them.

The longer sugar is in contact with teeth, the longer bacteria will be feeding on it and producing acid. Sticky, sugary foods such as cranberry sauce can fuel tooth decay, as can caramels and hard candy, which remains in contact with the teeth for an extended period and tends to dry out the mouth. Other major sources of sugary residue are sweet or creamy beverages such as apple cider, lattes, hot chocolate, and wine. People should also keep a watch on debris from starchy snacks such as crackers, since starch is also food for bacteria.

Substituting sugary hard candies with xylitol-flavored ones will remove a source of tooth decay and stimulate saliva production. Chewing sugar-free gum between meals will also dislodge food debris if a person isn’t able to brush and floss right away. You can mitigate the residue from sugary drinks by interspersing sips of water while consuming them. If you won’t have access to fluoridated tap water, you can carry fluoridated water in bottles. And while crackers may leave a lot of debris, cheese contains vital minerals for strengthening enamel.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit Dentist NJ and fill out a contact form.

 

White Spot Lesions

When tooth decay is developing, there are warning signs. At Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel dental practice, we don’t want our patients to miss a warning that they need to pay more attention to their brushing, which is why we’re spreading the word about white spot lesions.

The development of white spots on tooth enamel is the first visible sign of erosion. (For this reason, they are also called “incipient” lesions.) The spots have a chalky appearance, similar to that caused by the early stage of acid reflux-related erosion. They are most commonly seen in the spots where plaque accumulates, such as near the gum line or surrounding an orthodontic bracket. White spots can form in just a month, and if the bracket they’re surrounding is removed, the patient will be left with white hollow rectangles on their teeth.

Better brushing is the key to preventing tooth decay. We encourage patients who are at elevated risk for tooth decay due to factors such as diabetes and dry mouth to talk to us about infection control. If a lesion has already developed but its progress has been arrested, the patient may benefit from remineralization therapy. Avoiding the risk of white spots is also a major reason why people choose Invisalign over fixed braces.  

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit Dentist NJ and fill out a contact form.

 

Filling a Cavity

A cavity is something that Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS hopes her patients never encounter. Though they are common, a cavity is a hole in the tooth that develops from dental decay. Tooth decay occurs because oral care habits  are lacking or nonexistent and poor choice of diet. Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS is happy to give patients a refresher in oral care if they need one, otherwise, down the road, you may need to discuss filling options.

At her dental practice, Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS utilizes tooth-colored fillings. This is because tooth-colored fillings resemble the appearance of a natural tooth and blend-in well with the rest of the teeth. Composite resins such as these conserve the tooth and provide more support than metal fillings. They are also a safer alternative to maintaining a healthy smile.

If you have questions or concerns regarding tooth decay or cosmetic dentistry, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

Start of School Year Exams

Dentists recommend that children get check-ups and professional cleanings every six months. If yours haven’t been recently, now’s the time for it. At Dr. Dipika Shah’s office, we provide comprehensive care to prevent children from having problems with tooth aches and misalignment later on in the school year.

Children are the demographic that is most likely to suffer tooth decay in the form of caries—bacterial infections which make little cavities in the teeth. Caries are painful and can have a devastating impact on the child’s well-being. Pain may slow their speech development and cause them to be unable to sleep, making them irritable and unfocused. It may also interfere with their chewing, affecting their diet, (as can misalignment). Caries will not improve on their own; they require a dentist to clean out the decayed material and fill them in.

Fortunately, if your child is at risk for caries, it’s still early enough in the year to treat them before they take a major toll on their education. This will also give us a chance to monitor wisdom tooth eruption and plan for orthodontic treatment which may require time out of school.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

You’ve probably noticed how concerned dentists are about childhood cavities. While Dr. Shah and her team strive to educate children about how to care for their oral hygiene, very young children depend on their caretakers to keep their teeth clean. Therefore, it is important for parents of babies to know about a pattern we call Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

Tooth decay increases with the amount of time teeth are exposed to sugar. While baby formula and milk are not as high in sugar content as juice, for example, they contain enough to cause a problem if they remain stuck to babies’ teeth for hours. Too often, this is the case, because babies are given bottles to suck from throughout the day, keeping their teeth coated and causing decay to set in on the fronts of the incisors.

There are several important steps parents can take to combat Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: limit the amount of time babies have bottles for, and supply them with water to wash their teeth. Start brushing their teeth as soon as the first one begins to emerge, and teach them to drink from cups as soon as possible (usually around their first birthday). And, of course, hold off on juice and anything else with lots of sugar until then.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Steps to Prevent Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of your teeth. Hundreds of different types of bacteria live on our teeth, gums, tongue and other crevices in the mouth. Some are helpful, but some can be harmful such as those that play a role in the tooth decay process. At the dental practice of Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS, we want our patients to know that good oral and dental hygiene can help you avoid cavities and tooth decay.

When a tooth is exposed to acid frequently – for example, if you frequently eat foods or drinks containing sugar and starches – the repeated cycles of acid attacks cause the enamel to continue to lose minerals. This will cause a white spot to appear if the minerals have been lost. When this happens, this is a sign of early decay.

You can help prevent tooth decay by following these tips:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.


• Clean between your teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner.


• Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking.


• Visit us for professional cleanings and oral examination.

If you need assistance maintaining your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

Facts on Fluoride

Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth’s crust and widely distributed in nature and is often added to water to help reduce tooth decay. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, but it also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay, even before the decay is visible. Here at the dental practice of Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS we can discuss professional fluoride treatments with you to see if you are a prime candidate.

When fluoride reaches your teeth, it is absorbed into the enamel. Fluoride helps to repair the enamel by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorus to keep your teeth hard through a process called remineralization. When fluoride is present during this process, the minerals deposited into the tooth enamel help strengthen your teeth and prevent dissolution during the next demineralization phase. The results are stronger tooth enamel and a cavity-free grin.

If you think you may benefit from a fluoride treatment, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

Dental Crowns

From the acid errosion caused by the food you eat to the constant biting, crunching and grinding you do when eating or stressed, daily activities weaken your teeth and make them more susceptible to decay, cracks, discoloration and more. If any of your teeth reach a point where they become so weak or decayed that the tooth structure becomes compromised, a crown can be used to protect and reinforce it. By covering a weak or broken tooth and restoring it to its original size and shape, a crown reduces pain and saves the tooth from needing to be extracted, and in Holmdel, NJ, Dr. Dipika Shah can determine if a crown is needed to save your smile.

Made from porcelain, gold or porcelain fused to metal, crowns are used to repair teeth when fillings or bonding are not enough. When you have a crown placed, Dr. Shah will first prepare your tooth by removing any existing decay and insulating the tooth nerve with core buildup. Besides providing insulation, the core buildup also serves as a surface for the crown to bond to. Once the tooth is prepared, an impression is taken so that the crown can be created to fit perfectly. Then at your next appointment, the custom crown is cemented onto the current tooth to prevent further decay and fracture.

Schedule an appointment with our office by calling 732-264-8180. For more information, please visit www.dentistnj.com.

Dr. Dipika Shah Performs Tooth Extractions

If decay has reached too deeply into one of your teeth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, you will need a tooth extraction, and in Holmdel, NJ, Dr. Dipika Shah can provide the extraction you need to restore your oral health.

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. During a simple extraction, the tooth is then loosened with an elevator and extracted with forceps. Once removed, Dr. Shah may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone. When she is finished, the gums are sutured.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, so a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, Dr. Shah can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your smile. Schedule an appointment at our practice by calling 732-264-8180. For more information, visit www.dentistnj.com.

Dental Crowns

Crowns are used to protect and strengthen teeth that have become extremely weak, decayed or fractured. Covering your affected tooth and restoring it to its original shape and size, dental crowns (sometimes called caps) can help reduce pain, save your tooth from needing to be extracted and keep your smile beautiful and functional. At our office in Holmdel, NJ, we can see if a crown is necessary to save your smile.

Over time, as your teeth begin to weaken, they become more susceptible to problems, including decay, cracks and discoloration. Crowns are usually only necessary if decay has reached the point where the tooth structure is compromised. When a crown is installed, the decay is removed from the tooth and a core build-up is used to insulate the nerve and create a surface to bond the crown to. An impression is then made of this surface so that crown can be custom fitted. Usually made of porcelain, gold or porcelain fused to metal, the crown is fabricated in a lab and then cemented onto the current tooth. This fabrication process can take between two to three weeks.

Crowns are made incredibly strong to protect the remaining tooth structure, and the custom fit ensures that the seam between tooth and crown is miniscule, which helps protect the tooth from further decay.

If you’re experiencing pain in one of your teeth, stop by our office to see if a crown can save your smile. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah by calling 732-264-8180. For more information, visit www.dentistnj.com.