Drinking Water for Oral Hygiene

Drinking water is important for your health at all ages.  Fullerton Dental has seen adult patients that are guilty of not drinking enough water, so we know it can be tough to monitor if kids are getting enough too.  We want to encourage you and the kids in your family to stay hydrated and healthy!

We all know kids love drinking juice and soda, but we forget that these beverages leave unwanted sugar behind on the teeth.  The type of bacteria that causes cavities feeds on sugar, and produces acid that wears away enamel. Enamel is not replaceable, so it’s important to take care of it even from a young age.  When kids drink juice or soda, it is helpful just to drink some water afterwards to dilute acids and wash away food particles and residue. You and your children should be drinking at least eight 8oz glasses of water each day.  Drinking tap water with fluoride is important to help prevent cavities.  If you’re worried that your children may not be drinking enough water, come see us to discuss tips that might help them drink more!

We love to see good oral hygiene habits formed early, and make lifetime patients out of kids from our community!  To learn more about the services we offer, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Retainer Care

Many orthodontic patients require a retainer at the end of orthodontic treatment.  Removable retainers are an easy step to take to preserve a straight smile. Fullerton Dental provides retainers for patients, and caring for your retainer properly is important so that it functions and lasts as long as possible.  A silly but common mistake people make with their retainers is trying to cut corners -- don’t try to clean or brush your retainer while it’s still in your mouth!  You can’t quickly scrub your retainer while brushing your teeth -- the retainer cannot be completely cleaned of debris this way, and toothpaste can also be abrasive to the plastic of the retainer.  Always remove your retainer before cleaning thoroughly with water and your toothbrush, and use a mild dish or hand soap to help clean off debris, never abrasive toothpaste.

You should clean your retainer daily, and also treat it weekly by soaking.  Soaking helps maintain the cleanliness of the retainer and keep it from drying out.  To soak the retainer, dissolve denture cleaning tablets in water or add a little baking soda to water to make a solution.  Storing your retainer properly is also important for its longevity.  Get in the habit of always using and carrying a case.  Many retainers have disappeared after being folded up in napkins!

To learn more about caring for your retainer, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Endodontics – Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy is performed after an unsuccessful root canal. When an infection will not go away or returns after a root canal has been performed, this procedure is usually necessary. Dr. Eric M Meyer DDS is known for his comprehensive, but gentle approach to dentistry. In most cases, he may suggest a second root canal before an apicoectomy since it is a simpler, less invasive procedure.

An apicoectomy may be needed when an infection develops or persists after root canal treatment or retreatment. In an apicoectomy, the root tip, or apex, is removed along with the infected tissue. A filling is then placed to seal the end of the root. Most apicoectomies take between 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the location of the tooth and the complexity of the root structure. Procedures on front teeth are generally the shortest. Those on lower molars generally take the longest. Before the procedure, Dr. Meyer will provide you with a consultation to see what action best fits your needs.

If you have questions or concerns regarding endodontic treatment, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Oral Care with a Floss Threader

Plaque buildup around braces can be detrimental to your teeth and gums. This is because plaque contains bacteria that eat away at tooth enamel and cause periodontal disease and bad breath. While wearing braces, oral care is extra important because your teeth require extra attention. To make flossing easier with fixed appliances, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS suggests utilizing floss threaders.

A floss threader is a flexible yet sturdy device and once the ends of the floss are inserted the ends can be easily manipulated to clean under bridgework, behind orthodontic wires, and beneath retainer bars. To use a floss threader, gently thread the floss through the loop of the threader and guide it through the main wire of the fixed appliance before passing it between the two teeth. Then, carefully remove the floss and thread it through the remaining teeth.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral care or dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Veneers For A Smile Makeover

Patients of Fullerton Dental are always asking our doctors about the latest cosmetic solutions for their teeth.  Some fixes are recommended just to repair damage or just to whiten, but veneers are the best way to give your smile a total makeover. Veneers are thin ceramic shells that bond directly to the surface of your teeth.  This gives you the opportunity to completely change the appearance of your smile and still look natural. 

Patients with cosmetic issues like staining, cracked or chipped teeth, and even crooked teeth and small gaps can achieve a dazzling smile with veneers. We can make this happen in two to three visits!  First, your dentist will discuss the shape and look you want for your new smile.  Then an impression of your teeth is taken in order to custom fit the final product to the surfaces of your teeth.  The impression is sent to a dental laboratory where your custom veneers will be fabricated, which may take up to two weeks.  On your final visit, the veneers are bonded to your teeth for you to wear and enjoy!

To learn more about veneers and all the services available at our practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Pediatric Dentistry

Fullerton Dental is proud to serve the families from our community, and we want them to know it’s just as important for children to have regular dental visits.  A child’s first dental visit should be scheduled when the first baby tooth appears, or around the child’s first birthday.  Baby teeth eventually come out, but their growth and development is important for overall oral health for the child and the development of their adult teeth. Baby teeth should be brushed and cared for like adult teeth, and it’s important to monitor their growth and development. 

Missing any tooth for too long can change the development of surrounding teeth and compromise the structure of the jaw bone, but regular checkups can keep a child’s tooth development right on track.  Our dentists are skilled and experienced in administering dental care to children.  If your child has seems nervous about seeing a dentist for the first time, we recommend going through a brushing routine with them at home, and talking about the dental visit before you arrive.  Once we get your child’s oral health off to a great start, we offer a full range of services for child patients including dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, and sealants.

We love to see good oral hygiene habits formed early, and make lifetime patients out of kids from our community!  To learn more about the services we offer, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Reasons for Tooth Extractions

You can trust the professionalism and compassion of Dr. Eric Meyer’s dental team to see you safely through a tooth extraction. But having a tooth removed is a serious undertaking and we think it’s best for our patients to understand in what circumstances we would recommend it.

Modern dentistry provides all sorts of safe, aesthetically pleasing ways of fixing teeth that have been chipped, broken, infected, or eroded. But there still isn’t a good way to repair a tooth that has been cracked down the root. In these cases, we would discuss replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge. There are also cases of pulp infection in which it might be necessary to remove a tooth, although this would usually only be done after an unsuccessful root canal.

Most extractions are recommended for children and teenagers whose teeth are becoming overcrowded. Modern peoples’ jaws usually are not large enough to accommodate wisdom teeth, causing them to get stuck while erupting. It is also common for people to have a set of premolars removed before undergoing orthodontic treatment in order to allow the remaining teeth to be moved into a symmetrical arch. Baby teeth may also be removed if they do not fall out after the adult tooth has come in behind them.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit Fullerton Dental and fill out a contact sheet.