Okay, let me start by asking, how do you start your day?

I know most of you will say by drinking a warm cup of coffee, sure nothing beats caffeine to kick-start your day. In The United States alone, around 100 million people drink coffee every day.

Here are some interesting facts you might want to know about coffee:

• DECAF coffee is never a decaf. Researcher says that if you drink 5 cups of decaf coffee you will get the same caffeine jolt as 1 cup of normal coffee.
• Compare to fruits and vegetables, coffee does not have much anti-oxidant than most people thought but coffee is the most popular source of it.
• The coffee first came from Africa and 40% of the world’s coffee is produced in Columbia and Brazil.
• Instant coffee has less caffeine.
• Experts suggest not more than 3 cups of coffee a day to avoid health risk. Moderation is the key.
• The best way to protect your teeth from the acid in coffee is to rinse your mouth with water and wait half an hour to brush.
• Caffeine may help prevent gallstone disease and lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

But do you know the harmful effect of coffee on your teeth?

Yes to all coffee lovers you heard it, coffee can have some negative effects on your teeth that are very important to point out. Coffee is quite acidic, and all acids tend to wear out the enamel in your teeth. Over time, this can affect not only the appearance of your teeth but also cause decay and sensitivity.

As well, coffee stains the teeth. The enamel in your teeth is porous in nature, so coffee can get in there quite easily and stain or yellow your teeth.

How to avoid the harmful effect of coffee?

Of course, if you cannot avoid drinking coffee. Here are things you can do at least to minimize the harm it causes to your teeth.

• All things in moderation are okay. The first thing you can do is to reduce the amount of coffee you drink daily or over any given time period.
• Another solution is to rinse your teeth and wash them right after drinking coffee.
• Lastly, you can avoid direct contact between your teeth and the coffee. For example: drinking through a straw

I hope this will be helpful for all you coffee lovers out there. For more information about dental health feel free to contact us.

Dr. Rabih Abi Nader

We all have eating habits that we cannot easily avoid, like eating and drinking carbonated, sugary and acidic drinks. Sure, we all know the harmful effect of consuming these beverages does to our body but we neglect to pay attention to the damage it causes to our teeth.

Enamel is the hard, outer layer covering the teeth which is considered as the hardest tissue in the body. It helps protect your teeth from biting, chewing, grinding and gives the nice white shiny color.

Acid Erosion is the wearing down of the enamel.

Signs of enamel loss varies depending on the sensitivity, dull or discoloration and yellowing of the teeth. As enamel worn away the dentine layer is more exposed making the teeth lose their shine, becomes yellowish, more sensitive and the incisal edge of the front teeth becomes gray and transparent.

• Here is the list of food and drinks you might want to watch out to prevent acid erosion:
• Fruit juices – lemons, oranges, strawberries and grapefruits.
• Diet (high in sugar and starches)
• Carbonated drinks – soft drinks or carbonated water.
• Acid reflux disease (GERD)
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Frequent vomiting from bulimia and alcoholism
• Dry mouth or low salivary flow (xerostomia)
• Medications (aspirin, antihistamines and some vitamins)

Unfortunately, once enamel is lost it cannot be replaced, it is important to know how to prevent and protect your teeth from acid erosion.

So, how do we avoid teeth erosion? 

Drink lots of water. Hydrate yourself upon consuming acidic food and drinks, that way the concentration of the acidity level will be reduced.

• If you’re eating something acidic, have cheese, milk, or another non-acidic food or drink with it.
• Use straws when drinking carbonated drinks.
• Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking acidic food and drinks, brush at least after 2 hours from consumption.
• Use soft bristle tooth brush and floss regularly.
• Make sure to visit your dentist regularly, schedule an appointment now with Dr. Rabih Abi Nader if you experience one of these signs and symptoms.

Healthy teeth have a vital role in every individual’s life. Strong and healthy teeth can help you consume your meals without pain and maintain your mouth’s functionality and comfort. If you take good care of your teeth, they bring many positive changes to your life. In addition to that, they transform the visual appearance of the person. The missing tooth creates space in your mouth that affects the way you look, for these teeth need attention regularly.

Most people consider poor oral health as a turn off factor in their personality and overall appearance. It is vital to understand what changes dental problems bring in our lives and how to cope with them. Poor dental health leads to severe problems and disease if left untreated for a long time and leads to having. Moreover, the person starts to lose confidence as he has to hide his teeth everywhere, which will negatively influence social life. Proper oral care is the combination of daily maintenance and regular checkup to the professionals. Sometimes due to some accident or any unforeseen situation, the replacement of tooth or few teeth becomes inevitable, and then the dental implants come in handy.

The latest dental implants that are being used today are considered the closest to natural and healthy teeth. The dental implants in Dubai are considered the most appropriate and suitable replacement for your artificial tooth roots. If this procedure is performed by a certified professional, it is considered one of the safest and healthy dentistry processes.

Before the implant, there is a need to assess the particular patient to check whether it is appropriate to perform a procedure or not. So every individual needs to be assessed differently by their implantologist in Dubai. In the first meeting, the oral surgeon will examine the teeth’ condition and suggest custom-made solutions. The process has been modified so the patient will feel very much relaxed and content.

The dental implants Dubai procedure will proceed only when the person is satisfied and mentally prepared for the implant. All the dental implants in Dubai are performed with the latest technology and contemporary instruments that give you healthy teeth. The hundreds of patients have already been treated and helped out by the certified implantologist in Dubai with vast experience and expertise in oral care and dental implants.

In this era where everything has got so expensive and became out of reach, you will not believe the prices of dental implants in Dubai. The whole procedure has been made budget-friendly that anyone who wishes to have dental implants in Dubai can avail of it without any hassle.

So make an appointment for you today with the certified Implantologist in Dubai to get started. Dental implants Dubai have gained the reputation of best in Dentistry due to their results so far. Most of the queries get answered when you consult with the professionals. So what are you waiting for?

Every individual wishes to have a smile that everyone adores. Some may have that particular God gifted charisma, and some don’t. But instead of living a life of despair and getting jealous of others’ smile, you can do something for yours. All you need to find is the right oral surgeon that can bring a smile to your face.

WHY MY DENTIST IS USING DENTAL LOUPES?
You may think that most of the dentists who are using magnifying eyeglasses has poor eyesight or vision impairment.
There’s no need to worry because those glasses are called loupes, a medical tool actually intended to magnify treatment site, which gives dentist more detailed view to properly conduct dental procedures.

Why using loupes are important?
Using loupes makes assessment and diagnosis of oral problems easier as well in treatments and surgeries, it plays a vital role in the overall success of the procedures.
As an Oral Surgeon and Implantologist, working under magnification provides me precision and accuracy in performing dental treatments and oral surgeries.
Apart from the better improvement of vision, dental loupes helps dentist to obtain physiologic posture while working and thereby minimizing risk of slouching which dentist are well known to develop.

Should Dentists consider using loupes in daily dental practice?
Absolutely yes, clinical examination using loupes can be an advantage; it decreases the risk of wrong diagnosis. Magnification helps dentists to practice more safely and with superior standards.
I highly recommend the use of loupes, clinicians should consider adopting this concept and continue to challenge themselves more.
In my line of work, I constantly challenge myself not just in providing quality service for my patients but for personal excellence as well.

WHY IS MY DENTIST RECOMMENDING A CERAMIC INLAY / ONLAY?

Having dental decay is a common oral problem that could be easily fixed with a composite filling. However, in restorative dentistry, there are better alternative treatment approaches that your dentist could recommend though they are a bit more costly they give you far more efficient and quality treatments.

WHAT IS CERAMIC INLAY / ONLAY?

When composite filling is inadequate and impractical, your doctor may recommend a ceramic inlay to restore the broken or damaged tooth.

Inlays and onlays are used when old failing fillings need to be removed or replaced. The material used can be metal or composite however ceramic is a better option because it is more stable, durable and matches the color of the teeth.

CREATING INLAYS / ONLAYS

An inlay / onlay treatment requires two visits to the dental clinic. On the first visit, the tooth is cleaned by removing all of the decay or old filling. Then a conventional or digital impression will be taken and sent to the dental laboratory, you will then be fitted with a temporary filling. On your second visit, the temporary filling will be removed and the inlay / onlay is cemented.

Inlays and onlays could be done as well in one visit if they are milled on the same day of the treatment in the clinic.

ADVANTAGES OF AN INLAY/ ONLAY TO A FILLING

Although fillings are the most immediate treatment option for dental decay and are less costly, filling paste tends to shrink a little in volume upon hardening which may lead to marginal gaps, failures and tooth sensitivity. On the other hand, inlay / onlay restoration margin is finished and polished in a very fine line of contact which minimizes recurrent decay.

Inlays and onlay are more beneficial than a fillings in several ways:

• Last longer than a filling
• Their stability and durability are superior in terms of resistance in occlusal forces.
• Precision of fabrication and marginal integrity
• Prevents further damage of the tooth by strengthening its structure
• Custom made depending upon the case of the patient
• Matches the color of your other teeth, thus resulting a seamless finish
• Aesthetically can help improve confidence by restoring your smile to a beautifully flawless appearance.

Dental problems vary per person, the only difference is how we choose to deal with the problem individually. The used of inlay / onlay treatment is far more beneficial and it prolongs tooth life which prevents the need for more dental treatments in the future.

Before, during and after pregnancy, your body undergoes hormonal changes that could affect not just your body but that or your child as well. Poor oral health increases the risk of developing gum diseases, which can affect the health and development of your baby.

It’s important for you to take good care of your teeth and gums while pregnant.

Here are advices to help you keep good oral health before, during and after pregnancy.

BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE

Plan a dental visit before getting pregnant. That way, your dentist can advise you how to take care of your oral health in preparation for pregnancy and afterwards. All oral health problems can be treated in advance.

WHILE YOU’RE PREGNANT

• Advise your dentist if you are pregnant. Routine dental care can be done any time during pregnancy. However, before your dental appointment, check with your obstetrician to see if he / she has any special precautions / instructions for you.
• Yes! Dental X-rays can be done during pregnancy. This is one of the main concerns of pregnant women. Your dentist will take the necessary precautions for the diagnostic procedure.
• Tell your dentist that you’re taking medication. Your dentist may need to modify your dental treatment plan based on this information.
• Don’t skip your dental checkup appointment just because you are pregnant. Now more than any other time, regular periodontal (gum) exams are very important, because pregnancy causes hormonal changes that put you at increased risk for gum diseases such as:
  Pregnancy gingivitis – This is caused by hormonal changes that increase the blood flow to the gum tissue and cause your gums to be more sensitive, irritable, and swollen. These hormonal changes also hinder the body’s normal response to bacteria which can cause periodontal infections making easier for plaque to build up on your teeth and susceptible to gingivitis.
  Pregnancy epulis – Some pregnant women will develop a localized swelling on the gum, known as a pregnancy epulis, occurs in the second or third trimester month of the pregnancy. A pregnancy epulis is a benign tumor in the gums that is not have malignant (cancerous).
• Maintain good oral hygiene practices to prevent oral health problems.

AFTER PREGNANCY
Whether or not you experienced oral problems during your pregnancy be sure to visit your dentist, Dr. Rabih Abi Nader, after delivery to have oral examination and periodontal health evaluation.