There is a joint on each side of the head in front of the ears which connects lower jaw bones to skull. They are called temporomandibular joints (TMJ). These joints allow you to yawn, talk and chew. TMJ disorders cause pain, tenderness and discomfort in these joints. About 10 million people have TMJ disorders in United States and women are more likely to be affected by them then men. At United Dental Care we recommend self-managed care and non-surgical treatments for mild cases of these disorders, but in severe cases dental or surgical interventions might be needed. We offer these surgeries at Culver City Dentist and our other dental offices (Beverly Hills Dentist, Westwood Dentist, Los Angeles Dentist, ...) as well.
Pain and tenderness in jaws and around the ears, discomfort when chewing, headaches, painful clicking of the jaw, locking of the joints that makes it difficult to open or close the mouth and uneven bite are symptoms of TMJ. You may hear a clicking sound or have a grinding sensation when you open or close your mouth, but as long as there is no pain or limitation of movement you don't have a TMJ disorder.
Trauma to the jaw can be one cause of TMJ disorders, but in many cases the source of the problem is not clear. Some experts say that anxiety, stress or Rheumatoid arthritis can cause TMJ disorders. Tooth grinding, jaw clenching, fibromyalgia and congenital deformity of the facial bones have also been associated with TMJ disorders.
There are no specific tests for diagnosing them. At Culver City Dentist we check muscles and joints for tenderness, clicking or popping and difficulty in opening and closing the mouth. We may also take x-rays or a mold of your teeth to see how they fit together. As sinus problems and earaches can cause facial pain as well, we need to make sure the cause of your jaw problems is correctly diagnosed. Our dentists will look for high fillings, a tipped or cracked tooth and signs of wear that indicate tooth grinding to make sure the problem is not caused by a dental issue.
If the problem is persistent, we start by recommending you to reduce your stress, avoid chewing gums, use bite guards to reduce the wear caused by tooth grinding and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. If the symptoms persist, we recommend corrective dental treatments and surgeries.  

Xerostomia or dry mouth condition can be really annoying. It is caused by lack of saliva in the mouth which can be a side effect of some health conditions or medications. Saliva washes away food particles and plaque, limits bacterial growth in the mouth and reduces the chance of tooth decays. Therefore, lack of it in the mouth can be a danger to the health of your teeth.
Dryness in the mouth, thick and stringy saliva, bad breath, cracked lips, split skin at the corners of the mouth, sore throat, difficulty speaking or swallowing, fungal infection in the mouth, an altered sense of taste or an increase in tooth decay, gum disease and plaque can all be symptoms of Xerostomia.
Medications, tobacco, nerve damage, cancer therapy or simply aging are causes of dry mouth condition. Drugs used for treating depression and anxiety, decongestants, anti-diarrhea medications, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, high blood pressure medications, drugs used for treating urinary incontinence and Parkinson's disease medications are some of the drugs that can cause Xerostomia. Smoking or chewing tobacco can also increase the symptoms of dry mouth condition. Nerve damage in head and neck caused by an injury or during a surgery can be reasons for having a dry mouth too. Radiation treatments to head and neck as well as chemotherapy drugs can change the nature of saliva. Aging on its own is not a reason for Xerostomia, but as we get older we are more likely to have health conditions and take medications that affect saliva.
Drinking water and chewing gum (preferably sugar-free) can help you increase your saliva. Caffeine and acidic or sugary foods make your mouth drier, so avoid them as much as you can. Brushing with fluoride toothpastes, using fluoride rinses and adding moisture to the air especially at night can help. You can ask from one of the dentists at Culver City Dentist or our other dental offices if prescription fluoride toothpastes are beneficial to you. In case your dry mouth condition is a side effect of the medication you are taking, your doctor can adjust the dosage or in some cases change your medication. Sometimes medications can be prescribed to cure Xerostomia. 

Most people are not even aware of their bad breath condition, at least until someone tells them about it. Bad breath or Halitosis can be caused by certain foods, tobacco products or a medical condition such as Xerostomia (dry mouth condition).

When some foods such as garlic, onion, cheese, meat products and dairy products (generally high protein products), and drinks such as sodas and orange juice are absorbed into blood stream, they are transferred to lungs and expelled. Brushing and flossing is not of much help in this case and the odor continues until these foods are eliminated by the body.
Also when foods remain in mouth, between teeth, on the tongue or around the gums they can rot and be a cause of bad breath. That is why brushing and flossing several times a day is highly recommended by family dentists and kids dentists at Culver City Dentist.
Xerostomia or dry mouth condition can be caused by some medications, continuously breathing through the mouth or in some cases a problem with salivary gland. In any case the flow of saliva, which is essential for cleaning the mouth and removing food particles in the mouth decreases. Family dentists at Los Angeles Dentist suggest increasing your fluid intake or using sugarless candies and in some cases prescribe artificial saliva to cure dry mouth condition.

Chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, an infection in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal disturbance and even liver or kidney ailment are some medical conditions that can be causes of Halitosis.
In most cases bad breath is caused by oral bacteria. Sulfur compounds, which have bad odor, are part of wastes of these bacteria and even a very thin layer of plaque provides an ideal environment for the bacteria to live and grow.   

Maintaining oral and dental health is very important in controlling Halitosis. Schedule regular checkups and cleanings with a dentist at our dental office in West Los Angeles to prevent any dental and gum diseases. Brush at least twice and floss at least once a day.

Not all toothaches can indicate a problem with teeth or gum. Sometimes toothaches are caused by sinus infection, especially if the pain is in the upper teeth in the mouth. We have a sinus, called the maxillary sinus, on each side of the nose. Maxillary sinuses are the ones that most commonly become infected as they are prominently exposed to the environment and because their mucus has to move upward to drain into the nasal cavity, so they usually don't drain while you are standing, and that makes them prone to infections. Once a sinus gets infected, it fills up with fluid and gets inflamed. As the roots of the upper teeth end in these two sinuses, patients feel the pain in their upper back teeth and often complain about a metallic taste in their mouth.
When pain is caused by a problem in the teeth, only one of teeth aches and the dentist can pinpoint it by gently tapping on the teeth in that area and finding the tooth that causes you more pain. If the pain is caused by sinus infection, usually all the teeth in that area ache and you won't be able to indicated a single source of pain.

Sinus infection is a source of concern at Culver City Dentist. Continuous nasal and sinus infection can lead to poor dental development and can make performing orthodontic treatments very difficult. If your symptoms persist, consult with one of our dentists at Los Angeles Dentist or West Los Angeles Dentist.
If nose is blocked, the passage from the sinus to nose in blocked and fluid can accumulate in the sinuses, making them ideal environments for bacteria to live and grew, therefore causing sinus infection. Taking hot showers and generally increasing the moist in the air you breathe in can open the blockage in the nose and help with sinus infection. If the symptoms persist, or if your sinuses get infected more than three times a year, you need to consult with a doctor to find alternative solutions for your condition.

Baby teeth usually become loose and fall out at the age 6-7 to make room for the permanent teeth. In some kids it might happen as soon as age 4 or sometimes it can be as late as age 8. You may want to consult with a kid's dentist if your kid has not lost any teeth by age 7. On the other hand, permanent teeth that erupt late are usually stronger as they had stayed longer in the jaw and are more resistant to cavities. Generally girls lose their baby teeth earlier than boys, but for all the kids it should be over by age 12 or 13. Baby teeth are usually lost in the same order they had erupted; first the two bottom front teeth followed by the two top front teeth, lateral incisors, first molars, canines and finally second molars.
Baby teeth are lost as the roots dissolve and clear the way for the permanent teeth. They usually fall out on their own. When the tooth is quite loose but is still hanging, you or your kid can use a tissue and slowly rotate the tooth until it comes out. If the root is completely dissolved, it should come out easily and there is no need to visit a children's dentist. If there is still some root left, don't force the tooth out, the root might break and become infected.
The newly erupted teeth may look bigger than they should, but will become less noticeable as your kid grows. If you think that the teeth are becoming crowded and are erupting too close to each other, consult with a kid's dentist. If your kid needs orthodontic treatment, it's better to start it as soon as possible.  Sometimes permanent teeth erupt before the baby teeth are gone. In that case two rows of teeth are developed (shark's teeth). The baby teeth are pushed by the permanent teeth and usually fall out in a couple of weeks. If they last more than three months, then it's time to consult with a children's dentist. It's better to have your kid's teeth regularly checked by a kid's dentist to make sure everything is in correct order.

Grinding, gnashing or clenching teeth is known as Bruxism or teeth grinding. You may unconsciously clench or grind your teeth during the day or night (Sleep Bruxism). Usually Bruxism is mild and doesn't even need treatment. When it is frequent and severe it can cause jaw disorders, damaged teeth, headaches or other chronic facial pains. If you have sleep Bruxism, you probably are not even aware of it. If your teeth are worn down, chipped, flattened or fractured, are more sensitive or your enamels are worn and deeper layers of your teeth are showing you might want to call your dental office and get an appointment. Jaw pain or tightness in jaw muscles, enlarged jaw muscles, earache which is not due to a problem with your ear, chewed tissue inside your cheek or indentations on your tongue are other symptoms of teeth grinding.
It's not clear what causes teeth grinding. Stress, anxiety, suppressed anger or frustration, side effects of some medications and some disease are said to cause Bruxism. Abnormal alignment of lower and upper teeth can also cause teeth grinding. In children response to pain from teething or earache and growth of jaws and teeth are known to be causes of teeth grinding, but it will usually go away as they grow. Just consult with a dentist to make sure your teeth are not getting damaged.

In case teeth grinding is severe, the cause of it should be determined first. If it is because of dental problems, correcting misaligned teeth could be the first step. As a dentist, I suggest using mouth guards or other protective dental appliances such as splints during the night. They don't prevent teeth grinding but at least protect the teeth and minimalize the damage. Splints fit over upper and lower teeth and are made of hard acrylic. Mouth guards are available over-the-counter, but usually don't fit properly and move around in the mouth. I prefer to make custom mouth guards for my patients to make sure it exactly fits their mouth. As a dentist I advise night guards that fit over all your lower and upper teeth.

As a kids dentist I do not recommend any treatment for the children's grinding. This is due to dynamic growth and reshaping of the teeth and jaws of the children.
However, I have a very innovative and proven 80 % to prevent grinding and this treatment called NTI (Tension Suppression System). This treatment system has been effective for most migraine headaches too.  Mostly, eliminates grinding habits as well completely.  That's why I suggest it as a kids dentist to use it to prevent damage to teeth if you have teeth grinding problem. 

Tooth cavities in very young kids is one of my biggest concerns as a kids dentist these days. It seems that many kids start to have cavities in their baby teeth between age 2 and 5. Cavities are decayed parts of the teeth that turn into holes or openings in the teeth. A combination of factors cause tooth decays. Some of them are snacking frequently, consuming sugary drinks and of course, not cleaning your teeth properly. Also foods that stay on the teeth for a long time, like raisins, dried fruit, milk, ice cream, honey, sugar, cake, cookies, hard candy, cereal, chips and soda can cause cavities. Milk, juice, formula or other sugar-containing drinks stay on teeth for a long time and cause erosion which eventually leads to cavities (that's where baby bottle tooth decay comes from). That is the obvious reason why kids dentists observe so many tooth cavities and decays in kids. Snacking is quite a habit for kids, they love sugary drinks and sweet foods and they are not that obsessive with brushing and taking care of their teeth.

If your kid complains about tooth ache, tooth sensitivity, pain when drinking or eating hot, cold or sweet things, pain when biting down or if you can see holes or pits in their teeth or pus around them, it could be a sign of cavities and you need to consult with a kids dentist. The process of decaying is reversible before a cavity completely forms, but once it's complete the lost structure in the tooth cannot be regenerated. If the childrens dentist detects the cavity in its early stages the tooth can be saved. There are ways to repair a tooth. Composite fillings, also called white fillings, is a treatment I perform practically every day as a childrens dentist at our dental office, United Dental Care. They are the same color as natural tooth and are mostly used on the teeth that are easily seen in the mouth. Although they are quite durable, they don't last forever and eventually have to be replaced. Nothing can replace a natural tooth. 

Oral thrush happens when a kind of fungus (Candida albicans) accumulates on the lining of the mouth. It causes creamy white lesions on tongue or inner cheeks that can be painful and bleed when being scraped. These lesions can spread to the roof of the mouth, gums, or even back of the throat. Cottage cheese-like lesions, cracking at the corners of the mouth, cottony feeling in the mouth, pain and loss of taste are other symptoms of oral thrush. Although it occurs in people who wear dentures as well, kids dentists report Oral thrush in babies more than any other group. Oral thrush usually happens in people with weakened immune system caused by diseases or some drugs and in people whose natural balance of microorganisms is disturbed by antibiotics. People who have HIV/AIDS, cancer or diabetes are more susceptible to oral thrush because of their weakened immune system and in case of uncontrolled diabetes, because of the excess amount of sugar in their saliva. Oral thrush has been seen in people who smoke and people who have dry mouth conditions as well. Candida fungus naturally exists in healthy people. If the immune system is weakened, these bacteria overgrow and cause infection. Kids dentist report oral thrush in a large group of infants, probably because their immune system is not fully developed yet. If you have oral thrush and it's because of wearing dentures, consult with your dentist. Remember to remove your dentures and thoroughly clean them at bed time. Your dentist might recommend an antimicrobial mouth rinse to use as disinfectant for your dentures. As a kids dentist and family dentist, I recommend practicing proper oral hygiene as the best prevention for oral thrush and other oral diseases. Regular dental visits are also very important, especially if you wear dentures. Dentures need to be adjusted every once in a while and your dentist can check for signs of fungus infection. Based on your age and severity of your symptoms your dentist will suggest a specific course of dental treatment to cure oral thrush.  

As a children dentist, I have come across a lot of young patients with gum diseases. I had this patient last week who had generalized aggressive periodontist. It's a gum disease that usually starts around puberty and affects the entire mouth. His gums were inflamed and there were heavy accumulation of calculus and plaque. I referred him to our periodontist in the office to start treatment immediately. Scaling and root planing was performed to remove the tartar on the teeth and rough spots on the root to clean up where the germs and bacteria gather. His gum disease was not advanced and he didn't need flap surgery. He had not taken the signs seriously- he said it was just slight bleeding while brushing in the beginning- but when his gums became swollen, his bad breath would not go away with brushing and flossing, and he noticed a couple of roots showing, he decided to get it checked just in case. He was lucky as he had come in just in time. If he had ignored the symptoms for a while longer, he would have lost his teeth. These diseases are aggressive and affect all teeth and gum in just a short period of time. Early treatment is essential to save the teeth and gum from periodontal diseases. I advice all parents to take their kids for regular checkups with children dentist to detect any early sign of periodontal diseases and start the treatment in early stages.
Despite the common belief, periodontal diseases or gum diseases are not just for adults, kids and teenagers are prone to them as well. These diseases can be passed through saliva from one person to the other, and that's why gum diseases usually run in the family. Hormonal changes can make gums more sensitive and therefore more prone to diseases. Some illnesses, such as diabetes and heart diseases, medications and some genetic factors can cause periodontal disease as well. Smoking and stress are other risk factors. 

It's important to have nice, bright colored teeth. With healthy white teeth, people feel less self-conscious and smile more often. The appearance of facial wrinkles is minimized and the face looks more youthful with whiter teeth. Orthodontic treatments can regulate the jaw alignment and enhance the way teeth look, but in order to have whiter teeth, whitening or bleaching procedures should be performed on the teeth.

Naturally teeth darken over time and as we age. Consuming coffee, tea, cigarettes and cola soft drinks can contribute to discoloration of them, too. Some medications and post orthodontic treatments can cause tooth discoloration. Some people naturally have brighter or thicker enamel than the others, so genetics is another contributor. Excessive fluoride, usually in water or some mouth rinses and tooth pastes, is another reason for discoloration of the teeth. Tooth whitening, which is actually a cosmetic dental treatment, is very popular among the patients for restoring the natural color of the teeth and enhancing the smile. Professional teeth whitening done in a dental office is another treatment that can be used for the same purpose. In office teeth whitening only the color of the teeth is lightened. In teeth whitening the brown and yellow stains on the teeth are removed and quite a number of techniques can be used to do so. The new advanced technologies used in this field are very effective, faster and more comfortable.

When our patients come in for whitening, it's interesting to observe their feelings and facial expressions before and after the procedure. They are usually self-conscious and shy when they ask for whitening, and are somehow embarrassed by how their teeth look. Sometimes they even try to explain why they need to get their teeth whitened. After the procedure, when they look in the mirror to see their just whitened teeth, I feel refreshed by the expression on their face and their new beautiful smile. They always smile when they walk out of the office.