Understanding Cavities and How They Happen | Huntington Beach Dentist

man in pain with a toothache

Cavities are something a majority of us can expect to encounter at least once in our lifetimes. It’s important to understand the behaviors that can increase the likelihood you will get a cavity, and the different ways dentists go about treating simple and serious decay. Here are some things we think you should know about cavities so you can stop them before you need to treat them.

How They Happen


Acidic Foods– Citric acid contained in lemons, limes, and oranges also pops up as an ingredient in processed foods. Citric acid and others weaken teeth and put enamel in danger of erosion which in turn creates crevices for bacteria to stick and become a cavity. It would be difficult to avoid citric acid, so the best thing you can do is consume water throughout the day and keep the intake of acidic foods to a minimum.

Sugar– While sugar doesn’t cause cavities, like citric acid, it contributes to the likelihood you may develop one. Sugar is a harmful bacteria’s favorite food, so the longer sugar lingers on your teeth, the more likely that bacteria will begin to eat it. This weakens your enamel and creates opportunities for that harmful bacteria to hang around and cause a cavity.

Believe it or not, children are not more prone to develop cavities than adults, but there are factors that may put children and elderly individuals at more risk for tooth decay. Children tend to crave and eat sugary foods while doing a poor job brushing their teeth. The elderly tend to take medication that reduces the amount of saliva they produce thus reducing the neutralization properties of saliva. Drinking water throughout the day and regular dental visits can help both children and their grandparents to reduce the chances harmful bacteria may cause a cavity.

Treatment Options

If you wake up to a toothache or notice black spots on a tooth, you may have a cavity. Cavities are a common occurrence and dentists have several means of treating them. Treatment options vary depending on how advanced tooth decay has become.

Simple Decay- Fluoride treatments and fillings are viable treatment options if the cavity is in its early stages. Your dentist will apply a solution to the decaying tooth to kill harmful bacteria and place a filling where the cavity was to seal the area to prevent further decay. This is a fairly simple and painless method for cavity removal, as well as the most common treatment option.

Serious Decay- If the cavity has progressed beyond the ability of fluoride treatment to remove the bacteria, crowns, root canals and tooth extraction are a dentist’s next line of defense. Crowns are custom coverings for decaying teeth; typically made from porcelain, they work to strengthen your affected tooth once the bacteria have been removed. If the decay reaches the inner tooth or pulp, your dentist will remove the pulp, medicate it to clear any infection, and add a filling. Tooth extraction is a last resort option when the decayed tooth is beyond restoration. Your dentist may recommend a bridge or implant for the gap.

If you would like to find out more about tooth decay, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Rudy Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

IV Sedation and Sleep Dentistry | Huntington Beach Dentist

woman with dental anxiety

If you experience a physical reaction to the idea of certain stimuli being triggered by going to the dentist, you may have dental anxiety. Dental anxiety is common among kids and adults alike. Continue reading to learn if sleep dentistry through the use of IV Sedation may be right for you.

When dentists perform restorative procedures, there are typically a variety of sedation options available to the individual. The two main ones are nitrous oxide and intravenous (IV) sedation. The inhalation of nitrous allows a patient to relax, but IV sedation can guide the patient into a deeper relaxation and in some cases, lull them to sleep. This is what we refer to as sleep dentistry. It can greatly increase a patient’s experience at the dentist.

Utilizing IV sedation for sleep dentistry has the following benefits for many patients:

  • Administration of the drug is provided by a ___ and tailored to the patient’s needs
  • The results of IV sedation are reliable and the most effective means of sedation
  • If you are particularly sensitive to your gag reflex, IV sedation will relax the reaction, but your dentist may recommend nitrous oxide
  • In contrast to general anesthesia, IV sedation is safer and allows you to retain consciousness.
  • Due to the amount of control your practitioner has with the dosage of IV administered, your recovery time is shorter than with oral sedation.
  • Remaining consistent with your oral health in your daily life, as well as with regular check-ups, are the best way to avoid unfavorable experiences at the dentist. If you do enter into a restorative process, discuss your concerns with your dentist to see if IV sedation may be right for you.

If you would like to find out more about sleep dentistry or have questions about IV sedation, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Rudy Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

The Many Benefits of IV Sedation | Huntington Beach Dentist

When we need to have a dental procedure done, it never ceases to make us nervous. For some, it is such an issue that they suffer from dental anxiety, especially when it comes to surgery. But these days, there really isn’t anything to fear – the dental industry understands that patients are nervous and have developed IV sedation as an option prior to the procedure, so you can rest at ease. Not only will sedation help ease you enough to calm your nerves, but it will also help your dental professional get the work done with the least amount of resistance. Here are some reasons you may want to mention IV sedation during your next dental procedure:

  • IV sedation kicks in right when it’s first administered, and the drug dosage can be altered to fit each individual patient.
  • A safe level of deep sedation can be reached with IV sedation, as where oral sedation and inhalation sedation can be unpredictable. IV sedation is safe and effective.
  • Certain treatments can be performed at a fast pace and with fewer office visits with the help of IV sedation.
  • With IV sedation, your gag reflex is greatly diminished. If you are using IV sedation for gag reflex, then your dentist may try inhalation sedation first.
  • IV sedation allows patients to be conscious, while also relaxing them. This allows them to cooperate with the dentist instructions and be relaxed at the same time.
  • Recovery time is typically shorter with IV sedation. This is mostly because the drug dosage can be tailored.

As you can see, you don’t need to worry about that dental procedure you’ve been dreading. There’s no reason to let your dental anxiety or sensitive gag reflex keep you from visiting the dentist.

If you would like to find out more about IV sedation, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Rudy Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.

Relax During Your Dental Visits | Huntington Beach Dentist

In order to keep our smiles healthy and bright, we need to visit the dentist a couple times a year. Not only can they improve its appearance, but they can also detect if we are at risk for future issues. But what if sitting in the dentist’s chair is frightening to you? It can not only impair your mouth’s health, but it can also lead to future health risks. Unfortunately, this is an issue for many. Dental anxiety, or DA, is an actual diagnosis for this fear. But there is good news – the dental industry has been listening and have been busy making huge strides in order to calm those fears. It is what they call sedation dentistry.

To break it down simply, sedation dentistry your dentist’s way to relax you enough to handle the dental procedure and it’s done through the use of medication. There are various levels that you can be sedated, from minimal sedation to the completely unconscious general anesthesia to make you as comfortable as possible as they do their job and to make recovery time minimal.

If you aren’t in need of a lot to relax you, chances are you will be receiving nitrous oxide, or laughing gas through a mask, so zero pain is involved. If you need to be calmed with a bit more than a mask full of laughing gas, the next option would be an oral sedative. It is also possible to be sedated via an IV.

It is important to discuss all of your options with your dental professional before any procedure. Find out the risks and exactly how much experience your dental professional has had with your procedure.

If you would like to find out more about sedation dentistry, contact Dr. Gamarnik at 714-842-5626 to schedule a consultation or visit www.hbadvanceddentalspecialists.com for additional information.

Dr. Gamarnik proudly serves Huntington Beach and all surrounding areas.