Wine stained teeth?

You have all heard that red wine can stain your pearly whites, so the logic is that white wine would be much better right? MAYBE!

A study was done at my own alma mater, NYU College of Dentistry, in which two sets of cow teeth were each soaked in white wine and water for a period of one hour. The sets of teeth were then removed and soaked in black tea to study the staining effects after immersion in both liquids. The result was a noticeably darker stain on the teeth that were originally soaked in white wine versus the set that was soaked in water.

What does this tell us?

“Dipping teeth in white wine for one hour is similar to the effect of sipping the wine with dinner,” stated Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD, professor and chairman, who oversaw the study. “The acids in wine create rough spots and grooves that enable chemicals in other beverages that cause staining, such as coffee and tea, to penetrate deeper into the tooth.”

So all things equal, wine itself can cause changes in the tooth surface that would increase the likelihood of staining. Red wine, long known to stain teeth, contains a highly pigmented substance called "chromagen", thus adding to the staining effect.

So what to do?

Lucky for us, modern technology allows us options to cover up or reverse the staining process. Veneers and whitening is always an option, but daily maintenance with a whitening toothpaste should work just fine. So enjoy life a bit more and feel free to open up that $56,000 bottle of 1787 Chateau d'Yquem - we'll be here if you need to brighten your smile!

If you're interested in reading the full article, click here.

NEW LOCATION!

The Dental Design SD office is now open for business!  Much love to everyone for being patient while we settle into our new home, and for those of you who have already stopped by the office, we hope that you love the new location as much as we do!

We have lot of new toys to play with, and new toys means better care for your oral health!

We'll be updating the new website very soon, but in the meantime please visit www.dentaldesignsd.com for more information.

Our address is now...

Dr. Kathrina Agatep

9450 Scranton Road, #109

San Diego, CA 92121

(858) 490-4281

info@dentaldesignsd.com

Here's what our new storefront looks like!

See you soon!

Dr. A, Beth, Lindsey, Ashley, and Tracy

Wonderful words from Mr. Phil Blauer

Hi Everyone!  It's not often (read: never) that we get a local celebrity in our office, so needless to say I was thrilled and nervous at the same time to see Phil Blauer from CBS 8 in my office!  I'm always tuned into the local news, so I wanted to make sure I had my A-Game on, lest I be featured on one of Phil's undercover stories :)

Phil was nice enough to post a review on DoctorOogle that made the team smile from ear to ear, so I thought I would share this with everyone.  Phil - if you're reading this...THANK YOU!

Having been in TV News for 25 years, maintaining a great smile has always been a huge priority for me. It's especially important now because of High Definition, which is unforgiving.

If you're looking for a pain-free, extremely professional, reasonably priced and dedicated dental experience, look no further!!!! You must go to Dental Design Spa!!!!

Dr. Agatep and her team are simply #1 in San Diego!!!

Shamefully, it had been years since I received dental care..mainly because my last visit was so painful!

Not too long ago, we featured Dr. Agatep on News 8 speaking about oral cancer screening. I remembered her well...so I made an appointment..

Once I was there, I was greeted by warm, friendly smiles, laughter and given incredible dental care.

Lindsey G was a master at getting my full mouth x-rays, very educated and funny as well. Beth S, the dental concierge, effortlessly explained the payment process.. Great Job!

And Dr. A..so thorough, so gentle, so gifted at your craft.

An incredible sense of humor, too! I feel so blessed to have you as the guardian of my smile. I never knew there was so much to learn about my mouth! You have completely removed my dental fear! Thank You!

Phil Blauer

News 8 

How important is your oral health? Ask Whoopi!

Never do you hear celebrities discussing their oral health ailments. Maybe it's not as controversial or news worthy as other diseases - but the reality is that gum disease is real, extremely common, dangerous...but most of all - PREVENTABLE.

Your mouth is the gateway to your body, and good oral health means good overall health. So remember, a simple visit to your dentist can prevent a lifetime of future complications...

Whoopi said it best..."take care of your teeth!"

Click here to watch the video...

I came across this article today discussing Sleep Apnea and it's link to memory loss. Although we've known for quite a while that there are many disorders linked to Sleep Apnea, I find this extremely interesting as a a number of patients I am treating have noted "forgetfulness" as a recent event. I originally thought that it was a simple case of "lack of sleep = a tired mind", but I stand corrected!

If you have any questions about oral appliances to treat Sleep Apnea, call us for more information anytime!

Sleep Apnea Linked to Memory Loss

Study finds disorder shrinks brain cells much the way alcohol, Alzheimer's do

Posted June 11, 2008

WEDNESDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- People with sleep apnea show tissue loss in brain regions that help store memory, a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) study shows.

"Our findings demonstrate that impaired breathing during sleep can lead to serious brain injury that disrupts memory and thinking," principal investigator Ronald Harper, a professor of neurobiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said in a prepared statement.

People with sleep apnea stop breathing and awaken repeatedly during the night, leading to chronic daytime fatigue and memory and concentration problems. Research has linked sleep apnea to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes.

In this study, the UCLA team used MRI to scan the brains of sleep apnea patients. The researchers focused on brain structures called mammillary bodies, located on the underside of the brain.

The study found that the mammillary bodies of the 43 sleep apnea patients were almost 20 percent smaller than those in 66 people without sleep apnea. The results will be published in the June 27 issue of Neuroscience Letters.

Repeated drops in oxygen experienced by sleep apnea patients may lead to brain injury, Harper suggested. He noted that lack of oxygen during an apnea episode can cause brain cell death.

"The reduced size of the mammillary bodies suggests that they've suffered a harmful event resulting in sizable cell loss. The fact that patients' memory problems continue despite treatment for their sleep disorder implies a long-lasting brain injury," Harper said.

"The findings are important, because patients suffering from memory loss from other syndromes, such as alcoholism or Alzheimer's disease, also show shrunken mammillary bodies," lead author Rajesh Kumar, an assistant researcher in neurobiology, said in a prepared statement.

"Physicians treat memory loss in alcoholic patients with massive amounts of thiamine, or vitamin B1. We suspect that the dose helps dying cells to recover, enabling the brain to use them again," Kumar said.

He and Harper plan to study whether taking supplemental vitamin B1 can help restore memory in sleep apnea patients. The vitamin moves glucose into cells, which prevents their death from oxygen starvation.

For the full article, click here

Sonicare and E. Coli?

New University Study Shows E. Coli, Mold and High Amounts of Other Bacteria Growing in Electric Toothbrushes; In Some Cases, Over 100 Times More Bacteria than their Manual Counterparts

Some of you may have recently heard the buzz about this study, where a University of Arizona study compared the bacterial contamination of manual vs. electric toothbrushes. The result was that electric toothbrushes contained 100 times the amount of bacteria than that of their manual counterpart.

Does this mean you should throw out your beloved Sonicare???? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

First and foremost, E. Coli for the most part is harmless, and is a part of our normal bacterial flora. In fact, E. Coli normally colonizes an infants gastrointestinal tract within 40 hours of birth! However, through the natural biological process of mutation, some strains can evolve into the nasty pathogenic strains that we see plastered all over the news.

For those of you who own Sonicare's, I'm sure you have all looked under the head to see that nasty goop that often builds up over time. That...my friends, is the result of oral bacteria colonizing in the dark damp crevices of your toothbrush! Now, don't panic. This doesn't mean that you're going to die from E. Coli contamination - just follow a few simple procedures to make sure your brush head is always clean.

1.) If the underside of the head is really slimy and dirty - switch it out.

2.) After each use, simply unscrew the head and rinse it under clean running water for 10-20 seconds.

3.) Dip it in Listerine or any other antiseptic mouthwash.

4.) If you've got a steam or UV sterilizer...use it.

5.) Shake it dry.

That's it! HAPPY BRUSHING!

Bridal Bazaar

Come check us out at booth #404. Fun Giveaways, Raffle, Spinwheel, and much more!!

Great opportunity to take advantage of the SUMMER SPECIALS for

Invisalign, Zoom! Advanced Whitening, Cosmetic Smile Consultations!

San Diego's Biggest and Best

Date		Location
Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:00am ‑ 4:00pm		Bridal Bazaar San Diego Convention Center, Halls G&H 111 West Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA

Everything you need for your wedding is here!
At the Bridal Bazaar you'll always find more products, more services, and more choices than at any other bridal show. On July 20th you'll meet 250 of San Diego's most trusted wedding professionals ready to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. In one exciting day at the Bridal Bazaar you can...

• Explore dozens of ceremony and reception locations
• Meet photographers, DJs and videographers
• See the latest trends in florals and decor from San Diego's top designers
• Taste cake and catering options
• Talk with honeymoon, transportation and invitation specialists
• And much more!

San Diego's largest bridal fashion show!
You've seen the gowns in the magazines, now see them on the runway! The Bridal Bazaar presents San Diego's largest bridal fashion show featuring the latest fashions from the nation's leading designers.

Fashion shows start at 11:30am, 1:00pm, and 2:45pm and are included in your ticket price.

Voted San Diego's Best Bridal Show!
The Bridal Bazaar has been named San Diego's "Best Bridal Show" every year brides have voted on bridalinsider.com. In fact, more brides plan their weddings at the Bridal Bazaar than at any other local bridal show. Here's a sample of what brides have to say about the show:

"I was amazed at the wide variety and number of vendors. Everyone was friendly and very informative. They answered all my questions and were never pushy."

"I loved being able to talk with vendors in person. I had done lots of on-line research prior to the show so it was great to put faces with the websites I had viewed and to get a feel for what the vendor was really like."

"Everything I needed to plan my wedding was there under one roof."

Buy Your Tickets On-Line and Save!
Save time and money by buying your tickets in advance of the show. Purchase tickets on-line for just $7.50 each. That's 25% off the regular admission price of $10.00. www.bridalbazaar.com