May Is Save Your Tooth Month

A healthy, natural smile is worth saving! May is Save Your Tooth Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining strong teeth and how modern dentistry helps preserve them—even when decay or infection threatens their survival.

Daily Habits for Strong Teeth

The best way to save your teeth is to prevent problems before they start. Consistent oral hygiene keeps cavities, gum disease, and infections at bay. Make sure to:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss daily to remove plaque between teeth.
• Visit your Total Health Dentistry of Encino regularly for cleanings and exams.
• Avoid excessive sugar and acidic foods that erode enamel.

Dr. Comfortes Offers the Latest Innovations in Prevention

Dr. Comfortes believes that everyone deserves access to this level of care—not just patients seeking holistic or integrative dentistry. His passion for oral-systemic health is rooted in both professional experience and personal results, having used these tools to improve his own oral health.

At Total Health Dentistry of Encino, prevention is far more than routine cleanings and checkups. It’s about using the latest science and technology to preserve your natural teeth and protect your overall health. Dr. Isaac Comfortes offers cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment tools that are transforming how we detect, manage, and prevent periodontal disease and its impact on the entire body.

One of the most impactful innovations in preventive care is Oral DNA saliva testing. This simple, non-invasive test identifies the presence and levels of harmful bacteria in your mouth that contribute to gum disease—and more importantly, systemic inflammation throughout the body. With strong links between oral pathogens and conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s, understanding your unique bacterial profile gives you and Dr. Comfortes the information needed to take targeted, proactive steps.

The benefits are profound: Using lab reports from OralDNA Labs, Dr. Comfortes can customize a treatment plan tailored to your individual risk. This may include bacteria-specific antibiotics, lifestyle recommendations, enhanced hygiene protocols, or medical referrals. For patients with a genetic predisposition to periodontal disease, saliva testing can also reveal whether you require more frequent dental care to stay ahead of inflammation even if your home hygiene is excellent.

Another breakthrough in prevention offered at our practice is the Perio Protect™ system. This FDA-approved treatment utilizes custom-fitted Perio Trays® to deliver medication deep below the gumline, right where bacteria hide. When used daily, the trays help stop infection at its source, reducing inflammation, promoting healing, and preventing the need for more invasive procedures. Many patients find the Perio Trays simple to use and highly effective for managing chronic or advanced gum issues and tooth decay.

Together, Oral DNA testing and Perio Protect therapy represent a new frontier in dentistry: one where prevention is precise, personalized, and powerfully linked to your long-term health. These tools enable Dr. Comfortes and his team to detect disease earlier, intervene more effectively, and create a healthy foundation for any future dental work whether that’s restorative or cosmetic.

If you’re ready to take prevention to the next level and protect both your smile and your overall well-being, ask us about Oral DNA testing and Perio Protect at your next visit. It’s never been easier to be proactive about your oral and systemic health.

When Prevention Isn’t Enough, Early Treatment Matters

While advanced prevention tools like Oral DNA testing and Perio Protect™ can dramatically reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth decay, no system is foolproof. Life happens—maybe you missed a few flossing sessions, or a hidden area of decay progressed faster than expected. That’s why your regular checkups remain essential. When we catch a small cavity or early-stage gum inflammation, Dr. Comfortes can act quickly with conservative treatments like fillings to stop damage in its tracks and preserve your natural tooth. Prevention is powerful, but so is timely intervention.

Why You Might Need a Filling

When you eat, bacteria feed on starches in your food, producing acid that weakens tooth enamel. Once bacteria break through the enamel, cavities begin to form. If left untreated, a cavity can expand, leading to infection and damage to nearby teeth and gums.

A filling restores a damaged tooth and prevents further decay. During the procedure:

• All bacteria and compromised tooth structure are removed.
• The filling material strengthens the tooth and seals it from further infection.
• The tooth is polished for a natural and smooth finish.

Early diagnosis makes a difference! If decay is caught in the early stages, a small composite filling may be all that’s needed. However, delaying treatment may require a larger filling, inlay, onlay, or crown. Routine dental visits every six months allow us to identify cavities early, helping to minimize the amount of dentistry needed over a lifetime.

What to Expect When You Receive a Filling

Fillings are typically completed in a single visit. First, the tooth is numbed to ensure a comfortable experience. If you have dental anxiety, NuCalm™ is available as a natural relaxation option. Once the decayed portion is removed, a bonding solution is applied, and the filling material is placed. For composite fillings, a curing light hardens the material before shaping and polishing the tooth for a seamless fit.

When Decay Strikes, Root Canal Therapy Saves Teeth

Even with the best care, teeth can still suffer from deep cavities, fractures, or infections. In these cases, root canal therapy can rescue a compromised tooth from extraction. Here’s how:

• The infected pulp inside the tooth is removed.
• The canal is disinfected and sealed to prevent further infection.
• The tooth is restored with a custom crown for long-term strength.

Root canals have come a long way, so don’t be worried. Modern techniques make them efficient and comfortable.

Sometimes a Dental Crown Needs Replacement

Gum health, bite alignment, teeth grinding (bruxism), and general wear and tear all play a role in the longevity of a dental crown. If the gum tissue around a crown recedes, it can expose the tooth root, creating an unappealing dark line and making the tooth more vulnerable to plaque buildup, decay, and infection. Additionally, if your upper and lower teeth don’t align properly (malocclusion) or if you grind your teeth at night, excessive pressure can cause premature wear or damage to the crown. Even if you’ve had a root canal on a crowned tooth, decay can still develop beneath the crown, weakening the remaining tooth structure. Diet, oral hygiene habits, and the material of the crown also impact how long it lasts.

During routine exams or if you schedule an appointment for immediate concerns, Dr. Comfortes will assess your crown’s condition, checking for signs of gum recession, wear, or underlying decay. If he detects issues, he may recommend a replacement crown to restore both function and aesthetics. In cases of excessive wear due to bite misalignment or bruxism, he may also suggest additional treatments, such as adjusting the biting surfaces of your teeth, orthodontic realignment, or a custom acrylic bite splint to protect your teeth at night. This splint helps relax jaw muscles, reducing excessive force on the crown and preventing further damage.

Why Saving Your Natural Tooth Matters

Choosing to save your tooth instead of extracting it helps:

• Maintain your natural bite and chewing ability.
• Prevent neighboring teeth from shifting.
• Preserve jawbone density.
• Avoid the need for costly replacements.
• Keep a foundation on which your dentist can most conservatively improve your health, function, comfort, and beauty.

Your Smile Deserves the Best Care

This Save Your Tooth Month, let’s celebrate the power of prevention and advanced dental treatments that keep smiles healthy for a lifetime. At Total Health Dentistry of Encino, we offer advanced oral health diagnostics and treatments, including Oral DNA Salvia Testing and Perio Protect™, Smile Makeovers for a Longevity Smile, and Full Mouth Rehabilitation. 

If you’re experiencing tooth pain, don’t wait! Early intervention can mean the difference between saving a tooth and losing it. Schedule your next check-up today!