Dr. Dezham
Dr. Dezham is inspired by the desire to help you achieve optimal health and provide you with the absolute best that dentistry has to offer.
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3009 K street
suite 255
Sacramento, CA 95816
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Archive:
- 2019
- October (6)
- You May Need an Endodontist for a Tooth With Interior Decay
- Tooth Sensitivity Could Be a Sign of Deeper Problems
- Hugh Jackman Is All Smiles for His New Broadway-Inspired Show
- 3 Reasons to See a Pediatric Dentist
- The Triple Partnership That Could Save a Cancer Patient's Oral Health
- 3 Reasons Why Correcting a Poor Bite Is Worthwhile at Any Age
- August (6)
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Improve Your Bone Health
- Put the Extra Effort in Your Oral Hygiene While Wearing Braces
- Lingual Braces: An Invisible Way to Move Your Teeth
- Janet Jackson: Even pop stars get insecure about their smiles!
- Oral Hygiene Might Be on the Decline With the Newest Adult Generation
- Don't Let Summer Heat Increase Your Risk of Dental Disease
- July (6)
- Jaw Joint Disorders may be Connected to Other Health Problems
- Fan of Superhero Film Black Panther Breaks Steel Wire...with Her Mouth!
- Diabetes Doesn't Have to Stop You From Getting an Implant - if it's Under Control
- How Early Dental Visits Can Improve Your Child's Oral Health
- Floss First or Last? Here are Reasons for Either Approach
- Pop Star Demi Lovato Pops Out Jay Glazer's Tooth
- June (6)
- Getting a New 'Tooth in a Day' Will Depend on Your Bone Health
- Primary Teeth are Critical to Future Dental Health and Worth Preserving
- Be on the Alert for White Spots on Teeth While Wearing Braces
- Spice Up Your Teeth
- Anchorage Tools Help Orthodontists Correct Complex Bite Problems
- Affordable Veneers Can Give You a New Smile
- May (7)
- Consider an Effective and Affordable RPD for Teeth Replacement
- How Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus Got Their Stellar Smiles
- How Dentists Provide Your Child the Benefit of X-Rays as Safely as Possible
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer with a Healthy Diet
- Root Canal Therapy Might Just Save Your Tooth!
- Crazy Little Thing Called... Hyperdontia?
- Manage Your GERD Symptoms to Prevent Enamel Erosion
- April (6)
- Your Age Doesn't Have to Keep You from a Straighter Smile
- Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
- NBA Player's Injury Points Out Need for Mouthguards
- Your Sinus Infection Might be a Sign of a Tooth Problem
- Your Teenager's Teeth May Not Be Mature Enough for Veneers
- A Dental Exam Could Uncover an Eating Disorder
- March (6)
- Lady Gaga Wasn't "Born This Way?"
- 4 Common-Sense Tactics to Lower Tooth Decay Risk Between Dental Visits
- Dental Sealants can help Prevent Tooth Decay in Children
- The 3 Top Ingredients That Make Your Toothpaste a Super Plaque Buster
- Why Alfonso Ribeiro Is Grateful for Root Canal Treatment
- Catch Root Resorption Early for Best Chances of Saving Your Tooth
- February (5)
- National Children's Dental Health Month Highlights Importance of Baby Teeth
- Composite Resin Could Amp up Your Teeth's Attractiveness in Just One Visit
- Viggo Mortensen's Red-Carpet Smile
- Here's What you Need to Know about a Root Canal Treatment
- Topical Fluoride is a Safe Way to Protect Your Child's Teeth from Decay
- January (7)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Healthy Smiles for Alfonso Ribeiro and Family
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- A Bonded Retainer Could be a Preferred Choice over a Removable One
- Less-Invasive Pulp Capping Could Save Your Tooth
- Bobby Bones Dances His Way to Dental Damage
- A Root Canal Treatment can Save Your Tooth and Relieve Pain
- 2018
- December (6)
- Orthodontists Anticipate Future Facial Growth When Treating Poor Bites
- Bitewing X-Rays Safely 'Reveal all' About Back Teeth to Prevent Tooth Decay
- J-Lo's Unlucky Break: Chipping a Tooth on Stage
- Advanced Equipment and Safe Practices Ensure X-Ray Safety for Children
- Don't give up on Flossing!
- Wisdom Teeth Warrant Close Watch to Avoid Future Health Issues
- November (6)
- NBC Star Delivers a Message about the "Perfect" Smile
- Dentures are Still a Viable Choice for Tooth Replacement
- 4 Reasons Why You May Need to See a Periodontist for Your Gum Disease
- 4 Signs Your Child May Have a Poor Bite
- Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- October (6)
- Watch What Carbs You Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Further Gum Disease
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- Why Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Couldn't Have Braces
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Inflammation: the Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
- 3 Factors That Could Affect the Success of a Root Canal Treatment
- September (6)
- Dental Injury Is Just a Temporary Setback for Basketball Star Kevin Love
- Don't Wait - Seek Out Treatment for Gum Recession Now
- See Your Dentist if You're Having one of These 3 Dental Problems
- It's National Gum Care Month - Take Care of Your Gums
- Margot Robbie Knows: A Great Smile Is Worth Protecting
- Not all Dental Crowns Share the Same Quality of Life-Likeness
- August (6)
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- Take Care of Your Dental Appliance and It Will Take Care of You
- A Different Kind of "Chip Shot" for Pro Golfer Danielle Kang
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- 3 Reasons You Should Consider Tooth Whitening
- Pros and Cons for Flossing Before Brushing and Vice-Versa
- July (6)
- Noah Galloway's Dentally Dangerous Dancing
- Practice Proactive Prevention to Enhance Your Child's Dental Development
- Tips to Brighten Your Summer Smile
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Any Time, Any Place: Cam Newton's Guide to Flossing
- 4 Important Facts About Gum Recession and What You can do About It
- May (7)
- Baseball's Francisco Lindor Shines as "Mr. Smile"
- Assessing Your Risk for Severe Gum Disease
- 4 Things You Should be Doing Now for Your Baby's Long-Term Dental Health
- What to Do For Mouth Injuries Your Child Might Encounter
- Neil Patrick Harris: What the Oscars Host Treasures Most
- Bone Loss at the Roots can Put Your Tooth in Danger of Loss
- Why we Need to Care for a Younger Patient's Bone after a Tooth Loss
- April (5)
- Topical Fluoride can Enhance Your Child's Dental Care
- Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
- If You're not a Good Candidate for Dental Implants, Consider Bridgework
- Keep Your Smile Beautiful...in April and Beyond
- 3 Things You Need to Know about Easing Anxiety Over Dental Visits
- 2017
- June (5)
- Not All Bacteria are Harmful to Oral Health
- Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
- Screw or Cement: Which is Best for Attaching Your Implant Crown?
- Teeth Grinding in Older Children and Adolescents a Cause for Concern
- Dealing with the Reality of Increased Disease Risk with Braces
- March (5)
- Dr. Travis Stork: If Only I'd Worn A Mouthguard!
- Don't let Limited Finances Keep you From Needed Dental Care
- Antibiotics Before Implant Surgery Could Lower Infection Risk in Some People
- The Top 3 Oral Problems in America - and What You Should Do About Them
- How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
- 2016
- December (5)
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Keep Ahead of Potential Sidetracks to Your Child's Oral Health
- Help 'De-Stress' Your Child's Dental Visits with these Tips
- Dwight Howard: A Bright NBA Star With a Smile to Match
- Non-Prescription Pain Medication can Manage Most Post-Procedure Discomfort
- September (5)
- 4 Things to Give Your Child a Head Start on Good Oral Health
- Treating "Burning Mouth" Depends on What's Triggering it
- Game, Set, Match: Milos Raonic Says A Mouthguard Helps Him Win
- Encourage Your Child to Stop Thumb Sucking by Age 4
- What's Causing Your Toothache? The Answer Determines Your Treatment
- July (5)
- Consult Your Dentist for Help with Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea
- Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
- Clear Aligners Reduce Risk for Developing Gum Disease Better than Braces
- Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
- Teens Benefit Most from A Temporary Solution to Missing Teeth
- May (5)
- Dental Porcelain is a Great Option for Creating a Natural Appearance
- Even Celebrities Like Jennifer Lawrence Aren't Immune From Bad Breath!
- Home Whitening Kits are Safe and Effective, if Used the Right Way
- Root Canal Treatment Alleviates Pain and Saves Your Tooth
- Create a Strategy to Deal with Dental Problems to Avoid Future Expenses
- 2015
- January (5)
- It's an Art: Determining Tooth Color in Composite Resin Restorations
- Taking the Right Steps to Prevent Early Tooth Decay in Children
- Four Tips for Preventing Premature Loss of Baby Teeth From Tooth Decay
- Actress Florence Henderson Shares Her Secrets for Keeping Your Natural Teeth as You Age
- Test Your Knowledge: A Quiz on Dental Erosion
- 2014
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- dental erosion (1)
- oral hygiene (35)
- oral health (21)
- pediatric dentistry (19)
- tooth decay (14)
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- orthodontics (10)
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- gum disease (23)
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Categories:
My Blog
Posts for: February, 2015

Periodontal (gum) disease is a devastating infection that eventually causes tooth loss if not treated. Plaque removal, antibiotics and possible surgical intervention have proven quite effective in stopping the infection and restoring diseased tissues; however, the more advanced the disease, the more difficult it can be to treat. It’s important then to know the warning signs of gum disease.
Bleeding gums are the most common early sign of gum disease. The infection triggers tissue inflammation, the body’s defensive response to isolate and fight bacteria. As the inflammation becomes chronic, however, it can weaken the gum tissues, which will then bleed easily.
Bleeding, though, is often overlooked as normal, perhaps from brushing too hard. In actuality, bleeding gums is not normal: if your gums routinely bleed during normal brushing and flossing, you should contact us for an examination as soon as possible. Similarly, if your gums are red, swollen or tender to the touch, this is also a sign of inflammation and an indication of infection.
Gum disease is often called a “silent” disease, meaning it can develop without any indication of pain or discomfort. Sometimes, though, bacteria can concentrate in a particular portion of the gum tissue to form a periodontal abscess. In this case, the abscessed tissue can become very painful, swollen and red, and may even discharge pus.
There are also advanced signs of gum disease. If your teeth are painfully sensitive when you brush, consume something hot or cold, or when you bite down, this may mean the gums have pulled back (receded) from the teeth and the highly sensitive dentin and roots are now exposed. Teeth that appear to have moved or that feel loose may mean the gum tissues have significantly detached from the teeth as increasing amount of bone loss occurs. If you see any of these signs you should contact us without delay.
Regardless of the level of disease advancement when diagnosed, prompt treatment should begin as soon as possible. This is the only way to bring the infection under control and give the gum tissues a chance to heal and rejuvenate. From then on, it’s a matter of renewed dental hygiene, frequent cleanings and checkups and an ever vigilant eye for signs of returning infection.
If you would like more information on the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Warning Signs of Periodontal (Gum) Disease.”

Orthodontics can produce an amazing smile transformation. With today’s advanced appliances and techniques even the most difficult malocclusions (bad bites) can be overcome. All of this innovation, however, depends on one basic anatomical fact: though firmly set in the mouth, our teeth can still move.
Teeth are actually held in place by the periodontal ligament, a strong, elastic tissue that attaches to them through tiny collagen fibers on one side of the ligament and to the jawbone with similar fibers on the other side. When pressure is placed against a tooth, the bone on the opposite side of the force begins to dissolve (resorb), allowing the tooth to move. As it moves, new bone is built up behind the tooth, to stabilize it. Orthodontists take advantage of this natural mechanism through orthodontic hardware like braces that applies pressure in the desired direction of movement, while the ligament and bone do the rest.
There is, though, a downside to this process. The teeth, bone and gum tissues can contain a kind of “memory” for the former natural position of the teeth. Over time, the lower front teeth tend to take a gradual migratory movement back towards their original position. Also, as we age the lower front teeth may crowd each other as there is a genetic influence for teeth to move to the midline of the face, causing a pressure that allows the skinny lower front teeth to slip behind each other. As a result of both of these tendencies, corrected teeth may retreat from their new positions.
To stop these tendencies, we use an appliance known as a retainer after braces or other hardware is removed. As the name implies, this appliance “retains” the teeth in their new position. For structural “memory,” the retainer will keep the teeth in their new position until the impulse to return to the old one has faded, about eighteen months. Retainers can also slow or stop the natural genetic influence of movement, but it may mean wearing a retainer for an indefinite period, especially individuals who’ve undergone orthodontic treatment later in life.
The length of time you’ll need to wear a retainer after braces — and what type, whether a removable appliance or one permanently attached — will depend on a number of factors including the type of malocclusion, your individual mouth structure and age. We’ll recommend the best option that ensures the best chance of keeping your teeth in their new position.
If you would like more information on retainers after orthodontic treatment, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Why Orthodontic Retainers?”

Lately, you’ve noticed your young child’s primary teeth don’t appear to be coming in straight. Is it a problem?
The answer to that question is best answered by an early orthodontic evaluation performed by an orthodontist. It’s advisable for a child as young as 7 to undergo such an exam.
While a child’s primary teeth have a short life span of a few years, that doesn’t make them less important than the permanent teeth that replace them. In fact, they’re extremely influential for permanent tooth development — each one serves as a guide for its replacement to erupt in a proper position. A future malocclusion (bad bite) that becomes more apparent later in life would have been well underway years before.
Orthodontists have the training and expertise to spot these emerging problems in their early stages. Early detection can reduce the extent — and costliness — of future orthodontic treatment by introducing preventative or interceptive measures — even while there’s still a mix of primary and permanent teeth in the mouth. For example, a child wearing a simple type of retainer that influences the development of the bite could minimize or even correct a growing malocclusion.
You can also take advantage of opportunities to discover potential orthodontic problems early through a general or pediatric dentist. By having regular dental cleanings and checkups, the dentist might observe early bite development that should be reviewed by an orthodontist. If not, it’s still a good idea to undergo an orthodontic evaluation no later than age 7.
Given the stage of jaw and facial structure development, waiting until puberty to focus on orthodontic problems may be too late for some problems — and much more expensive than if caught and treated earlier. Getting ahead of these issues earlier in your child’s dental development will help ensure they’ll have a healthy bite throughout their life.
If you would like more information on early orthodontic monitoring, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Early Orthodontic Evaluation” and “Preventative & Cost Saving Orthodontics.”

Not long ago, musician, businessman, and actor 50 Cent (AKA Curtis James Jackson III) joined the growing ranks of celebrities (like Demi Moore and LeAnn Rimes) who have sent out tweets from the dental chair. The rapper, who has had extensive cosmetic work done on his teeth, even live-tweeted an action shot of his dentist giving him an oral exam!
Some might consider this too much information — but we're happy whenever people are reminded of the importance of regular dental checkups. In fact, the “routine” dental exam is truly one of the most useful procedures (and one of the best values) in dental care. Let's “examine” some reasons why that's so.
For one thing, coming in to our office when you don't have a specific problem gives us the chance to talk to you about any concerns you may have in regard to your mouth — or your health in general. In fact, many of the questions we ask and the exam procedures we perform give us an opportunity to detect potentially deadly diseases. For example, simply monitoring your blood pressure may identify a risk for heart disease; or an examination of the oral tissues may reveal the first signs of oral cancer. Both conditions are treatable if caught early on.
Of course, at a dental exam we always look closely at your teeth for signs of cavities. We also check your gums for inflammation or bleeding, which could indicate gum disease. X-rays or other diagnostic tests are performed when necessary. Generally, the sooner we can diagnose and treat any problems we may find, the better (and less costly) the outcome tends to be.
A typical checkup also includes a thorough, professional teeth cleaning with specialized tools, performed by our skilled dental hygienists. This not only makes your mouth look and feel sparkly clean — it also removes the built-up hard deposits (called tartar or calculus) that can lead to bad breath or gum disease.
Once the exam and cleaning are done, we have a good idea of the general state of your dental health. We can then give feedback on your oral hygiene techniques, assess your risk for disease, and make recommendations tailored to your individual needs. And we can do all this in about half an hour.
So talk about it, tweet about it — but don't neglect it! Along with regular brushing and flossing, routine dental checkups are the best way for you to maintain good oral hygiene — and prevent future dental problems.
If you would like more information about the benefits of regular dental exams, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Dental Hygiene Visit.”