Talking gum disease with Dr. McDonald

Periodontal disease (gum disease) is one of the most silent diseases known to mankind. Left alone, the virulent bacteria will eat away at your jaw bone and the gums will eventually follow the bone, hence the term gum disease.

Periodontal disease has been directly correlated to many systemic diseases. Numerous studies have shown the bacteria from gum pockets found in and around arteries and other organs of the body. It has been proven that pregnant women with periodontal disease have a much higher rate of low birth weight as well as premature babies. Diabetics are more susceptible to gum pathogens and it has been found that diabetics with the presence of gum disease have a less desirable outcome with their sugar control. The oral bacteria have also been shown to pass through saliva to other people. These are just a few facts. To learn more about the link between your gums and your health, you can visit this helpful site.

Regular dental care will aid in diagnosis of gum disease. At your check up appointments we evaluate your gum pockets. This periodontal exam in combination with x-rays can aid the proper diagnosis and treatment.

In the past the only available tools were deep scaling and root planning, gum surgery and antibiotic treatment. However, thanks to the advances in treatment of gum disease we now have some other options.

Laser Gum Treatment: The laser light will kill the bacteria and promote better gum tissue regeneration. This procedure is used in conjunction with scaling to clean the roots and promote healing. It is painless and quick and you should not need anything stronger than what you take for a headache for the first day or two.

Oral DNA testing: A saliva test that detects which bacteria are contributing to the presence of your gum disease and which antibiotic to use to target those specific bacteria.


Your mouth is the gateway into your body. Protect yourself and schedule for a dental exam.

To your health,

Dr. Rabee McDonald

Vote for LifeTime Smiles as Best Dentist in Escondido!

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It is time again to vote for the Best Dentist in Escondido! Dr. Rabee McDonald and our entire team at Lifetime Smiles are proud to be nominated!

Caring. Comfortable. A gentle touch. Pain-free. Exceptional service. Those words aren't usually associated with dental care, are they? Well, at LifetimeSmiles, our patients use those words frequently to describe their dental experience with us.

Even so, we know that dental appointments can sometimes evoke feelings of anxiety. That's why we take great pride in helping our patients feel comfortable throughout their visit. Great dental care starts the moment you enter our office. Our first concern is to ensure that your needs are being met, whether it's to ease your nervousness or to answer any questions or concerns you may have. We want you to have a positive experience each time you're with us. You'll always be greeted warmly and treated with the utmost care.'

Thank you. We would be honored to have your vote!

April dental implant promotion at Lifetime Smiles!

Dr. McDonald and our team at Lifetime Smiles are proud to announce our April dental implant promotion! Now through April 30th, we are glad to give you a $100 discount on each implant crown. Give us a call today at (760) 747-1811 to schedule your appointment!

What to do if your child's tooth gets knocked out, from Dr. McDonald

I hardly get called for emergencies but when I do most of the time it is over the weekend. The reason for the call is usually not a toothache but a knocked out or severely damaged front tooth from a sport accident. The results are usually devastating, despite our best efforts to save the tooth. Over time the tooth is usually lost with a resulting space that forces your young child to wear a retainer with a tooth in it until they are 16-18 years old at which point we have to place an implant and a crown. Not only is this just horrible for a young child to wear a fake tooth for a long time but the cost is devastating to parents.

All of this can be avoided by wearing a sport guard. I am not talking about a sports authority sport guard but one that is custom made for your child's mouth and for the particular sport to withstand the forces should an accident come your way. I hope this never happens to anyone but if it does I hope you have listened to me and protected your child's smile.

What to do If your child's tooth gets knocked out:

You have to find the tooth immediately and handle it from the tooth portion and not the root portion. Do not touch the root as most of the tissue is hopefully still alive.

Attempt to line up the tooth and put it back into the socket the best that you can after placing the tooth in your child's cheek to clean it. Please do not run the tooth under hot water. If you have saline you can place it in the solution for a minute and then replant the tooth.

If you don't have the stomach to place the tooth in the socket, keep it in your child's cheek and call us immediately. Please do not wrap the tooth in a tissue. If your child is traumatized and will not keep it in their cheek place it in milk or saline solution till you get to our office. There is only a 45 minute window to place the tooth back in the socket. After this time line the chances of success decrease tremendously.

Wouldn't it be better to just wear a professionally made mouth guard?

Dr. McDonald

LifetimeSmiles, supporting Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Visiting Drs. McDonald and Prais and our team at LifetimeSmiles on a regular basis will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy as well. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

In our continuing efforts to provide the most advanced technology and highest quality care available to our patients, we screen our patients for oral cancer. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life. In less than five minutes, we will conduct a thorough oral cancer screening exam, using the FDA-approved ViziLite Plus technology to help detect oral cancer and pre-malignant abnormalities.

As your dentists, Drs. McDonald and Prais are specialists who work to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment at our convenient Escondido office. Take care of your teeth, and smile bright!

When Was Your Last Dental Cleaning? From Dr. McDonald

You water the garden three times a week, you change your car's oil every three months, and you replace the batteries in your smoke detectors once a year. Your teeth need to see your dentist on a regular schedule, too.

While daily oral hygiene habits are essential to good oral health, professional dental cleanings at our Escondido dental office ensure your teeth are treated to a deeper level of cleaning. We recommend for most of our patients to have a checkup at least every six months. In addition to a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth, these regular visits help Dr. McDonald and our team at Lifetime Smiles detect and prevent the onset of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. During your visit, we’ll check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. We’ll also check old fillings and restorations, as these can wear away over time from constant chewing, grinding, or clenching.

If you are predisposed to oral diseases, you may need to visit our office more often than every six months. Factors at play in these diseases include age, pregnancy, tobacco use, medical conditions (such as diabetes, dry mouth, or HIV infection), along with how well you take care of your teeth on a daily basis.

Make sure your teeth get the professional attention they deserve – If you’re overdue for your next cleaning, check with our office to schedule an appointment!

Bad Breath is No Good

Bad breath, also called halitosis, can result from poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath can also be made worse by the types of foods you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits. You may not even be aware of your own bad breath, so if you’re concerned you may be suffering from it, talk to LifetimeSmiles and team. We can help identify the cause and, if it’s due to an oral condition, develop a treatment plan to treat it.

There are many reasons for bad breath:

• What you eat can also affect the way your breath smells. Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, can have a very strong and lasting odor.
• If you don't brush and floss daily, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath, not to mention tooth decay and gingivitis.
• Bad breath can be caused by dry mouth (xerostomia), which occurs when the flow of saliva decreases. Saliva is necessary to cleanse the mouth and remove particles that may cause odor.
• Tobacco products cause bad breath. If you use tobacco, ask us for tips on kicking the habit.
• Bad breath may be the sign of a medical disorder, such as a local infection in the respiratory tract, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver or kidney ailment. If this is the case, you may be referred to your family doctor or a specialist to determine the cause.

The good news is there are many ways to help eliminate bad breath from your life. Maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath, so schedule regular dental visits with LifetimeSmiles for a professional cleaning and checkup. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque, and don’t forget to brush your tongue, too!