Dr. Kihara was born and raised in Sacramento, California. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in biology, and obtained his dental training at the University of California, San Francisco where he earned his doctorate in dental surgery as well as a bachelors degree in dental materials. Dr. Kihara has done additional training in occlusion and has an affinity for cosmetic dentistry. He is a member of the Sacramento District Dental Society, California Dental Association, and American Dental Association. He lives in Auburn with his wife and son, loves to travel, and go fly fishing.
Anna has been in the dental profession for close to twenty years. She enjoys working with a team that loves helping patients with their dental needs. While not at work, she enjoys traveling, and spending time with her husband and dog, Oski.
Lisa has worked in dentistry for many years. She enjoys getting to know our patients and helping to make their visits as seamless as possible. Her favorite things are spending time with her family, and searching for the perfect piece of home decor to refurbish.
Brandie attended San Jose City College dental assisting program and is a Registered Dental Assistant. She has enjoyed practicing in many different communities in California and is a recent transplant to Auburn. She has traveled throughout the US and enjoys photography.
Amber grew up in the Sacramento area and graduated from Sacramento City College with her A.S. in Dental Hygiene. She enjoys building personal relationships with her patients that are centered around motivating and educating them towards an optimum state of oral health. While not working, she loves spending time with her husband, cat and lizards.
Natalie grew up in Loomis, then moved to Long Beach where she received her BA at CSULB. She loves working with patients and helping them achieve a healthy smile. In her free time, Natalie enjoys travel, working out and the outdoors.
Elena has been in the dental profession for eight years. She is committed to caring for her patients and sharing her dental knowledge with them. Elena loves to cook, travel and spend time with her husband and young son and daughter.
Replacing your toothbrush is an easy task, so much so that many people don't often think about doing it until it's been a significant amount of time. Here are three things you should know about replacing your toothbrush.
Bacteria builds up on your toothbrush daily; though it's a very small amount in relation to surfaces like the bathroom sink, bacteria does still build up. After about three to four months, your toothbrush is a bacteria playground.
Because of the bacterial buildup, it's suggested you replace your toothbrush every three to four months to avoid bad breath and tooth decay. If you don't replace your toothbrush regularly, it'll become less effective, potentially leading to dental illnesses.
The kind of toothbrush you use doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it may. So long as the American Dental Association approves it, it's an excellent toothbrush. Regular toothbrushes and battery-operated toothbrushes don't have a different cleaning ability either, so picking the right toothbrush boils down to which you'd prefer.