Dr. Carol Ann Berg, DDS

09/09/2025

Hello Idyllwild! Any RDA’s out there wanting to join our team 2 days a week? We are currently accepting applications for this position. Please send resumes to [email protected]
Thanks!

07/04/2020

We wish you a safe and Happy 4th! Looking forward to keeping you smiling 😀🇺🇸

06/06/2020

Good News for your smile 😀
As of June 1st we are up and running for essential services with our full staff. We look forward to serving our Idyllwild neighbors in a safe and comfortable setting.
Your smile is essential 😀

03/16/2020

We sincerely hope that all of our patients are doing as well as possible during this crisis. We would like you to know that for the next few weeks our office is open on a limited basis for anyone who is experiencing dental pain and otherwise healthy.
If you have dental pain along with a fever or respiratory symptoms, you may call us but do not come into the office.
If you are scheduled at our office within the next few weeks and prefer to reschedule for a later date, let us know as soon as possible so we can accommodate you.
Thank you, Dr. Berg and Staff

02/28/2020

Call Us today for an appointment.

01/02/2020

We are looking forward to serving your dental needs this year 😀
We’ll be back in the office on Monday 1/6/20.

11/21/2019

Katherine Barker GIVE Volunteer Program- Kate Barker Hello friends & family! I have been given a great opportunity to spend two weeks volunteering in Chia

11/07/2019

We're right next door to the Elephant Walk and across the street from Mountain Paws... easy parking ... right in town... why travel off the hill?

10/30/2019

09/21/2019

Most people have heard the layman’s term
“tartar”. The clinical name for that hard chalky
deposit we get on our teeth is called Calculus. So what
exactly is it? Where does it come from? Is it harmful? How
do I get rid of it? Why do I get more than other
people? All good questions that you may be wondering.

First thing, calculus is a result of
the missed areas of plaque, the soft, sticky bacteria filled
substance we brush off daily. When plaque remains on
our teeth, the calcium in our saliva causes that plaque to
harden and become firmly attached to our tooth
surface. Once that happens it is no longer something
that will brush off or even floss off. It must be
removed with an instrument during a visit with the
hygienist.

The calcified plaque is a major
contributor to gum disease because the structure of it
provides a habitat for more bacteria, sort of like a coal
reef housing tiny species in its structure. The longer
the calculus remains on your teeth, the harder and more
bonded it becomes, and more difficult to remove. The
dense calculus that we find under the gums can be so
hardened and calcified that we can see it on X-rays, where
usually only bone and teeth are detected.

You may notice that we tend to get
calculus build up mainly behind our lower front teeth.
The reason for that is there are salivary glands under our
tongue that are continually bathing that area with
saliva. We also have salivary glands in our cheeks
that do the same and that is why those molars often have a
heavier deposit of calculus on them.

Think of calculus as the barnacles on a
boat. They have to be removed to prevent damage.
And the destruction of bone from calculus is real. Do not
underestimate its ability to be severely damaging to the
health of our teeth and gums, and it will not go away on its
own.

A word of caution. Do not try to scrape
it off with something at home. You can do severe
damage to you gums and or your teeth. It’s our job
to detect it, remove it and protect your teeth and gums from
problems it causes.

And if you think you tend to get more
than other people, you may be correct. It has to do
with the chemistry of our bodies and our saliva. Some people
are more prone than others to form calculus but in either
case, the better and more consistent you are at
removing the soft plaque on a daily basis the less chance
you have of forming calculus to begin with. That’s
why we recommend very thorough brushing and flossing.
And regular 3-6 month visits with the hygienist.

Have more questions relating to this
topic? Feel free to stop by, make an appointment. We’re
here to help!

Dr. Carol Berg, DDS
(951) 659-5000
(760) 776-5025