Thank You 2019

What a fantastic year 2019 was! We are all so grateful to all our patients, vendors and folks who referred their friends and family members to our practice, we strive daily to exceed your expectations in pediatric and orthodontic care at Pediatric Dental Specialists. Your confidence in our practice is truly appreciated.

Dr. Cortez, Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Planells and all of the team members wish you, your family and friends a great holiday season.

Let's all have a fantastic year in 2020!!

Four Thanksgiving Foods to Avoid if You have Braces

Thanksgiving is a great time for family, reflecting on what we are thankful for and of course, celebrating around food. Our goal is to enhance the quality of life for those who come to us for their orthodontic health care. Whether it is braces, Invisalign or preventive care, you should always take care of your smile.

If you have braces, there are a few foods you may want to stay away from during Thanksgiving.

1. Uncooked Vegetables - uncooked vegetables, in their raw form are too hard to bite and chew and may damage braces. Instead, cook or steam your vegetables, which will be much softer for your teeth.

2. Corn on the Cob - on the cob, corn can do some damage to braces, but there is no problem if it is cut off. Just be sure to floss, so it does not get stuck to your teeth.

3. Nuts - nuts is an obvious food to avoid because it can damage brackets and cause wires to come loose. Watch out for nuts, often found in pies and other desserts.

4. Caramel - caramel is another obvious dessert to stay away from on Thanksgiving (and beyond during the holidays). It is sticky and can get easily stuck to your braces.

We have been serving patients in Long Beach and surrounding cities for over 30 years. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming your children into the Pediatric Dental Specialists family!

National Gum Care Month: 3 Ways to Protect Your Gums

September is National Gum Care Month! Our gums are an important function of our health and teeth. When we think of gum disease, we often think about it only affecting adults. The truth is teenagers and young children can form a milder form of gum disease, gingivitis. According to the American Dental Association, “cases of gum disease in individuals under 18 can add to the estimated 50 percent of adults who have the disease if they are not treated correctly.”

Gum disease is caused by bacteria and food debris that build upon and around your teeth. They form a sticky substance called plaque. As children grow older and gingivitis remains untreated, severe forms of gum disease form and can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, damage to the soft tissues and bones underneath the teeth.

The earliest symptoms of gum disease are puffy, swollen or red gums. In honor of National Gum Care Month, here are three ways to protect your gums.

1. Brushing
The first step in preventing your child from getting gum disease is to encourage a good dental hygiene routine. Your child should brush his teeth at least twice a day. It’s important to brush your teeth and keep a healthy routine of flossing, brushing your teeth and using a mouthwash.

2. Flossing 
If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces. Flossing is a great way to prevent any form of gum disease from forming.

Check your child's mouth for signs of periodontal disease, including bleeding gums, swollen and bright red gums, gums that are receding away from the teeth and bad breath. These are important signs to look out for yourself, to prevent gum disease.

3. Regular Visits
Regular dental care is extremely important in helping to keep your mouth healthy. Visit your dentist for routine care — especially cleaning — at least twice a year. Your dentist can remove hardened plaque and any tartar that you're not getting to with brushing or flossing.

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Making A Great First Impression, without the GOOP or GAG! #iTero #3DModel #Scan #Images #Dentist #Orthodontics #PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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National Tooth Fairy Day

Happy National Tooth Fairy Day! Today can be a great time to get your kids engaged in following an oral hygiene routine. To keep your children’s teeth healthy, brush them for two minutes, twice a day.

In honor of National Tooth Fairy Day, here are five facts about teeth you may not know about teeth.

1. Did you know the average American spends 38.5 total days brushing their teeth over a lifetime? It’s important to brush your teeth and keep a healthy routine of flossing, brushing your teeth and using a mouthwash.

2. If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces. Make sure you brush and floss twice a day! Lack of flossing can contribute to silent symptoms of gum disease, which ultimately leads to decay.

3. Did you know according to the American Dental Association, kids in prehistoric times likely did not suffer from tooth decay. The American Dental Association says this is because sugar was not a part of their diet.

4. Tooth decay is actually classified as an infectious disease because it is caused by a particular strain of bacteria passed between multiple people.

5. The blueprint for your teeth is present the day you’re born. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that infants be seen shortly after the first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday. This first visit will help establish a dental home for your child.

The earlier you start, the better chance we have to prevent any potential problems. In addition to checking for decay and other conditions, our staff will teach you how to clean your child’s teeth properly, identify your child’s risk for cavities, and offer you helpful advice that will help your child build a lifetime of good dental habits.

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Carly was so excited to become a brace face today! 👏🏽👏🏽🙌🏽😬#PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez • • • • • • #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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Happy National Fresh Breath Day

Happy National Fresh Breath Day! Today is National Fresh Breath Day, a perfect reminder to keep our smiles healthy and smelling fresh. Did you know the average person only brushes for 45 to 70 seconds a day, the recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes?

One incredible way to keep your smile healthy that is often overlooked is by utilizing a type of mouthwash. Using mouthwash, especially during orthodontic treatment makes an oral hygiene routine easy. You can easily remove food debris from areas that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush and floss. After brushing and flossing, you can swish it around your mouth for a minimum of 30 seconds. This will remove any lingering bacteria and will even help with inflammation of the gum if gum disease is prevalent

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The Choi Family are all smiles 😀 after their great check ups with Dr. Sanchez. #PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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What Makes Us Unique?

We have been serving patients in Long Beach and the surrounding areas for over 30 years! We consider dental health to be an integral part of overall good health. Our practice philosophy is to provide dental education and treatment, as well as orthodontics, for children, teens, and those with special healthcare needs. We believe that good dental health can instill a sense of well-being, provide a lifelong smile, and promote good overall health.

Dr. Santos Cortez, Dr. Estela Sanchez, Dr. Ana Planells and Dr. Gabriela Cervantes, as well as our team, are committed to supporting and educating our patients to care for their teeth and gums and help in the prevention of dental disease. We strive to achieve this goal in an environment that is soothing and welcoming to both parents and children of all ages.

What Sets Us Apart?

We offer pediatric dentistry and orthodontics for children, teens, and patients with special healthcare needs. With years of education, hands-on training, and experience, our doctors and staff are uniquely able to meet the specific dental needs of our young patients.

We utilize digital radiographs and the latest digital impression technology, which allows us to take digital molds for appliances and retainers without the goopy, messy material used in the past.

Our dental and orthodontic charts are digital, which allows for better communication with other dental and medical doctors. This reduces the number of X-rays patients undergo, and improves communication between providers, which leads to better care.

Make your child’s visit special!

As a new patient, your young child will receive a personalized book with his or her name and the name of the dentist. This book is kid-friendly and leads young children through their first dental visit and introduces them to, the dentist, dental staff, and some tools they will see during their visit. Read this to your child before his or her first visit to ease any fears.

We have a No-Cavity Club Program to reward children who perform good oral hygiene and have no cavities whereby they get entered into monthly drawings for gift cards. We also have many fun contests throughout the year to keep kids engaged and have positive experiences when visiting the dentist.

Here when you need us!

The doctors at Pediatric Dental Specialists are on-call for after-hours emergencies, including holidays and weekends. In the event of an emergency, you may contact our office to page the doctor on call, and expect to hear back within 30 minutes. The doctor will discuss the emergency over the phone and determine what action needs to be taken. Some emergency require seeing the patient in the office, other situations may be handled over the phone.

August Charity Of The Month

August is here! For many, this means the end of summer vacation and back to school, but for Pediatric Dental Specialist of Long Beach, this means a new charity of the month. This month, with your help, we will be supporting Doctors Without Borders. 

ABOUT THE CHARITY
Doctors Without Borders is an international humanitarian organization founded in 1971. This charity is known to respond to emergencies around the world, saving and impacting lives daily. The funds allow the organization to impact those in need of help; they go where patients are. They generally work in conflict zones after natural disasters, epidemics, long-term care settings, and more. Funding is a crucial part of this charity as the crew works on so many projects worldwide, we want to help.

JOIN US IN SUPPORTING DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
Pediatric Dental Specialists is a Check-in 4 Charity Member. That means, whenever you check-in at our office on Facebook, a donation will be generated for the charity of the month. Check-in at your next appointment and together we can join forces to give back to this amazing charity during the month of August.

The Truth About Your Child’s Tooth Decay

Did you know tooth decay is the most common childhood disease? According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 3 out of 5 children are affected by tooth decay. This disease may seem insignificant to some parents, but Pediatric Dental Specialists urge you to take it seriously to avoid more severe oral health problems in the future. With tooth decay being 5 times more common than asthma, we decided to help educate parents more on how you can help your child regarding this matter.

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD?

Encourage good dental habits.
Be sure to practice and teach your children healthy dental habits that will last them a lifetime. Make sure you emphasize daily brushing and show your child how to brush with a soft-bristled brush. Daily flossing is another important factor. Flossing should begin as soon as teeth touch each other. Parents should help floss children’s teeth until they are at least eight years old.

Make flossing fun.
The trick to making flossing a habit is to make it fun for kids to do. Here is one way to do that:

1) Purchase a “flosser friend” at the nearest retail store. This is a fun and functional flossing tool that holds children’s floss and promotes healthy habits.

2) Fill the flosser keeper with fruity children’s floss.

3) Place the flosser keeper in an easily accessible location around the bathroom sink.

Cut down on sweets and sticky foods.
Sugary foods and drinks are the biggest culprits for causing tooth decay. Avoid extremely sugary snacks and candy that can stick to teeth and lead to plaque buildup.

Visit Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach regularly.
Make sure you are bringing your child in for regular cleanings and check-ups. Children should be seen by a pediatric dentist for a checkup by age 1 and start regular clings at age 3.

What is the iTero Scanner?

It’s time to say goodbye to those messy molds associated with beginning orthodontic treatment and say hello to the iTero Intraoral Scanner. The iTero Intraoral Scanner is a more comfortable procedure that can capture an extremely accurate digital impression of teeth within minutes. Once complete, we can use this model to start your orthodontic treatment and help you get the smile you’ve always wanted. Also, the 3D digital impression can be used with all Invisalign related services.

One of the fun parts about the iTero scanner is that you can actually see your own mouth on the monitor and see what can be done to it by the different views and manipulation of digital images. You can even have the images sent to your personal email.

Our office believes the incorporation of scanner technology in this regard is the present and future of dentistry in all forms, and orthodontics in particular.

If you’re interested in beginning orthodontic treatment for your child or teen, contact Pediatric Dental Specialists of Long Beach today at (562) 377-1375.

What Is The Difference Between A Dentist And Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric Dental Specialist in Long Beach is not your typical dentist office. Our pediatric dentists specialize in the unique needs of each child. Just like taking your child to the pediatrician for healthcare, pediatric dentists complete two to three years of specialty training in children’s teeth after dental school.

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, our doctors and staff are highly trained to:

1. Teach your child proper oral hygiene habits 
2. Help with the effects from thumb sucking and pacifier use 
3. Identify spacing issues early on that may need orthodontic treatment later 

And much, much more!

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we set the foundation of your child’s oral and overall health from a young age. It’s our goal to provide early, preventative dental care for your child to ensure a healthy smile that lasts well into adulthood. For more information about Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach, give us a call at 562-377-1375 or click here to visit our website.

#LBPDS200 Super Bowl Challenge!

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Pediatric Dental Specialists, helping distinguish the myths & facts of orthodontics

The team at Pediatric Dental Specialists know there are quite a few myths about orthodontists circulating around these days. But before you buy into those myths, we should get the facts! We recently came across a great site that helps set the record straight: Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have some excellent information on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment here at Pediatric Dental Specialists, feel free to give us a call.

Pediatric Dental Specialists want to know: What are you up to in January?

The New Year is here, and, believe it or not, we’re only a couple months away from spring! The doctors and our staff at Pediatric Dental Specialists want to know: What are you doing in January? Any big winter break plans? Anything exciting going on in your life?

If you have any photos or videos that you would like to share with us, please send them our way or call our office and ask how! We also hope you all had a happy and safe holiday season!

Have a great rest of the week!

A great article about changes in dentistry, from Pediatric Dental Specialists

The team at Pediatric Dental Specialists know the world around us is always changing and evolving, whether it’s the latest gadget you ordered online or the high-tech braces on your teeth! Recently, we read an article in the New York Times about dental implants, and how they are becoming increasingly favored over bridges to replace lost teeth. One thing to remember about dental implants is that they need to be cared for just like your regular teeth; daily brushing and flossing are a must!

Drs. Cortez, Sanchez and Planells are at the forefront of changes in dentistry. Call us today to learn more about more changes in this exciting and ever-evolving field!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays from Pediatric Dental Specialists

The holiday season is upon us, and as the team at Pediatric Dental Specialists reflects on the year that was, we’d like to ask you, our wonderful patients: What’s your favorite part about the holidays? Being with your loved ones? A clean slate for the new year? Opening presents by the fireplace? All the delicious food? Also, what gift are you most looking forward to getting this year?

We’d love if you shared with us all the things you love about the holidays. Stay warm, and don’t forget to stay away from those sweets!

--From Drs. Cortez, Sanchez and Planells.

Pediatric Dental Specialists want to know: What are you up to in November?

October has come and gone, and—believe it or not—we’re almost in full holiday mode! But before we forget about the spooky month that just wrapped up, we’d like to know how you celebrated Halloween! What did you wear? How much candy did you get? Did you have fun?

If you have any photos or videos that you would like to share with us, please send them our way! Our doctors and staff hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween! Also, what are you up to this month? Anything exciting happening in your life? If so, we’d love to hear all about it.

--The team at Pediatric Dental Specialists

Toothbrush Trivia, From Pediatric Dental Specialists

People have been brushing their teeth for thousands of years! In fact, the first “toothbrush” was created around 3000BC! Ancient civilizations used a thin twig with a frayed edge to rub against their teeth for cleaning.

The first toothbrush with bristles – similar to today’s toothbrushes – was invented in 1498 in China. Brushes were made out of bone or bamboo with bristles made from the hairs on the back of a hog’s neck.

It wasn’t until 1938 that the first nylon bristle toothbrush was introduced and people quickly became aware of practicing good oral hygiene.

Here are some other interesting facts about your toothbrush (and toothpaste):

• Most people are said to use blue toothbrushes over any other color
• The first toothpaste was used in 500 BC in China and India
• On average, children smile about 400 times per day
• Your toothbrush should be replaced every two months
• The first known toothpaste was used in 1780, Crest was introduced in the US in 1955 and Colgate in 1873

--Pediatric Dental Specialists

Softly Brushing Your Way to Clean Teeth

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. We always recommend that our patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, we recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference!

--Pediatric Dental Specialists

Summer Fun with Pediatric Dental Specialists!

Its summer here at Pediatric Dental Specialists, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbeque, a camping trip, or just having fun in the sun, we want to hear about it! Leave a comment on our blog and tell us about your summer!

Happy Travels,

-From Pediatric Dental Specialists

Taking Care of Your Toothbrush, from Pediatric Dental Specialists

You know your toothbrush is a vital tool for the proper care of your teeth – but do you know the best way to take care of your toothbrush? Following are some guidelines for toothbrush care from Pediatric Dental Specialists:



One toothbrush should have one owner.

If you share your toothbrush, you could also be sharing bodily fluids and bacteria, increasing your risk of infection.

Toothbrushes need privacy, too.

For the same reason, when storing brushes, make sure they are placed in such a way that they can't touch each other.

Give your toothbrush some space.

Keep your brush in a clean, well-ventilated spot and make sure it has time to dry in between uses. Keeping your toothbrush in a closed, moist space regularly can encourage the growth of germs.

Showering is good for your toothbrush.

Before and after each use, rinse your toothbrush under running water to eliminate excess toothpaste and other residue. Rub your fingers along the bristles – but only after washing your hands; no use substituting one set of germs for another. When you're finished, shake out the brush to accelerate drying.

Let your toothbrush indulge in a nice bath.

You may be able to reduce the amount of bacteria on your brush by soaking it in anti-bacterial mouthwash after each use.

Don't get too attached to your toothbrush.

Swap your old toothbrush for a new one at least as often as every three to four months. Keep an eye out for frayed bristles and replace sooner if necessary. The more worn the bristles, the less effective brushing is. Of course, if you've been sick with the flu, a cold, or a mouth infection, say goodbye to your toothbrush and move on to a new, germ-free one immediately.

Beware of too-good-to-be-true toothbrush-cleaning products.

Some products profess to being designed to "sanitize" your toothbrush. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), there is no conclusive evidence that these products provide any particular benefit to your health. The ADA also encourages consumers to be wary of products claiming to "sterilize" your toothbrush, as there is currently no data to support such claims.

Don't trust Aunt Minnie's toothbrush-cleaning advice.

Although they certainly mean well, and they're clearly creative, your friends and relatives with home-cooked ideas about cleaning toothbrushes may not be the safest sources of information. Dishwashers, microwaves, and boiling water are no substitute for simply buying a new brush – and in fact could damage your brush, rendering it less effective.

Remember – what's good for the toothbrush is good for the teeth!

--Pediatric Dental Specialists