Meet Dr. Cervantes

Dr. Gabriela Cervantes

We are pleased to introduce the newest addition to our qualified team, Dr. Gabriela Cervantes. Dr. Cervantes joins our practice with more than 6 years of experience practicing dentistry in the Los Angeles area, after graduating from the University of California, San Francisco -School of Dentistry in 2008.

Dr. Cervantes was born and raised in Orange County, CA. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from California State University, Long Beach with a B.S. in Biology.  She went on to complete her dental degree (DDS) and graduated from the University of California, San Francisco -School of Dentistry in 2008. She completed her General Practice Residency at Harbor- UCLA Medical Center where she was “Resident of the Year”.  After practicing for six years, she was blessed to find her true passion and received her pediatric dental specialty training at the UCLA-School of Dentistry.

Dr. Cervantes is glad to be back in Long Beach serving the community. She shares our practice philosophy of providing comprehensive pediatric dentistry through working with each patient to meet the individual’s distinctive oral health goals. She brings enthusiasm, poise, and a kind, gentle nature with her to our practice. Her interests include singing, cooking, hiking, and biking with her husband and daughter. We are confident you will find Dr. Cervantes’ personality and style to complement our friendly and warm dental team.

The addition of Dr. Cervantes is exciting to us, as it allows us to better serve our patients. In late July, when Dr. Cervantes begins seeing patients, we will be expanding our schedule to provide patients with even more pediatric dental appointment options. Not only will our appointment options expand, but in the near future, Dr. Cervantes will be providing hospital dentistry at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach to serve children with special health care needs who are unable to receive treatment in a dental office.

Please join us in welcoming her to our practice. We trust that the addition of Dr. Cervantes will allow us to not only meet but exceed your expectations. Should you have any questions regarding this important announcement, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your support.

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.

Emergency Care!

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, your pediatric dentist stands ready to help. Please keep the emergency number available and convenient.

Q: What should I do if my child's baby tooth is knocked out?

A: Contact your pediatric dentist as soon as possible.

Q: What should I do if my child's permanent tooth is knocked out?

A: Find the tooth and rinse it gently in cool water. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap -- use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can't put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to the pediatric dental office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it's after hours.) The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Q: What if a tooth is chipped or fractured?

A: Contact your pediatric dentist immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you to the dentist.

Q: What about a severe blow to the head or jaw fracture?

A: Go immediately to the emergency room of your local hospital. A blow to the head can be life threatening.

Q: What if my child has a toothache?

A: Call your pediatric dentist and visit the office promptly. To comfort your child, rinse the mouth with water. Apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area.

Q: Can dental injuries be prevented?

A: Absolutely! First, reduce oral injury in sports by wearing mouth guards. Second, always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car. Third, child-proof your home to prevent falls, electrical injuries, and choking on small objects. Fourth, protect your child from unnecessary toothaches with regular dental visits and preventive care.

Are There Teeth Grinders in Your House?

Grind, grind, grind, grind.... grind...

If you live with a teeth grinder, especially a night grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound.

Other symptoms of teeth grinding (technically called “bruxism”) include:

--Sensitivity in the teeth

--Tightness or pain in the jaw

--Dull headaches, earaches or facial pain

--Chipped, worn down or loose teeth

Teeth grinding is typically brought on by stress; however, children will also often grind their teeth unknowingly in their sleep. Here are some ways you can try to stop the grinding:

--Find out if there might be something bothering him/her; stress may be a factor

--Take your child to see a dentist. Your dentist may prescribe a nighttime mouth guard to prevent teeth grinding in their sleep

--Tell your child not to chew on hard object, such as pens and pencils

--At night before bed place a warm cloth on your child’s cheek to relax muscles before sleep

--Keep your child hydrated with water; dehydration can lead to teeth grinding

If grinding goes untreated it can lead to chipped teeth, worn enamel, chronic pain or even TMJ, a painful jaw disorder. So, if your child is grinding his/her teeth, contact your dentist for more information and “grinding” solutions.

The Tooth Fairy

Losing your first tooth, or any baby tooth for that matter, can be exciting! Your baby tooth may be gone, but in no time you will have a bigger, “grown-up” tooth in its place. So what do you do with the lost tooth? That’s simple…place it under your pillow at night and when you are fast asleep the tooth fairy will come and whisk your tooth away leaving behind a special gift just for you! Here’s a simple craft project I found a little while back that will help make the tooth fairy’s job a little easier and give your tooth a special place to stay until it is taken away. Please click on the link for instructions and pictures!

Tooth Fairy “Tooth” Box
(remember to ask your parents for help when using hot glue and scissors)


What you will need:
--I large empty match box
--Enough felt to wrap the box and inside sliding tray
--Ribbon
--Glue (tacky glue or a hot glue gun)
--Markers
--White, pink and blue (or your favorite color) felt for decorating the matchbox
--Scissors

Step 1: Pull the inner tray out of the box and line the inside with glue and felt as shown. Wrap the outside of the box with felt and glue it in place.

Step 2: Glue ribbon to the outside of the box in a hanging loop shape. Fold another piece of ribbon in half and glue it to the bottom of the inner tray to create a handle for sliding it in and out.

Step 3: Draw a tooth shape on paper, cut it out, and trace it onto the white felt twice. Cut out the teeth and face details.

Step 4: Decorate the teeth with the eyes and cheeks and draw on a mouth. Glue one tooth to the outside of the box.

Step 5: Create a tooth pocket by applying glue to the sides and bottom of the remaining tooth as shown, leaving an opening at the top. Glue the pocket to the inside tray. Once the glue dries, the box is Tooth Fairy-ready. Have your child put the tooth inside the inner pocket and hang it outside their door before your child goes to bed!