What Type of Floss is Best?

If you’ve visited the dental care aisle recently, the sheer number of options available can be overwhelming. We often have patients ask us which floss is the “best” type of floss. In essence, all of the options on the market today do the same thing, and at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. We’ve listed a few of the options below.  

Flossers: Flossers are small plastic instruments with a single floss strip and a pick on the opposite end. This option can be both effective at cleaning the areas in between your teeth and scraping off plaque. These flossers come in flavored varieties as well. They are a great “on the go” option.

Gentle Dental Floss: Some people will find that regular dental floss is too harsh on their gums. For that reason, several options are available that have soft coatings that are less abrasive on the gums. Typically, gentle floss is just as effective as regular floss and an ideal match for anyone looking for a more sensitive approach to flossing.

Flavored Dental Floss: Flavored dental floss will freshen your breath while you floss! We suggest flavored dental floss if it prompts you to floss your teeth regularly.

Of all of the options, it is difficult to choose the absolute best type of floss.  However, our team feels that the type of floss that works best for you, giving you the greatest chance of succeeding at regular flossing, is the ultimately best choice. For more information on floss, or flossing with braces, ask us at your next appointment. There are many ways to make it both easy AND effective.

March Charity of the Month

It’s hard to believe we’re already in the third month of 2018! We’re excited this month to talk about a great local organization, the Harbor Dental Society. All of your check ins on Facebook this month will help generate donations for this worthwhile cause.  

The Harbor Dental Society was founded in 1915 by a small study club of ten dentists in the city of Long Beach. It has grown to include more than 700 dentists in 28 cities in the Los Angeles Harbor area. The Harbor Dental Society is comprised of local dentists who are members of both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the California Dental Association (CDA).

The Harbor Dental Society has a strong commitment to improve the dental health of the communities that it serves. The Society was a major force in establishing the Children's Dental Health Clinic in 1931 and spearheaded a twenty-year fight for fluoridation in the Long Beach water system.

What started many years ago as a small study group of dentists has grown to embody the commitment of our member dentists to the dental health of all children we are able to serve. Please join all of us at Pediatric Dental Specialists in supporting this wonderful local organization during the month of March. 

Have a Loose Wire or Bracket?

We know even despite your best efforts, the wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact Pediatric Dental Specialists as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

In an emergency, you can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain until your appointment.

Don't hesitate to reach out to us at (562) 377-1375 immediately if you experience any issue with your braces. 

Eating With Braces

Now that you have your braces, what foods can you still enjoy? While some foods are off limits, don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

Foods to AVOID with braces:

Chewy foods — bagels, licorice

Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice

Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum

Hard foods — nuts, hard candies

Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Foods you CAN eat with braces:

Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks

Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts

Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice

Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats

Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes

The Tooth Truth

Here at Pediatric Dental Specialists, 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.

To that note, let’s talk about the truth about our teeth. Our bone and gum tissues are supported by our teeth. If this support is lost or is poorly aligned, then our bone and gums can begin to erode. If the teeth are properly aligned the bone and gums are less likely to erode.

Your teeth play an important role in digestion. Before your food ever enters your stomach, it has to be chewed by your teeth. This process is called mastication. The food has to be partially broken down before entering your stomach to be properly digested. Braces straighten your teeth and give you the alignment you need to properly chew your food. 

If you are concerned about your alignment, or simply have questions on how to improve your child’s dental health, let’s talk! Our caring team takes pride in providing exceptional care to patients of all ages. We also have links to great additional resources on our website. To access those links, click here.

Spotlight on This Months Check-In 4 Charity: Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach

Just like that the warm summer months are winding down and September is here! For all of us at Pediatric Dental Specialists of Long Beach, this also means a new charity of the month! With your help we will be supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Long Beach.

ABOUT THE CHARITY
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Long Beach, comprised of 13 distinct facilities across the city, has been helping underprivileged youth reach their full personal and academic potential since 1939. One of the oldest, most successful youth organizations in the area, the BGCLB has served more than 220,000 youth, ages 6-18 in its 76-year history. Its mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as caring, responsible, and productive citizens. Their proven impact supports all aspects of positive youth development: Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.

JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LONG BEACH

Pediatric Dental Specialists of Long Beach takes part in the Check-In 4 Charity program. Whenever you check-in at our office on Facebook, a donation will be generated for the charity of the month. Be sure to check-in at your next appointment and together we can give back to this amazing charity during the month of September.

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.

Protect Those Precious Smiles

Almost any child would say their favorite time of year is summer. Being out of school, hanging out with their friends, swimming and playing outside is what all kids dream of.  While the summer season is almost over, it can still be a great time for children to face some summer hazards, particularly for their teeth. Physical activity, tempting sweets, and lax rules can all combine to leave your child with a tooth problem they would rather avoid.

At Pediatric Dental Specialists we want every child to enjoy what's left of their summer so we offer some tips for parents on how best to protect those precious smiles.

Go Easy on the Sweets
During summer your child will have no shortage of tempting treats. The ice cream truck, picnics, birthday parties and lazy days will all have your child craving a popsicle, soft drink or candy bar. But as we all know, sugar is the number one cause of cavities and the more sugar your children eat the more likely they are to develop cavities. Monitor the amount of sweets your children eat during the summer and put a cap on excessive sugar consumption.

Mouth Guards
If your children are going to be participating in a recreational activity, such as baseball, soccer or water polo it is very important that you protect their teeth with mouth guards. Sports are great for physical exercise but can be dangerous. Foul balls, elbows, and collisions happen all the time and if your child's teeth are not protected with a strong mouth guard he could easily have a tooth knocked out. Even if the sport seems easy on the physical activity, wearing a mouth guard is good practice and will greatly reduce the chance of tooth damage.

Stick to the Rules
Summer can be an easy time for forgetting. Being on vacation and not having to abide by a strict school schedule can make kids forget a lot. During the summer it is important as a parent to reinforce proper oral hygiene including brushing teeth twice a day, using floss and eating healthy. You don't want to ruin your child's summer but with gentle and persistent persuasion you can ensure they take care of their teeth and avoid any complications.

For more information about keeping your child's teeth safe and healthy, click here to visit our website. 

MI Paste & MI Paste Plus AVAILABLE HERE

We all know nutrients are important for your body, but did you know there are minerals that can help protect your teeth? The most popular mineral for your teeth is fluoride, but calcium and phosphate also offer several beneficial minerals for maintaining a healthy smile and your overall oral health.

What is MI Paste & MI Paste Plus?

Meet MI Paste & MI Paste Plus, a revolutionary product that benefits teeth with even more minerals than the average toothpaste. This unique topical tooth crème can be applied daily. Mi Paste Plus offers the same benefits of regular MI Paste, only it’s enhanced with fluoride.

More benefits on these products*:

• MI Paste and MI Paste Plus contain RECALDENT™ (CPP-ACP); Casein Phosphopeptide (CPP) are natural occurring molecules which are able to release calcium and phosphate ions and stabilize Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP) 
• RECALDENT™ (CPP-ACP) is milk-derived with lactose content less than 0.01%* 
• MI Paste and MI Paste Plus are water-based, sugar-free topical tooth crèmes that come in five delicious flavors (melon, mint, strawberry, tutti-frutti and vanilla) 

MI Paste & MI Paste Plus is available at Pediatrics Dental Specialists- Long Beach! Watch this video for more information on this product.

*"MI Paste™ & MI Paste Plus™ Consumer Site." MI Paste™ & MI Paste Plus™ Consumer Site. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.

Leave Us A Review On Google

Reviews on Google provide valuable information about our business to both us and our customers. Business reviews appear next to our listing in Maps and Search, and can help our business stand out on Google.

Leave us a review on Google by clicking here. You will need a Google account to leave review. If you are not sure how to create a review. Click here to create a Google account, then come back and leave us a review!

GO HERE TO LEAVE A REVIEW: https://goo.gl/maps/GNeqwMZDLtS2

Write a review of Drs. Cortez, Sanchez or Planells!

Whether you've visited Pediatric Dental Specialists for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about Dr. Cortez, Dr. Sanchez or Dr. Planells. There are lots of places on the Internet where you may share your reviews, but we'd like to direct you to our Google Local Page to write a review of us - it only takes a moment!

You may write your review here.

Thank you and enjoy your week!

Helping kids overcome fears of the dentist, from Drs. Planells, Sanchez and Cortez

Some children have fear when it comes to visiting the dentist. Our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists found a great article over the weekend on how to help children overcome fears of the dentist, courtesy of our friends at WebMD.

Making your child feel comfortable when they visit Drs. Planells, Sanchez and Cortez is a huge reason to take your child to a Pediatric Dentist instead of a regular dentist. Our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists excels at making children feel comfortable visiting the dentist. In fact, most of our patients look forward to their next visit!

Tell Drs. Sanchez, Planells and Cortez what’s on your mind!

By now, you probably the drill: Each week, our dedicated staff at Pediatric Dental Specialists write about topics related to orthodontic care and your health, including innovative dental and orthodontic treatments offered at our office. This week, we thought we’d ask our loyal patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of dentistry and orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog going forward? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Drs. Sanchez, Planells or Cortez but haven’t found the time?

Let us know and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have for us!

March is National Nutrition Month! From Pediatric Dental Specialists

You might recall our last blog post, in which we discussed February being National Children's Dental Health Month. Well, March is here, and that can only mean one thing: National Nutrition Month®. Every March, our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists and thousands of dentists and hygienists celebrate National Nutrition Month. This March, Drs. Planells, Cortez and Sanchez want you to think obesity, diabetes and periodontal disease, and how healthful eating and physical activity may improve periodontal health. Our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists know small changes can make a big difference, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has some advice on ways to start improving your diet:

• Focus on fruits and veggies: Add a serving each day to one meal and increase it every few weeks. Adding more of these foods into your diet is important whether you buy frozen, fresh or organic.

• Think local: From farmer’s markets here in southern California to community-supported agriculture, you have many options to find new, fresh foods in your area.

• Make calories count: When you are choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes, foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.

• Test your taste buds: Expand your horizons. Try a fish you’ve never eaten before or find a new vegetable recipe. By testing yourself, you might find new health favorites to add to your regular grocery list.

• Trick yourself with treats: If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert instead. If you want a snack in the afternoon, enjoy some trail mix or nuts.

If you have additional questions about periodontal disease or keeping yourself healthy, please give us a call!

A great braces-friendly fall recipe! From Pediatric Dental Specialists

Fall is here, and sometimes we here at Pediatric Dental Specialists just feel like a hot delicious meal is in order. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) fall dish that is sure to delight. Remember, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.

Pasta Pomodorini
Ingredients:
•¾ pound spaghetti or spaghetti
•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
•¼ cup sliced garlic
•½ teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
•Sea salt, preferably gray salt
•½ cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
•Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy this great fall dish and have a great week!
--From the team at Pediatric Dental Specialists

Getting you through flu season, from Pediatric Dental Specialists

Traditionally cold and flu season starts in Fall, but this year it seems to have started much earlier and with the number of patients canceling appointments because of flu and H1N1 symptoms Pediatric Dental Specialists are taking additional precautions to help prevent the spread of germs.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our office at all times as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces.

For the protection of other patients and our staff, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

Maintaining and protecting oral hygiene equipment is also important this flu season. To protect your toothbrush from bacteria follow these steps:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace toothbrush after every cold or flu or every 3-4 months when bristles appear worn

Hope this helps and give us a call if you have any questions! Stay healthy!

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

Getting Married This Fall? Smile Bright with Pediatric Dental Specialists!

It’s Fall. Leaves are turning shades of orange and red, the wind is picking up and getting cooler, and pumpkin patches are full of bright orange pumpkins. Families gather together, kids head out trick-or-treating, and as always, wedding bells are ringing. That's right, Fall is one of the best times of year to tie the knot! If you are gearing up for a wedding this Fall, consider matching that white dress to a perfectly white smile!

At Pediatric Dental Specialists we offer in-office tooth whitening for the bride, the groom, or the entire wedding party! You get the girls together to get their nails done, and now you can get them together to get their teeth done!

In-office whitening is the quickest, most effective way to achieve whiter teeth. Because we are dental professionals, we have the expertise to use higher percentages of whitening agents than the at-home systems allow. So you can get a brighter white, usually in just one visit!

Give us a call and let us add some extra sparkle to your “I do”!

BOO! A few Ghoulish Halloween Recipes!

October is National Orthodontic Health Month. In our office we are celebrating Halloween by sponsoring a Candy Buy-Back Program for existing patients whereby patients can bring in their Halloween candy on November 2, 2009 and receive $1.00 for each pound of candy they turn in.

In addition we are holding a Coloring Contest, whereby patients of the practice are encouraged to submit a colored National Orthodontic Health Month Coloring Sheet. The winner will be selected on November 2, 2009 and receive a $20 gift certificate.

Patients with braces are encouraged to avoid treats that "Can Play Tricks on Your Braces." These include foods that are hard, sticky or chewy- like:

Caramel
Taffy
Popcorn
Hard Nuts
Hard Pretzels
Ice

Here are some Braces-Friendly Halloween Recipes provided by the American Association of Orthodontics. Enjoy Halloween fun with these howling-good treats that won’t trick your braces.

Scary Jigglers
ADAPTED FROM THE
KRAFT FOODS KITCHEN
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups boiling water
(Do not add cold water)
2 pkg. gelatin (any flavor, but we recommend Orange,
Grape or Lime for Halloween)
Halloween-shaped cookie cutters*

Directions:
Stir boiling water into gelatin in a large bowl 3 minutes until
completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate
at least 3 hours or until firm (gelatin does not stick to finger
when touched).
Dip bottom of pan in warm water for about 15 seconds. Cut
into 24 decorative shapes using 2-inch cookie cutters, making
sure to cut all of the way through the gelatin to the bottom of
the pan. Remove from pan. Store in tightly covered container in
refrigerator.
DO NOT SWALLOW SCARY JIGGLERS WHOLE.
* If serving to small children, consider using smaller cookie cutters to
make bites more manageable.

Almond Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
Cut this easy-to-assemble dough into ghost shapes for
Halloween. Decorate with Super Easy Ornamental Frosting.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the egg,
vanilla extract and almond extract flavorings.
Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl. Next, add the
dry ingredients (by 1/2 cup measurements) to the butter/sugar
mixture. Mix with a mixer on medium speed. Chill the dough
for 2 - 3 hours or overnight, or “quick chill” in the freezer until
very firm, for about 30 - 45 minutes.
To Bake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the dough into fourths and
roll each section until it is about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness, and
using a 2 1/2 inch ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut into desired
shape. Bake 7 - 9 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.

Super Easy Ornamental Frosting
Ingredients:
16 oz. powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1/3 cup of warm water

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and mix at medium speed until
smooth. Spread the frosting on each cutout. For spreading
consistency, thin icing by adding tablespoons of warm water.
Please note: it doesn’t take more than one or two tablespoons
to thin the icing.

GHOST EYES
Use a tube of chocolate cake decorator frosting, or small dabs of
chocolate frosting on a knifepoint, to make ghost eyes.

Halloween Parfait
Ingredients:
w 3 boxes instant vanilla pudding
(enough to make 12 one-half cup servings)
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring
One 9-ounce package plain chocolate wafers
6 cups milk
Chocolate syrup to taste
One 8-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

Directions:
Combine pudding mix and milk in large bowl as directed on
the package. Refrigerate until firm. Crush chocolate wafers into
crumbs, using a food processor, or put the wafers into a zip-lock
bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Combine red and yellow food coloring in a small bowl. Stir into
pudding thoroughly, until pudding is orange. Alternate layers of
pudding with layers of chocolate crumbs in a parfait cup or glass
for a total of three layers of pudding. Top each layer of crumbs
with chocolate syrup to taste before adding the next pudding
layer. Top each parfait with mandarin oranges and additional
chocolate wafer crumbs. Makes eight 8-ounce servings.

Have a happy and safe Halloween! From Pediatric Dental Specialists

Write a Review of Pediatric Dental Specialists!

Whether you have visited Pediatric Dental Specialists for weeks, months or years, we'd love to hear your feedback about Dr. Cortez, Dr. Sanchez or Dr. Planells. Or perhaps the team! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We'd want to encourage you to write a review of us. It only takes a moment!

You may write your review here.

Thank you and have a great week!

--Pediatric Dental Specialists