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!

Ask Pediatric Dental Specialists: Are retainers really that important?

If you recently completed treatment at Pediatric Dental Specialists, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Drs. Planells, Sanchez or Cortez will provide you with retainers. After braces are removed the teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receiver your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practicing speaking, reading, or singing aloud to get used to them quicker is a good idea.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Try to remember to bring your retainers to your appointments.
* Retainer replacement is expensive...with proper care they will last for years!
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).
* Keep retainers away from hot water, pockets, the washing machine and napkins.

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

What are patients saying about Pediatric Dental Specialists?

Drs. Planells, Sanchez and Cortez deliver the highest quality orthodontic care in a personalized environment here in Long Beach. Our dedicated team makes orthodontic treatment fun and enjoyable. Just see what our patients have to say!

"Dr. Planells understands and is comforting to children who get stressed out at the dentist's office." ~ Karen B.

"Dr. Sanchez is professional and friendly. The kids are very comfortable with her." ~ Anna S.

"I like the friendly staff. The dentists are very professional." ~ Justin C.

"My children are comfortable at the office and with their dentist. They have received excellent dental care and have not had any cavities." ~ Nicholas B.

Keep the great reviews coming! You may post a review of us on our Google Local page or on our social networks! We appreciate all of our patients!

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!

Pediatric Dental Specialists, supporting National Children’s Dental Health Month

For 60 Februaries, the American Dental Association, or ADA, has sponsored National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. National Children's Dental Health Month began as a one-day event in 1941 in a Cleveland clinic. In 1981, however, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Each February, Drs. Sanchez, Planells and Cortez, as well as thousands of other dental professionals focus on the preventive oral care of America's children. Our staff wants you to remember developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Has your child visited Pediatric Dental Specialists the past six months? If not, it’s time to give us a call and schedule an appointment!

The importance of mouth guards, from Pediatric Dental Specialists

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we know how important it is to protect your face while playing sports. The spring months bring an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of damaging your precious mouth and pearly whites. Our team also knows sports-related injuries are common among children. (According to the American Association of Orthodontists, 70 percent of parents said their biggest worry is that their child will get hurt while playing sports).

That’s why the team at Pediatric Dental Specialists are doing our part to spread the word that facial sports injuries can be avoided simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards. In fact, our staff will do impressions that will look like exact replicas of your mouth!

In addition, the AAO has provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field. Please remind them to:

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant—even as a spectator

All of these can reduce injuries. Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Be sure to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements we are trying to achieve. Lastly, please give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment at Pediatric Dental Specialists.

Ask Pediatric Dental Specialists: When should my child come in for a visit?

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we believe a child's first visit to the dentist should be enjoyable and positive. The more you and your child know about the first visit, the better you will feel. Children are not born with a fear of the dentist, but they can fear the unknown. And that's precisely why our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists makes a practice of using pleasant, non-frightening, simple words to describe your child's first dental visit and treatment. We want you to feel at ease from the moment your family arrives at our office.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), children should visit Drs. Cortez, Sanchez or Planells by their first birthday. It is important that your child's newly-erupted teeth (erupting at 6-12 months of age) receive proper dental care and benefit from proper oral hygiene habits right from the beginning. For more information on the advantages of pediatric dentistry at Pediatric Dental Specialists, please give us a call today to schedule an appointment.