3 Benefits of Straight Teeth in Long Beach

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.

Your smile is uniquely yours and it is what makes you YOU! Orthodontics is more than having a straight smile, the health benefits go beyond an aesthetically beautiful smile. Here are 3 benefits of a straight smile.

1. Healthy Gums, Healthy Life: Having healthy gums is a health aspect that everyone should have and so easy to obtain. Healthy gums are also the foundation to a healthy smile, inside and out. Your health is all related, from your mouth to your heart, to your entire body and your gums are an essential foundation. When teeth are spaced out or crowded, it’s possible for gums to be inflamed, which can lead to periodontal disease. Straight teeth aligns your gums to fit well around your teeth.

2. Decrease Risk of Tooth Injury:  Crowded, protruding upper teeth are more likely to be broken in the event of an accident, such as playing sports or during an accidental fall.

3. Healthier Bite: Orthodontics is all about a healthy bite. A healthy bite effects the way your child speaks, eats and chews their food and how their teeth fit overall.

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.

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We are so proud 🙌🏽of Isabella for not having any broken brackets. 👍🏽 #PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez • • • • • • #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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Prevent Tooth Decay in Babies

Did you know a baby’s 20 primary teeth are already present in their jaws at birth? Those baby teeth that begin coming through the gums around 6 months help set the stage for future smiles by keeping space in the jaw for adult teeth. Starting your child off with good dental care can help protect their teeth for decades to come.

Baby teeth are place holders for adult teeth and help them develop the way they speak, eat and grow. Though baby teeth are place holders, they are still prone to getting cavities and tooth decay, which can cause pain to babies, lead to life threatening infections and can be costly to treat.

“Tooth decay develops when a baby's mouth is infected by acid-producing bacteria.” This most commonly happens when a child's teeth and gums are exposed to liquid and food for a long period of time. “Natural or added sugars in the liquid or food are changed to acid by bacteria in the mouth. This acid then dissolves the outer part of the teeth, causing them to decay. The most common way this happens is when parents put their children to bed with a bottle of formula, milk, juice (even when mixed with water), soft drinks (soda, pop), sugar water, or sugared drinks. It can also occur when children are allowed to frequently drink anything other than water from a sippy cup or bottle during the day or night.”

You can start caring for baby's gums right away. But at first, the care won't involve a toothbrush and toothpaste. Instead, take these steps:

• Get a soft, moistened washcloth or piece of gauze.
• Gently wipe down your baby's gums at least twice a day.
• Especially wipe your baby's gums after feedings and before bedtime.
• This will wash off bacteria and prevent them from clinging to gums. Bacteria can leave behind a sticky plaque that damages infant teeth as they come in.

When the first baby teeth start to pop up, you can graduate to the use of a toothbrush. Choose one with a soft brush, small head and large handle.

At first, just wet the toothbrush. As soon as teeth erupt, you can start using a bit of training-toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice. You can increase this to a peas sized amount of fluoride toothpaste when your child is 2 years old. Brush gently all around your child's baby teeth, front and back.

You should brush your baby's teeth until he or she is old enough to hold the brush. Continue to supervise the process until your child can rinse and spit without assistance. That usually happens at around age 6.

When Should I wear a Mouth Guard?

April is National Facial Protection Month! National Facial Protection Month serves as a reminder over the importance of wearing mouth guards during sports, protecting your beautiful smile.

67% of parents surveyed by the American Association of Orthodontists said their child does not wear a mouth guard, yet 70% said their biggest fear is their child getting hurt when playing sports. The most effective way to protect your childs teeth and prevent injuries is to wear a mouthguard.

About 80% of traumatic dental injuries occur to the two front teeth. Injuries can happen at any age and any skill level. So when should you wear a mouth guard? Here are just a few.

• Basketball
• Baseball
• Football
• Soccer
• Skiing
• Rugby
• Softball
• Tennis  

Facial Protection Month: Types of Mouth Guards

Did you know from the ages of 7 to 11 years old, children are most vulnerable to sports related mouth injuries? The importance of protecting our smile should be stressed enough and should remind our friends and community how easy it is to protect our teeth.

Wearing a mouthguard is the safest way to protect your teeth while playing sports or just enjoying sports related activities. Athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer a teeth related injury if they’re not wearing a mouth guard.

Here are the three types of mouth guards you can wear, especially if you are currently in orthodontic treatment.

1. Custom fitted mouth guards - these are made by your dentist and can be molded to fit your smile perfectly 
2. Stock mouth guards - these type of mouth guards are  performed and may be a bit bulky
3. Boil and bite mouth guards - are mouth guards that are softened by boiling water and then insert your mouth, to form to the shape of your mouth.







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The Armenta Family enjoying our selfie🤳station. 👏🏽🙌🏽 #PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez • • • • #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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The Lucido Girls showing off their beautiful smiles. #PediatricDentalSpecialistsLongBeach #DrPlanells #DrSanchez #DrCortez * * * * #PDSLongBeach #LongBeachDentist #LongBeachCalifornia #LongBeach #PediatricDentist #KidsDentist #Orthodontist #Smile #KidsSmile #WeLoveOurPatients

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National Nutrition Month: 4 Foods to Stay Away for a Healthy Smile

We are proud to serve our Long Beach community and see so many smiles and families grow and shine. What sets us apart from other pediatric dental specialist and orthodontists in our community is the opportunity to meet all your child’s dental needs under one roof!

Patients who undergo orthodontic treatment are able to have their orthodontic wires removed for dental cleanings and then have their braces adjusted during the same visit by the orthodontist. This service enables you to make fewer visits to the dentist during your child’s orthodontic treatment by having all the care in one office.

This month, is National Nutrition Month and while there are many healthy foods that serve our body and smile well, there are various foods that we should steer clear from. They can harm our enamel, disrupt our orthodontic treatment and can negatively impact our smile, by causing bacteria and cavities.

1. Sports Drinks - Sports Drinks are notorious for having so much sugar, even if they are labeled “natural” or “healthy.” “The bacteria get energy from the sugar, but in the process produce acid. The acid they make can damage teeth, causing cavities to form or erosion to occur,” according to American Dental Association.

2. Lemon / Acidic Foods -  Our enamel is stronger than our bones, which means it has an important role in keeping our tooth safe. Limit your acidic food intake as it can erode the enamel.

3. Sticky Foods - Stay away from sticky foods if you have braces. However if you are just enjoying a snack, sticky foods may not be the route to go towards. Sticky foods remain on our teeth longer, thus contributing to bacteria and cavities, especially if it is filled with sugar.

4. Crunchy Foods (Chips) - Everyone's go to snack is more often than not something crunchy such as chips. This is a food to stay away from for your smile, especially if you just received braces. Chips get stuck on our teeth and crunchy foods in general can damage our teeth.

There are various foods that can benefit our smile and teeth, it is just important to be mindful of our nutrition and what goes into our mouth. You can find more foods that are appealing, but not recommended during orthodontic treatment specifically on our website.

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National Nutrition Month - 3 Healthy Foods for Your Teeth

March is National Nutrition Month and a perfect opportunity to showcase foods that help our teeth remain healthy and our smile in tip top shape. While we know the health benefits of eating healthy, the foods we consume on a daily basis, also greatly affect our teeth.

Dairy - Dairy is healthy in various ways, such as yogurt, milk and cheese. The calcium help our teeth remain strong and healthy.

Lean Protein -  Foods rich in protein such as meat, poultry and fish help to strengthen your teeth and contribute to your overall health in your body. Be sure to floss after every meal or at least once a day.

Nuts - Nuts are delicious and greatly benefit our teeth. Various types of nuts contain protein and minerals. Several nuts are low in carbohydrates don’t add to your risk of cavities and help avoid tooth decay. If you are going to snack on a snack, nuts are a safe bet. 

Of course, if you have braces or in the middle of an orthodontic treatment, avoid nuts and hard foods alike.

Bonus Tip: 

You brush your teeth twice a day, follow a great routine of flossing regularly and visit the dentist, but did you know that rinsing with fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay, also helps keep your teeth healthy and strong? Water, especially if it is fluoridated water, is the best beverage for maintaining your oral health.

We proudly serve our Long Beach community and have seen many children's smiles blossom and shine. Seeing an orthodontist at an early age allows us to determine how and when a child's particular jaw and/or dental problems should be corrected, if they need to be.

Check out some of our patient’s beautiful smiles. Contact us to set up an appointment or if you have any additional questions.

National Children's Dental Health Month

Public awareness about children’s oral health is celebrated in the month of February, throughout the country.

Baby teeth are very important in a child’s dental development because they help guide the permanent teeth into place. Furthermore, because baby teeth have their own nerves, if a child develops deep cavities tooth-pain and infection may be the result. There is nothing worse than a toothache!

For that reason and more, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children see the dentist by their first birthday.  The dentist can guide parents through the child’s formative years and provide guidance in tooth-brushing, flossing, thumb-sucking, braces and many other topics.  Parents may obtain valuable information on teething, preventative care such as application of sealants and the importance of topical fluoride (this information may accessed through links in our website:

Many children have access to sweets in many forms.  Candy and soda or sugar in baked goods are prevalent and most common in the diet.  If the child is out of balance by not brushing well to remove plaque or not flossing, they are at a higher risk for tooth decay.  If the child is not brushing with a fluoridated tooth paste, their risk goes even higher.

Children, teens and young adults should see their dentist for their dental check-up twice a year. This is important, especially if the child is undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Though it is important to maintain good oral health throughout the year, February is the time of year we rededicate ourselves to optimal oral health. Please let our doctors or team members know if you have any questions.