Pediatric Dental Specialists, supporting National Smile Month

Now that Memorial Day weekend is behind us, we thought today would be a great time to tell our wonderful patients that June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to Pediatric Dental Specialists.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment.
* Visit with Drs. Planells, Sanchez or Cortez regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call at (562) 377-1375.

We hope you all had a memorable Memorial Day weekend and now we want everyone to get out there and share your beautiful smiles with the world!

Pediatric Dental Specialists want to know: This Memorial Day, what are you up to?

Make no mistake about it: Memorial Day weekend is a time Americans everywhere stop and remember all those men and women who bravely gave their lives for our country. It’s also the unofficial start of summer, and for many kids, getting out of town for three days with parents after being cooped up in school or work spells sweet relief.

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we know Memorial Day weekend is also a great time to pack up and hit the road. After all, it’s unofficially the start of summer and time for a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories with parents or friends. What are you up to this Memorial Day weekend? What will you be doing on your day off from school or work?

Whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, or just having fun in the sun next weekend, our staff would like to hear all about it! Enjoy the long weekend everyone!

Dr. Sanchez wants to know: Is your child a mouth breather?

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we know breathing through the mouth instead of the nose may lead to trouble for kids. Now we have proof, thanks to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of the journal General Dentistry.

Children who typically breathe through their mouth - most often kids who suffer from allergies - experience problems getting enough oxygen into their blood, a condition that affects their weight, size and sleep, which often affects their performance in the classroom and life.

Dr. Yosh Jefferson, who anchored the study, also notes that if left untreated, mouth breathing can cause dental and facial abnormalities. But there's good news: mouth breathing is a treatable condition. Doing so, however, requires early diagnosis and treatment. Since Drs. Sanchez, Planells and Cortez see their patients every six months, they may be in a position to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing.

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, please give our team at Pediatric Dental Specialists a call at (562) 377-1375.

For more on mouth breathing, we encourage you to read the rest of the Dr. Jefferson's article. For more on children's dental health, please head over to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

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!

Pediatric Dental Specialists, reminding you Mother's Day is this Sunday!

Mother's Day -- which falls on this coming Sunday -- is special to all of us, isn't it? Everyone looks forward to this day to let mommy dearest know how special she is to us. As you know, the day is observed by giving gifts, visiting our moms or taking them out to celebrate. Tell us, what are you planning on you mom's special day on Sunday?

Out of ideas? Then check out this helpful video from Good Morning America about clever, inexpensive Mother's Day gift ideas. Whatever you come up with, we're sure mom is going to absolutely love it!

-- The team at Pediatric Dental Specialists

Fun fact Friday with Drs. Planells, Sanchez and Cortez!

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we know our patients love fun facts. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team and Drs. Cortez, Planells and Sanchez thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Might you be a teeth whitening addict?

In an age—and culture—where looks matter as much as anything in life, and at a time when a set of beautiful white teeth might be the difference between getting that great job, more and more people want to look and feel great. But can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to teeth whitening? Dentists everywhere are reporting a spike in patients' complaining about irritation and bleeding gums, translucent teeth and excessive teeth sensitivity, especially to cold food and drink items.

Our friends at WebMD have written a helpful article on teeth whitening addiction, and we encourage you to give it a read if you suspect you may have a teeth whitening addiction. Or you may give us a call for more info!