General Dentistry Archives - Page 4 of 8 - Westside Dental Associates

Have You Scheduled Your Second Annual Visit Yet?

July 31, 2014

How many times should you see Dr. Latner in a single year? We recommend coming in twice for a checkup and dental cleaning. Why twice? Because our goal isn’t just to help you treat common oral health problems—we want, as much as possible, to help you prevent them too.

Dental cleanings are a preventive measure; they let us clean away plaque and bacteria you couldn’t clean away on your own. Checkups are also preventive in that they let us diagnose conditions early, when we can provide more conservative care for them. Conservative dentistry is all about preserving as much of your natural smile as possible.

How many times have you visited Westside Dental Associates this year? If you had your first appointment back in January or February, now is the perfect time to consider seeing Dr. Latner for a follow-up.

Call us today to reserve your appointment for July or sometime in the coming months. We offer general and preventive care to patients from Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and surrounding communities.

The Connection between Oral and Overall Health

July 24, 2014

Would it surprise you to learn that there’s a connection between your oral and overall health? We tend to think that what happens with our mouths is separate from what happens with our total health and wellbeing, but it’s not.

Medical studies have shown that there’s a link between a common oral health problem like gum disease and a range of health problems in the rest of the body. These health problems include:

Heart disease
Stroke
Alzheimer’s
Diabetes
Pre-term birth or low birth weight

But how does gum disease increase your vulnerability to these conditions? It may be a result of bacteria entering the bloodstream via the pockets between the teeth and gums. Once bacteria gains access to the bloodstream, it can travel to the heart and all around the body.

To protect your oral and overall wellbeing, make sure that you’re brushing and flossing on a daily basis. You should also visit Westside Dental Associates twice a year for checkups and dental cleanings. By committing to a healthy smile, you can protect your smile and support your total wellbeing.

Call Westside Dental Associates to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Latner. We’re happy to serve patients from Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.

Advanced Care for Gum Disease with Arestin

July 17, 2014

In our last post, we talked about the connection between bad breath and gum disease. We also talked about other symptoms of gum disease. Today, we want to highlight one of the most effective tools in the fight against gum disease and its unpleasant symptoms today—an antibiotic known as Arestin.

Arestin is a topical antibiotic that’s placed below the gumline, in the pockets that have formed between the teeth and gum as a result of gum disease. It’s often administered at the same time as a deep cleaning procedure, but not always. Since Arestin is a topical treatment, it can be placed exactly where it’s needed, giving it a big advantage over treatment with antibiotic pills.

What’s more, Arestin keeps working for days after it’s been applied. That’s because Arestin is made up of many tiny microspheres that gradually release the powerful antibiotic instead of releasing it all at once. Over a period of days, the medicine inside will kill bacteria and promote healing, so you can enjoy good oral health and wellbeing again.

Don’t let gum disease ruin your smile. If you’re struggling with any of the symptoms of gum disease, visit Westside Dental Associates for help. We will be happy to assess your needs during a consultation.

Call us today to schedule your appointments. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and all surrounding areas.

Bad Breath and Gum Disease

July 10, 2014

Do you struggle with bad breath on a regular basis? Your diet may not be the culprit. Other causes of bad breath include sinus trouble, dry mouth, and smoking. A few medications can also play a role. The specific cause we want to address today, though, is gum disease.

Gum disease is caused by the accumulation of bacteria and plaque around your teeth and gums. When gum disease is first developing, you may not have any noticeable symptoms. When they do start developing, though, one that you may experience is frequent bad breath, also known as halitosis.

Other gum disease symptoms include:

Red, swollen, or tender gums
Gums that bleed when brushed
A receding gumline
Loose teeth

When gum disease becomes more advanced, it can lead to tooth loss. Studies have also shown that it can make you more vulnerable to other kinds of health problems, including stroke, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and pre-term birth or low birth weight.

Have you experienced any of these symptoms? Dr. Latner can help you treat them. At Westside Dental Associates, we’re happy to provide customized care to help you enjoy good health and wellbeing again. For some patients, treatment may only involve spending more time brushing and flossing each day. Other patients may need more advanced help, which may involve treatment with Arestin.

Call our Los Angeles dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Latner. We’re happy to serve patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and all surrounding areas.

Visit Our Patient Info Section

June 30, 2014

Forms Are you going visiting our Los Angeles dental office for the first time? Do you have questions about some of the services we office? Do you want to read up on the latest in dentistry? Visit our website’s Patient Info section. When you visit this section, you’ll find helpful links that will help you answer your questions, in addition to our new patient forms.

Downloading and filling out our new patient forms before you come in will let us get started on your paperwork as soon as you arrive at our office. If you have any trouble printing our forms, let us know and we’ll be happy to send or fax them to you.

For your questions about our office, such as what insurances we accept and whether we take referrals, see our Your Questions page. Here you’ll find basic information about how our office operates and what you can expect from our office.

On our page for Articles & Links, you’ll find information specifically related to the services we offer, including information on dental implants, porcelain veneers, Invisalign, Zoom! Whitening, and so much more.

Do you still have questions? Call our Los Angeles dental office. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you might have. We serve patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and all nearby areas.

What Is an Abscess?

June 11, 2014

Our teeth have multiple layers, with the inner layer containing the tooth’s nerve. Most dental problems involve the protective layer of enamel on the outside of teeth, but sometimes, because of an injury or deep decay, an infection can develop inside the tooth, where the nerve is.

Treating an infected tooth is important. If it’s not treated, an abscess can develop, resulting in a range of uncomfortable symptoms. Signs of an abscessed tooth include:

Toothache
Sensitivity to hot or cold
Redness and swelling
A sore or pimple on the side of the gums
Pain when chewing
A bitter taste in the mouth

If enough time goes by, you may lose your tooth to the infection. Having a gap in your smile creates a new set of obstacles to good oral health. First, nearby teeth will shift out of alignment. Second, your jawbone will lose bone tissue, because you don’t have a root there to stimulate the growth of new tissue. And third, as your jaw loses more bone tissue, you could end up losing other teeth.

Thankfully, there’s a way to treat infected or abscessed teeth with root canal therapy. In our next post, we’ll talk about what a root canal is and how it can help you enjoy good oral health again.

Do any of these symptoms sound like what you’re experiencing? Call Dr. Latner’s Los Angeles dental office to schedule an appointment with us. We’re happy to serve the dental needs of patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and all surrounding areas.

Foods That Are Good for Your Smile

June 10, 2014

general dentistry When it comes to your oral health, nothing is more beneficial than a good brushing and flossing combined with regular dental cleanings and checkups. And yet, there’s more to having a healthy smile than just these. What you eat makes a difference too. That’s why we want to use today’s post to highlight certain foods that can help you support your oral health and overall wellbeing.

Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt

All three of these are high in calcium, which is essential for building strong bones and healthy teeth. Dairy foods also help you produce saliva, which has a neutralizing effect on any acid in the mouth. If acid isn’t neutralized, teeth are more vulnerable to decay. Some research also suggests that the probiotics found in yogurt help protect the delicate soft tissue of the gums.

Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is beneficial because of the nutrient’s special anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation and infection are both components of gum disease but foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can help you safeguard your smile.

Chocolate

Chocolate lovers everywhere, rejoice! It may sound too good to be true, but research indicates that cocoa can also help you stave off inflammation, in addition to protecting against decay. Just be careful about what kind you eat. It’s better to choose a dark chocolate that’s low in sugar.

Water

Not only does water help us keep our bodies hydrated, it’s also good for washing away food and preventing the mouth from becoming too dry. A dry mouth encourages bad breath and cavities; drinking water throughout the day can help you discourage both.

Do you have questions about what other foods can help you support your oral health? Call Westside Dental Associates with your questions or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Latner. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.

Why Is a Straight Smile Important?

May 30, 2014

This question has two answers. The first is related to confidence. When you have a straight smile, you feel more confident and end up sharing it with others. And isn’t that what everyone wants—the confidence to smile openly instead of hiding your teeth behind a closed-mouth smile?

Confidence is just part of the answer, though. There’s an even more important one that goes back to your oral health. Put simply, it’s easier to keep straight teeth clean. When teeth are misaligned, bacteria and plaque have more places to hide. As a result, you can be more vulnerable to conditions like tooth decay and gum disease.

At our Los Angeles office, we offer two great services for helping patients create straight smiles: Six Month Smiles and Invisalign. Both aim to give patients beautiful results as discreetly as possible, and in as short an amount of time as possible. They work in different ways, though.

Six Month Smiles uses clear brackets and tooth-colored wires to move teeth into their ideal position in just a matter of months. Treatment with Invisalign can take between 12-18 months but doesn’t use brackets and wires at all. Instead, Invisalign uses a series of carefully designed trays that are both clear and removable.

Which of these two options is right for you? Dr. Latner would be happy to help you find out. During a consultation at Westside Dental Associates, we will assess your needs and talk to you about your options. Afterwards, if you have any questions about what we recommend, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re always happy to answer the questions our patients have.

Call us today to schedule your appointment. Our office is in Los Angeles and serves patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.

See What Our Patients Have Said about Us

May 16, 2014

If you’re new to the Los Angeles area, finding a dentist is important. But who should you go to? Choosing a dentist when you’re in a new place is easier when you can hear what others have to say about the dentist you’re considering.

That’s why we have a page for testimonials on our website. When you visit this section, you’ll not only find short, written testimonials, you’ll also find video testimonials. In these videos, real-life patients talk about their experiences and how the care they received made them feel. We want to help you in the same way that we’ve helped these other patients.

Are you considering a visit to Westside Dental Associates? Take a moment to read and watch the testimonials from our Los Angeles area patients. We also invite you to read about the many services we offer. We offer excellent general, cosmetic, and restorative care to our patients using many of today’s best tools.

Call us today if you’re ready to schedule an appointment with Dr. Latner. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.

The Best Brands of Toothpaste, Floss, and Mouthwash

May 2, 2014

Brushing There are many great oral care products out there, but some are more effective than others. In today’s post, we want to offer some advice on choosing what’s right for you.

Toothpaste

There are toothpastes for seemingly everything–cavity protection, gum disease prevention, sensitivity, whitening, and more. In every case, there are going to be some products that are better than others, but if you want one that can do it all, consider Crest Pro-Health. This particular toothpaste whitens, prevents cavities and gingivitis, fights bad breath, and helps with sensitivity.

Floss

The right kind of floss depends on your particular preferences, and on your own teeth. In places where contact between teeth is normal or loose, woven floss is very effective. In places where contact is tighter, though, you’ll want waxed floss that can easily glide through narrow passages.

Mouthwash

As with the many toothpastes and flosses available, the best mouthwash for you depends somewhat on your needs. Crest Pro-Health again provides patients with great all-around care, while Scope and Listerine are both known for fighting gingivitis and giving you fresh breath.

Do you have questions about which oral care products are right for you? Dr. Latner would be happy to talk to you about your needs and recommend solutions that can help you. Our Los Angeles team can also talk to about proper brushing and floss technique so you can be sure that you’re giving your smile the care it deserves.

Call us today to schedule an appointment. We serve patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.