Your Dentist in Los Angeles Says Flossing Does Matter!

August 29, 2016

Filed under: Flossing — Les Latner @ 4:23 pm

Dr. Latner, your dentist in Los Angeles, explains the importance of flossing.Although we have all been told that we need to floss daily, many look at flossing like an added chore. As a result, many skip out on flossing. In fact, as much as 27 percent of adults lie to their dentists about flossing. In addition, a recent study found that only four out of ten Americans floss their teeth every day, with 20 percent of Americans admitting to have never flossed. With a recent article by the Associated Press claiming that flossing is not important to preventing gum disease, as your dentist in Los Angeles, Dr. Latner is here to tell you that flossing DOES matter!
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Your Dentist in Los Angeles Explains the Importance of Flossing

August 10, 2016

Filed under: Flossing — Les Latner @ 6:10 pm

Your dentist in Los Angeles explains why you need to floss daily. Flossing your teeth once a day is an important aspect to protecting your oral and overall heath. Unfortunately, too many people underestimate the benefits of flossing, which is why only four out of ten adults take the time to floss their teeth daily. However, by skipping out on flossing and only relying on brushing your teeth, you are placing your health at risk. Lack of flossing leads to gum disease. Gum disease is directly linked to causing serious health complications, such as heart disease. As your dentist in Los Angeles, Dr. Latner does not want you to place your oral or overall health at risk due to not flossing daily.
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The Los Angeles Dentist for Optimal Oral Hygiene – Dr. Les Latner

September 20, 2015

Man flossing teeth with tips from the los angeles dentist Les Latner and the Westside dental Associates teamYour Los Angeles dentist, Dr. Les Latner, strives to help patients achieve optimal oral health. The Westside Dental Associates team helps patients develop at-home care routines to remove bacteria, prevent tartar, and keep smiles healthy and naturally beautiful. While many patients assume the building block of excellent dental health is twice daily tooth brushing, flossing may just have the upper hand when it comes to removing hard to reach, stuck-on plaque and preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Find out more about essential oral hygiene habits from the Dentist Los Angeles residents rely on, Dr. Les Latner. Call Westside Dental Associates to find out more today.
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Your Los Angeles Pediatric Dentist – Dr. Les Latner

June 25, 2015

ThinkstockPhotos-178845072 (1)If you’ve ever asked a child to help you clean up, you may have noticed that they’re not so great at it. Teaching children how to care for their dental hygiene is not easy. At Westside Dental Associates, we emphasize regular checkups and teeth cleanings for our younger visitors, as well as providing oral hygiene education. In Los Angeles, Dr. Les Lanter is the dentist you can trust to care for the whole family. If you need pediatric, general, restorative, or cosmetic dentistry in Los Angeles, call to schedule an appointment today.

Dr. Latner Knows Children’s Teeth

Every smile is different, and our smiles change during throughout our lives. Caring for children’s teeth presents different obstacles than adult treatment. Dr. Latner completed a two year dental residency at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. While he has become a leader in esthetic dentistry and names general dentistry as his passion, there no denying his years of hand on training make him an ideal pediatric dentist as well.

Why Teeth Cleanings Matter

Because of his years of training and experience, Dr. Latner full understand the unique needs of children from the time their primary (baby) teeth begin to emerge, through loss of primary teeth, and development of permanent (adult) teeth. One of the best ways to help your child retain healthy primary teeth is to schedule regular dental hygiene visits every six months. We all know that children are still learning to be effective cleaners. You can’t count on them to do a better job cleaning their teeth than they do making their bed. A thorough cleaning by our outstanding hygienists, and a reminder about at home care tips is essential in build a child’s oral health.

Because primary teeth are weaker than permanent teeth, they are more susceptible to caries (cavities). At regular cleanings, the bacteria on your child’s tooth is thoroughly removed just like your own teeth cleaning. Additionally, primary teeth are checked thoroughly for signs of decay, or problem areas. Sealants and fluoride treatments can also be applied to offer your child additional protection.

Keeping primary teeth strong is more important than you might think. Baby teeth, like adult teeth, help your child to chew, but they are also important as children develop speech. Our teeth allow us to speak clearly. Children whose primary teeth do not develop well, are more likely to have impeded speech. Caring for primary teeth also lays the ground work for healthy adult teeth. If your child’s primary teeth and gums are healthy, they will prepare the way for healthier adult teeth.

Find Out More

If you’re interested in learning more about the outstanding family dentistry offered by Dr. Latner and the knowledgeable Westside Dental Associates team, our convenient “ask the doctor” tool allows you to gather information between visits. Call our Las Angeles practice to schedule an appointment. Westside Dental Associates welcomes patients from surrounding areas including Santa Monica, Marina Del Ray, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, and Burbank.

Dental Care 101: Why It Pays to Floss

November 29, 2014

481456381The cost of dental fillings, root canal surgery and decaying teeth can easily run into hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.  You can avoid these costs by simply taking an extra 5-10 min out of the day to floss your teeth. Floss was invented in 1815 by a dentist in New Orleans. It was first patented in 1898 by Johnson & Johnson and was made out of silk. Floss is now made of plastic, nylon or dental ribbon. You can also choose an automatic flosser which uses a nylon filament to clean between your teeth. It’s most useful to floss just once day, but slowly and effectively. Even with faithful flossing, everyone should have a professional deep cleaning twice a year to keep gum disease and tooth decay at bay. You can make an appointment with Dr. Latner at Westside Dental Associates today for the deep cleaning and dental care that you need. Westside Dental Associates serves patients throughout West Los Angeles and nearby areas including Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park and Mar Vista.

Dental Care Advantages of Flossing

Brushing your teeth only cleans the outer surface. You should also be flossing to clean out the gaps between your teeth, where bacteria like to hide. If you don’t floss, the plaque may build-up, causing cavities, tooth decay and gingivitis (gum disease). If left untreated, gingivitis can be a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and obesity. In addition, bacteria can cause Halitosis and discoloration. Flossing can help you avoid these medical and hygiene issues and improve the appearance of your smile.

Preventive Dental Care in Los Angeles, CA

Remember that flossing daily can save your teeth and your checkbook. Some people may believe that you can’t floss if you’re pregnant, nursing, or wearing braces. But there’s a safe and effective flossing technique and material for everybody. Dr. Latner specializes in preventive dental care and can help you find the proper flossing techniques if you have any concerns. Make an appointment with Dr. Latner at Westside Dental Associates today to prevent dental care issues. Westside Dental Associates serves patients throughout West Los Angeles and surrounding communities including Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park and Mar Vista.

Why Is Flossing Important?

September 20, 2013

general dentistryYou’ve probably heard throughout your life that flossing is important, but do you understand why? In today’s post, we’d like to look at how flossing can help and what can happen if you don’t floss on a regular basis.

First, why should you floss?

Flossing is important because of how it can help your oral health. When food is allowed to build up around teeth, the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth will go up as well. Those harmful bacteria increase one’s vulnerability to decay and gum disease. If left untreated, they can lead to serious oral health problems, including advanced gum disease and tooth loss.

Serious oral health problems are most commonly treated with fillings, dental crowns, root canal therapy, and gum disease therapy. Failure to floss on a regular basis may lead to you needing one or more of these services to help you reclaim good oral health.

So, how can flossing help?

Flossing will help you support your oral health by getting leftover pieces of food away from teeth. As a result, one’s chance of developing cavities or gum disease is significantly lower.

At Westside Dental Associates, we recommend that patients floss at least once a day to keep teeth at their cleanest. Floss is inexpensive and comes in a wide variety of types: waxed, unwaxed, and flavored. Patients should also brush at least twice a day, if not three times.

Do you have questions about flossing, or do you want to schedule an appointment? Call Dr. Latner’s Los Angeles dental office. We offer care to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, and surrounding areas.

Save Money: Floss!

June 19, 2011

Do you understand the importance of flossing? Judging by the patients who come into my office, I’d estimate that about 90% of you aren’t flossing. I’m guessing that’s because you really don’t understand why you need to. After all, you can whiten your teeth, either here in our Los Angeles dental office, or take home whitening kits. You brush, at least at night, right? So why not just add a round of flossing and save your teeth (not to mention save money–see below).

Here are the reasons why you should be flossing:

  • Flossing makes your breath sweeter!
  • Flossing gets the food out of your teeth: duh!
  • Flossing prevents cavities: the floss gets in the areas where the brush doesn’t; leftover food builds up bacteria and that causes cavities.
  • Flossing prevents gingivitis (gum disease): keeps your gums healthy. Flossing keeps irritating bacteria away from your gums. Bacteria are like sandpaper to the gums. The irritation sets up a chain reaction that results in tenderness and bleeding which is a sign that your gums are suffering!
  • Flossing will save your teeth! The biggest reason for tooth loss? Gum Disease. You can prevent tooth loss by flossing.

How much does a floss container cost? $3. I’ll give ’em to you free if you come in for your 6-month checkups!

Here are the prices for dental work if you don’t floss:

  • Regular surface filling runs around $300.
  • A root canal runs around $750-900
  • A crown runs around $1200
  • If you lose your tooth and need a dental implant, that runs around $3500.

As you can plainly see, it’s much less expensive to floss!

Floss comes in many varieties: waxed and unwaxed (which I prefer, it’s more efficient at cleaning but if you have really tight contacts between teeth, try Glide floss).  You can also enjoy flavored floss. Whatever makes you floss, do it.

How often should you floss?

Minimum: At least once a day.

Brush 3 times a day and floss once.

Like I always say: Beverly Hills quality at West LA prices…and free parking!

Les Latner, DDS

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