We’ve said it before—gum disease doesn’t just affect your oral health, it has an impact on your overall wellbeing. That even goes for patients with diabetes.
What’s the connection? Though it’s not entirely understood, it would appear that the relationship between gum disease occurs two ways.
Here’s what we know:
Gum disease forms when bacteria and plaque accumulate around the gum line. This causes the tissue to become irritated, resulting in an infection. The body responds to this infection by raising blood sugar levels, in turn raising a patient’s risk of experiencing diabetic complications.
Now, consider the other side. Patients who are diabetic are already more susceptible to developing an infection, because of the...(Read More) Diabetes and Gum Disease
August 8, 2013
We’ve said it before—gum disease doesn’t just affect your oral health, it has an impact on your overall wellbeing. That even goes for patients with diabetes.
What’s the connection? Though it’s not entirely understood, it would appear that the relationship between gum disease occurs two ways.
Here’s what we know:
Gum disease forms when bacteria and plaque accumulate around the gum line. This causes the tissue to become irritated, resulting in an infection. The body responds to this infection by raising blood sugar levels, in turn raising a patient’s risk of experiencing diabetic complications.
Now, consider the other side. Patients who are diabetic are already more susceptible to developing an infection, because of the...(Read More) 
Risk Factors for Cavities
August 1, 2013
You’ve heard all your life that keeping your teeth healthy means avoiding sugary foods and brushing twice a day. But in fact, when it comes to cavities, there are other risk factors besides sugary foods and not brushing that you should be aware of. In today’s post, we’d like to go over some of those. We hope you find them informative, and if you have any questions about what you see, don’t hesitate to give our Los Angeles dental office a call.
Already having cavities
All patients face a risk of developing cavities, but patients who have had cavities in the past are more likely to develop new ones in the future. That’s because...(Read More) 
How Saliva Protects Your Smile
July 30, 2013
As we indicated in our last post, saliva can play an important role in protecting teeth from decay. Specifically, saliva helps neutralize the acid created by bacteria in the mouth. But that’s not all it does.
Saliva is 99% water, and water—as we said last time—helps keep teeth clean. The other 1% of saliva is made up of electrolytes, mucus, glycoproteins, enzymes, and antibacterial compounds. As you eat, saliva breaks down food particles around teeth and offers your enamel special protection. What’s more, because saliva contains calcium and phosphates, it helps with the re-mineralization process, too.
It’s because of saliva’s benefits to oral health that dentist will recommend chewing gum after a...(Read More) 
Improving Your Oral Health with Food
July 23, 2013
You already know how important brushing, flossing, and regular checkups are for a healthy smile, but what about your diet? While foods high in sugar can have a negative effect on oral health, there are other foods that are more beneficial. Some of those include:
Fruits, veggies, nuts, and more
Vegetables that take some considerable chewing, like carrots and celery, are good for your smile because the more you chew the more saliva your body produces. Why is that good? Because saliva is known for neutralizing acid, which is what causes decay.
Meanwhile, foods like garlic, apples, grapes, cocoa, and nutmeg are beneficial for another reason. Instead of increasing saliva production, they make it...(Read More) 
Have You Ever Wondered What Causes Tooth Sensitivity? Here Are Four of Them
July 16, 2013
It’s not uncommon for patients of Westside Dental Associates to ask us about tooth sensitivity. Many experience it, but few know why. In today’s post, we’d like to look at the topic of tooth sensitivity and explain just a few of the things that can cause it.
Gum Disease/Gum Recession
One of the primary causes of tooth sensitivity is gum recession, which itself if caused by gum disease. When gum disease isn’t treated, it can cause the gums to recede, exposing more of the tooth and increasing one’s sensitivity to things that are hot or cold. Treating gum disease early, before it has time to become more developed, will help patients prevent gum...(Read More) 
Xylitol: A Sweetener that Will Actually Help Your Smile
July 9, 2013
Dentists are always encouraging their patients to avoid sweets and eat healthy foods, but there’s one sweetener that’s actually good for your smile—xylitol.
Xylitol is derived from the fibers of plants and promotes a neutral pH when consumed. Compare that to what happens with normal sugar. When bacteria in the mouth come into contact with sugar, a feeding frenzy ensues, resulting in the production of harmful acid. But bacteria don’t interact with xylitol the way they do with sugar. In fact, xylitol makes it more difficult for bacteria to cling to teeth, resulting in an overall reduction of bacteria in the mouth.
The benefits of xylitol don’t stop there, though. This natural sweetener has...(Read More) 
One-Appointment Cosmetic Bonding
June 13, 2013
Many patients dream of a more beautiful smile. For some, though, the expense or the inconvenience of multiple visits can be off-putting. But there’s one service that allows you to get the cosmetic care you’re looking for at a smaller price and in just one appointment—it’s called cosmetic bonding.
Cosmetic bonding is a great solution for patients who have a chipped or slightly misaligned tooth that they want you to restore. To do that, Dr. Latner will apply a putty-like material known as composite resin to the surface of the tooth. To make sure that your restored tooth matches the rest of your smile, the resin will be shaded to blend in....(Read More) A Brighter Smile Goes the Extra Mile
June 10, 2013
A Brighter Smile Goes the Extra Mile – Teeth Whitening with Les Latner
During a first date or job interviews, first impressions are everything. Not just in your demeanor, but appearance as well. In the first few seconds of meeting someone, that person will formulate an opinion of you based on body language. If you want it to be a positive one, you’d be remiss without flashing a smile. Smiling puts others at ease and shows you as a friendly person. Now everyone wants to be the best they can be and you should strive for quality in everything about yourself. So when it comes to a smile, why not make it the best...(Read More) 
What If Dental Implants Aren’t Right for Me?
June 6, 2013
For patients who are missing one or more teeth, dental implants can do a lot to restore natural functionality and appearance. But as effective as they are, they aren’t right for everyone. It takes a certain amount of bone to support the implant posts that anchor a dental implants restoration. If that isn’t there, dental implants may not be an immediate option. So what might your alternatives be?
In some cases, it may be possible for you to become a candidate through bone grafting. The bone grafting process involves the transplant of bone tissue to where you need it, or a synthetic material may also be used. The result afterwards is a jaw...(Read More) 
Is There a Difference between a Children’s Dentists and a Pediatric Dentist?
May 30, 2013
Regular dental care isn’t just important for adults—children need it too. But are all dentists the same when it comes to offering dental care to kids? For instance, if one doctor says he’s a children’s dentist but another says he’s a pediatric dentist, are they saying different things?
In short, the answer is yes. Even though a children’s dentist is perfectly suited to providing kids with care, in most cases, that means children who are three years old or older. Pediatric dentistry, on the other hand, is a specialty recognized by the American Dental Association and requires special knowledge of how to treat very young patients.
At Westside Dental Associates, Dr. Les...(Read More) 