Rancho Park Archives - Page 6 of 8 - Westside Dental Associates

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.

Root Canal Therapy for Los Angeles and Beyond

June 20, 2014

In our last post, we talked about abscessed teeth and listed some of the most common signs and symptoms of them. Today, we want to talk about root canals–the restorative service Dr. Latner uses to help patients enjoy good oral health and wellbeing again.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a common procedure designed to help patients treat infection. The process involves removing the infected pulp that makes up the tooth’s nerve and cleaning the interior chamber. Then we’ll fill the tooth with a biologically-inert substance and seal it with a custom-made dental crown. Your crown will protect your tooth from developing another infection, in addition to restoring functionality and appearance.

Anxiety-Free Care with Conscious Oral Sedation

Have you put off care for a toothache or abscessed tooth because of anxiety? Let Dr. Latner talk to you about conscious oral sedation. With conscious oral sedation, you can look forward to a more comfortable and relaxing appointment as we administer the important care you need.

Do you have questions about how a root canal can help you? Call Westside Dental Associates for a consultation appointment with Dr. Latner. During your appointment, we can talk about your symptoms. Based on our conversation, we’ll put together a treatment plan, and we may recommend conscious oral sedation. If you have any questions about what we recommend, let us know. We want you to feel confident about the plan we recommend.

Our Los Angeles office serves patients from Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and beyond.

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.

A Cosmetic Makeover for the Second Half of 2014

May 9, 2014

cosmetic dentistry With 2014 almost halfway over, you have a lot to look forward to over the next few months. Maybe you have family vacation planned, or you’re simply looking forward to the holidays that come with cooler temperatures. Don’t you want to go into these anticipated moments feeling confident and happy about your smile?

At Westside Dental Associates, we think now is a good time for patients to consider a cosmetic makeover for their smile. With plenty of time left in the year, you can have a whiter, more dazzling smile in time for all the big events coming up later in the year. And with our diverse range of services, we’re confident we can put together a plan you’ll love.

Two of our most popular cosmetic dentistry services include: teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. Often, these services are used separately, but for some patients a combination of the two makes for the perfect cosmetic makeover plan.

Other services include porcelain crowns and tooth-colored fillings. Both of these have a cosmetic and restorative function. In other words, they help us improve the appearance of smiles, but they also help us treat cavities or support teeth that are compromised in some way.

Which of these cosmetic or cosmetic-restorative services are right for you? Dr. Latner would be happy to consult with you on a treatment plan.

Don’t let the second half of 2014 get away from you without considering cosmetic care from Westside Dental Associates. Call us today for an appointment. 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.

Dental Implant Post-Op Diet: Must-Know Tips from Dr. Les Latner in Los Angeles

April 2, 2014

shutterstock lumineers smile At the Los Angeles dental practice of Dr. Les Latner, we provide our patients with the thorough instruction and accurate information they need to ensure lasting oral health. The success of any surgical procedure, including the placement of dental implants relies largely on how well the body is cared for. An important aspect of the recovery process is nutrition in the days and weeks following surgery.

The Importance of Diet Following Dental Implant Surgery

The tissues located in your mouth are among the most rapidly healing in the entire body. In order to heal properly and completely after any type of surgery, the body requires quality nutrition and sufficient rest. For the duration of your recovery period, you’ll follow specific instructions provided to you by Dr. Latner and our team. A portion of these instructions will include how to properly cleanse the surgical site after eating so as to promote full healing and minimal discomfort. Other important diet-related tips include:

Stay hydrated. For the first few days following your procedure, the amount of solid food that you’ll be able to eat will be limited. Six to eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day can help keep you hydrated as your gums heal, giving your body the necessary tools it needs to recover. Do not drink through a straw at all until healing is complete; doing so can result in the dislodging of the clot that is essential to successful healing.
Avoid excessively hot foods. Instead, stick to a variety of cold, soft foods until all bleeding has ceased and signs of wound healing are apparent. Applesauce, Jell-O, yogurts, and smoothies are typically among the best options, soothing the gums rather than irritating them.
Keep it simple at first. Until your dental implant has completely fused with the jaw bone, eating anything that requires crunching or applying immense pressure should be avoided. When osseointegration is complete, your implanted restoration will be just as strong as the rest of your dentition, allowing you to eat and drink normally once again.
Don’t stop eating. It’s common to experience a diminished appetite following surgery, particularly one that involves the delicate structures of the mouth. It is important, though, to ensure that you’re giving your body the vitamins, minerals, and proteins it needs to heal. We are always here to help if you have any questions about a specific type of food or drink after your implant procedure.

Optimal Oral Health through Proper Nutrition

Whether you have already begun the dental implants process or you’d like to learn more about post-op care, Dr. Latner and our entire team are here to help in every way we can. We will always provide you with the close, personal attention and superior care you deserve. From our conveniently located dental practice in Los Angeles, CA, we also warmly welcome patients from surrounding communities in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Venice, Brentwood, Culver City, Rancho Park, West LA, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and beyond. Contact our office today to discover what a difference our commitment to you and your family can make in your next dental experience!