What kind of toothpaste is best?

When it comes to our smiles, many of us will be afraid to admit that we can sometimes be lazy about brushing and flossing as often as we should. Without having healthy oral habits, no toothpaste has the ability to save our teeth. However, for those that do brush and floss daily, the correct toothpaste will help prevent dental issues like tooth stains, gum pain, cavities and more! Choosing a brand can be tricky because our local department stores are filled with so many kinds, textures, and tastes. Our Encino dentist has developed the following guidelines to choosing the right kind for you. Remember, you can contact our dental office if you have any further questions.

Patients with yellow or stained teeth 

Whitening toothpastes have abrasives that will help polish teeth while also prohibit the build-up of stain causing calculus. In order to get a whiter smile, look for toothpastes or gels that have modified silicone abrasives as these work best.

Cavity-prone patients

Throughout the day, bacteria sticks to our teeth, creating a film that can be the start of a cavity. This is why it is so important to maintain healthy oral care habits. Mineral fluoride is the best cavity fighter out there. For patients that are prone to cavities, look for any toothpaste that has the ADA’s seal of approval as “anti-cavity”. These pastes will do the job.

Patients with tooth or gum sensitivity 

Tooth and gum sensitivity can often be caused by brushing too hard or too frequently. Many patients to have exposed roots will also have some sensitivity. Desensitizing toothpastes have strontium chloride or potassium nitrate. Sensodyne is a brand that has wide variety with this special ingredient.

Call our office today to schedule your next visit. Regular visits to the dentist are needed to also help maintain your smile. While you’re here, you can also as all the toothpaste-related questions you have so that you can maintain your naturally, beautiful smile.

Who is a good candidate for veneers?

Porcelain veneers completed by our Encino dentist are a great option for improving your smile. Many patients often report increased confidence and facial rejuvenation after getting veneers. With this said, not all patients are ideal candidates for getting veneers, but if you are interested in finding out what makes a good candidate for porcelain veneers—you’ve come to the right place!

In general, candidates for porcelain veneers visiting our Encino dental office should have the following:

• Smile imperfections: This includes tooth discoloration, tooth misalignment, misshaped or uneven teeth, tooth gaps, mild crookedness and more. Let’s be honest, if you have perfect teeth, why get veneers? 
• Healthy teeth: We don’t mean perfect, but they should be healthy and free of gingivitis, serious tooth decay or gum disease. If you do have unhealthy teeth, these issues should be addressed before getting porcelain veneers. 
• Tooth grinding or severe clenching: Veneers mimic natural teeth but lack full durability of natural teeth, which means that they are not as strong. Patients that grind or clench teeth are not ideal candidates, however, night guards are available to reduce grinding which could help in porcelain veneers application for tooth grinders. 
• Wish for improving your smile: Of course, you need to want to improve your smile! The good news is that veneers don’t take multiple visits to our Encino dental office and don’t require months of treatment. They are a fast and easy way to improve your smile. 

 If you are interested in getting porcelain veneers, contact our dental office today for an appointment to find out if veneers are right for you. Our dental office in Encino provides a series of other cosmetic dental services to create your dream smile.

New Year, new smile!

New years are great. It’s a moment where we say farewell to the old year and experiences while welcoming new ones, along with a new year. Whether you have decided to exercise more, return to school, spend more time with your family, and don’t forget to give your smile the attention it deserves. In fact, visit us so we can get you the dental care you need!

Our dental office has ways to improve any kind of imperfection with a variety of dental services. We can help you transform it from being something you hide from the world to something you are completely proud of. Cosmetic dentistry is not only about making the appearance of your smile more beautiful, it’s also about boosting your self-esteem and confidence.

 If you find that you’re ready for 2015 and a new smile, please contact us to schedule you’re appointment. We’ll be open from now until December 22nd but will be back in the office on the 29th. At that time, we will close our doors again until the New Year. Schedule today!

Why you should take care of your teeth during the holidays:

The holidays are coming fast, which means that treats are everywhere. Most holiday traditions revolve around enjoying cookies, candy, hot chocolate and even gingerbread men. Consider this a lot of sugar. All this extra sugar during a small amount of time can take a toll on your teeth. We’re happy to provide some support and remind you why you should take care of your teeth during the holidays. Please keep the following in mind when attending all your upcoming holiday celebrations:

• Hard to chew foods can your damage teeth. That's because sticky goodies, including healthy choices like raisins, dates and dried fruit are known to clasp acids against teeth longer than other foods. Try consuming less of these chewy foods. 
• Snacking on sweets and sugary beverages constantly throughout the day can increase the chance of tooth decay and gum disease. Harmful acids form in the mouth every single time you eat a sweet snack and continues affecting teeth for at least 20 minutes afterwards. Try spending some time not eating to avoid this. 
• Holidays can create an increased amount of stress and anxiety. Patients come in with incidents of grinding or clenching their teeth. This causes awful jaw pain and can lead to more serious issues like chipped teeth or severe migraines. We recommend you find ways to relieve stress before it’s too late. Custom night guards help prevent grinding. Call us! 

We want you to enjoy the holidays without any dental issues. Following this tips will not only avoid a dental emergency but also help you have a healthy smile. We wish you a warm and happy Thanksgiving!

Get Your Custom Vampire Fangs Today!

Our dentist in Encino is offering custom vampire fangs. Make your costume come alive with these completely natural-looking vampire fangs for Halloween or for any other dress-up party. Call our Encino dental office today for an appointment!

Dental Implants the Solution for Your Missing Teeth!

Even though losing a tooth is not a desired experience, it does happen to many people due to trauma or injury, dental disease or decay. Some years ago, the only solution for missing teeth involved bridges and dentures, but now you can have a natural, complete and long lasting smile with dental implants.

Dental implants are fixed teeth that are attached to the bone and have a natural look and function while maintaining jaw structure bite improvement. Missing teeth could change your facial features which create hollow structures in your face. With dental implants place by our dentist in Encino, you never have to worry about this happening.

Dental implants are a little more expensive than dentures or bridges but the immense benefits they bring covers them. The fact that they become your own teeth and that you don´t need to be removing, maintaining, and adding messy adhesives to them is yet alone completely worth it.

Don´t think twice — it’s a small effort for a lifetime of benefits!

Visit our website to find out more about dental implants and other cosmetic dental procedures.

Improve Your Smile with the Latest in Cosmetic Dentistry!

You have probably heard the term ¨cosmetic dentistry¨ over and over in the last few years, but have you wondered what it really is? What are the procedures that you can do to have a perfectly looking smile?

At Encino Cosmetic Dentistry, we have a wide range of dental services that will help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. From teeth whitening, porcelain veneers and dental implants to crowns, inlays/onlays, bridges and root canals, we provide the procedure needed to get you the result you deserve. 

One of our featured cosmetic dentistry procedures are porcelain veneers, these thin porcelain shells are bonded to the front of your teeth allowing them to change its color, size and shape! Veneers are ideal if you need to mask teeth defects such as stains, discoloration, gaps between teeth and chipped or worn out teeth. They look very natural, are very long lasting, and the procedure is very simple.

Visit our website to find out more about our practice and dental procedures. Always remember to smile and the world will smile with you!