Dr. Kevin Sands Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

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Greetings from Dr. Kevin B. Sands!

Raisin Eyebrows: Is Dried Fruit Good for Your Teeth?

Do you remember how disappointed you were as a kid when some concerned adult dared put raisins in your Halloween bucket? Your mother was probably relieved, convinced they would be far better for you and your pearly whites than the rest of the junk food you’d strung out across the living room floor. Ask a pediatric dentist, however, and you might get a different story.

It’s true that there are a number of benefits to eating raisins. They’re low in fat and cholesterol, and boast plenty of fiber, calcium and potassium. Unfortunately, they’re also both sticky and high in sugar, putting them high on the list of foods that can cause cavities. Some health professionals lump them in with all the other typical junk foods kids eat. Don’t worry, raisins aren’t the only foods once thought healthy that can contribute to tooth decay. Go ahead and add other dried fruit, sweetened cereals and even fruit juices to the list.

Don’t chuck raisins out just yet, however. Raisins were recently found to contain phytochemicals, which are known to inhibit the growth of bacteria commonly linked to cavities. Note that this study was conducted in a lab, and no study has even been done to show that cavities are either more or less likely to find kids that eat raisins.

So, where does this leave you? A good general rule when it comes to eating for good health (oral and otherwise) is to stick with whole fruits and vegetables whenever possible. If you must eat something that you aren’t sure is good for you, do it in moderation. Be sure to drink lots of water, and always either brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out with warm water after eating sugary or acidic foods to prevent tooth decay!

If you have any questions about preserving your smile, please don't hesitate to call us at (310)273-0111 or email us at drsands@dentistofthestars.com today.

Best Regards,

Dr. Kevin B. Sands

P.S. If you have any friends or family members who you feel could use our services, please don't hesitate to have them call us. We'll be sure to take good care of them.

Ten Great Reasons Not to Dodge Your Dental Cleaning Appointment!

Sure, regular cleanings with our office promote good oral hygiene, but did you know they can also prevent a multitude of diseases? That two o’clock chair-side rendezvous may not seem nearly as exciting as a late lunch with a friend, but it will be well worth it in the end. Here are 10 really great reasons to stick with your regular cleaning schedule!

1. It Prevents Oral Cancer. You may or may not realize that you’re screened for oral cancer during your regular dental cleaning. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, an American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day. It’s a sad proposition, especially when you consider that it is highly curable with early diagnosis.
2. It Wards off Gum Disease. Gum disease (an infection in the gum tissues and bone that keep your teeth in place) is one of the leading causes of adult tooth loss. It can be treated and reversed if diagnosed early. Unfortunately, not receiving treatment will lead to a more serious and advanced state of gum disease. Regular cleanings and check-ups and daily brushing and flossing are key weapons in the fight against these conditions.
3. It’s about More than Your Mouth. Sure, not getting regular check-ups may make you less kissable, but did you know that studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease associated with poor oral hygiene? A trip to our office every six months could reduce your risk of serious health problems.
4. You Want to Preserve Your Smile. As mentioned, gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. To keep your pearly whites intact, stick with your cleaning schedule.
5. It’s Best to Detect Dental Problems Early. We’ve already touched upon early detection of gum disease and oral cancer, but don’t overlook more basic dental problems. Cavities and broken fillings are easy to treat. Without regular trips to the dentist, these problems can lead to root canals, gum surgery and tooth extraction. Which sounds worse: a 30-minute cleaning or an hour under the knife?
6. You Want to Know You’re Doing It Right. Maybe you bought a fancy new electric toothbrush, or aren’t keeping up with what current research has to say about caring for your teeth. Either way, check-ups allow us to examine your mouth and keep you on the right path.
7. You Have Dental Insurance. Consider how much money you put into your insurance plan. Take advantage of it and save a lot of money in the long run by avoiding costly procedures that result from poor dental habits.
8. You Want to Upgrade Your Smile. If you’re already suffering from tooth decay or gum problems, regular appointments will allow our office to create a personalized treatment plan that will give you the best smile possible.
9. You Want to Dazzle. Regular cleanings remove most tobacco, coffee and tea stains, polishing your teeth to a beautiful shine!
10. You Need Some Time Alone. Okay, maybe not completely alone, but the time you spend in our waiting room and in our chair is really your time. You can forget about the office or the stresses of family life. Read a magazine or work through a crossword if you want. Take advantage of the time you’re given, rather than worrying about how to fit it in your tight schedule. Your health and well-being should never take a back seat to your daily planner.

If it’s been more than six months since your last check up and cleaning, call our office to schedule an appointment today! We promise to take good care of you (and your smile)!

If you have questions regarding your dental health, please call our office at (310)273-0111 or email us at drsands@dentistofthestars.com today.

Best Regards,

Dr. Kevin B. Sands

P.S. If you have any friends or family members who you feel could use our services, please don't hesitate to have them call us. We'll be sure to take good care of them.

Greetings from Dr. Kevin B. Sands!

Periodontal Disease: Silent and Deadly

Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed. Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage.

Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. Effective prevention and treatment is available, but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.

Early detection and treatment is critical to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes, millions of American adults have never had it done.

Signs of periodontal disease include bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums, mobility of teeth.

If you have questions regarding periodontal disease, please call our office at (310)273-0111 or email us at drsands@dentistofthestars.com today.

Best Regards,

Dr. Kevin B. Sands

P.S. If you have any friends or family members who you feel could use our services, please don't hesitate to have them call us. We'll be sure to take good care of them.

Greetings from Dr. Kevin B. Sands!

Sugar: The Scariest Halloween Trend

Halloween is approaching, and so are all those scary costumes and haunted houses. It
shouldn’t be the ghouls and ghosts that you fear, however, but the candied apples,
trick-or-treat sweets and all the soda that washes them down! Sugary and acidic foods can
lead to tooth decay, and that can put a damper on anyone’s festive spirit.

While it would be nice if your neighbors all gave out fresh fruit or sugar-free candy
(though we’re sure the kids disagree!), high-sugar sweets are still America’s favorite
Halloween treat. If possible, try to limit children’s sugar intake. Encourage them to
drink plenty of water while snacking – soda will only make things worse! And finally,
while it’s easy to slip into a "sugar coma" and just pass out while watching a favorite
horror flick, this is not the time to stray from your brushing or flossing routine. Let
your children know that if they eat sweets without their toothbrushes on hand, they
should rinse their mouths out with warm water.

If you think your child may have developed a cavity (whether the result of Halloween
indulgences or not), please call us at (310)273-0111 for a check up. Even temporary baby
teeth need to be properly cared for, as tooth decay can affect permanent adult teeth as
well.

We’d like to wish you and your family the best this fall season. We hope that when the
sweets of autumn runneth over, you’ll think of us (and your smiles)!

If you have questions regarding sugar and dental health, please call our office at
(310)273-0111 or email us at drsands@dentistofthestars.com today.

Best Regards,
Dr. Kevin B. Sands

P.S. If you have any friends or family members who you feel could use our services,
please don't hesitate to have them call us. We'll be sure to take good care of them.

There are some people who believe that simply having a cosmetic dental procedure done will solve all of their dental problems. And that might be true – for a while anyway. However, just as with your natural teeth, you need to take care of the new you in order for these procedures to last for a long time. If the reason someone has missing teeth is due to decay or poor dental hygiene, simply replacing the missing teeth with something like dental crowns isn’t going to be enough. Getting into the habit of brushing and flossing, eating right, and scheduling regular appointments with your dentist is important.

Take porcelain veneers: they are bonded to your existing teeth to mask imperfections that many people have after a number of years, or even ones they were born with. General wear and tear on teeth varies from person to person, and depends on factors such as drinking staining beverages, smoking, or even a habit of chewing ice. Cracks and chips appear, and staining can become severe. Veneers take care of this by covering these problems. But just because the procedure is over doesn’t mean that you can simply go back to those habits that caused the staining or chipping that brought you in without consequences.

Because of their nature, veneers are highly resistant to staining, and that’s good. However, you need to brush and floss regularly to minimize any staining that might appear after placement of your veneers. You also need to be sure to see your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. By doing these things, your veneers will last a long time.

If you have any questions about porcelain veneers or ways to keep them working for you for years, please contact Dr. Sands.