Sandra shares her Invisalign experience with Dr. Partovy

Recently, Sandra, a patient of Dr. Partovy's, recorded a patient testimonial here in our office. Watch as Sandra describes her Invisalign treatment experience at Maxella Dental. We are glad to have helped Sandra obtain a better-looking smile!

Our offices are conveniently located in Marina Del Rey and Tarzana, California, and provide comprehensive dental treatment for the whole family.

Visit our web site or give us a call for a consultation to determine if Invisalign treatment is right for you!

Dr. Partovy wants to know: Could you be a teeth whitening addict?

In a day and age when looks matter as much as anything in life, more and more folks want to look and feel great - and that means more and more people are compulsively trying whitening their teeth. But dentists across the country are concerned that more and more people are obsessively - and ineffectively.

There really can be too much of a good thing when it comes to teeth whitening, and at the office of Dr. Ray Partovy, we offer professional teeth whitening, an at-home whitening system and whitening toothpaste that provide special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. We're confident all these services will help you restore your gleaming, bright white smile.

Teeth whitening can have minor side-effects and you should speak with Dr. Partovy if these become bothersome. For example, teeth can become sensitive during the period when you are using the bleaching solution. In most cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. Some people also experience soft tissue irritation, either from a tray that doesn't fit properly or from solution that may come in contact with the tissues. If you have concerns about such side effects, you should discuss them with Dr. Partovy.

Lastly, if you suspect you may have a teeth whitening addiction, we encourage you to check out this helpful article from our friends at WebMD.

Fun facts with Dr. Partovy!

We hope you enjoyed last week's video! More fun stuff this week! Dr. Partovy and our staff know everyone loves trivia. Fun, fun, fun! Enjoy!

• If you're right handed, you will chew your food on your right side. If you're left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side.
Your set of teeth is as unique as your fingerprint. No two people have the same set of teeth. It is as unique as your fingerprint and even identical twins are different.

• Approximately 200,000 athletes annually avoid dental tragedy by wearing mouth guards.

• The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva (spit) in a lifetime. That's enough saliva to fill two swimming pools!

• 100 years ago, one half of all adult North Americans were toothless - today less than 10% of adults over 65 have lost their teeth!

• Most tooth loss in people under 35 years of age is caused by athletic trauma, fights, or accidents. The cause of most tooth loss in people over 35 is periodontal disease. Remember to brush and floss!

• The average woman SMILES about 62 times a day! A man? Only 8. Kids laugh around 400 times a day, Grown-ups, however, just 15.

Dr. Partovy presents: Mr. Bean goes to the dentist

Dear patients and readers: How about a treat today? Dr. Partovy and staff thought we'd pass along a little classic dental humor for you to enjoy, from the bumbling yet lovable British spy, Mr. Bean. We loved it, and know you'll get a laugh out of the clip as well. Enjoy "Mr. Bean Goes to the Dentist”!

If you have any other suggestions you think we should share with other patients, please let us know!

Ask Dr. Partovy: What issues should I be aware of during pregnancy?

Our staff at Ray Partovy DDS will tell you that maintaining your oral health is an important part of keeping your entire body well, but never more so than when you're expecting. If you're pregnant or considering pregnancy, schedule an appointment with us, and remember to raise the issue of your oral health at prenatal appointments with Drs. Partovy and Baum.

If pregnant, Dr. Partovy wants you to be aware of the following issues:

• Tooth Decay
Excessive morning sickness can also contribute to tooth decay, as the stomach acids introduced to the mouth during vomiting wear away the protective enamel coating on the teeth.

• Gingivitis & Gum Disease
The primary issue to avoid during pregnancy is gum disease, due to its link to premature birth. The precursor to gum disease is gingivitis, a condition in which plaque buildup on teeth irritates the gums, making them red, swollen, and sensitive. The high levels of hormones in the bloodstream brought on by pregnancy exaggerate your gums’ reaction to irritation from plaque.

• Loose Teeth
Another risk faced during pregnancy is loosening teeth. The large amounts of hormones in your bloodstream can have an adverse affect on the bones and ligaments that create the foundation of your teeth, weakening them to the point that teeth may loosen.

The ideal time to schedule an appointment at Ray Partovy DDS is before becoming pregnant. Dr. Partovy will perform a check-up to determine the state of your oral health and how pregnancy might affect you.

Give us a call today!

Smile wider, live longer, from Dr. Ray Partovy

Dr. Partovy has some good news to report! People with big, happy smiles may actually out-live those who don’t, according to a new study conducted at Wayne State University in Michigan.

Drs. Partovy and Baum knew that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they used information from the Baseball Register to look at photos of 230 players who began their baseball careers prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (wide smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were then compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through last year.

The researchers then took into account other factors associated with longevity, such as body mass index, or BMI, career length and college attendance. They found that players who weren't smiling died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you tried perfecting your smile by visiting Ray Partovy DDS lately? If not, give us a call today!

Dr. Partovy, your Marina Del Rey and Tarzana Lumineers provider

Are your teeth chipped or stained? Would you like to improve your smile permanently, without any painful processes? Dr. Ray Partovy is pleased to offer Lumineers as an alternative to traditional porcelain veneers.

Lumineers are available through experienced cosmetic dentist Dr. Partovy, who has been creating beautiful natural looking smiles for patients in Marina Del Rey, Tarzana and surrounding communities for years. Veneers provide a way to conceal stains, chips, discoloration and misaligned teeth, by covering your actual teeth with a permanent layer of tooth-colored material. Because Lumineers are as thin as contact lenses, their application requires little to no tooth reduction, and no anesthetic is necessary.

Lumineers are bonded to your teeth and set in place by Dr. Partovy with a curing light. Because the process is less invasive than with traditional veneers, Lumineers patients under Dr. Partovy's care find that they immediately enjoy their new smiles without any post-procedure discomfort or sensitivity.

Take control of your smile and give us a call to ask whether Lumineers are a good choice for you.