Chicago Dentist

Cavities (dental caries) are decayed areas in the teeth, the result of a process that gradually dissolves a tooth’s hard outer surface (enamel) and progresses toward the interior. Along with the common cold and gum disease, cavities are among the most common human afflictions. If cavities are not properly treated by a dentist, they continue to enlarge. Ultimately, an untreated cavity can lead to tooth loss. For tooth decay to develop, a tooth must be susceptible, acid-producing bacteria must be present, and food must be available for the bacteria to thrive. A susceptible tooth is one that has relatively little protective fluoride incorporated into the enamel or that has pronounced pits, grooves, or fissures that retain plaque. Poor oral hygiene that allows plaque and tartar to accumulate can accelerate this process. Although the mouth contains large numbers of bacteria, only certain types generate acid, which causes decay. The most common decay-causing bacterium is Streptococcus mutans.

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For more than a decade, the development and the increasing numbers of whitening oral hygiene products has increased and shows no sign of leaving supermarket shelves any time soon. But what’s the difference and which products are best for you? “Whitening” is any process that will make teeth appear whiter. Technically bleaching falls under this broad category, but by contrast, non-bleaching whitening products contain agents that work by physical or chemical action to help remove surface stains only. Whitening products may be administered or dispensed by dentists or purchased over-the-counter at most drug stores and supermarkets and can be categorized into two major groups: Peroxide-containing whiteners or bleaching agents; and whitening toothpastes. “Bleaching” is the process of applying a product can bleach the tooth, which means that it actually changes the natural tooth color. Bleaching products contain peroxide(s) that help remove deep and surface stains.

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Your dentist may treat gingivitis in several ways, but the first step is to thoroughly clean your teeth, removing all traces of plaque and tartar — a procedure known as scaling. The cleaning may be uncomfortable, especially if your gums are already sensitive or you have extensive plaque and tartar buildup. Gingivitis usually clears up after a professional cleaning as long as you continue to follow a program of good oral hygiene at home. Your dentist may recommend using an antiseptic mouth rinse in addition to brushing and flossing.

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Bleeding from the gums is mainly due to inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at the gum line. This will lead to a condition called gingivitis , or inflamed gums. If plaque is not removed through regular brushing and dental appointments, it will harden into what is known as tartar. Ultimately, this will lead to increased bleeding and a more advanced form of gum and jawbone disease known as periodontitis .

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If your gums are swollen, tender and bleed easily when you brush your teeth, you’re not alone — nearly 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum (periodontal) disease. One of the most common of these is gingivitis, which develops when bacteria multiply and build up between your teeth and gums, leading to irritation, inflammation and bleeding. If not treated, gingivitis can progress to more-serious gum diseases, such as periodontitis, and eventually to the destruction of bone and to tooth loss.

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Researchers have tested gummy bears made with a sugar substitute that wards off cavity-causing bacteria. A study in Washington State gathered 154 first to fifth graders from two elementary schools. The students were given four gummy bears made with either xylitol or maltitol (types of sugars used in many types of sugarless chewing gum) three times a day during school hours. All were checked for plaque and bacteria in their mouths at the start of the study and six weeks later. After six weeks, there was a “significant” reduction in the main bacteria buildup associated with cavities for the children who snacked on the xylitol and maltitol candy. Study lead author Kiet A. Ly with the University of Washington says in a news release that gummy bears may have the edge over gum. “For xylitol to be successfully used in oral health promotion programs among primary school children, an effective means of delivering xylitol must be identified,” Ly says. “Gummy bears would seem to be more ideal than chewing gum.”

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Cosmetic dentistry is a specialty within the field of General dentistry, the number one focus of cosmetic dentistry is to improve the overall cosmetic condition of a person’s teeth structure, in order to accomplish this goal a cosmetic dentist next to resort to several treatments which may involve the use of sister specialties within the field of dentistry, that is orthodontics, endodontics and such. Dentist in charge to cosmetically enhance the looks of your smile will never jeopardize your oral health in order to make your teeth look good for instance, dental veneers are special shells which are custom-made in order to create a more visually appealing shape of the teeth which can be seen when your smile. Some people may interpret the purpose of Veneers as a way to cover up an existing problem, to a certain extent this statement might be true because Veneers will indeed cover a discolored tooth. However, a dentist will never place a veneer over a tooth which is about to fall off or that is to seriously damaged, in those cases the cosmetic dentist will refer you to a specialist who will be able to take care of the most basic problems and prepare the foundation for a successful cosmetic procedure.

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Dental flossing technique. The information found on this page provides instructions for what we would consider a good tooth flossing technique. It’s one that is thorough and one that should be able to keep you in good dental health, if practiced daily. We’d suggest that you study our description of this technique and then demonstrate your interpretation of our instructions to your dentist or dental hygienist. This way they can refine your flossing technique as needed, and also give you tips and pointers that may help you use dental floss more effectively in specific locations in your mouth.

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ABC’s Good Morning America did a piece last month on dental bleaching at kiosks in malls. They claim that the kiosks are popping-up in malls across the country. I have not been in a mall since probably 1996 but I will assume they are correct and report what they found. ABC News’ Cincinnati affiliate WCPO investigated some mall bleaching kiosks using hidden cameras to uncover what goes on in the booths. The promise? Whiter teeth in just 30 minutes for a fraction of the price a dentist would charge. It’s not a dentist office, it’s a mall. People are getting their teeth whitened in a corridor, wedged between a jewelry story and a makeup shop.

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Flip open any magazine, turn on the television or head to the movies. You’ll see them everywhere. Dazzling smiles. Gleaming white teeth. Perfect dentistry. It could give a person a complex. And some experts say that’s exactly what’s happening. “Many people now have teeth that are whiter than the normal color scale we used to use many years ago,” said Dr. Kimberly Harms, a consumer adviser for the American Dental Association. “We now have many people whose teeth are whiter than the [official] tooth color scale”.

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Bad Breath is an embarrassing problem. Many of us would have suffered from bad breath at some point in our lives. Bad Breath is usually caused by the breakdown of proteins by bacteria somewhere in the mouth. Bad breath is not contagious, meaning you cannot catch it from someone else. Chronic bad breath, known as Halitosis, does not come from the stomach. The only odor that comes from the stomach is when you burp. Food eaten such as garlic and spicy foods once absorbed into the body can release odor through the lungs when you breathe. Food odors are transitory and should not be confused with bad breath. Human’s sense of smell has the ability to adjust to odor. Therefore, most people with halitosis are not aware of their bad breath.

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Don’t let your tongue become a dirty carpet.

Bad breath often strikes when people aren’t properly taking care of their oral health. The odor is usually caused by decaying food particles and bacteria in your mouth. That’s why brushing and flossing your teeth is so important, but don’t forget to gently brush your tongue to get rid of even more bacteria.

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How Does What You Eat Affect Breath?

Basically, all the food you eat begins to be broken down in your mouth. As foods are digested and absorbed into your bloodstream, they are eventually carried to your lungs and given off in your breath. If you eat foods with strong odors (such as, garlic or onions), brushing and flossing - even mouthwash - merely covers up the odor temporarily. The odor will not go away completely until the foods have passed through your body.

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Judging a person’s breath by way of organoleptic testing simply means that the researcher performing the breath evaluation has used their sense of smell (their nose) as the means for making the determination. Historically this method of breath testing has been a frequent choice among dental researchers. Noses are readily available, inexpensive to obtain and operate, and to their credit, noses can detect up to 10,000 different smells. One of the problems associated with using organoleptic testing is that this technique is not totally objective. Another is that factors other than just breath odors can and do influence organoleptic evaluations. In fact research has shown that factors such as hunger, menstrual cycle, head position, and the degree of attentiveness and expectation can each influence a judge’s interpretation of what they smell.

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Do you take special care of your gums and teeth? Do you follow your dentist’s suggestions and dental care reminders? Do you follow the recommended annual visits to the dentist? Are you keen in keeping your dental health at its best? Providing proper teeth and gum care are important. Here are some tips to follow in order to keep your oral health at its optimum level.1. Your dentist and dental hygienist can provide you the best education on how to properly take care of you teeth and gums. Follow the tooth brushing techniques and proper oral care advices given by your dental health professionals. Avoid rushing when brushing your teeth. Provide at least 3 minutes of your time to thoroughly clean your teeth. Take enough time to reach all the dental surfaces including those hard to reach areas and the back teeth.2. Your brush should be held at a 45-degree angle to your gums. This will enable the tips of the bristles to point to the gumline. Gently move your brush in very short strokes in a back and forth motion.3. You should not take for granted the inner surfaces of your teeth even if these are not readily visible when you smile or open your mouth. Brush thoroughly both the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth as well as the grinding and incising surfaces.4. It is also advisable to brush your tongue gently. Our tongue usually harbors bacteria and minute food debris left during mastication, which can cause bad breath.5. It is also important to floss your teeth at least twice a day or after every meal as much as possible to remove trapped food particles in between the teeth that may cause bad breath and may become a bacterial breading ground.Today there are a lot of types of dental floss coming out in the market. Choose the product that you feel most comfortable with and that doesn’t cut or hurt your gums.Here are some useful steps to follow on how to floss correctly:a. Use at least 18 inches of dental floss and wind it around the middle finger of each hand. Hold it between your thumb and forefingers and leave about an inch of dental floss. Gently slip it in between your teeth in a sawing motion. Be careful not to snap or jerk the floss into the gums.b. Curve the dental floss into a C shape when it reaches the gumline then slide it gently up the gum. Be careful not to press too hard, you don’t want to cut your gum in the process.c. The floss should be held against the tooth and perform a scraping motion along the side of the tooth. This should be done gently and moving the dental floss away from the gums. Follow this procedure until you reach the backside of the last tooth.d. Bleeding gums may occur during the first 5 or 6 days after you start flossing. If beyond this period bleeding still occurs, you need to call and inform your dentist about it. You may not be doing the right thing and in the process hurting your gums.Properly taking care of your oral health will provide you a good and healthy oral environment, which will give you a healthy, beautiful smile and increase your self confidence.Michael Russell Your Independent Dental guide
forresstanford » Blog Archive » How To Take Care Of Your Teeth For A Healthy Smile

I just returned from the dentist. Sad to say, I neglected a tooth that should have been taken care of a long time ago, but procrastination was not in my favor today. Not only am I seeing a $2,000 bill for root canal and a crown, but I have an infection on top of that. Antibiotics and pain meds are on the calendar for the next two weeks. I also learned having an infection that I have can lead to a serious problem and heart attack. This tooth, which went from getting a crown to a major infection and root canal, even though it is costing me some serious money, my heart depends on having healthy teeth. By the way, I am like many who do not have dental insurance, but I do have my health insurance. Dental hygiene goes past the flossing and brushing of your teeth. It also has to do with an annual or bi-annual dental check ups. So another issue our legislators need to bring up on top of health insurance. Affordable dental insurance. Dental care is just as important to our health as our yearly physical.

Cumberland Times-News - Good dental care and insurance also needed