Chicago Dentist

Root canal therapy refers to the process by which a dentist treats the inner aspects of a tooth, specifically that area inside a tooth that is occupied by its “pulp tissue.” Most people would probably refer to a tooth’s pulp tissue as its “nerve.” While a tooth’s pulp tissue does contain nerve fibers it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels, and connective tissue.

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A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form. “Root canal” is the term used to describe the natural cavity within the center of the tooth. The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal. The tooth’s nerve lies within the root canal.

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Bacteria in the mouth have been linked to heart disease, premature birth, uterine infection, diabetes, and now dementia as well. There are possibly many more ailments that have not yet been linked to oral bacteria, but one thing is for sure, bacteria in the mouth is responsible for a significant portion of disease in our body. With the news that the brain may also be negatively affected by oral bacteria and the destructive immune response that the body mounts in response to it, preventing the proliferation of this bacteria should become a primary objective for all of us.

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Although there have been advances in health care access and public insurance, for some children, health care is still a privilege - and dental visits are more of a luxury. A study released this month by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said 31 percent of low income children have cavities that go untreated, compared to six percent of other children. Medill Reports talked with leading dentist Indru Punwani, head of pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Dental College, about the dangers and prevention of tooth decay in young children.

You’re never too young to see the dentist | Windy Citizen.com

The last time Barbara Stepp of Homewood visited her dentist, she told him about her ongoing kidney infection. “He immediately plopped me down in the chair and started doing acupuncture,” said Stepp, 70. Stepp’s dentist, John Rothchild in Hoffman Estates, is a longtime member of the American Dental Association. He uses the latest high-tech equipment to take X-rays, remove teeth and whiten smiles. But Rothchild’s practice is based on a holistic philosophy that says the health of your mouth can affect your entire body.
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In addition to acupuncture, his integrative treatment portfolio incorporates the use of mercury-free fillings, cranial therapy and homeopathic remedies. The ADA maintains that “silver” amalgam fillings, which contain mercury that can leach into the environment, are not a human health threat. And it considers muscle testing (or applied kinesiology) techniques, dental homeopathy and craniosacral therapy to be “unconventional” and not yet supported by science. Dental acupuncture, meanwhile, needs to be supported by a major research effort, the ADA says. But mounting research supports what holistic dentists have long believed: Although the mouth may not be the window to your soul, it can reveal potential medical problems in other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs and brain. And as the connection grows stronger, dentists who focus on treating the whole body as well as the teeth and gums—with prevention, education and nutrition playing a central role—may one day assume the role of a “primary care doctor.” “The ADA teaches brushing and flossing to control ever-present disease,” Holistic Dental Association President Tim Gallagher recently wrote in the group’s journal. “Instead, we teach brushing and flossing to check effectiveness of cellular immunity.” More than 75 percent of Americans over age 35 have gum or periodontal disease, an infection that can trigger an inflammatory response not just in the gums but throughout the body.

Your mouth speaks volumes about overall well-being — chicagotribune.com

Sports or “high energy” drinks can wreak havoc on your teeth because they’re high in sugar and have the highest “mean buffering capacity,” which means they can severely erode your enamel. Here are nine more things that keep dentists in business, according to the Chicago Dental Society. It’s missing just one thing: tobacco.

1. Potato chips. When you eat starches, including pretzels and pasta, enzymes in your saliva break the food into simple sugars, feeding the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
2. Peppermints. Sucking on sugary hard candies all day puts your teeth under constant attack by tooth-decay-causing bacteria.
3. Cough drops. Gram for gram, some cough drops have as much — if not more — sugar as chocolate. The same is true for other “medicinal” products, such as antacids and breath mints.
4. Soda. If you want to feed the bacteria in your mouth, drink soda. It’s just loaded with sugar and flavor additives, and the acids — found in diet sodas too — can destroy tooth enamel.
5. Bottled water. Not all dentists sing the praises of fluoride, but the ADA stresses the decay-preventing benefits. Most bottled waters don’t have it and most home water-filtration systems remove all fluoride.
6. Coffee drinks. Whipped cream, chocolate sauce and flavor syrups are loaded with sugar. A small caramel macchiato, for example, has more sugar than a Snickers candy bar.
7. Juice. Even unsweetened juices contain naturally occurring sugar; an 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains about 30 grams of sugar. The same size serving of Mountain Dew contains 31 grams of sugar.
8. Fruit leathers and roll-ups. Made from sweetened fruit purees, these sticky snacks are essentially candy. Bits stick to teeth, leaving your teeth susceptible to decay.
9. Gum. Sugary chewing gum puts your teeth under prolonged attack, but don’t rule out gum altogether. Xylitol, a sugar substitute in some gums, has been shown to help prevent tooth decay.

Julie’s Health Club - Where alternative and mainstream health meet | Chicago Tribune | Blog | Blogroll

Have you heard the saying, “Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away”? It’s not a pretty thought, but it is a very true one. Our teeth and gums require daily attention, and letting your home care or dental visit routines slip can have a dramatic effect on the longevity of your teeth and the overall health of your mouth. Here, we take a look at the reasons people end up with major dental work and/or missing teeth, and help you prevent tooth decay, damage and loss through effective cleaning.
Press Release - Teeth Cleaning

What Is the Right Way to Brush?
Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that’s right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows:Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth

Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
Clean the chewing surfaces
For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too

Brushing Teeth - Proper Techniques for Brushing Your Teeth

Bad breath doesn’t have to keep you from getting close. If you’ve got bad breath that just won’t go away, there’s help available. Bad breath may be embarrassing, but the good news is that there are several treatment options that can eliminate bad breath for good.  Treatment for bad breath may be available at your local cosmetic dentistry practice.

The Origins of Bad Breath
Bad breath is caused by bacteria that hide under the tongue and in the grooves and rough edges of teeth. As bacteria come in contact with food particles they can turn these food particles into volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs. Sometimes, lack of regular brushing and flossing can encourage the reaction that leads to bad breath. And, of course, eating foods like garlic and onions can contribute to foul-smelling breath. For many people, however, bad breath may occur regardless of how healthy your teeth and gums are. When the bad breath sticks around, it is most likely a problem that requires attention. The important thing is to never assume that a condition like bad breath is just a fact of life. It may actually be a medical problem that can be fixed with proper diagnosis and treatment. It’s up to you to seek help.

Press Release - Bad Breath

It might be nothing serious, but a sore in your mouth that shows no sign of healing could also be a warning sign of oral cancer, which kills more than 8,000 people a year.
Often, it’s not diagnosed until it’s advanced because symptoms — sore throat, white or red patches on the gums or tongue, numbness — are easy to put off to something less serious.

Screening for oral cancer in a new light :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Health News