Wheeling Dentist | History of the Toothbrush In 3500 BC, the Babylonians and Egyptians used chewing sticks to clean their teeth. Look how far the toothbrush has come! Learn more about the history of the toothbrush from your dentist in Wheeling.
Wheeling Dentist | What to Do in Case of Dental Emergency Accidents always happen. Be sure to know what to do when one arises – it can be the difference of saving a tooth or losing one. A dental emergency is an injury to your teeth or gums that can be potentially serious. Ignoring one can increase the risk of permanent damage. For all dental emergencies, it is important to contact our office as soon as the injury occurs. Provide detailed information about the injury to your mouth. We will be able to give you instructions on how to care for your mouth in the time before coming to our office. In some instances, we may recommend emergency care. Here are some common dental injuries and how to care for them. Knocked-out tooth Rinse the tooth with water if it’s dirty and try not to remove any attached tissue fragments. Keep the tooth moist at all times by carefully putting the tooth back in place without forcing it back into the socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small container of milk or in a cup of water that contains a pinch of salt. Contact our dental office as quickly as possible. Chipped or cracked tooth Save any pieces if possible. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the injured area as well as remove any small tooth fragments. Apply cold compresses to your mouth to keep down the swelling and relieve pain. Objects caught between teeth Carefully try to remove the object using floss. If you cannot get the object out, see your dentist. It is important to never use a pin or sharp instrument to remove the object since you may cause injury to your gums or the surfaces of your teeth. Soft-tissue injuries Injuries to your tongue, cheeks, gums and lips can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, rinse your mouth with mild salt water. Apply a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to the bleeding site for about 15 minutes. You may also use a cold compress to relieve pain. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, contact our dental office. You can also take simple precautions to avoid dental emergencies: • When participating in sports, always wear a mouth guard • Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy • Never use your teeth to cut things – use scissors If you encounter a dental emergency, always contact our Wheeling dental office as soon as possible. We can provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to care for your mouth or may ask you to come into the office. If you have any additional dental emergency questions, be sure to contact us.
Wheeling Dentist: Could Your Asthma Be Affecting Your Oral Health This Fall? Asthma is triggered easily in fall months. Did you know that asthma contributes to your oral health? Asthma treatments such as corticosteroids inhalers can cause conditions such as dry mouth and oral thrush. These conditions may cause problems such as increased plaque, cavities, gingivitis, TMJ disorder, and poor smelling breath. Contact our dental office in Wheeling if you’d like to schedule an exam to address any oral health conditions related to asthma treatment. Asthma suffers are often forced to breathe through their mouths, which may cause dry mouth. Furthermore, dry mouth is also a side effect from asthma inhalers. When dry mouth is present, less saliva is produced. Saliva is necessary to keep your mouth clean. Dry mouth increases your risk of developing cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you notice a drier than usual mouth, please let the dentist in Wheeling IL know. Doing so may help prevent additional oral health problems. Oral thrush can occur when the use of an inhaler causes an increased growth of yeast (thrush) in the mouth and throat. Thrush produces white patches on the tongue and throughout your mouth. Rinsing your mouth with water or fluoride mouthwash after using your inhaler will help decrease the growth of oral thrush. The use of inhalers can also irritate your mouth and cause lesions, which can be treated by the Wheeling dentist. If you are an asthma sufferer, we recommend paying close attention to your oral hygiene habits, as you may be more prone to oral inflammation and disease. Although asthma sufferers may be more vulnerable to dental conditions, routine dental care at home and professional care from the Wheeling IL dentist can greatly reduce these risks. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!
Wheeling Dentist: Does Your Oral Health Put Your Heart at Risk? At our office, our professional Dentist in Wheeling and team not only care about your dental health but we also care about your total wellness. Your oral and heart heart is vital to your overall wellness. Your mouth is a direct passageway to your body’s bloodstream. Most patients do not realize that there is a close connection between the heart and mouth. Extensive research from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that heart disease is the number one life threatening disease. Gum and heart disease are both inflammatory diseases. This may explain why heart disease and gum disease can be present at the same time. Gum disease forms when there is from a build up of plaque. The build up of plaque inflames your gum tissue. The build up of plaque creates pockets of harmful bacteria that settles into your gums and can eventually settle into your bloodstream. The bacterium that is associated with gum disease has been discovered in heart arteries. Gum disease is powerful enough to attack and thicken the carotid arteries of your heart. When you are treated for gum disease with your dentist in Wheeling IL, it not only reduces inflammation in your gums but also decreases inflammation throughout your enitre body to lower risk of heart complications. With your Wheeling dentist, the best care is preventive care. You decrease your risk of a heart attack or stroke, when you receive preventive treatment for oral diseases. Avoiding periodontal disease benefits your overall health. Prevent periodontal disease by following these great oral hygiene habits: • Brush your teeth twice daily • Floss daily • Rinse with an anti-bacterial mouthwash • Schedule routine check ups Schedule dental visits twice a year for a professional exam and thorough cleaning. To schedule an appointment with your Wheeling IL dentist, please give us a call at our convenient Wheeling dentist office.
Wheeling Dentist : Tips for Keeping a Fresh Smile while ‘On the Go’ For many, it is a daily habit to brush your teeth during the morning and evening. But how about brushing during the day, or after lunch? For many people, brushing during the day can almost seem impossible and inconvenient at times. Being consumed by work, school or even travel can prevent us from keeping a fresh and healthy smile. However, there are quick and easy solutions that your Wheeling Dentist recommends to help keep your smile fresh while on-the-go. Carry a Travel-Sized Toothbrush Try carrying around a travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste that you can quickly use for an after lunch cleaning. Brushing your teeth after a meal is a great way to help maintain optimum oral health. Not only will brushing your teeth keep your mouth healthy from bacteria and decay but it can also help save you from embarrassing bad breath or help to eliminate the fear that something is stuck between your teeth. Use Tongue Scrapers As you brush, make time to brush your tongue as well. In between your taste buds, lie residue build-up which may be contributing to foul breath. At a drugstore, you can purchase a tongue scraper, or you can use your toothbrush to gently brush your tongue. Your Wheeling IL Dentist will agree that your oral health can be improved with proper tongue care. Quick Rinse with Mouth Wash Don’t have time to brush your teeth? Try mouthwash. Mouthwash is a simple, fast and convenient way to freshen your breath during the day. All that it requires is a simple swish. This simple ‘swish’ will not only freshen your breath, but it will also help prevent the build-up of plaque and cavities as it loosens particles in the mouth. There are many different products of mouthwash available, so be sure to ask your dentist in Wheeling or hygienist about which mouthwash they recommend for you. Try Chewing Gum Chewing gum is a great solution when you need a fresh smile, quickly. If you do not have the time to brush your teeth or use mouthwash after a meal, chewing a piece of sugar-free gum for at least 20 minutes can help ward off bad breath. Also, chewing gum can help stimulate the production of saliva which will help wash away any lingering particles left on your teeth. Although these simple tips should not substitute your thorough at home routine, they will surely help to temporarily improve oral hygiene quickly and conveniently. If you have any questions about how you can improve your oral health, contact your dentist in Wheeling IL.
Wheeling Dentist – What You Drink Impacts Your Smile There are many ways to improve your smile in addition to your regular visits to the dentist in Wheeling, brushing and flossing. What you drink can have an impact on your oral health, so it is important to know which beverages are helpful and which are harmful. The following are beverages that are be helpful in strengthening your smile and maintaining good oral health. Water Drinking water is very beneficial to your gum and tooth health. Your Dentist in Wheeling IL recommends mainly drinking water, as it can serve as a rinsing agent to clear your mouth of particles left behind from food you have consumed. Also, fluoride in water can help to strengthen your tooth enamel, preventing tooth decay. Dairy Dairy products, such as milk, can help your teeth stay strong. Milk provides calcium and phosphates, which strengthen your teeth and help your smile to stay bright. If you opt for enriched milk, it can also serve as a source for Vitamin D, helping your body to use the calcium. Unsweetened Tea Unsweetened tea can be helpful to your teeth because green and black teas contain polyphenols. These interact with plaque-causing bacteria to combat cavities and decay. Tea can prevent bacteria from growing and spreading in your mouth, helping your smile to stay healthy. However, there are some beverages that can be harmful to your oral health. In order to keep your mouth healthy, your Wheeling Dentist recommends avoiding the following drinks. Acidic Beverages Citrus drinks, such as orange juice, contain acids that can wear on your teeth. If you decide to consume acidic drinks, your Wheeling IL Dentist recommends rinsing with fluoride after drinking to help prevent tooth decay. Coffee Drinking coffee can stain your teeth and dim your smile. In addition, added sugar can linger and produce bacteria that can turn to plaque. Try to avoid coffee if you can. Otherwise, your Dentist in Wheeling recommends rinsing after consuming coffee. If you choose to consume beverages that can be harmful to your teeth, you can still combat these choices. For example, chewing sugar free gum can help to clear away harmful bacteria, preventing tooth staining and decay. Additionally, rinsing with mouth wash can also help to kill germs. However, these are supplements, not substitutes, to your regular oral hygiene regime. You should still continue to brush and floss daily, and you should be visiting your dentist in Wheeling IL to help you maintain a healthy smile. Zhana Krasyuk
Dentist in Wheeling – Myths About Cavities A cavity is caused by the bacteria in your mouth building up and turning to plaque. If the plaque is not brushed away, it can turn to tartar, which is a harder substance that your Wheeling Dentist uses special equipment to remove. If the tartar and plaque are not removed, either by the dentist or by practicing good oral hygiene at home, it will begin to eat away at the enamel on your teeth, leading to decay, and a cavity will eventually form. Although many people know that cavities are caused by poor oral hygiene, there are several myths about cavities circulating. It is important to have a better understanding of cavities so that you can take the necessary steps in maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile. Your Wheeling IL Dentist has debunked some of the myths that have been going around to help you stay better informed. If I have a cavity, I’ll know about it. In the beginning stages, cavities do not show symptoms. You will start to experience discomfort when the decay has advanced to a more severe stage, causing damage to the nerve. If I brush, it’ll go away. Although brushing and flossing are great tools to prevent cavities, a cavity should not go untreated. This can cause the condition to worsen, which could lead to emergency, restorative dental care such as root canal therapy. By making regular visits to your Dentist in Wheeling, your dentist will be able to detect the cavity and treat it before it escalates any further. Cavities are the leading cause of tooth loss. Although cavities can cause tooth loss, this is not the leading cause. Periodontal (gum) disease is the true leading cause of tooth loss. It is especially important to visit your Dentist in Wheeling IL if you are experiencing any symptoms of periodontal disease such as swollen, bleeding gums or atypical teeth sensitivity. If you suspect that you have a cavity, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with your Wheeling Dentist. The sooner you catch a cavity, the more easily and comfortably it can be treated.
Dentist Wheeling – Is Your Jaw Sore? Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) are issues you experience with your jaw, as well as the joint and facial muscles surrounding your jaw. This can cause stress and discomfort in your daily life. Symptoms of TMD include tension and tenderness in your face or jaw, difficulty with opening your mouth wide, locking or clicking or your jaw, difficulty in chewing, a tired feeling in your face, and swelling on the side of your face. Your dentist in Wheeling IL can examine your jaw in order to diagnose TMD. Your dentist will check for locking of the jaw while opening and closing your mouth. Additionally, your bite and facial muscle function will be examined, and your dentist will evaluate your jaw pain and tenderness. In some cases, x-rays will be taken to check your jaw, jaw joint, and teeth for irregularities. It can be difficult to diagnose TMD and TMJ because the symptoms of these are similar to symptoms of other health issues such as toothache, arthritis, and sinus problems. However, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist Wheeling if you experience any of the symptoms of TMD and TMJ. There are precautions your Wheeling dentist recommends to avoid TMD and TMJ problems from arising. First, you can avoid hard foods and excessively chewing gum. Although gum can have many oral health benefits such as preventing cavities and tooth decay, it can tire your jaw and cause some soreness if you are not accustomed to regularly chewing gum. Another way to prevent TMD problems is to develop and practice relaxation techniques to reduce tension in your face and jaw. Clenching, especially in your sleep, can cause tension in your jaw, so you can reduce soreness by learning to relax your jaw. For example, by placing the tip of your tongue at the roof of your mouth, your jaw will automatically relax, reducing some of the tension. If you struggle with clenching your jaw while you sleep, you may want to consider getting fitted for a mouthguard from your dentist Wheeling IL. If you are feeling soreness or tenderness in your jaw, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist in Wheeling in order to receive a proper diagnosis and to explore your options. Your dentist can help you to maintain a beautiful, healthy mouth that is free of discomfort. Zhana Krasyuk Please click below if you liked this article
Wheeling Dentist – Pick Up A Pack (Of Chewing Gum) If you are in the habit of chewing sugarless gum on a regular basis, you’ll be happy to know that this can have a positive effect on your oral health. It is a simple way to give your oral health a little boost. If you don’t typically chew gum, your dentist Wheeling recommends picking up a pack. Chewing gum increases the flow of saliva in your mouth. Your saliva washes away acids, sugars, and food debris in your mouth, preventing tooth decay and cavities. The flow of saliva can help to strengthen your tooth enamel, helping you to maintain strong, beautiful teeth. Your dentist in Wheeling IL recommends chewing gum right after you eat for about 20 minutes to best fight off cavities caused by food consumption. Chewing gum has aesthetic benefits, as well. It can ward off bad breath and brighten your smile. By washing away the food debris that may have remained in your mouth from your last meal, chewing gum rids your mouth of any lingering odors. Additionally, it prevents the acids and debris in your mouth from staining your teeth, leading to a healthier, whiter smile. Not only does chewing gum protect your teeth, but it can also help your gums. Chewing gum reduces plaque build-up, which is a way to prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease. Although this is not a cure to gum disease, chewing gum is a helpful way to supplement your oral hygiene in between visits to your Wheeling dentist. In order to maximize the benefits of chewing gum, your dentist Wheeling IL recommends that you look for sugar-free gum, specifically gum that has been sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol prevents harmful bacteria from lingering in your mouth, reducing your risk for cavities. Additionally, xylitol can help to repair damage to enamel, strengthening your smile. While there are many benefits to chewing gum, there are also complications that can arise if you chew excessively. Frequent gum chewing can lead to inflammation and soreness in your jaw, causing TMD and TMJ. Also, you are putting stress on your facial muscles when you chew, which may cause headaches. Although chewing gum can be beneficial to your oral health, it is still very important to floss daily and brush twice a day. Chewing gum should serve as a complement, not a substitute. Additionally, you should regularly schedule visits with your dentist in Wheeling to ensure that you maintain the best possible oral health. Zhana Krasyuk Please click below if you liked this article
Dentist Wheeling – Preventing Dry Socket After having a tooth extracted by the dentist Wheeling, it takes time for your mouth to heal. You have just undergone a procedure that will benefit you in the long run, and you are looking forward to your once-again healthy smile. During the healing process, though, it is important to take certain precautions to avoid a condition called alveolar osteitis, or dry socket. When you have a tooth extracted by the dentist in Wheeling, a blood clot forms over the socket in order to keep the bone and nerves protected. Sometimes, though, this blood clot can become dislodged prematurely. If the mouth has not healed sufficiently at the time of the dislodging, the bone and nerves are exposed to air, liquids, and food, and dry socket occurs. It is an uncomfortable experience that can last for about five or six days. While dry socket is definitely something to keep on your radar, it is an uncommon occurrence in most patients. Dry socket is most likely to develop within the first week or two after you have had a tooth extracted, and only about 2% to 5% of patients develop this condition. Still, the Wheeling dentist recommends the following precautions in order to prevent this from happening to you. First, you should avoid intense exercise for at least 24 hours after the extraction. It is important to rest up and avoid excessive movement while your mouth begins to heal. Your dentist Wheeling IL also recommends that you avoid drinking through a straw for at least a week after receiving an extraction. The suction from the straw could cause the blood clot to dislodge. Additionally, you should avoid spitting in order to reduce the risk of dry socket. After the initial 24 hour period, you should begin gently rinsing with warm salt water about four times a day in order to remove any food particles in the area. Although some patients have a greater risk of developing dry socket than others, all patients can avoid this condition by closely following after-care instructions from the dentist in Wheeling IL.
