Plaque vs tartar. You probably know both dental terms. You may even understand that they are both bad for your teeth and oral health. The terms are related but not interchangeable. What’s the Difference Between Plaque vs Tartar? Before your next visit to the dentist, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on some dental terms…. Read more »
A gum problem (periodontal disease) is a chronic infection of the gums. It is caused by bacterial plaque that accumulates on teeth and destroys the gums. Plaque can accumulate on teeth if proper oral hygiene habits are not observed, although some people are simply more prone to plaque buildup than others. Various medications and health… Read more »
Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing once a day are certainly important steps to keeping your smile beautiful, but it’s also important to schedule professional dental cleanings and checkups every six months. Our Lake Forest dentist Dr. James Fondriest wants you to know the benefits of regular dental preventative care examinations and how… Read more »
Did your dentist ever really show you how to remove plaque from your teeth? Dental plaque is the sticky, uncomfortable biofilm that forms around your gum line just hours after brushing your teeth. It’s the product of hundreds of types of oral bacteria gathering in your mouth. When left unattended, it can quickly calcify into… Read more »
Your gums are crucial for supporting the roots and crowns of your teeth. Their soft tissues offer protection from harmful oral bacteria in plaque and extreme temperature fluctuations. They also play an active role in keeping teeth firmly in place and aligned. Therefore, gum recession, or shrinking gum lines, is an issue that must be… Read more »
Do you brush your teeth regularly? Perhaps you wouldn’t think of skipping a brushing. There are many people that brush religiously, yet do not floss. Less than half of Americans floss daily and 10 percent don’t floss at all. Both brushing and flossing are important to your dental health. Flossing helps prevent cavities, gingivitis, and… Read more »
Why straighten crooked teeth? Have you ever wondered why it is so important to have straight teeth? Do your choppers really need to be straight? Are truly straight teeth attractive as well as necessary? The answer is yes to all of these questions. Making everything straight offers a multitude of benefits. Dr. James Fondriest in… Read more »
Celebrity gum disease Whoopi Goldberg has struggled with gum disease for many years. Sharing her problems has put light on a topic that many suffer from. Learning to brush your teeth is a right of passage for all children. We’re told about the importance of brushing your teeth twice a day and going to the… Read more »
Can I have a nice smile again after recovery from periodontal disease ? Once you recover from periodontal disease and have your oral health fully managed, you may ask yourself: Is there anything you can do to make your smile look the way it used to look? Dealing with significant damage may cause you to… Read more »
It’s no secret that prevention is the best dental medicine, and most people realize that their daily hygiene routine is the cornerstone of that prevention. However, many people also lack in certain areas of their hygiene routine, and that can leave their smiles vulnerable to chronic issues like tooth decay and gum disease. Therefore, such… Read more »
Preventing gingivitis is similar to preventing most other dental issues. Keep your teeth and gums clean with regularly good hygiene and preventive dental care, and you can avoid allowing oral bacteria enough time to infect your gums. However, while gum disease is highly preventable, it only takes one small mistake for oral bacteria to infect… Read more »
Can I get dental implants with gum disease? The good thing about dental implants is that most patients who’ve lost one or more teeth qualify for them. Therefore, more patients can enjoy the many benefits they offer, such as more lifelike replacement teeth and a healthier, stronger jawbone. However, there are a few circumstances that… Read more »
Some dental health issues are only obvious once you know you have them. Until then, the symptoms may not seem serious, especially if they don’t include pain in and around a tooth. For instance, if you notice a small amount of blood mixed in with your saliva when you brush and floss your teeth, you… Read more »
Most patients understand that they need a dentist to diagnose and make recommendations for gum issues. Having said that, it is good to have an idea of the visible signs of gum disease. Gum disease is the second most common dental health issue for adults in the U.S. It isn’t because the disease is inevitable… Read more »
One of the more widespread dental health issues among adults today is gum disease. As a progressive issue that goes through several stages of severity, gum disease can be a bigger threat to some people’s smiles than it is to others. Typically, the difference lies in how successful you are at preventing gum disease, or… Read more »
The term sour breath refers to foul breath caused by mouth acids. These mouth acids are caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, bacteria in the mouth, or some other general health issue. There are many recommendations for fixing sour breath but many people don’t know them. Are you afraid to stand too close to… Read more »
Even if you aren’t currently undergoing treatment to control gum disease, it might still be an impending threat to your oral health. As one of the most frequently-experienced dental issues, gum disease can affect nearly anyone at some point in their lives. Without proper care and maintenance, and a healthy understanding of its causes and… Read more »
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease Do you know the symptoms of early gum problems, known as gingivitis, or even what it is? Many people know that overly sensitive or deeply stained teeth can be warning signs of dental cavities. Yet people rarely know the early indicators of gingivitis, which is the earliest… Read more »
If you enjoy a rich glass of wine with your dinner, or a nice ale with your friends, you’re not alone. Many alcoholic beverages make a fine compliment to a well-crafted meal, and some, like red wine, even boast heart benefits, as well. But if you think the only problem with having an extra glass… Read more »
If you’ve been keeping up on the developments with periodontal disease and other health problems, then you probably won’t be surprised to find that periodontal disease may also be linked to pancreatic cancer. So far periodontal disease has been linked to a host of other chronic illnesses including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure,… Read more »
Men beware, not only has periodontal disease been linked to many systemic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, it has been linked to impotence as well. So if you are a man looking for a reason to take better care of your teeth and gums, don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution…start… Read more »
Everyone knows smoking is detrimental to your health. Many don’t know that smoking is the main cause of gum disease. It causes cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. But not many people may know that tobacco use can cause periodontal disease. How much do you know about tobacco use and periodontal disease? Take your Lake… Read more »
Do you brush before bed? It’s a very important time to brush if you don’t. Otherwise, everything from throughout the day sits in your mouth collecting bad bacteria. In today’s blog, your Lake Forest Dentist, Dr. Fondriest, discusses the need to brush your teeth before bed.
If you only floss occasionally then it is usually normal that your gums bleed when brushed. Hopefully at least they then consider flossing more. When there is bleeding with brushing, most people brush their teeth less vigorously. This is actually usually the wrong thing to do. It may be that you actually don’t know how… Read more »
What is the best toothpaste? A search on the internet is likely to turn up around 200 results for different types of toothpaste you can easily purchase. With so many types, brands and flavors to choose from, how can you know which is the best toothpaste for your oral health? In years past, consumers could… Read more »
It has been theorized since the 1920’s that heart disease and oral health are linked. Recent research has indicated links not only between heart disease and oral health, but between oral health and diabetes, hypertension, lung infections, and dementia. Although the links are not perfectly clear, research continues to try to narrow down specifics as… Read more »
Proper oral health care is important for diabetics. Substantial research has shown that high sugar levels associated with diabetes can contribute to oral health issues, and that periodontal disease can contribute to diabetes. Today, your Lake Forest Dentist, Dr. Fondriest, discusses dental care and diabetes.
Other than tooth decay, periodontitis is the leading threat to dental health. Numerous studies have indicated a link between dental health, mental health, and your overall health. Poor oral health has been associated with heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and lung infections. In the old days when no links to systemic issues were know, tooth… Read more »
Women tend to be caretakers. They take care of their children, their husbands, their parents, stray animals, even their children’s friends. If there is someone to take care of, they often do it. Research shows that women also take better care of their teeth than men. Women have less gum disease than men. This can… Read more »
Allergy medications will affect dental health. Aeroallergens exist indoors and outdoors, and spring is ripe with pollen and allergy inducing fungi. Airborne spores and other fungi may originate in fields, forests, agricultural crops, flowers, or grass. Because they are light, sticky, and plentiful, they are easily transferred into homes, offices, and cars. Impossible to get… Read more »
Are you worried about gum disease affecting you at some point in your life? Did you know that there are many systemic diseases associated with and caused by gum disease? If you haven’t already, there’s a good chance that you might, considering that gum disease affects over 70% of adults in the United States today…. Read more »
Gum disease is one of the most widespread dental health issues in adults today. It is also the leading cause of adult tooth loss in the United States. Gum Disease Overview The danger of gum disease isn’t due to the fact that gum disease is difficult to detect or hard to treat. On the contrary,… Read more »
Over 75% of American adults exhibit symptoms of gingivitis. If left untreated, this common disorder often develops into periodontal disease, or gum disease. In today’s blog, we explain the link between gingivitis and gum disease.
Research from the Journal of Periodontology suggests women are more likely to floss, and visit the dentist regularly. They are less likely to smoke and drink excessive alcohol than men. Women have more cosmetic dental procedures while having less tooth decay. Although women have historically been better caretakers of their teeth, females are more susceptible to… Read more »
Roll out the pink, October is breast cancer awareness month. In honor of the fight against this disease, which accounts for nearly a third of all cancer diagnoses in women, your Lake Forest dentist will dedicate today’s post to discussing breast cancer and how it relates to your oral health. Breast Cancer in the United… Read more »
Your dental health can have wide-ranging consequences for your overall health. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, researchers from the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have connected rheumatoid arthritis to periodontitis. The link between gum disease and arthritis comes from the bacteria released into the blood stream. Every time… Read more »
More than 70 percent of Americans struggle with gum problems. From gingivitis, or simple gum inflammation, to periodontitis, an acute form of the disease, unhealthy gums lead to various health issues. Not only does gum disease lead to cavities and tooth loss, studies now link it to heart disease, stroke, preterm birth, and diabetes. Unhealthy… Read more »
Gum Disease Treatment in Chicago One of the worst things you can do for your oral health is ignoring the signs of gum disease. Leaving gingivitis untreated can lead to periodontitis. The advanced stages of gum disease include gingival recession, extreme tooth sensitivity, and possible tooth loss. While gum disease is not curable, the progression of… Read more »
Gum disease is common. Recent findings show up to 80% of the population in the United States has gum disease. Despite the fact that gum disease is very common, many patients lack awareness and information on the disease. Early stages of gum disease (gingivitis) are reversible with regular dental cleanings and thorough oral hygiene. If… Read more »
As scientists and researchers discover more about the connection between oral health and overall vitality, we would like to provide our patients insight into how diabetes and gum disease are connected. Dr. James Fondriest strives to continually educate his patients, especially patients with certain conditions and special needs. Below are some commonly asked questions about… Read more »
“Best” is in the eye of the beholder. The best toothbrush is the one that meets your specific needs. Choices can be a sensitive subject as we all have our preferences but which ones really are the best for you? Ask yourself these questions next time you buy a new brush. In the past, human… Read more »
Oral health is definitely affected by smoking. You’ve probably heard about the link between tobacco and heart disease, stroke, and cancer, but do you know what smoking does to your teeth? Let’s examine the most common oral health problems associated with smoking. Social Factors Bad breath: The bacteria in your mouth mix with the tobacco… Read more »
Receding gums is a common dental problem, but it is also among the lesser known conditions. Receding gums can also be referred to as gingival recession. Let us examine the causes of this condition and the treatments. What causes receding gums? There are several causes that can contribute to recession. It’s important to work with… Read more »
In celebration of Whole Grains Month… what’s that? You didn’t know that it’s Whole Grains Month?! Well, it is! In celebration of Whole Grains Month, Dr. Fondriest wants you to know, that eating whole grains can reduce your risk for inflammatory diseases, including gum disease, as well as tooth loss, heart disease, stroke, type 2… Read more »
What is plaque? Plaque is a sticky, yellow substance that naturally and constantly is forming on teeth. Plaque is made up of a complex microbial community with over ten billion bacteria per milligram. Each milligram contains approximately 400 different types of bacteria that produce acids. The bacterial products and acids combine with saliva to create… Read more »
You probably make sure that you brush your teeth twice a day, and you might even floss your teeth once per day. But do you understand why practicing this daily dental hygiene routine is so important? The answer: is biofilm. Dr. James Fondriest, a Lake Forest, IL, dentist, wants you to learn about dental biofilm… Read more »
Do you skip flossing, or is it difficult because of dexterity issues, spacing between your teeth, or dental work? If you hate flossing or find that it isn’t effective, you’re not alone. Dr. James Fondriest, a Chicago dentist, recommends interdental brushing (also called using a proxy brush) as a fantastic, and often better, alternative to… Read more »