Chicago Smile Design Blog

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:58:00 GMT

Hygiene Tips With Kristin
As we have said many times before here at CSD, early detection is the key to successful outcomes. This is why Oral cancer screenings are a regular part of your dental appointment. Chicago Smile Design and the Oral Cancer Foundation are inviting you to participate in Oral Cancer Awareness Month this April.

In 2010, the National Cancer Institute estimated that 36,540 people were diagnosed with oral cancer, resulting in 7,880 deaths. The five-year survival rate for those diagnosed early is 75 percent, compared to a 20 percent survival rate in those whose cancer has spread. Unfortunately, 70% of oral cancer cases are not even visible to the dental professional until it has reached an advanced stage. Luckily, a screening tool called Vizilite assists us in seeing abnormal tissue in the mouth, before it is too late.

How does it work? A specialized light passes over the inside of your mouth, highlighting abnormal cells. Vizilite is not new technology, but many people don't know it exists. So the next time you come into the office, ask about Vizilite. In as little as 3 minutes, you could have piece of mind knowing you have taken all the steps to ensure comprehensive oral health. And just for mentioning Vizilite to us at your next appointment you will receive the exam for $49 dollars (A $69 dollar value). So please help us to take part in the most important month in spreading awareness about oral cancer and saving lives.

Notice on the left what you would see by looking in the mouth with just a standard overhead light to examine the tissue. On the right is the same exam, but using the Vizilite technology. Hidden under the tissue is a lesion detected that would have not been seen with the naked eye. Convincing? I say yes!

Schedule Now for Back-to-School Special Offers!

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:08:00 GMT

Have you scheduled your child's back to school dental exam?

Did you know... The state of Illinois requires that all students in kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade have a dental exam completed by a licensed dentist.

Let us help prepare your child for Back-to-School!

PARENTS: Make your appointment for your dental exam and cleaning and your child receives a FREE Back-to-School Exam!

Tooth decay is one of the most common illnesses among children, and poor oral health has been related to decreased school performance.

Now is the perfect time to bring your kids in for a comprehensive exam. We'll make life easier for you and get the dental exam checked off your "To-do list!" Call us today at (312) 664-2100.

(Restrictions may apply. Free exam includes insurance billing. If no insurance, contact a Patient Care Coordinator for details.)

Vizilite and Early Detection

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:20:00 GMT

By this time we have all heard the celebrity news regarding Michael Douglas' oral cancer diagnoses and all the invasive treatments that came along with it. We took to heart what Catherine Zeta Jones had to say at an interview with People's magazine, "It makes me furious that they didn't detect it earlier."

As your dental providers, we are proud to be able to provide you with an inclusive visual cancer screening upon your dental check-ups. We strive to be certain we are doing the best we can and providing the best possible service to our patients. We felt responsible to go above and beyond our call of duty and researched alternatives to the conventional visual cancer screening. Medically speaking all things evolve and change at a rapid pace, for which we strive to stay current and informed.

After all, statistics show 70% of oral cancer lesions identified during the visual exam alone are detected in stages III and IV in which the 5-year survival rate is only 50%. Upon this research, we have come across a five minute, non-invasive, reliable cancer screening known as Vizilite.

While cancer at any stage can be devastating; it is comforting to know oral cancer is 90% curable when diagnosed in its earlier stages. While it is true that smoking and alcohol consumption are major risk factors, there is a growing risk factor among those over the age of 18 due to the increase in HPV incidences. Come in for a visit with us and have peace of mind with Vizilite!

Mention this blog and receive $20 off your Vizilite Oral Cancer Screening.

Pregnancy and Gum Disease. What you Need to Know!

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:13:00 GMT

The test came back and it’s positive – you’re pregnant! Your mind is rattled with excitement, and you have created a “to-do” list. While your list and questions continue to grow, it’s important to take the necessary steps to ensure an on-time and safe arrival of your most precious cargo yet.

You’ve probably heard a few old wives’ tales about pregnancy, including “A tooth lost for every child.” While it seems far-fetched, it actually is based loosely in fact. Your teeth and gums are affected by pregnancy, just as other tissues in your body. You may not be aware that the health of your gums may also affect the health of your baby-to-be.

How does pregnancy affect your teeth and gums?

About half of women experience pregnancy gingivitis. This condition can be uncomfortable and cause swelling, bleeding, redness or tenderness in the gum tissue. Conversely, a more advanced oral health condition called periodontal disease (a serious gum infection that destroys attachment fibers and supporting bone that hold teeth in the mouth) may affect the health of your baby.

What if I’m diagnosed with periodontal disease during pregnancy?

If you’re diagnosed with periodontal disease, your dentist might recommend a common non-surgical procedure called scaling and root planning. During this procedure, your tooth-root surfaces are cleaned to remove plaque and tartar from deep periodontal pockets and smooth the root to remove bacterial toxins. Research suggests that scaling and root planning may reduce the risk of preterm births in pregnant women with periodontal disease. The added bonus is that the procedure should alleviate many of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with pregnancy gingivitis, such as swelling and tenderness of the gums.

As you make your way through the “to-dos,” remember to check off a visit to the dentist! This baby step benefits you and your unborn baby!
(Written by Karyn B.)

Oranges Can Cause Cavities

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:27:00 GMT

Acid is the enemy of tooth enamel. Dental research suggests that people eating and drinking foods with low pH (high acidities) are most apt to develop irreversible tooth erosion. This dental decomposition caused by acid breaks down the tooth structure.

There are many different types of foods and drinks that are high in acidity and a myriad of acids that can negatively affect your dental health:

• fruit and fruit products contain citric and malic acids
• soft drinks contain phosphoric acid
• fermented products (yogurt) contains lactic acid
• grapes and wines contain tartaric acid

Generally, fruits are the most acidic foods:
(Measuring highest to lowest pH)
pH             Fruits
2 - 3          lemon juice, vinegar
3 - 4          apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums, raspberries
4 - 5          bananas
6               melons

The answer to prevent further breakdown of the enamel? Chewing sugar-free gums, and finishing a meal with milk or a small piece of cheese can help by increasing salivary flow to wash away and dilute acids on your teeth. You may also apply fluoride (ex: MI Paste) or simply rinsing mouth with water to reduce the acid. So ORANGE-you going to an appointment with Chicago Smile Design today?    (Written by Kristin D., RDH)

Chicago Smile Design Supports “Dentists with Hearts!”

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:43:00 GMT

This Valentine's Day, just as many in the past, our Chicago Smile Design staff provided a day of free dental care at Dentists with Hearts. Dentists with hearts is a group of visionary professionals who aspire to the lives of the less fortunate in the Chicagoland area by providing quality dental services and basic humanitarian care in a loving and caring way.

Chicago Smile Design is extremely proud to support this organization year after year. At this event, eager patients begin lining up as early as 3:30am in hopes to take advantage of free dental care. Crowds of people, traveling from as far as Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana go out of their way to stand in line for the free services. Many who attend are out of work and/or have no dental insurance.

Chicago Smile Design is honored to serve the community and give back. “I absolutely love attending Dentist with Hearts. It’s an inspirational, feel-good day that I look forward to every year,” says Kristin Dudek, Registered Dental Hygienist.

Become the new STAR of Chicago Smile Design!

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:42:00 GMT

Thanks to patients like you, we are now thrilled to promote our very own confident patient smiles. If you are a current or previous Invisalign patient with us and have undergone a “smile makeover”, we would love to add you as a STAR!

Our previous stars have been featured in advertisements, newsletters, internal promotional material, window advertisements and more! Show off and share your smile!

Simply contact us by phone, e-mail, Facebook, or let us know at your next appointment!

Donate to our Annual Shoebox Drive!

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:31:00 GMT

Donate a shoebox filled with various toiletry items and when you do, you are automatically entered into a drawing to win a Free Zoom! Whitening.

We will be accepting donations of Shoeboxes filled with:
   • Shampoo
   • Soap
   • Deodorant
   • Bandages
   • Shaving supplies
   • Lotion
• Make-up
• Perfume / Cologne
• Hair brushes / combs
   • Etc…

Please be sure to label each box for men or women.

Simply bring your donation to our office anytime during normal business hours. We will be accepting donations until 12:00pm, Friday, March 18th. Bring in your shoebox today and enter a chance to win Zoom! Whitening!

Old Town Merchants and Residents Association Annual Dinner

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:02:00 GMT

On Thursday, January 27th our Chicago Smile Design team attended the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association annual dinner.

The event brought together local community members and businesses for an evening full of dinner, mingling, and dancing! This year, the dinner was held at Preston Bradley Hall at the gorgeous Chicago Cultural Center. Our entire group enjoyed a fun-filled evening of good food, good people and good times!

Learn more about Old Town Merchants & Residents Association Here.

Cosmetic dental emergency: Who would you trust?

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:48:00 GMT

Do you have a fear of the dentist?

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:59:00 GMT

To know that you aren’t alone is of little consolation, but facing your fear and learning to manage it, will be.

Dental anxiety or fearing the tooth doctor is really a problem that many people have, and a thing that is almost hard to get over. This anxiety typically stops rational individuals from seeing the dentist and looking after the health of their teeth. The key to maintaining your teeth good and healthy is usually to prevent problems before they start. Those that suffer from dental anxiety will try to avoid visiting the dentist, which leads to problems..

When somebody who is suffering from dental anxiety finally goes to the dentist, they normally find that perhaps the smallest of problems can make severe and require plenty of work along with intervention from your dentist. Though you could possibly not realize it, standard cleaning visits to your dentist are the best way to keep the teeth healthy, which will help prevent problems like decay and cavities.

We have helped many fearful patients over the years through their anxiety of the dentist. We offer Oral Conscious Sedation, which involves simply taking a few pills that take before an appointment that makes patients feel completely at ease. Oral conscious sedation much safer than general anesthesia, and allows patients to return to their normal schedules by the next day. The best part is, .many patients who need sedation to have their work done initially end up feeling so comfortable with the dental office that they no longer need the sedation to have their work done.
Karen, a formally fearful patient, explains, “That I am writing a review for a dentist, speaks volumns. Hated dentists all my life. Not if I was talking to them in public, say at a party or in line for groceries....but if I was in the chair with one of them staring into my very own personal mouth I would FREAK OUT. Got up the nerve after many years of dental absence to call this dentist who knew how to deal with freaks like me. Dr. T is the bomb. Saved my teeth from myself:) I needed sedation for my first cleaning when I went in there 3 years ago. Now I can handle it drug free and easily because of the great staff and care at this office. I don't freak at going to the dentist anymore. Insanely, I almost like it. Every room have TV's if you need to be distracted, there's excellent music in the background, and every person in this office is sensitive and caring. Denta-phobes...there is hope! I recommend Dr T for everything toothal.”
We won’t be offended if you call and tell us you hate dentists (we’ve heard it many times before). Just know that if you come to our office your friends and family will eventually think you are crazy for talking about how much you love going to your dental office.

Annual Food Drive

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:47:00 GMT

It's the Holiday Season and Thanksgiving is just around the corner!!!! We at Chicago Smile Design are really excited to take this opportunity to give back to the community, especially when there are so many in need.

We would like to ask for your support, and help us collect as many canned goods and non-perishable food items as possible! Examples of these items are: canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats (such as tuna), canned soups, powdered milk, cooking oil, peanut butter, etc. Please be sure all donations have not passed their expiration or freshness date. The deadline for dropping off items is Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 4:00pm.

We've been so fortunate here at Chicago Smile Design and we want to show our community that we care! And as special thanks for your contribution, we're going to enter your name into a drawing for..

FREE ZOOM!® WHITENING!!!

All winners will be notified by November 30, 2010. Thank you for being a special part of our family, and we hope your Thanksgiving will be wonderful and family filled!

Happy Veterans Day

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:36:00 GMT

We would like to take a moment to thank all the military personnel who have served, will serve, and plan to serve our country. Our deepest gratitude goes out to those individuals who protect our freedom! Happy Veterans Day!!!

Halloween Candy: Best and Worst

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:08:00 GMT

Hygiene Tips With Kristin
Here's what you should know about which sweets are the worst--and best-- for your teeth before you let your kids go candy crazy. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being good for your teeth, 10 being the absolute worst cavity causers), their proclivity for causing cavities.

Taffy Fear Factor Score: 9 out of 10: Traditionally, dentists have always known that the longer a food sticks to the teeth the longer bacteria has to feed on it to produce cavity-causing acids. One of the best ways to avoid cavities during Halloween is to avoid the sticky candy that can plaster your teeth and wedge itself into the nooks and crannies of your mouth.

Hard Candy Fear Factor Score: 8.5 out of 10: Although hard candies like Jaw Breakers and Everlasting Gobstoppers don't have that stick factor, they hurt your mouth from the amount of time they take to dissolve. The longer food sits in your mouth, the more acidic the environment becomes. If you leave a hard candy in your mouth for a lengthy period of time, this can be even worse than a sticky candy.

Peanut Butter Cups Fear Factor Score: 6.5 out of 10: Safer than candies like taffy, the ever-present peanut butter cup is still a hazard to your mouth. Studies have indicated that chocolate is especially good at creating acid buildup in your mouth and the stickiness of peanut butter doesn't help.

Candy-Covered Chocolate Fear Factor Score: 6 out of 10: Candy-covered chocolate is typically consumed in a bag where the consumer is continually chewing on the candy. While a peanut butter cup is typically consumed in one or two bites, a bag of M&M’s can last for minutes. This extra time gives the bacteria plenty of time to generate cavity causing acid.

Sugar Sticks Fear Factor Score: 5 out of 10: These little sacks of sugar are some of the safest Halloween treats out there.Pixie Stix are typically poured directly onto the tongue, avoiding chewing and your teeth altogether. They are then quickly consumed and out of the mouth before any major damage can been done. So while it may not make sense, those sacks of sugar may be the best candy for your teeth.

To brace or not to brace

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:07:00 GMT

As National Orthodontic month comes to an end, here is some information that will help you determine if you or your children are good candidates for orthodontic treatment.

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, it is recommended that a child come in for his or her first orthodontic visit at the age of seven. This way the doctor can determine if the patient has malocclusion—an abnormality in the coming together of teeth—or the tendency to develop one.

If treatment is started early enough, the doctor can prescribe retentive appliances which may eliminate the need for braces in the future. In some instances, the doctor may do a limited orthodontic treatment on a child before the permanent teeth have come in, hold the patient steady in a retainer, then continue once all of the adult teeth have erupted. The advantage of doing treatment in phases is that it can often shorten treatment time.

As for adults, most seek orthodontic treatment for cosmetic reasons. However, there are other indications that merit orthodontic treatment, including: biting unevenly on one or both sides, tendency of cheek biting, tension in the jaw when biting, or missing teeth. Whatever the reason, everyone can benefit by making a visit to an experienced dentist to get an accurate diagnosis.

At Chicago Smile Design, we are strong advocates for Invisalign aligners, the virtually invisible orthodontic treatment. To learn more about how we do it at our office, click here.