3 Great Tips to Save Your Smile

Science is exploring the use of breath, saliva, and blood samples from your mouth to establish your risk for some cancers, diabetes, and other health issues. THis illustrates how your oral health is intricately and importantly linked to the rest of your body. You can see that maintaining gum health can help you sustain your overall wellbeing as well as avoiding tooth loss, the great smile spoiler.

Here are 3 helpful tips…

1. How it starts. Normal bacteria creates a film called plaque on your teeth- you can feel this. If it build ups and hardens, your gums become inflamed and can eventually pull away from the tooth, leading to tooth loss and other health issues. 
2. What to look for. If you still have a sticky film on you teeth after brushing, you could need some instruction. Or, if flossing is becoming a challenge, then hardened plaque may be building up. Gums that are swollen or bleeding may be a sign of gum disease. 
3. What to do about it. Although daily brushing and flossing is the best prevention, dental visits can ensure that you have no plaque buildup. Since gum disease is easily treatable and can be reversed, especially when caught early, it is important to see us regularly! 

How long has it been since you've scheduled a dentist appointment? Schedule an appointment at our Park Ridge dental office, Rubino Dentistry, and keep your smile healthy! 

Here are 5 Things You'll Want to Know About Teeth

Your teeth are one of the most important parts of your body; they help you speak, eat, and have a good looking smile. We know we are supposed to take care of them and even people who are not dentists still know how to take good care of teeth. However, there are still things that many people do not know about their teeth.

We have compiled a list of 5 different things that you will want to know about teeth.

1. The sour stuff can be bad for your teeth, just like the sweet stuff. Almost everyone knows that sugar can be bad for your teeth; the more sugar you eat, the more likely you are to have cavities. However, sugar is not the only bad guy for your teeth; acidic foods can be just as bad for your teeth as sugar is. Foods (citric fruits, sour candy), and drinks (soda, juices, etc) can have acids that do work on your teeth. Citric acid is one of the worst acids for your pearly whites. What does acid do? It weakens the enamel on your teeth. 
2. Enamel is strong but it has its limits. Things like chewing ice, holding a pencil with your teeth, oral piercings, these are all things that can crack the enamel that protects your teeth. Also, be careful when eating popcorn to avoid chomping down on a popcorn kernel. Piercings on your tongue can be bad for your teeth as well; whenever you say something, it can collide with your teeth. 
3. Tooth loss happens at any age. As a dentist in Park Ridge, I can assure you that tooth loss can happen when you are 75, 45, even 25; it does not matter how old you are, if you do not take care of your teeth, they can come out. Gum disease and cavities are two big reasons for tooth loss and these things can happen at any age. 
4. Too much fluoride can have a negative effect. We have all been taught that having fluoride is good for our teeth; this is why the American Dental Association always wanted communities to have fluoridated water supplies. However, that is not the issue; the issue arises from ingesting too much fluoride from sources like toothpaste. This typically happens with children, when they swallow excessive amounts of toothpaste, the issue of too much fluoride can happen. Too much of the stuff can make teeth porous. Everything in moderation. 
5. Braces can be rough for cavities. If you are not good at cleaning with your braces, then cavities can form around the braces since teeth become more difficult to brush. 

If you are looking for a dentist in Chicagoland, then make an appointment with Rubino. 

Tooth Enamel FAQs

Have you heard of tooth enamel? Chances are that you have, if not, then you just did! Do you know much about tooth enamel? Many people do not, if you don't, you're about to! 

What is tooth enamel? Enamel, essentially, is the hard stuff on the outside of your teeth that protects your teeth. Tooth enamel is one of the hardest and highly mineralized substances of our bodies. It makes sense that the enamel has to be so strong since we eat and drink so many things throughout our lives and we even use our teeth as tools, like to hold a pencil. We pass a lot of sugars and other things, even bacteria, over our teeth so their protection has to be incredibly strong. 

Tooth enamel is one of the four tissues that make up our teeth. The three other parts of your teeth are the dentin (yellow stuff), the cementum, and then the pulp (the inner most part of the tooth, like its heart); the tissues of the teeth go in that order from out to in. When you see someone's teeth, you are looking at their enamel, unless they have lost their enamel, which case you'd be looking at decreased enamel and likely some dentin. 

Tooth enamel is strong but it is not impenetrable. It can be broken and even removed, this is called enamel erosion. There are several things that can contribute to enamel erosion: not taking care of your teeth, eating and drinking foods and beverages with lots of acid (the acid weakens the enamel and then it can be brushed away), chewing on things like pencils and pens can crack the enamel, and quick exposure to hot and cold beverages and food (taking a bite of hot pizza and then a drink of a cold beverage causes quick expansion and shrinkage of enamel; this puts stress on it and can crack it, same for vice versa- cold then hot).

 Exposure to acid on the enamel can be intrinsic (inside the body) or extrinsic (outside the body). Those who experience intrinsic exposure typically suffer from gastric reflux or persistent vomiting. Extrinsic can be soda, citrus juices and foods, alcohol, etc. 

You can help minimize the exposure by limiting your consumption of these acidic foods and drinks. Also developing a good oral hygiene practice by brushing for 2 minutes, flossing, and rinsing with a mouthwash. Also, using a toothpaste that is meant to restrengthen enamel will do wonders. 

If you have any questions, then contact Rubino Dentistry. We are a dental practice in Chicagoland. As a Park Ridge dental office, we see people of all ages and see plenty of enamel erosion.  

Effects of Soda on Your Teeth

Soda, or pop, can be a tasty beverage, especially when we pair it with a hot day or our favorite food. However, just because it tastes good does not mean that it is something we can indulge in anytime we want, the truth is that pop can be harmful for your teeth.

No matter what you call the beverage, the drink has the same effect on your pearly whites. Soft drinks have proven themselves to be a good source of tooth decay, which can impact people of any age, not just the elderly. The sugar and acid in the soft drinks can be a cause of softening tooth enamel, w
hich can lead to cavities and sensitive teeth. Drinking soft drinks, along with a poor oral hygiene habit, you can experience some poor oral health.

Statistics from 2013 say that nearly 80 percent of youth, children and teens, consume at least one soft drink a day (that can be cans, bottles, cups, etc). Some reports have mentioned that some teens drink as much as 12 pops a day.

What can you do to help resolve the consumption of so much pop?

• Swap the soft drinks for other beverages like water, 100% juice, milk, etc. Go for things that are more natural and have less sugar and acid. If you are a parent, then you can partake in this venture as well, encourage your kids to do it as well. If you are drinking more natural, teeth friendly beverages, then your teeth will look and feel a lot better. 
• Rinse your mouth with water. If you enjoy a soft drink now and then, that is fine. However, after you finish, try rinsing your mouth out with some water to rid your mouth of the sugars that try to attach to your teeth. Also, this will rinse out the acid that can have long exposures on your teeth. 
• Brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride and use an oral rinse. The fluoride in your toothpaste (and possibly even the rinse) will help strengthen the enamel and reduce chances of cavities. 
• Get fluoride applied to your teeth by your dentist. If you stop at your dentist's office, they can apply fluoride to your teeth in the form of gel, foam, or rinse. 

If you have any questions, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a Park Ridge dentist. As a dentist in Chicagoland, I see a lot of patients and we make sure each patient gets quality care and attention. We rarely make our patients wait for their appointment. 

Interesting and Fun Facts About Your Teeth

Our teeth do a lot for us, I mean a lot. They create wonderful smiles (which are often the first thing people notice about us), they allow us to eat food, which gives us nutrition so we can keep living, they help us talk so we can communicate (that's how we build relationships, work, etc.), and the list doesn't stop there. The bottom line is that our teeth are incredibly important. Do you know a lot about your teeth? Well, either way, this blog post is for you.

1. On average, people have 32 teeth in the mouth; this includes your eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, twelve molars, and four wisdom teeth. Now, that 32 will go down if you don't have your wisdom teeth and/or if you lose any teeth. 
2. Over the course of your lifetime, you will develop two whole sets of teeth. As we all know, the first set of teeth are our baby teeth which come in when we are infants and last until our preteen days, perhaps a few years before or after. Usually, they begin to fall out at 6 or 7 years old. By the time you reach 20-21 years old, you have all your teeth for your second set of teeth,  known as your adult teeth. 
3. Believe it or not, China has a national holiday dedicated to teeth. Every September 20th, the Chinese celebrate "Love Your Teeth Day" across China. 
4. Back in Victorian times of the 1800s in England, people who had false teeth would eat before going out in public. They would do this to prevent getting embarrassed if their false teeth would fall out while eating; their teeth were not as quality as false teeth are today, like dental implants. 
5. In Ancient China, they did not have quality dentists like we do today to relieve dental pain; what they would do to heal painful teeth was write prayers for pain relief and wrap them around the teeth. 
6. In many ancient countries, they would use pliers to remove teeth. And no, that was not with anesthetic. 
7. Gotta love your donkey! In the Middle Ages in Germany, they would kiss donkeys in order to relieve any toothaches they had.
8. Toothpaste has only been around for about a hundred years; before that was invented, people would use a special concoction to clean their teeth that consisted of chalk, ash, lemon juice, honey, and tobacco to clean teeth. 
9. Keeping your toothbrush within 5 feet of your toilet can cause it to become contaminated by toilet germs. 
10. About forty percent of people in the US who are ages 65 and over do not have all their teeth anymore.

Now you have an expanded knowledge of your teeth and can feel confident in your smile. If you want your smile to remain beautiful or if you want a beautiful smile, then contact your local dentist. If you are in Chicagoland, then contact Rubino Dentistry. As a Park Ridge dentist, I serve people from all over Chicagoland. 

6 Great Ways to Ruin Your Teeth

Your mouth is a delicate area of your body; your teeth need a lot of care and good care at that. You can do a lot of good for your mouth but you can also do a lot of harm. Some things that we think are good for our teeth can actually be bad, as well as things we don't even think about being bad. As a dentist in Park Ridge  I have noticed some of these things over my many years in the profession.

1. Brushing your teeth too hard. This seems like it would be good for your teeth, doesn't it? I mean, you really want to get in there and brush and get that disgusting plaque off your teeth so they can shine bright and white, right? Wrong, well, the brushing too hard is wrong. When you brush your teeth, you want to use a decent force but not too much. When you do, you can ruin enamel. Also, brush in circles instead of brushing in straight side-to-side lines. Consider a brush with softer bristles as well. 
2. Consuming a lot of acidic foods/drinks. Some foods and drinks are so good but are actually rather harmful for your teeth. The acid in these things wears on the enamel and softens it. This is a problem because if you brush your teeth while the enamel is soft, you brush it away. Wait about 30 minutes after eating or drinking to brush your teeth so the enamel can get firm again, also, consider using toothpaste that also hardens the enamel again. 
3. Whitening your teeth too much. As a Park Ridge dental office that offers teeth whitening and teeth in one day services, we know that teeth whitening is a great thing and can really help your smile; however, doing it too much is rough on your teeth. When you whiten your teeth, you are exposing your pearly whites to a mild acid and so the bleach in the whitening solution can weaken the enamel on your teeth. 
4. Taking a swig of an ice cold drink after biting into hot food. This is one that is probably not thought of very often. When we eat food that is hot, we tend to want some cold beverage to go with it, like some soda. This can be rough of the enamel on your teeth because when you bite into some hot food, your causing the enamel to expand; when you take a drink of your cold pop or water, whatever it ma be, you are causing the enamel to contract. When you came quick expansion and contraction, this puts stress on the enamel and creates little hairline fractures in the enamel. Of course, if you drink with a straw, you have a much more reduced risk of this happening. 
5. Using your teeth for things other than eating. Sometimes we use our mouths to help us out, like holding a pencil or biting down on a cap to open something. It seems like something that shouldn't matter and we do it so easily, but it does make an impact. Why? It can create fractures in the enamel. 
6. Not cleaning your teeth enough. This one is a given and probably what you think of when you think of things that ruin your teeth (because I know you think about that all the time). Brush and floss twice a day. Use a mouth rinse (go for alcohol free if you can). Schedule visits to your dentist every 6 months or at least once a year. If you are in Chicagoland, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a dentist in Park Ridge. 

Why Is Wearing a Mouthguard Important in Sports

Sports are a big deal in the United States, we are a country that loves athletes and we love participating in sports. Professional sports are the big events to watch but we also have developed a love for the youth and adolescent sports in the country as well. They can be fun to watch and have our children participate in them. However, sports can be have injuries and those injuries can be painful, especially when they happen to the mouth. Even when your child plays a non-contact sport, like soccer or basketball, they can still get a tooth injury because of a ball or accidental hand to the face.

So how do you prevent this from happening? Wearing a mouthguard can help. How common are injuries in youth sports? Well, recent reports have stated that nearly 36% of accidental injuries that happen to children happen from sports; of those injuries, approximately 15% of them happen to the mouth.

What kind of injuries can happen to the mouth? There are three classifications:

1. Fracture: This is when there is a root fracture, a broken tooth, or a chipped tooth.
2. Avulsion: This is when the entire tooth is knocked out, including the root. 
3. Luxation: This is when the tooth is knocked into a wrong position but is still in the socket. 
1. Extruded: the affected tooth looks larger than the teeth around it. 
2. Lateral displacement: the tooth is moved forward or pushed back. 

The thing about dental injuries is that they are often easily prevented and one way to help prevent them is to wear that mouthguard. Some dentists are able to custom make them for you; this dentist in Park Ridge is a carrier of UnderArmour mouth guards. Indeed, mouth guards can seem rather hard to wear because they can make it harder to talk. 

If you have any questions about the UnderArmour mouth guards or questions regarding other dental concerns, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a Chicago dentist. 

The Effects of Smoking on Teeth

We have all heard about how smoking is bad for us to some extent; it is mentioned quite a bit in school health classes and we even see ads in magazines, newspapers, on billboards, TV, and radio. However, do we know the details of the effects of smoking on teeth? All of the effects the habit can have on teeth? Let's find out.

If you decide to smoke, then you should look at this complete list of the effects of smoking on your oral health:

• Foul smelling breath
• Discoloration of teeth- predominantly yellow
• The salivary gland on the roof of your mouth can become inflamed (swollen & irritated)
• An increase in the buildup of plaque (and even tartar) on your teeth
• An increase in the loss of bone in your jaw
• A higher risk of leukoplakia, or, white patches in your mouth. 
• A higher risk of contracting gum disease, this can lead to tooth loss
• A longer healing time and process following tooth extraction, periodontal treatments, and oral surgery
• A decreased success rate for dental implants
• A higher risk for developing oral cancer

So we mentioned gum disease, or gingivitis, and one may wonder how you can get that due to smoking. 

Well, when smoking, the tobacco affects the ligaments in your mouth that attach your teeth to the bone. When you smoke, it can even impact the function of the gum tissue cells. When your gum tissue cells are not able to function properly, it makes your mouth more susceptible to infections and other dangers. 

In case you are wondering what kind of tobacco can impact your oral health, it includes cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. 

No, smokeless tobacco does not exempt you from these dangers. 

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, then contact Rubino Dentistry - a dentist in Park Ridge.

Effects of Alcohol on Teeth

It is New Year's Eve and for many people in the country, it means a night of partying and alcohol. Even if you plan on only have a drink or two and not becoming inhibited, it is important for people to know the effects of alcohol on teeth and gums. This post is to not discourage you from enjoying your beverages and your night, it is just for your information. As a dentist in Park Ridge, I hope you all enjoy your nights responsibly have a fantastic 2014!

Alcohol is a drying agent, if you think in chemistry terms. In chemistry, chemists use alcohol to dry things out; guess what it does to your mouth? The more you consume the stuff, the worse the drying effect will be. How does the alcohol create a dryer environment in the mouth? It reduces the production of saliva and when the alcohol dries up, it takes the other liquid in the mouth with it.

Alcohol is also an acidic liquid, again, if you think in terms of chemistry (acid, neutral, or basic liquids). Due to its acidic nature, this means that when you consume alcohol, you are creating a more acidic environment in your mouth. So, the more alcohol you consume, the more acid is in your mouth and that takes its toll on your enamel. The acid softens the enamel and as we know, or should know, soft enamel is able to be swept away and when that happens, it is gone forever and your teeth become vulnerable. The best way to overcome this is to brush your teeth twenty minutes after consuming an alcoholic drink or even soda; it takes approximately twenty minutes for the saliva in your mouth to remineralize the enamel on your teeth.

So enjoy your nights and have a blast! 2013 is just about over and 2014 will hopefully be a great year for us all. If you have any questions feel free to contact my Park Ridge dental office at 847-825-1002 or visit our site www.rubinodentistry.com. 

Interesting Dental Facts & Figures

Dentistry is a fun business to be in because it's medicine. The human body is one very interesting subject. When it comes to dental medicine, we find that there is a lot of information out there that is really fun to know and some of it can even help you improve your own dental hygiene. As a dentist in Park Ridge I love helping people gain knowledge about teeth.

Did you know:

• If you only brush your teeth and do not floss, you are missing 40 percent of the surfaces on your teeth. 
• On average, an American spends 38.5 days of their life brushing their teeth. 
• Not everybody loves to floss, it was reported that 73 percent of Americans would opt for a trip to the grocery store over flossing. 
• Do not keep your toothbrush right next to your toilet; it is recommended that you keep it 6+ feet away from the toilet. When toilets flush, they toss bacteria into the air and that bacteria can land on your toothbrush if it is within striking distance. 
• Dental plaque is made up of a whopping 300 different kinds of bacteria. 
• What are your teeth made up of? Calcium, mineral salts, and phosphorus. 
• Eating cheese can be good for your teeth because of the calcium and phosphorus in it; it helps minimize the pH level (acidic level) of the plaque and strengthen the enamel. 
• According to the Academy of General Dentistry, most people brush for approximately 45 to 70 seconds when they brush their teeth; recommended brushing time is 2 minutes. 
• The concept of oral hygiene dates back to the ancient Romans and Chinese; Romans would use things like bones, shells, and honey to clean their teeth while Chinese would use chew sticks. 
• If you eat sugary foods after you eat a meal, you are less likely to develop cavities than if you eat the sugary foods alone. 
• You produce a lot of saliva; over the average lifetime, a human will produce 25,000 quarts of the stuff. 
• Enamel is one of the hardest tissues in your body. 
• Your tooth print is unique to you; no one else in the world has your tooth setup. That's why when police can't identify a body and finger prints are not available, they identify it by the teeth. 
• After a cold, flu, or sore throat you should replace your toothbrush. 

Feel smarter? Want to go brush your teeth now? Good! Enjoy the facts and feel free to whip these bits of wisdom out at parties and really wow the crowd. Any dentist near Park Ridge will agree, they rock the house. 

Bacteria, Your Toothbrush, and Your Health

You see and use your toothbrush every day, hopefully two to three times a day. A toothbrush is something you are very familiar with and know how to use it to clean your teeth; however, there are things about your toothbrush that you probably didn't know. As a dentist in Park Ridge, I must inform you about these techniques and tips.

Your toothbrush is full of germs, both good and bad germs. According to recent studies, it was discovered that an uncovered toothbrush can contain more than 100 million bacteria. Remember, everything has bacteria on it, perhaps things you touch every day harbor much more than that, so don't freak out. Hundreds of those microorganisms in our mouths every day which is typical; the problem with having bacteria in our mouth is when there is an unbalance of good and bad. When there is the unbalance, we experience more plaque and cavities.

Is it possible your old toothbrush could make you sick? In reality, chances are it is not unless it is beyond disgusting. The likelihood that your toothbrush is making you sick is pretty small. Many people think that the germs on the toothbrush are why you should replace it every few months; the reason you should replace it every few months is because bristles wear down every few months.

The important thing to remember here is that you should keep your toothbrush away from your toilet. Yes, of course don't let it in your toilet (if it lands in there, throw it away ASAP) but we mean your toothbrush shouldn't be stored right near your toilet either. We get it, your bathroom may or may not be a very large part of your house and your sink is right next to your toilet. However, when you flush your toilet, bacteria is thrown into the air and then lands wherever it wants. If your toothbrush is within striking distance of that bacteria, and your toothbrush is exposed, then it will catch some of that junk.

So what can you do? Keep it in the cupboard, keep it farther away from your toilet, etc. Think of it this way, would you keep your cutlery near your toilet and then use it to eat with? No. Let's hope not, at least. A more realistic example is not washing your hands after the bathroom and then eating.

How should you store it? 

• Keep your toothbrush rinsed. Before you use it, run it under the faucet. After you use it, run it under the faucet. 
• Keep your toothbrush dry. Keep your toothbrush in a spot that allows it to dry completely and not leave moisture behind. Why? Because bacteria love moist environments, that's why. 
• Keep your toothbrush in an upright position. Don't lay it down if you can avoid it. 
• Be selfish, keep your toothbrush as your own. Don't share it. Need this be explained? 

One thing to remember is that if you have dental implants such as dentures, do not use a toothbrush on them. Dentures are softer than teeth and the bristles will create crevices in the teeth that will become breeding grounds for bacteria. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us here at Rubino Dentistry.