Eat Your Vitamins and Minerals

Your teeth are directly affected by the vitamins and minerals absorbed into your body. Below is a list of some of the most common vitamins and minerals and how they affect your teeth:

• Calcium – helps build and strengthen our bones while also providing structural support and protecting our tooth enamel. (eat: cheese, broccoli, and salmon)
• Phosphorus – helps to protect and rebuild tooth enamel. They support calcium when it comes to building strong bones and teeth. (eat: tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and avocados)
• Potassium (and magnesium) – helps our teeth and bones to use calcium more efficiently. Potassium also helps the body to regulate its blood acidity. When our blood becomes too acidic, acids can remove calcium from our teeth and jawbone, weakening them. (eat: meat, poultry, fish, and eggs)
• Vitamin A – helps our bodies absorb and take in calcium and protein while also keeping mucous membranes healthy, which protects your teeth and gums. Vitamin A also prevents dry mouth, which helps your mouth heal quicker and reduces bad breath). (eat: fish, egg yolks, spinach, kale, and carrots)
• Vitamin C – strengthens our gums as well as the soft tissue in our mouths. It can protect against gingivitis and can also prevent our teeth from loosening. (eat: citrus fruits, potatoes, and leafy greens)
• Vitamin D – helps our bodies to absorb calcium and also boosts bone mineral density. (expose yourself to natural sunlight!)
• Vitamin K2 – is a type of protein that works along with Vitamin D to move calcium out of soft tissue and your bloodstream and into your teeth and bones. It is essential as it helps to block substances that break down bone. (eat: leafy greens, kale, and broccoli)

One of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy is by scheduling regular dental appointments. Whether you need a general dentist in Chicago or are seeking special cosmetic dentistry services, we will be happy to assist you. UAD’s customer service is second to none! Please get in touch with us to schedule a free consult by clicking here or giving us a call.

University Associates in Dentistry’s phone number – (312) 704-5511

Our dental office in downtown Chicago is located at 222 N LaSalle St.

Proper Hygiene for Healthy Gums

Your gums are an essential part of the structure of your mouth. Healthy gums hold your teeth in place and protect their roots from tooth decay and irritation. If you lose teeth due to weakened gum tissue, the bone in your jaw will begin to deteriorate. Lost teeth can also cause difficulty speaking, and dental implants or other dental appliances may be your only option.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), signs that you might have gum disease include:
Consistently bad taste or breath
Separating or loose permanent teeth
Gums that easily bleed
Gums that are swollen, red, or tender
Gums pulling away from teeth

With simple routine dental care, however, you can keep your gums healthy and your smile beautiful!

3 TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN KEEP YOUR GUMS HEALTHY

1. Practice Proper Oral Hygiene – Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day between the teeth to remove dental plaque.
2. Use Fluoride Toothpaste – Make sure to choose toothpaste that contains fluoride and has the ADA seal of acceptance. After that, the flavor and color are up to you!
3. Get Regular Dental Cleanings – Regularly visit your UAD Chicago dentist for professional cleanings and examinations as plaque can still build up on teeth even when brushing and flossing regularly. In addition, your dentist can detect early gum disease symptoms if you see them on a regular basis!

Never hesitate to ask your UAD dentist about your gum health and if there’s more you can do at home to care for your gums. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have! We can help you maintain or restore a healthy, beautiful smile with the latest technology and dental treatments available. Please contact us at our dental office in downtown Chicago to schedule your next visit by clicking here or giving us a call!

UAD phone number (312) 704-5511
We are located at 222 N LaSalle (in downtown Chicago)

Deteriorating Dental Health is Not Your Fault

After the epic year we’ve all had, many of our patients had to press “pause” on regular dental visits. But now, as things normalize, it is time to pay attention to the health of your mouth as it does affect your overall well-being. An unhealthy mouth can lead to an unhealthy body; in addition, certain illnesses can also cause problems for your dental health.

• Gum Disease – Heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis have all been linked to gum disease.
• Bacteria in Mouth– There are typically hundreds of species of bacteria thriving in your mouth which cause plaque. When this happens, it provides a welcoming environment for even more bacteria to flourish, leading to the gum infection known as gingivitis. Gingivitis, when left untreated, can lead to periodontitis (a severe gum infection that can cause tooth loss and other serious health complications).
• Bacteria in Body – If you’ve got gum disease, even routine brushing and flossing can cause breaks in your gums that give those microbes access to the rest of your body. And if your immunity is weak, you can develop an infection in another part of your body due to the oral bacteria in your bloodstream.
• An Unhealthy Body Can Cause Poor Dental Health – Some systemic illnesses can cause trouble for your mouth. There’s significant evidence that diabetes, for instance, has a reciprocal relationship with gum disease. Keeping blood sugar under control improves oral health, and treating periodontal disease reduces the need for insulin.

One of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy is scheduling regular dental appointments. Whether you need a general dentist in Chicago or are seeking special cosmetic dentistry services, our dental office in downtown Chicago will be happy to assist you. UAD’s customer service is second to none! Please contact us to schedule a free consult by clicking here or giving us a call at (312) 704-5511. All of our patients have access to 24-hour emergency dental services in Chicago!

Tooth Loss Can Seriously Affect Your Health

Tooth loss can be devastating, not just for your confidence but for your health as well. Losing a tooth can cause surrounding teeth to shift and bacteria to accumulate under the gum line, resulting in gum disease and loss of bone and tissue. Gum disease has been linked to serious diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Avoiding tooth loss is always our first goal, but if it’s too late to salvage, UAD offers replacement options for missing teeth, such as dental implants or dentures that look and act more like natural teeth than ever before.

Don’t fret; there are things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and intact! Here are three simple tips to avoid losing your teeth.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is one of the easiest things you can do to protect your teeth and gums. Brush at least twice per day and floss at least once. Ask your dentist if you should be using a mouthwash or other rinse. Following these simple habits will drastically reduce the amount of plaque and bacteria in your mouth, which in turn will reduce your chances of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Since these two conditions are among the most common causes of tooth loss, preventing them means you’re less likely to have missing teeth.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Your lifestyle has a greater impact on your oral health than you may realize. To save your teeth, start by examining your diet. Cut out sugary beverages, sticky candies, and acidic sports drinks and sodas. Reach for water more often when you need something to drink, and serve up low-fat dairy and lean protein. Also, smoking and tooth loss are linked, so add that to the list of reasons to quit. Smoking weakens the immune system, so it becomes harder for the body to fight infections. As a result, the bones supporting teeth weaken, causing tooth loss.  

See Your Dentist

Visit your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings. During these visits, your dentist will perform a comprehensive exam that can help him or her find oral health problems in their early stages, when they are easier to treat. By getting a diagnosis early, you can get treatment before tooth loss occurs.

Whether you have missing teeth already or want to keep your smile intact, University Associates in Dentistry is here to provide general dentistry, dentures, and dental implants in the Chicago area. To make an appointment with a provider at our award-winning dental group of Chicago, please click here or call (312) 704-5511.

University Associates in Dentistry’s Tips to Avoid Teeth-Staining

No one enjoys stains on their teeth. Stains on your teeth are caused by acidic food that changes your tooth enamel to allow staining to set, strong color pigments in foods, and tannins that allow stains to stick easily. Below we will review some of the main causes of teeth-staining and tips to avoid discoloring your pearly whites!

SOME OF THE MAIN TEETH-STAINING CULPRITS:

• Sports and Energy Drinks – can erode enamel, setting the stage for stains.
• Black Tea (like English Breakfast and Earl Grey) – can cause more stains than coffee.
• Red Wine – is a dark, rich, acidic drink that will discolor teeth.
• Sauces (soy, tomato, and curry) – also cause stains.
• Berries and Fruits (blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and other vibrant fruits) – can stain teeth. So can juices and pies made from them.

TIPS TO AVOID TEETH-STAINING:

1. You may not want to eliminate all teeth-staining foods and drinks, but ease up a bit and follow these simple tips to avoid stains!
2. Use a paper or reusable straw and sip on beverages. This should keep the liquid away from your teeth.
3. Swallow, don’t swish your drinks so the liquid doesn’t linger in your mouth.
4. Drink water to help remove some of the coloring before it sets in.
5. Rinse, then brush 30 – 60 minutes after eating or drinking.
6. Floss to remove plaque between the teeth to eliminate places for potential staining.
7. Get your teeth cleaned regularly, this will help keep your smile beautiful and white!

If you want white teeth and the above options don’t seem to be working, our dental office in downtown Chicago offers veneers and professional teeth whitening as solutions.