HOME ABOUT US LOCATION SERVICE WE OFFER MEET OUR STAFF PATIENT & CONSUMER INFO
|
|
ARCHIVE - Previous Hot News Articles
Dear Patients... Dear Patients: (Fall 2006) Greetings from Wilmette Dental. I hope your summer was a memorable one and that you’re looking forward to a beautiful North Shore fall. During the summer, my family and I visited the New York/D.C. area. The weather was perfect and the sites spectacular (and I’m very glad that we’re not still using the kind of medical/dental instruments we viewed at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum in Washington). Chris (10) and Elise I’m pleased to report that Christopher’s front tooth, which was severely fractured during an unfortunate “run in” with our kitchen counter last November, is well on the mend and his smile is looking much better – just in time for school pictures! The break was one of the worst tooth injuries I’ve ever seen (all the way up into the gum), so it’s really been fascinating for me to be able to utilize today’s extraordinary cosmetic dental techniques to help my own child. Of course, being a typical boy, Chris is all “rough and tumble.” As parents, we’ve always cautioned him to watch out for his head, but after the tooth ordeal, our new mantra as he walks out the door to play is “be careful of your teeth!” Have a safe and pleasant fall. Dr. Neuhaus Dear Patients:(Fall 2005) I hope that each of my patients has had a relaxing and enjoyable summer. My family and I certainly had a wonderful
summer. We started off with a bang – a trip to Austria so that Anne,
Chris and Elise could see where my parents were born, lived, were Chris and Elise are back at school – Elise is in sixth grade and Chris is in fourth. For those of you who warned me that their childhood would go by quickly, I have to admit that you were right (though I often thought those days of late night feedings and cranky babies would last forever.) At the office, our new intra-oral camera system now allows us to show movies in the treatment rooms. When the system is not being used for dental purposes, patients can enjoy a selection from our library of National Geographic and outdoor films. Climb a mountain, or scuba dive the depths – all from the comfort of our Wilmette Dental chairs. Our office wishes you a good autumn. Dr. Neuhaus
Forget the Facelift…Try A Better Smile For many people wanting to enhance their looks, going under the knife isn’t an option. However, a non-invasive smile improvement may be just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Neuhaus offers porcelain veneers, crafted to an existing tooth’s exact dimensions to give new life to an older or damaged smile. With porcelain veneers, Dr. Neuhaus can actually…
Porcelain veneers are reasonably priced, can be done to as many teeth as desired, last indefinitely, and can be done in as little as two appointments. Today’s veneer materials are so well crafted and so translucent that they reflect light like the enamel we were born with. If you’d like to improve your smile this fall, talk with Dr. Neuhaus about the possibilities. And don’t forget, Dr. Neuhaus is now able to use computer imaging to create a picture of how you would look with a smile makeover. All it takes is a quick snapshot.
A Toast To Red Wine In addition to providing healthful antioxidants (and being a nice accompaniment to dinner), red wine is proving beneficial in preventing and treating inflammatory periodontal diseases. It seems that certain compounds in red wine, called polyphenols, can help control the cellular causes of periodontitis. So drink up (with moderation, of course) – all in the name of healthy teeth and gums. And, while you’re at it, eat up…new research also shows that consuming traditional, sugarless yogurt reduces the bacteria that causes bad breath. This reduction of “stinky” bacteria may also help cut down on plaque and gingivitis. Top off your yogurt with a bite of licorice. Studies show that compounds isolated from licorice root may help prevent cavities. Certain extracts from the plant contain at least 2 compounds that appear to be potent inhibitors of Streptococcus mutans, a major cause of tooth decay.
Missing A Tooth? You May Be Able To Grow A New One British researchers are hard at work on a new technology that will enable adult patients with missing teeth to actually grow their own replacements. The procedure uses the patient’s own stem cells – master cells that can be programmed to grow different kinds of tissue. These cells are treated and cultured in the lab, and are then re-implanted in the patient’s jaw under the gum where the tooth is missing. Researchers believe that the tooth will grow and develop in the same way as teeth do in a baby or child, resulting in a fully formed, live tooth in around two months. The technique has been tested in mice, and researchers hope to begin human trials in the next two years. If those trials are successful, the technology may be available to the public in about five years.
Did You Know…
New School Dental Exam Requirement Want to make the grade in school this year? Have your teeth examined. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) now requires youngsters in kindergarten, second and sixth grade to show proof of a recent dental exam. The new law, says Dr. Neuhaus, is a good thing. “The ages of kindergarten, second and sixth grade mark critical times in oral development,” he says. “These are the ages when molars erupt – important times for a thorough dental exam. It’s also the right time for the application of dental fluoride and sealants to help prevent cavities, if necessary.” Standard dental exam forms will be distributed to all schools this fall, and will be available on the department website: www.idph.state.il.us
Early Antibiotic Use May Be Harmful To TeethUse of the antibiotic amoxicillin during infancy appears to be linked to tooth enamel defects in permanent teeth, according to a recent study. Amoxicillin is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for children, typically prescribed for ear infections. Though more research needs to be done, initial evidence suggests that this early use of the antibiotic could have an adverse affect on dental health later in life. Researchers are quick to caution that these early findings do not warrant recommendations to stop using amoxicillin among infants, but it does highlight the need to use antibiotics judiciously, particularly during infancy.
Does The “ADA Seal of Acceptance” Seal Really Mean Something? In short, “yes.” The American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance that appears on more than 1,100 many oral hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouth rinse, etc.) is an important symbol of safety and effectiveness. Since its founding 125 years ago, the ADA has worked to promote the safety and efficacy of dental products. In 1931, the ADA awarded its first Seal of Acceptance. Since that time, the ADA has worked hard to make its standards tough. In fact, in 1984, President Reagan commended the Association for the outstanding self-regulatory efforts of its Seal program.
The International Tooth Fairy Does every country have a tooth fairy? Not quite, but most areas of the world do have some sort of established practice to mark the falling out of those first baby teeth. According to www.ToothFairys.net, years ago in Europe it was a common practice when a child's baby tooth fell out to bury it in the ground. The tooth was usually buried in the garden or in a nearby field, thus ensuring that a permanent tooth would grow in its place. Another reason for the burying ritual was the superstition that if a witch got a hold of the tooth, a curse could be placed on the child. By burying their children's teeth, this horrible curse was prevented. As people migrated to America, many of the same beliefs and superstitions followed them. However, since most new Americans found themselves living in towns and cities, open land wasn't as plentiful. So, they began placing the teeth in small flowerpots, or planter boxes. Eventually this rite changed to the modern custom of placing the tooth under a child's pillow, where it is then magically exchanged for a treat or money.
Bottled Water Vs. Tap In any given week, 4 out of 5 Americans will quench their thirst with bottled water rather than tap. If you're among them, you might be missing out on an important health benefit: fluoride. While bottled water may appeal to many because of its convenience and clean, fresh taste, there are new concerns about its lack of fluoride. Fluoride is a key ingredient in the prevention of tooth decay among adults and especially children. The government began adding fluoride to some of the nation's tap water in the 1940s, a move credited with drastically improving the dental health of all Americans. Now companies that produce bottled water are trying to catch up to the tap. About 20 bottled water makers currently offer bottled water enriched with the same levels of fluoride you get when you open the faucet. Still, only a fraction of the bottled water sold has added fluoride, which means four out of five dentists would agree, it's up to us to check the labels.
Saliva Test May Detect Cancer A simple “spit into a cup” may one day help save your life. Researchers are hard at work studying a test that uses human saliva to help detect oral, breast and other cancers in their very early stages. In the study, unique proteins isolated in an individual’s saliva predicted oral cancer in about nine out of 10 cases. Such proteins, called “biomarkers,” are present in everyone’s saliva, but the presence of certain types of these proteins is believed to signal cancer. How soon before saliva tests for cancer become a reality? A test for oral cancer may be in use as early as a year and a half. Saliva tests for other types of cancer will be longer in coming as research continues.
Keeping Teeth Clean
“I brush and floss regularly, so do I really need a dental cleaning?” The answer is a huge YES!!! And that’s not just Dr. Neuhaus answering. It’s also the American Dental Association (ADA) and perhaps your internist as well. Poorly cleaned teeth can result in periodontal disease, a serious disintegration of the gum and bone attachment to teeth. It is estimated that about 75% of adults over age 35 have this disease in varying stages. Periodontal disease can ultimately cause tooth and gum loss (and forever adversely alter your smile), and has been linked to heart disease, pre-mature births and a host of other serious health problems. The enemy in periodontal disease is tartar – the rough deposits formed on teeth from a build-up of plaque, the colorless film that constantly forms on teeth and gums. Even the best at-home brushing and flossing won’t eliminate all of the plaque. Eventually plaque hardens to form tartar, which contains pores that hold the bacteria and toxins that can eventually cause periodontal disease. The only way to combat tartar is with a professional dental cleaning. At Wilmette Dental, we rely on the ADA recommendation that for most individuals, tartar build up should be removed every six months. Of course, certain illnesses, medications, and lifestyle habits (such as smoking or poor nutrition) may call for more frequent cleanings. Wilmette Dental will work with you to plan a specific hygiene schedule to help protect you against periodontal disease.
Why
Do I Need a Cleaning Every 6
Months? I n the fight against periodontal disease (a disintegration of the gum and bone attachment to teeth -- estimated to affect 75% of adults over age 35), regular brushing and flossing can only do so much.The
culprit is tartar - the rough deposits formed on teeth from a build-up of
plaque, the colorless film that constantly forms on teeth and gums.
While conscientious at-home brushing and flossing removes a lot of
plaque, it never eliminates it all. Eventually
the plaque hardens to form tartar, which contains pores that hold the bacteria
and toxins that can eventually cause periodontal disease.
Once
the hardened tartar forms, it can only be removed with the “scraping” done
as part of a professional dental cleaning.
The
ADA recommends that for most individuals, tartar build up be removed every six
months. However, this may not be
often enough for people at higher risk due to:
Kids in North America spend about a half a billion dollars each year on chewing gum. More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones. Everyone’s tongue print is different (just like your fingerprint). The average woman smiles 62 times each day; the average man smiles only 8 times. Kids laugh about 400 times a day while grown ups laugh 15 times. 38.5 = the total days an average American spends brushing his/her teeth over a lifetime. Dental floss was first manufactured in 1882. In 1994 a prisoner in West Virginia braided floss into a rope, scaled the wall and escaped jail. Every year, the average person in America drinks about 600 cans of soda. Soda is very bad for your teeth, and here’s proof… A professor in Maryland took small pieces of teeth and dipped them into popular soft drinks such as Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, Sprite, Canada Dry ginger ale and Arizona iced tea. All the drinks weakened or permanently destroyed the enamel (the outside) of the teeth. Diet sodas were just as bad as regular sodas. The worst offenders? Non-colas such as Mountain Dew and canned iced tea, which have more hard-on-the-teeth additives to give the drinks a “tart” flavor. Want to be especially kind to your teeth (and have a fantastic smile)? Dr. Neuhaus says, “Drink water!”
|
|
(12) had a wonderful time touring the monuments in Washington, along with
Jefferson’s Monticello home, and Colonial Williamsburg, a place right
out of the history books. The day we visited Williamsburg happened to be
my 15th wedding anniversary. Anne and I celebrated with a
romantic candlelight dinner at a historical Williamsburg Inn (accompanied
by chaperones Chris and Elise).
married,
went to school – even my Dad’s favorite candy shop (which amazingly is
still there). With my folks as official tour guides, we saw the sights and
heard many stories, visited family and friends, and ate, ate, ate. (Both
children took quite a liking to Schnitzel and Anne was in pastry heaven!)
