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Dental hypersensitivity, also known as sensitive teeth, happens because of receding gums and/or because the enamel protecting the teeth has somehow become thinner. Brushing too hard can push back the gums and expose the roots of teeth, while acidic food and drinks, such as wine, can weaken the structure of the enamel and cause sensitivity. You know your teeth are sensitive when it’s painful to consume hot or cold foods and beverages.

In addition to certain food, did you know that breathing in the cold air can also trigger sensitivity? If you're in Chicago, where the winter temperature can reach -20 or lower, tooth sensitivity can be worsened by chilly air. Here are some ways for you to enjoy holiday treats and breathe in the winter air without worrying about painful teeth.

Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

There are numerous types of toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth. Some of them are also formulated to whiten teeth and prevent cavities. This kind of toothpaste works to coat your enamel and lessen the sensitivity that your nerves feel. Look for American Dental Association (ADA) approved toothpaste brands with fluoride, potassium nitrate, or strontium chloride. Your dental care provider can also use professional strength toothpaste for additional relief and protection from hypersensitivity.

Use a Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments in toothpaste or mouth rinse can prevent sensitivity. Fluoride reinforces the enamel to resist food acid and it also prevents tooth decay. Fluoride intake is important for children, as their permanent teeth erupt, but adults can still use fluoride treatments for overall oral health. While there are over-the-counter fluoride treatments available, their concentrations are lower than professional treatments provided by dentists. Whichever option you choose, fluoride treatments can still benefit you even as an adult.

Treat Receding Gums

If your gums are receding from aggressive brushing or gum disease, visit your dentist to discuss treatment options. Make sure to maintain good oral hygiene. Your periodontist may recommend deep cleaning or, in worst cases, surgery (gingivoplasty) to correct your gums. Treating receded gums can protect your roots and prevent tooth loss.

Avoid Over-Brushing

The recommended number of brushing is two times—first thing in the morning and before bedtime. Brush for two minutes using a soft bristle toothbrush. Avoid brushing immediately after meals. The acids in the food and drink we consume weaken our teeth and brushing right after will only strip the teeth of more minerals, therefore resulting in more sensitivity.

After meals, rinse using water to neutralize the mouth’s pH balance and let saliva break down the acids and sugars first. If you must brush, wait at least 30 minutes after eating to do so. Learn more about how to avoid over-brushing here!

Avoid Acidic and Sugary Food and Drinks

Make conscious choices about your diet to prevent cavity formation and enamel breakdown. Avoid eating sugary food like candy and drinking carbonated drinks, such as sodas. Wine is highly acidic, but if you pair cheese with it, the cheese's enzymes help break down the acids. Choose food high in phosphorus such as fatty fish and tofu, and low-acid fruits like apples and bananas.

Get Your Teeth Checked Out

See your dentist once or twice a year for checkup and cleaning. You may need to visit more often if you are prone to getting frequent cavities or if you have a gum disease. Your dentist can provide you with a combination of solutions if you suffer from sensitive teeth. Dental appointments are crucial for your oral health. Until then, brave the Chicago winter with these tips to reduce sensitive teeth.

We hope these tips help you face Chicago’s chilly winter with a grin! If you struggle with sensitive teeth, it’s very important to see a dentist to find out what’s at the root of your sensitivity problem. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Chicago’s number one dentistry, Water Tower Dental Care, today!

Many people substitute honey for sugar because of its supposed health benefits. But how does honey stack up to sugar when it comes to teeth? Surprising to many who use honey as an alternative sweetener, honey is mostly made up of sugar, which explains its sweet taste. Let’s take a look at whether the type of sugar that makes up honey is good or bad for your teeth.

What is Honey?

You probably already know that bees create honey. But what exactly is honey? Honey is actually made from the nectar of flowers. Looking deeper into what actually makes up honey, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports just over 82% of honey is sugar.
When it comes to sugar content, honey is about 30% glucose and less than 40% fructose, while regular sugar is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, according to Keith Kantor, Ph.D., on Huffington Post. There are also about 20 other sugars in honey. So, as you can see, there isn’t a huge difference between sugar and honey.

Is Honey Good or Bad for Your Teeth?

Since honey is mostly made up of sugar, you shouldn’t consider it good for your teeth. Bacteria love sugar, whether it’s from honey or somewhere else, and will use the energy they get from sugar to multiply on your teeth. As they grow, they form more and more plaque. The bacteria in plaque excrete acids that eat away at your teeth, forming cavities and propelling tooth decay.

Is Honey Better for Your Teeth Than Sugar?

When it comes to your teeth, sugar is sugar. The BBC notes that your body does not differentiate where free sugar comes from, whether it’s honey or table sugar. However, since honey contains more complex sugars, it does take your body more time to break down honey. This means you have more time before the bacteria begins multiplying in your mouth than with sugar. Without proper oral hygiene, sugar from honey, fruit, table sugar, or anywhere else can be detrimental to your teeth.
When it comes to honey, there are much better sugar alternatives for your teeth out there. Polyols like xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, and isomalt are great options. Learn more about the best sweetener alternatives for your teeth here!

How to Take Care of Your Teeth After Eating Honey

Now, just because honey isn’t great for your teeth doesn’t mean you have to stop eating it forever. As long as you consume a moderate amount of honey and practice proper oral hygiene, your teeth should be just fine. Here are a few tips to keep your pearly whites as healthy as possible after eating honey:

• Wash your mouth out with water or mouth washing right after eating. This will help wash away as much honey as possible so that it can’t sit on your teeth and attract bacteria.
• Since honey tends to stick to your teeth, it’s important to brush your teeth after consuming it. Make sure to use toothpaste and brush effectively using these techniques!
• If you have an addiction to honey, visit a dentist to see if your teeth have been negatively affected. We’ll let you know if it’s time to cut down or not, and provide you with ideas for honey alternatives. We can also fill in any cavities or damaged enamel with enamel remineralization.

Want to chew gum? Do it! As long as there’s xylitol in it, your dentist will approve. Xylitol is the perfect sugar alternative. Not only does it not cause tooth decay. It’s also good for your teeth. Yes, you heard that right. Something that tastes as wonderful as sugar actually benefits your teeth. Let’s take a look at why.

What is Xylitol?

Though it tastes like magic, xylitol can actually be all natural. It’s a five-carbon sugar alcohol compound. What does that mean? It’s not actually sugar or alcohol. Instead, it’s a carbohydrate that looks and tastes like sugar. But instead of damaging your teeth, xylitol actually protects it.
Xylitol is found naturally in plants, berries, and vegetables. It can also be manufactured from starches and sugar. Unfortunately, since we eat so much sugar, we can’t get enough xylitol from the foods we eat to sufficiently help our teeth. That’s why we brush, floss and take xylitol supplements.

How does it benefit your teeth?

To understand how Xylitol helps protect your teeth, you have to first understand how you get cavities. According to Registered Dental Hygienist, the average American consumes about 31 teaspoons of sugar every single day. Our teeth aren’t made to eat that much sugar. Inevitably, all of this sugar leads to tooth decay, usually in the form of cavities. The sugar in food causes bacteria in your mouth to grow. These bacteria create hungry acids that eat away at your teeth, causing tooth decay.
Bad bacteria can’t digest xylitol to grow like it digests sugar. In fact, xylitol works to keep the pH level neutral in your mouth. The less acidic your pH levels are, the fewer bacteria will grow and the better off your teeth will be.
Xylitol also stops bacteria from sticking to your teeth. So even if there are bacteria in your mouth after taking xylitol, it’s much less likely that the bacteria will damage your teeth because it can’t stick on to them.
Thanks to increased pH levels, xylitol also promotes enamel repair. As pH levels get higher than 7, calcium and phosphate salts in your saliva help to rebuild weak enamel.

Where can you get Xylitol?

Now that you know great xylitol is for your mouth, you’re probably wondering where you can get some. Since you usually eat sugar during the day, you should try taking xylitol throughout the day as well. You should always look for xylitol in toothpaste and mouthwash. Most of the big names in toothpaste and mouthwash include xylitol because of its benefits.
Since it can be inconvenient to carry your toothbrush and mouthwash around all day, it’s beneficial to have another source of xylitol on hand. Gum, candy and mints frequently have xylitol in them. These products can help you battle bacteria throughout the day. A 1998 article from The British Dental Journal writes that chewing gum containing xylitol prevents cavities and promotes enamel remineralization.  You can also find the sweetener in corncobs and stalks.
Consuming xylitol is one of the tastiest ways to keep your teeth healthy! Find out more about the benefits of xylitol and the best places to get it from by contacting the number one Chicago dental practice, Water Tower Dental Care. We would be happy to put you on the right track to a healthy and happy smile.

Just because you have a particularly hungry sweet tooth doesn’t mean you're doomed to have cavities. There are a handful of sugar and sweetener alternatives out there that aren’t bad for your teeth. In fact, some of these sweet substitutes have actually been found to be good for your teeth. We’re here to let you know which sugar alternatives and sweeteners are best for your teeth.

Why Is Sugar So Bad for Your Teeth?

Surprising to many, it’s not actually sugar that is your teeth’s enemy. Rather, it’s the bacteria that turn sugar into enamel-eating acids. Sugar is extremely easy for bacteria to break down into acid, which is why dentists want you to avoid eating a lot of sugary food, candy and drinks. When the sugar is broken down into acids, the acids break down your enamel, causing cavities, dental decay, and eventually, an unhappy trip to the dentist.

Best Sugar and Sweetener Choices to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Unlike sugar, sugar alternatives aren’t as easy for bacteria to break down into acids. A group of sweeteners known as polyols actually have antibacterial properties, according to The New York Times, making them the best possible sugar and sweetener alternatives for your teeth. If sweeteners are antibacterial, they cannot be broken down by bacteria in your mouth and won't cause cavities.
So what are these polyols? Polyols are sugar alcohols that come from a chemical process. Not only are they great for your teeth, but they also contain fewer calories than sugar. Common polyols include xylitol, sorbitol, malitol, and isomalt. Since these sugar substitutes won’t cause cavities, they are often used in gum. In fact, a 1998 article from The British Dental Journal found that chewing gum containing sugar sweetener alternatives, like sorbitol and xylitol, actually helped to prevent cavities due to increased saliva flow.

Are Polyols Healthy for You in Other Ways?

So now that you know that polyols such as xylitol, sorbitol, malitol, and isomalt are good for your teeth, you’re probably wondering if they’re safe for the rest of your body too. According to the Calorie Control Council, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recognized some polyols as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) and others have been approved as food additives. An Expert Committee of the World Health Organization has concluded that polyols are safe for human consumption after careful review.
For very sensitive people, polyols have been found to cause gastrointestinal problems, such as gas or laxative effects, but these issues aren’t permanent. Polyols have been used for many years by people all over the world. They are pretty well documented as being a safe and effective sugar and sweetener alternative.
You don’t have to sacrifice delicious sweets in order to keep your teeth healthy. Polyols taste just as delicious as sugar without the harmful tooth decaying effects! If you have any more questions about the best sugar and sweetener alternatives for your teeth, you should reach out to us on Facebook!

Many people who wear braces are worried about keeping their teeth white. After all, cleaning your teeth is much more difficult with braces, and you can’t really use teeth-whitening products on the part of your teeth that’s covered up. What you can do, though, is prevent your teeth from discoloring. Find out how to do this with these 11 easy tips from our dental experts.

1. Follow Proper Oral Hygiene Practices: It’s even more important to take care of your teeth when you wear braces. If you wear braces, we typically recommend brushing your teeth three times a day, using mouthwash when you wake up and before you go to bed, and flossing with Superfloss once a day. Getting into a routine like this should remove daily stains and keep your smile sparkling white.

2. Brush One Tooth at a Time: It’s easy to miss spots on your teeth when there are braces in the way, so try to spend at least 10 seconds brushing each tooth. Move your toothbrush in a circular motion, making sure to brush between the archwires of your braces, and brush at different angles to ensure you’re sufficiently cleaning every part of your tooth.

3. Use an Electronic Toothbrush: Ultrasonic Electric toothbrushes make it easier and more effective for people with braces to clean around wires and brackets. But even if you don't wear braces, Ultrasonic Electric toothbrushes clean much more efficiently than traditional toothbrushes because of their ultrasonic action, breaking up plaque, tartar and stain-causing particles.

4. Brush or Rinse After Every Meal: After you eat, it’s important to get all of the food out from between your teeth and braces. Brushing after every meal will help you take care of any leftover food that can potentially cause discoloring. If you can’t brush your teeth throughout the day, try rinsing your mouth out with water or mouthwash instead.

5. Be Mindful of Teeth-Staining Food and Drinks: Common items that can stain your teeth include red wine, dark juice, sports drinks, black tea, dark soda, coffee, blueberries, blackberries, and beats. Avoid consuming unhealthy types of food and beverages that can stain your teeth. If you do eat or drink things that can cause discoloration, make sure to brush your teeth and rinse out your mouth soon afterwards to keep your teeth white.

6. Eat Food That Cleans Your Teeth: Toothbrushes aren’t the only things that clean your teeth. Firm and crisp food, like apples, celery, raw carrots, and popcorn, can help make your smile shine as well! Try to eat these types of food right before you brush at night.

7. Take Off Removable Dental Appliances: Before you clean your teeth, take off any removable dental appliances, like bands or headgear. This will give you better access to your teeth.

8. Avoid Eating Unhealthy Sugar: Sugary foods, like candy, can cause tooth decay and lead to discoloration. Eating candy can be especially problematic when you have braces, as sticky candy can get stuck in them. Try eating fruits and veggies instead. If you do eat sugary food or drink soda, make sure to thoroughly brush, floss and rinse out your mouth afterwards.

9. Use Superfloss: Superfloss makes flossing much easier for people with braces and other dental appliances. It’s made up of three different parts: a stiffened-end threader (for flossing between wires), soft spongey floss (for cleaning around appliances), and regular floss (for removing plaque normally between your teeth).

10. Ditch the Cigarettes: Smoking decreases the amount of saliva in your mouth, which means the lines of your teeth are not getting cleaned out as much and your teeth aren’t as protected from decay. All of these changes can very likely lead to discoloration in your teeth.

11. Come See The Experts: Other than taking proper daily care of your teeth, the best thing you can do to keep your teeth white and healthy is visit your dentist regularly. We’ll give your teeth a deep clean and let you know how healthy they are and what you can do to improve them.

Feel free to contact Chicago’s Number One Rated Dentistry to see how your teeth are doing. We’re experts at teeth whitening, and we would love to use our skills help keep your smile white and sparkling.

Dental myths and misconceptions are often a troublesome issue due to the worry and lack of care they can cause. Today, we’d like to bust a few of the common dental myths that we hear most often.

MYTH: You Should Brush Your Teeth Immediately After a Meal.

FACT: It’s better to wait thirty minutes after eating to brush your teeth. Many foods, including citrus fruits, candy, and starches, create acid that stick to your teeth and gums. This acid wears away the enamel on your teeth and helps feed bacteria to form plaque and tartar. While it may seem logical to brush immediately, in reality, your body has natural processes including salivation that help wash away these acids. Brushing your teeth immediately after eating can have negative effects. Using the toothbrush creates an abrasive surface and works the acids into your teeth more than you need. It’s better to wait for your saliva to do its job, drink lots of water, and brush your teeth thirty minutes to an hour after you eat.

 MYTH: Sugary Candy is the Worst Food for Your Teeth.

FACT: While candy might be a cavity causer, foods such as potato chips and crackers, which are still high in sugar but also stick to the teeth and gums, can be more harmful. Most candy simply dissolves, and your saliva is able to wash away the majority of the acidic sugars. With crackers and similar foods, the sugars can stick around in your teeth much longer.

MYTH: The More Sugar You Eat, The Worse Your Teeth Will Be.

FACT: Sugar is found in most food, including bread, fruit, candy, juices, and more. As a result, it is hard to specifically blame poor oral hygiene on eating sugar. We often learn that candy and sugar cause cavities. Yet, you can still have healthy teeth if you eat sugar as long as you practice proper oral hygiene.
Sugar helps cause cavities by giving other bacteria food to eat to produce more acid that then eat away at your teeth. So, if you wash out your mouth with water and brush often, the sugars you consume should not harm your teeth.

MYTH: Baby Teeth Don’t Matter.

FACT: Baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth and should be treated as such. Sure, your child’s baby teeth will fall out eventually, but that doesn’t mean they don’t hold an important role in the future of your child’s oral hygiene. Baby teeth serve as placeholders as a child’s mouth develops, helping maintain the structure of the mouth and jaw, along with creating the proper space for their adult teeth when they grow in. Teaching your child oral hygiene at an early age also helps them to understand the importance of brushing twice a day to keep their teeth and gums healthy.

MYTH: You Should Avoid Brushing/Flossing if it Causes Your Gums to Bleed.

FACT: Bleeding gums is a sign of bad oral hygiene and a symptom of gum disease. If your gums begin to bleed during brushing or flossing your teeth, it means you need to be working harder at keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Often, bleeding gums is a sign that your gums are inflamed from an over-exposure to bacteria and plaque. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and perform gentle flossing daily and the bleeding will eventually stop.

MYTH: You’ll Know When You Have a Cavity.

This is a dangerous myth to believe because it can cause you a lot of pain in the future. Most cavities can not be felt right away. If you’re feeling pain in your mouth, it’s most likely that your cavity has reached a nerve ending in your mouth. This is a bad sign and requires the immediate attention of a dental professional. It’s best to visit your dentist every six months to catch cavities in their early stages to help prevent unnecessary pain and dental procedures.
There are plenty of dental myths to go around, and it is important to understand, that whatever the myth, often the most obvious solution is to continue to practice proper oral hygiene everyday, and do your best to keep your mouth free of bacteria and plaque. Visiting your dentist every six months for a cleaning will also help keep your teeth looking and feeling great. For more questions, contact Water Tower Dental. We’re happy to answer all of your questions and bust any other myths you might come across.
 
 

We’ve all been taught from a very young age about the dangers of sugar. We’re told to avoid candy, and to eat your vegetables. And while that is good advice, it misses the point. Sugar is one of the easiest fermentable substances available, and found in hundreds of foods, not just candy, so why the stigma? Well, it’s not so much the sugar that’s bad for your teeth; it’s the bacteria that love the sugar just as much as you.
Let’s face it, sugar makes many foods delicious, it’s the added ingredient that turns a subtle flavor into something much bigger. So, really, how bad can sugar be for your teeth?

It’s not so much that sugar is directly bad to your teeth, but rather, bacteria known as streptococcus that lives and breeds in your mouth. Streptococcus loves sugar just as much as your taste buds. The bacteria go through a feeding frenzy when sugar is present in the mouth. The longer the sugar is in your teeth, the more time the bacteria have to feed. As it feeds, it begins to excrete acids that are the true culprits of tooth decay. They eat away at your enamel and cause cavities and other such problems.
While everyone’s teeth are different, and some are more susceptible to tooth decay, it is often the job of your saliva to add a buffer between the sugars and the bacteria that eat it. However, with large intake of sugar, such as candy, soft drinks, and sweets, it’s better to take steps to prevent cavities and tooth decay.
The best steps to warding off the harmful effects of sugar are to rinse and brush your teeth after you eat a considerable amount. This method flushes away any excess sugars that saliva did not get, and helps kill bacteria that still remain in the mouth. Use floss once a day to remove bacteria from the crevices of the teeth and gums, as they are much harder places to reach with a toothbrush.
Other methods to help clear your mouth of harmful sugars are by using topical fluorides and mouthwashes. There are some gums that are fortified with xylitol, which contains antibacterial elements and helps keep harmful tooth-decaying bacteria at bay.
So, the question, how bad is sugar for your teeth is not determined by just the sugar- but by the eater. Sugar is bad for your teeth if you decide to allow it to be. Proper oral hygiene along with conscious healthy practices can keep tooth decay from sugar at bay.
How much sugar should you consume then? In terms of the healthiness of your teeth, sky’s the limit, as long as you clean after. Though we don’t recommend you start eating pounds of jellybeans every day. However if you felt you overate one day, you shouldn’t worry as long as you keep your teeth clean. Although, for a proper diet, you shouldn’t consume more than about 150 calories of sugar per day, or about nine teaspoons.
If you stay consistent with your sugar intake and keep your teeth clean, then the stigma of sugar should vanish faster than Houdini. Of course, it’s also wise to schedule regular check ups with your dentist for routine cleanings and inspection of your teeth and gums. Contact Water Tower Dental today if you’re looking for professional dentists that can help you get on the track to a brighter, healthier smile.