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Water Tower Place is located smack dab in the middle of the Magnificent Mile, a 13-block stretch of businesses, entertainment, and cultural places of interest. It is the premier commercial district in downtown Chicago and home to many upscale luxury boutiques, fashion outlets, restaurants, and hotels.

Water Tower Dental care resides in the 72-story skyscraper that makes up Water Tower Place. Native Chicagoans know this is the place to be or go when you want to see and be seen. No matter your tastes or interests in life, there is a little something for everyone at Water Tower Place.

We’ve compiled a little guide to Water Tower Place, and we hope you will find it useful and helpful. Don’t forget; you can always schedule a teeth-cleaning appointment with Water Tower Dental Care in the morning and be shopping in the many stores by early afternoon.

History of Water Tower Place

Water Tower Place is named after – yup you guessed it --- an old water tower that was built in the heart of downtown Chicago in 1869. The primary purpose of the tower was to draw clean water in from Lake Michigan to serve the needs of both Chicago residents and the firefighting departments alike.

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 saw almost the entire downtown Chicago go up in flames. The water tower was one of a handful of buildings that survived the devastation. As the years turned into decades, the city of Chicago retrofitted and renovated the tower to upgrade it to modern construction standards as well as to clean over a century of dirt and grime off it.

Water Tower Place came into existence in the 1960’s, and the skyscraper where the offices of Water Tower Dental Care resides was built in 1975. Over the next 40 years, subsequent developers began building up Water Tower Place. Known for both its middle-class and luxury shops, it is a Chicago icon that has continued to evolve and grow over the decades.

Types of Shops

The shops at Water Tower Place are a destination for many Chicago residents and out-of-towners. The vast majority of the shops are contained within an 8-story mall. Over 100 retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues are located within the building.

Hotels

If you’re visiting Chicago, there are many hotels scattered throughout the Miracle Mile area. They range from 4-star luxury hotels to your basic run-of-the-mill B&B. Without a doubt, the most prominent hotel in the area is the Ritz-Carlton. They opened a hotel in the tower in 1975, and it’s grown into a 435-room local landmark.

Renting a hotel room in the immediate area can be somewhat pricey. You can find deals by visiting one of the many travel and deal websites. Sometimes the hotel(s) have extra rooms in their inventory and will run promotions to fill them up. O’Hare Airport is just a 35-minute short drive away, making the hotels in the area very accessible to tourists.

Dining

If there’s one thing Chicago is famous for, it’s our love of food. In the mall, you’ll find your usual stores such as Starbucks and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels which can satisfy your food cravings until it’s time for dinner.

Harry Caray’s, M Burger, Mity Nice Bar & Grill, and Wildberry Pancakes make up the bulk of the sit-down food establishments inside the mall. If none of the above tickles your food craving, step outside, and you’ll find one of hundreds of local restaurants, pizza joints, and libation establishments.

Protip: If this is your first time in Chicago, make it a point to visit Pizzeria Due which is a Chicago icon. On their menu is a mouth-watering deep-dish pizza that will have you licking your fingers afterward and planning a 2nd trip back to Chicago to eat more deep-dish pizza. It’s located just seven short blocks from Water Tower Place.

Entertainment

A mall isn’t a mall without entertainment and Water Tower Place doesn’t disappoint. If you visit their website, you’ll find a list of events and upcoming attractions. At this time of year, all eyes are on Santa Claus himself, and he’s already confirmed his appearance at the mall (assuming his reindeer don’t break down on their way from the North Pole).

Take the little ones to sit on Santa’s lap while you enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte or other seasonal beverage from one of the many cafes and restaurants located in the mall.

The mall also has an app you can download which will keep you abreast of any upcoming events. They also offer free Wi-Fi while you shop (you’ll need to sign up for their emails first).

Water Tower Place

If you’re looking for a great way to kill a few hours, Water Tower Place is the place to be. Whether you’re flying solo, with your significant other, or heading up a caravan of children, grandparents, and out-of-state relatives, Water Tower Place has something for everyone.

If you find yourself in the area, be sure to stop by our offices, say “Hi!” and make an appointment for your teeth to be cleaned. The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and all those sweets, candies, and sugar-laden holiday foods can leave a nasty layer of plaque all over your teeth.

There are a lot of things that a pregnant woman shouldn’t do, such as smoke, drink, or engage in heavy physical work. The health and well-being of the baby are dependent upon the choices that Mom makes while she is pregnant.

When it comes to dental X-rays and pregnancy, many women are naturally concerned about radiation and whether it could harm their baby. While it’s ideal to forgo any unnecessary medical treatments/diagnostics until the baby has been delivered, sometimes emergencies will arise, and plans will need to change accordingly.

We’re going to look at traditional and digital X-rays and whether or not they’re safe for pregnant women and their unborn children.

Traditional X-rays

Since the late 1800’s, X-rays have been used by doctors as an invaluable diagnostic tool. When they were first invented, scientists weren’t aware of how dangerous X-rays were, and some early pioneers died from radiation poisoning.

As the decades went by, traditional X-rays became safer and safer such that a person would get a higher dose of radiation from flying from Los Angeles to Boston than they would with a single dental X-ray.

If a pregnant woman were to have a traditional dental X-ray, the beams would be focused on her jawbone area, not her belly. This, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is very low-risk. However, that’s not to say that there isn’t some form of risk with a traditional dental X-ray and pregnant women.

Digital X-rays and Pregnancy

If the FDA has stated that traditional X-rays are safe for pregnant women, then digital X-rays are even more reliable because they emit but a fraction of the radiation that traditional ones do.

Traditional X-rays require a higher dosage of radiation because they use old-school film that needs to be developed after it has been taken. Digital X-rays operate in the same mannerism as the camera on your cell phone. Instead of a film being used to create the X-ray picture, a digital image is stored on a computer.

When Not to Get a Dental X-ray?

Women who are in their third trimester might find it difficult to lay down for a dental X-ray. Other than that, there is no reason for a pregnant woman not to get a dental X-ray if her dentist advises it.

Dentists are keenly aware of the potential risks to unborn fetuses and will go out of their way to avoid any unnecessary procedures or surgeries until the baby is delivered.

This isn’t to say that pregnant women shouldn’t keep their dentist appointments. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women pay close attention to their oral health when pregnant. This means making and keeping all dental appointments.

When a pregnant woman has bad oral health, all of the bacteria in her mouth can easily be transmitted to the baby through her bloodstream. This can cause issues such as low birth weight and other complications. It’s safe to say that the rewards of getting teeth cleaned while pregnant far outweigh the risks.

What to Do if You’re Pregnant and Need Dental Work?

You should always tell your dentist if you’re pregnant or you think you might be pregnant. Even if it turns out that you’re not pregnant, it’s still better to be safe than sorry.

When being led into the X-ray room, it couldn’t hurt to remind the dental assistant who is setting up the machine that you’re pregnant. If you have any concerns, now is the time to express them.

Conclusion

As a pregnant woman, the choice whether to get an X-ray is ultimately up to you. There is a lot of misinformation out there on the internet regarding X-rays. Medical advice should not be taken from well-meaning friends and family members on Facebook.

Listen to your dentist and take his advice seriously. If he recommends a teeth cleaning or other procedure, it’s in you and your baby’s best interests to follow through and get it done.

Dental X-rays are beamed at the mouth and facial area. A lead vest is placed upon the chest of the patient to prevent any errant radiation from entering other parts of the body. The chances of a fetus getting even a slight dose of radiation are very slim. If the dental office is using a digital X-ray machine, the chances are even slimmer than a traditional X-ray.

Safe Dental Work for Pregnant Women in Chicago

At Water Tower Dental Care, we use state-of-the-art digital X-ray machines which put out 80% less radiation than a standard X-ray machine. Our dentists have decades of experience and know how to give oral care to pregnant women such that both they and their unborn child are entirely safe.

If you’re pregnant or think you might be, give us a call at (312) 787-2131 or schedule an appointment on our website. Our caring and gentle doctors will work hard to ensure that you have the very best oral care for both you and your baby!

It’s that time of year again. Ghouls, goblins, and fairy princesses will be haunting our sidewalks and front porches for a few hours on the evening of October 31st.

While the vast majority of children will have a fun and memorable time, we’d like to take this opportunity to provide some safety tips for parents who are trick-or-treating with their younger children.

Before we get into the tips, we wouldn’t be doing our job as a dental clinic if we didn’t take a few sentences to warn you of the dangers of your kids eating too much sugar.

While a couple of candy bars probably won’t hurt, if you give your kids a huge bag of Halloween candy and leave it up to their better judgment as to when they should eat it, there’s an excellent chance that we’ll find a few new cavities during their next dental check-up.

Here are a few tips you can follow to ensure a safe and happy Halloween!

Costumes

While that “Stranger Things” costume may be a hit with the friends and classmates of your kids, it could be a potential safety hazard. Make sure that your child’s costume fits them very well. If it’s too tight or too loose, they could trip and fall on a curb or the wet evening grass.

You can buy some cheap light-reflecting tape at the local Home goods store. Put a few strips on the back of your child’s costume. If a car should happen to drive down a dark street that your child is walking down, the reflective tape will catch the car headlights and shine very bright.

Visibility

In addition to reflective tape, you can also buy and add glowsticks to your child’s costume. If you somehow become separated from your kids at a crowded house, you can easily find them in a crowd of costumes in the dark night.

You can also pick up a $1 LED flashlight from the local dollar store. Attach it to your kid's belt so that they can easily make use of it with only one hand. Their other hand is going to clutch their bag of candy tighter than a safe at Fort Knox.

Go Early

The “big kids” (those over 13 years old) tend to go out after 8 p.m. Most cities in the U.S. get dark around 6 pm, and this is the ideal time to take the young ones out trick-or-treating. After the sun immediately sets, there’s still enough light outside that you and your kids won’t be in the pitch-black dark.

Many houses that give out candy also have children themselves. They will be ready for the first early batch of trick-or-treaters as early as 5 pm.

Stick to Your Neighborhood

Avoid going to unfamiliar neighborhoods. Yes, the “rich houses” might give out full-size candy bars, but you and/or your kids could get lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood where you don’t know the neighbors that are giving candy to your kids.

You can easily lose track of your kids, especially at crowded houses. This is why adding a couple of glowsticks to their costumes is a great way to identify where they are from far away.

Candy Safety

Back in the 1980’s the big “scare” was crazy people putting razor blades in candy bars and giving them out to trick-or-treaters. Many hospitals in those days offered free X-rays of Halloween candy to make sure that they weren’t tampered with.

While taking your kids to the hospital to have their candy X-rayed may seem a bit excessive, there are other things you can do to make sure their candy hasn’t been tampered with.

Before you let your kids go buck wild with their candy loot, turn on the dining room light and put all of their candy onto the dining room table. Look for anything out of the ordinary, including:

• Odd bumps or shapes
• Metallic noises
• Smells or odors
• Candy that weighs more than it should

A quick visual inspection of each piece of candy should put your mind at ease. If you come across something that doesn’t seem right, throw it away. While it may seem like a waste, candy or treats that aren’t factory-sealed could have been tampered with.

It’s better to be safe than sorry. Only allow your children to eat candy that’s completely wrapped and sealed from the factory.

Talk to Your Children

One thing that parents tend to overlook is talking to their children about being safe on Halloween. Kids nowadays aren’t dumb. If you sit down with your children before you go out and explain your safety concerns, there’s an excellent chance that they will not only understand but listen and abide by your wishes.

If you feel that your child collected too much candy during Halloween, you can always confiscate the entire bag and dole out a few treats at a time. Be sure to find a good hiding spot because kids are resourceful and will find anything that isn’t locked up in a safe.

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?

For the average person, the two words sound about the same. Both orthodontists and dentists can help fix your oral health. Both are doctors and went through many years of dental school and are certified by the state to perform oral care on patients.

But that’s where the similarities stop.

We’re going to look at both dentists and orthodontists and see how they’re different and when you might want to visit one over the other.

Schooling for Dentists

Dentists are required to attend and graduate from four years of dental school. Before being accepted, dental students must have received their bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.

Admission into dental schools is extremely competitive, and only the best and brightest get accepted. Dental schools also look at Dental Admissions Test (DAT) scores and select students based upon how well they performed.

In the first few years of dental school, students are required to take basic courses such as pathology, oral anatomy, and histology. In the latter years of their schooling, students will participate in clinical programs where they receive hands-on training by a qualified dental instructor.

Schooling for Orthodontists

Before someone can go to school to become an orthodontist, they must first graduate dental school. Orthodontics is one of many different specialties that some dentists pursue after graduating from dental school.

In addition to four years of regular college and four of dental school, orthodontic candidates must successfully complete another three years of orthodontic schooling and a residency, internship, or fellowship. In some cases, orthodontic schools will require their students to have at least two years of general dentistry practice before gaining admission.

The classes and hands-on experience that orthodontic students receive are more in-depth as they will need to understand how to guide teeth, perform oral surgery, and diagnose/treat problems that pertain to the face and neck.

Once the student has graduated from their orthodontic program, they will be required to pass an extremely challenging final exam. If the student is successful in passing the test, they will be awarded their orthodontics license.

Different Procedures

Dentists generally focus on basic oral care and provide services that pertain to:

• Tooth decay
• Root canals
• Crowns
• Bridges
• Veneers
• Teeth whitening
• Gum disease

A dentist is the person you would initially see if you have a toothache. After the dentist has examined you, they may (or may not – depending on the services they offer) refer you to an orthodontist to help alleviate your condition.

An orthodontist has the same training as a dentist but has also undergone four years of orthodontic school. Their main specialty is the alignment of teeth and they provide services related to:

• Overbites
• Underbites
• Crowded teeth
• Wisdom teeth removal (surgical)
• Face and neck issues (TMJ or sleep apnea)
• Braces
• Retainers
• Invisalign

Some dentists may offer basic orthodontic services to their patients. There is nothing inherently wrong with this as they are a medically licensed and trained doctor.

For complicated cases, the dentist will most always refer the patient to an orthodontist as they have the training and experience necessary to diagnose and solve complex dental challenges such as crooked teeth.

Who Should I Visit?

Most people will see a dentist long before they will see an orthodontist. Regular checkups, dental cleanings, and fillings are all done from an early age. However, the American Association of Orthodontics strongly recommends all children visit an orthodontist for a specialized check-up no later than age 7.

This is the time in life when children should get braces and other orthodontic appliances to help fix their smile for adulthood. The longer a parent puts off taking their child to see an orthodontic specialist, the higher the chance for the overall cost of the procedure to increase dramatically due to the problem not being fixed at an early age.

Conclusion

If you have a toothache or need a deep cleaning, a dentist can help alleviate your suffering and improve your oral health. If you need braces, have an overbite, or would like to get Invisalign, you’ll want to seek out an orthodontist.

What if you don’t know an orthodontist?

Your dentist can give you a referral to a qualified orthodontist that they trust and have worked with for many years. The exact opposite is true as well. If you first saw an orthodontist, they can help recommend a good general dentist to keep your new teeth clean and healthy.

Both dentists and orthodontists specialize in helping people fix their oral and dental problems. A general dentist is good enough for getting your teeth cleaned and a root canal performed. An orthodontist is a highly trained specialist who can diagnose and solve complicated dental issues such as over/underbites, TMJ and sleep apnea issues, as well as help straighten crooked teeth via the usage of orthodontic devices such as braces or Invisalign.