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Flossing has become a controversial topic, thanks to the latest report from the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. In its most recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans, flossing is not included as part of a daily health regimen. However, the departments, alongside the American Dental Association (ADA), Center for Disease Control and others, reaffirmed that flossing helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

According to the ADA, interdental cleaners, such as floss, remove plaque and food debris that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas that a toothbrush can’t reach. The ADA recommends brushing teeth for two minutes twice a day as well as flossing to clean between teeth once a day.

Does Flossing Cause Teeth Gaps?

Flossing is often overlooked due to convenience (we know you’re busy!) or misinformation despite the recommendation to floss daily. In fact, some think that flossing can cause gaps between your teeth and skip flossing altogether.

While you can experience gaps in between your teeth when flossing, the gaps do not occur because flossing itself is harmful. Instead, gaps can occur due to flossing mistakes and improper flossing such as cutting your gums.

Common Flossing Mistakes That Can Lead to Teeth Gaps

You Cut Your Gums.

Forcing the floss in between the teeth causes the floss to snap down and cut your gums. Not only is this painful, but it can cause the gums to recede overtime and create—you guessed it—gaps in between your teeth.

You Stop Flossing When Your Gums Bleed.

Gums often bleed because plaque on the teeth irritate and inflame the gums. If your gums bleed when you floss, it is a sign you have built-up plaque that needs to be removed or have gum disease.

How to Properly Floss Your Teeth

If you are experiencing gaps between your teeth, you may just need to properly floss your teeth, in addition to your twice daily brushing and regular dentist office visits every six months.

Start by breaking a string about 18 inches of floss. Then, wind most of it around your middle fingers on both hands. Hold the floss tight between your thumbs and forefingers.

Now guide the floss gently between your teeth using a sawing motion. Remember to avoid snapping and forcing the floss into the gums, which can cause irritation, bleeding and even recessed gums and teeth gaps over time.

Bend the floss into a C-shape around the tooth when the floss reaches the gum line, allowing the floss to reach all the way to the base of the tooth.

Next, rub each side of the tooth gently using up and down motions as you move the floss away from the gums. This helps remove any built-up plaque or trapped food particles.

Keep moving to another tooth using a clean section of floss every time. Be sure to floss the very last teeth all the way in the back—just because there isn’t another tooth next to them doesn’t mean plaque and food particles like to hide there too.

Finally, rinse with water or mouthwash.

Flossing every day is essential to your oral health. Without flossing, built-up plaque can lead to tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and even gaps in between the teeth.

If you continue to experience problems flossing or have any questions, visit Water Tower Dental Care or contact us to schedule an appointment. We can take a look at your teeth to see if there are any serious issues and teach you the proper way to floss.

Have you ever taken a sip of water and felt a sharp pain in your teeth? This likely means that you have sensitive teeth, and that doing something simple, such as drinking a glass of water, or taking a deep breath through your mouth, can be painful.

So what causes this and how can you fix it?

Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity occurs when the protective enamel on our teeth gets thinner, or when our gums recede. There are many reasons why this could be happening:

• You might be brushing your teeth too hard. When you put too much pressure on your teeth while brushing, you can gradually start wearing down the protective layers of your teeth. When this occurs, the tubes or canals that lead to your nerves may become exposed, which can lead to pain or discomfort, especially when eating or drinking something hot or cold. Try using lighter strokes when brushing.
• You could have cavities or loose fillings. Cavities are holes in your teeth that can grow bigger over time. The bigger the hole gets, the more sensitive your teeth can feel. If you think you might have a cavity, or one of your fillings may be loose, make sure to see your dentist right away.
• You’re grinding your teeth. Grinding your teeth can wear down the protective enamel on your teeth, but many people may not even realize that they’re doing it. Oftentimes, people grind their teeth in their sleep.
• You could have a cracked or broken tooth. A cracked or broken tooth can expose the tooth’s nerve, which can cause sensitivity or pain.
• You may have gum disease. Gum disease is caused by plaque, the sticky bacteria that constantly forms on our teeth. If that plaque is not removed with brushing and flossing, it may harden and form “tartar,” which is then very difficult to remove. Teeth sensitivity can be a symptom of gum disease.
• Your mouthwash or toothpaste could be causing it. Some teeth-whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes contain chemicals that your teeth may become sensitive to. Try switching to a mouthwash with less chemicals and a desensitizing toothpaste, such as Sensodyne.
• The foods you’re eating might be too acidic. Excessive consumption of acidic foods or beverages can put your teeth at risk for tooth sensitivity.

Treatments For Sensitive Teeth

If you’re experiencing pain associated with sensitive teeth, there are a number of treatments a dentist can perform that may help, depending on the cause.

• Desensitizing with Gluma is a dental treatment that can help your teeth become less sensitive by stopping by occluding (blocking) the microscopic tubules that compose dentin, thereby preventing the flow of fluid and decreasing sensitivity.
• Gum Disease Treatment Therapy can help treat gum disease, a major contributor of teeth sensitivity, with targeted treatments designed just for you.
• A crown, inlay or bonding can fix a broken tooth or decay that might be causing your teeth to be sensitive. Water Tower Dental Care is proud to offer porcelain crowns in just one visit with CEREC technology.

If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity or have any questions about it, please contact Water Tower Dental Care today.

One of the most popular things that couples do on Valentine’s Day is to go out to eat. Maybe you’re looking to try a new restaurant, or maybe you have a place that you like to go to year after year. But regardless of where you go, it’s a great time to treat yourself. Splurge on the chocolate cake or have an extra glass of wine, but make sure you’re balancing it out with the rest of your meal. Foods like these can be damaging to your teeth, but did you know that when food is eaten as part of a meal, it causes less harm than snacking throughout the day? It’s true! More saliva is released during meals, which helps wash foods away from the teeth and lessens the effects of the acidity, which can harm teeth and cause cavities. So, splurge away this Valentine's Day!

There are some really fantastic restaurants where you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart right on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Here are some of our favorites:

1. The Purple Pig

Named one of Bon Appetit’s “10 Best New Restaurants in America” in 2010, the Purple Pig has a rustic feel with a focus on pork, although the menu has many other standout dishes. They have some shareable plates on the menu, too, which is a great way to share a Valentine’s Day meal with your sweetie.

Split the salt and vinegar beef tendon chips for an appetizer, and then try the milk braised pork shoulder with mashed potatoes or the Greek style chicken. Follow your meal with some brown butter panna cotta or pistachio cake.

2. NoMi Kitchen

Located in the Park Hyatt, NoMi Kitchen was named one of the 10 best hotel restaurants in the world. Sit in NoMi Kitchen and enjoy the chic, contemporary setting while looking out at the panoramic view of the city. Or, head up to the seventh floor of the hotel and enjoy the NoMi Lounge.

At the Kitchen, you can try the beef tartare to start, then order the rainbow trout to share with your date and a side of mac and cheese. For dessert, try their handmade ice cream of sorbet. Or, stop by the Lounge and try the handmade seasonal pickles for an appetizer and their sushi or sashimi for your main.

3. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab

If you’re looking for a place where you and your Valentine can feel fancy, have your Valentine’s Day meal at Joe’s. It has a supper club setting, and the tuxedoed staff will make your evening feel even more special. They have a wide range of seafood dishes to try, from stone crab to fish and chips to Chilean seabass.

Try the fried calamari or steak tartare for a starter, and then have a classic hamburger, porterhouse with a baked potato, or the crispy fried shrimp with a side of fried asparagus. For dessert, try the cheesecake.

4. Shanghai Terrace

Zagat named Shanghai Terrace the “Best Chinese Restaurant in Chicago.” It offers amazing cocktails, delicious food, and a 1930s supper club decor. Located in the Peninsula Hotel, they offer a special Valentine's Day menu that consists of five courses and dessert.

If you come here to celebrate, you can enjoy a dim sum trio, fried prawns, westlake beef chowder, sweet and sour chicken, spicy lamb with black bean sauce, and green tea and white chocolate raspberry cake for dessert.

5. Bandera

A Bandera, they have live jazz every night and a menu of American food with a southwestern twist. Stop in the comfortable and inviting restaurant and enjoy the view of Michigan Avenue while you enjoy the famous skillet cornbread, fresh and still warm from the oven.

Try the spinach and artichoke dip to start. For the main course, try a burger, Seattle style BBQ salmon, or their aged and seasoned prime rib. Add some tabbouleh, or some hand cut french fries as a side and finish it off with some apple walnut cobbler or homemade Oreo ice cream sandwiches.

The Magnificent Mile is a wonderful place to spend Valentine’s Day with that special someone. As you can see, there are a variety of cuisines available, each with its own distinct atmosphere. You’re sure to find the perfect place for a meal with your Valentine. Remember, Valentine’s Day dinner is a great time to indulge. Just remember to brush your teeth when you get home.

If you have any questions about how to take care of your teeth, or if you'd like to book an appointment with Chicago's number one dentistry, Water Tower Dental Care, contact us today.

Fruits are known to have incredible nutritional value, though some of these vitamin-packed fruits may damage your teeth over time. One fruit that gets a lot of attention with regard to teeth, are bananas.

Although bananas are packed with potassium, some studies have suggested that bananas could have some unintended consequences on oral health.

There are both negative and positive aspects of bananas, and leveraging the danger to your teeth means taking a close look at how these factors influence oral health.

This post will take an in-depth look at whether bananas really are good or bad for your teeth, examining the positive and negative aspects of this popular—and delicious—fruit.

Positive Effects of Bananas on Your Teeth

When determining the impact of fruit on teeth, pH values are important. Lower pH values correlate with higher levels of acidity. Dentists commonly recommend staying away from consuming acidic foods, as they slowly wear away tooth enamel.

With a pH value of 4.5-5.2, bananas have remarkably low levels of acidity when compared to other fruits, making them a safe choice for healthy teeth.

Bananas have even been proven to whiten teeth, particularly when considering the peel. A banana peel has tons of potassium, magnesium, and manganese, three minerals which can remove stains and create a brighter smile.

Not only can a banana peel whiten teeth, but with high levels of calcium and vitamin D, it can also make them stronger. Calcium helps reinforce the jawbone and enamel, while vitamin D assists the body in absorbing calcium. Put together, calcium and vitamin D are a potent force in maintaining oral health.

In short, the positive effects of bananas on your teeth are:

• Low acidity: A mild pH value means that bananas should not contribute to eroding enamel
• Whitening qualities: The minerals in a banana peel can help remove stains, creating whiter teeth
• Vitamins & minerals: Calcium and vitamin D are essential to building strong, healthy teeth, and both can be found in bananas

Negative Effects of Bananas on Your Teeth

While bananas have plenty of valuable vitamins and minerals, there are some negative aspects to consider when thinking about oral health.

Bananas have high levels of starch, which dissolves slowly and can harm teeth. Without proper oral hygiene, starch particles can stick to crevices in-between teeth, attracting bacteria and creating cavities.

The sweet and delectable taste of bananas comes from a high sugar content, typically about 14 grams. High sugar is a pitfall of nearly all fruits. Natural sugars allow bacteria on teeth to produce acid, leading to tooth decay over time.

When consumed in excess, the pH value of bananas can certainly become detrimental. While 4.5-5.2 is relatively low in comparison to other acid levels, eating large quantities of bananas can potentially contribute to a loss of enamel.

In short, the negative effects of bananas on your teeth are:

• Starch: Can stick to teeth and invade crevasses, promoting cavities
• Sugar: Allows for acid production on teeth, leading to tooth decay
• pH level: Although relatively low, large quantities of bananas may erode enamel over time

Conclusion

All fruits have important health benefits, and bananas are a prime example of a delicious, nutrient-dense fruit.

Of course, as with any food, moderation is key. Excessive consumption can certainly outweigh the health benefits, just as poor hygiene.

Although there are potentially negative aspects of bananas, the key word here is “potential.” Practicing proper oral hygiene—brushing and flossing throughout the day—is more than enough to keep the negative aspects at bay, leaving room for all the positive nutritional values that come with bananas.

For more tips on oral health or teeth whitening, please contact us to learn more.