At-Home Dental Care and Oral Health Tips During the Coronavirus/COVID-19 CrisisMany of us across the United States are under shelter-in-place orders or are simply doing our part to follow social distancing guidelines by remaining at home as much as possible. In fact, to achieve maximum levels of risk-management during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, Smile for Life Dental has temporarily closed, with the exception of treatment availability for dental emergencies. Since routine… Continue Reading
Top 5 Tips for Preventing Childhood CavitiesTaking steps to prevent cavities in your child’s early development is the best way to start good oral health habits that continue throughout life. Educating them on proper daily oral hygiene, the importance of a nutritious diet, and other factors that are good for their oral health can go a long way toward minimizing the risk of cavities and other… Continue Reading
Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Floss?ums that bleed while flossing can be due to a number of issues; however, if it is a common occurrence, it may likely be a sign of periodontal (gum) disease. To be sure, bleeding gums while flossing and performing daily oral hygiene routines could be caused by factors other than gum disease. These include a vitamin deficiency, a reaction to… Continue Reading
How to Get Rid of a Tooth InfectionA tooth infection can endanger your oral health and your general health. Caused by a buildup of bacteria that affects the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues inside the tooth’s pulp, a tooth infection can result from severe decay, an untreated cavity, a fracture in the enamel, or even just poor oral hygiene routines. Some of the symptoms of a… Continue Reading
Does Smoking Affect Dental Implants?Our dentists believe that smoking just before dental implants are placed, and anytime after the procedure, can have a significantly negative effect on a variety of levels. In addition to increasing the risk of infection, smoking may dramatically slow the rate of healing after surgery. Plus, research has shown that there are high implant failure rates among individuals who smoke…. Continue Reading
Get Oral Cancer In Check with your Elgin DentistAs your Elgin dentist, Dr. Lodding is committed to the health and well‐being of the mouths in our community! As you already know, regular cleanings and checkups are vitally important to maintain healthy teeth and gums. However, in addition to fighting plaque, regular checkups can also help you and your family fight oral cancer. There are an estimated 35,000 cases… Continue Reading
What’s Living In Your Mouth…and What’s It Doing To Your Heart?What’s living in your mouth? Why is it there? It’s 11:30 at night. You’ve worked another long day. The kids are finally asleep. All you want is to crawl into bed and close your eyes. Brushing and flossing your teeth seems like a daunting task. You’re sure it’ll be ok to skip it tonight as you drift off to sleep…. Continue Reading
Putting an End to Avoiding the DentistWhat’s holding you back? You’ve heard it before: See your dentist every six months for a preventative visit. So why don’t you? We think we know what may be holding you back, and we can help with that! Money doesn’t grow on trees. What many don’t realize, however, is that there are viable solutions to help limit expenses. This is 2014 and… Continue Reading
3 Healthy Foods Surprisingly Bad for Your TeethYou know how the old saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Is that actually true? Probably not, but many times we can mistake this sort of “common knowledge” for being grounded in truth. With that theme in mind, here are 3 foods you probably thought were in the all-clear category for both your general health and… Continue Reading
4 Reasons to Baby Your Teeth During PregnancyYou’re having a baby! Excitedly, you contacted friends and family to share the life-changing news, but did you also remember to call your Elgin dentist, Dr. Dean Lodding? You might wonder, “What does my dentist have to do with our new addition to the family?” More than you might realize. The Oral Systemic Link An important facet of caring and… Continue Reading