Common Dental FAQs and Answers

As with any health care, dentistry comes with its fair share of confusing recommendations, nonsensical terminology, and overall general questions about the whats, whys, and hows. At our dental offices in Highland Park and Chicago Heights, we strive to ensure all our patients have their questions answered completely and accurately, so we’ve dedicated this blog to some of the more common questions we get asked.

“What is Morning Breath?”

We’ve all experienced the stale stench of a mouth closed for the past eight hours or so , the odor assaults the nostrils and we wince in disgust. But why does breath insist on smelling so darn gross in the morning? The answer is this: there’s not as much saliva in your mouth while you sleep as when you’re awake. Saliva is the natural way to rinse away bad breath bacteria, and when the supply decreases, bacteria are left to multiply and we’re left with morning breath. Usually a proper brushing and flossing will diminish the smell. If it doesn’t and your breath is chronically a little on the sour side, it may be a sign of something serious. Get to your dentist as soon as possible.

“How Often do I REALLY Need to see a dentist?”

We didn’t make up the twice a year rule simply because we enjoy seeing you, even though that’s still true. Biannual visits are important to both your oral health and your overall health for several reasons. First, regular visits allow us to catch any small problems before they have a chance to become huge, possibly painful problems. Second, many dental diseases are linked with whole-body health, so the sooner we catch an issue and begin to treat it, the healthier your mouth and your body will be. There are times when we recommend more than two visits a year, which is pretty common if you’re at risk for oral cancer, gum disease, or have an extended treatment plan. If we recommend it, you should follow it. Your smile will thank you.

“Do I Need to Floss?”

If you want to keep your smile healthy, and we assume you do, then yes, you absolutely need to floss. Flossing removes plaque and bacteria between teeth that a toothbrush alone can’t reach. In fact, if you don’t floss, 35% of your teeth surfaces aren’t getting cleaned and your chance for decay increases. We recommend brushing twice a day and flossing once a day.

We’ve only touched on a few of the many dental questions we’ve heard. If you have any others, give our dental office in Highland Park or Chicago Heights a call. We’re here to help make dentistry easy and comfortable, and we’d be happy to have you.

Welcoming patients from Highland Park , Deerfield, Highwood, Chicago Heights, Crete, and Park Forest.