Family Dental Care Park Ridge

There have been hysterical segments in movies and comedy shows and even Broadway plays that reference the humor in having a mouth that is numb after going to the dentist.  The segment that the late great Dudley Moore did in the movie 10 has always been one of my favorite sequences.  Dentists have notoriously been known to be the purveyor of pain and discomfort when in reality, with today’s cutting edge technology, pain experienced secondary to a dental visit couldn’t be further from the truth.  Dentists primary concern is your oral health but, in helping you to achieve optimal oral health, we are focused on keeping you comfortable and pain free.   Creating a calm environment in the dental office is so helpful in allowing the patient to feel safe and relaxed.  And knowing that dentists have ways to keep you pain free really makes the dental visit not nearly so awful as comedians would want you to believe.

Here are some mind-numbing reasons that having the dentist use local anesthetics (Novacaine) is a good thing:

1.) A numb patient is typically a calm patient.  If you talk with your dentist about your anesthetic options and allow her/him to use a local anesthetic (like a Novacaine) to numb your mouth, you are going to be more relaxed and that in turn allows your dentist to work more quickly and more efficiently.

2.)Some dentists offer light sedation as an option for patients who have extreme dental phobias.  Typically, even with light sedation, the dentist will still use a local anesthetic (like a Novacaine) to get the area to be worked on comfortably numb. If you are going to have light sedation, always remember to have a person available to drive you home after your appointment.

3.) While it is true that your dentist will advise the patient not to eat or drink hot liquids until after the numbness wears off, it is a bit of an exaggeration (but makes for hilarious comedy segments) that you will not be able to talk when you are numb.  In most cases, you will be able to talk just fine after local anesthetic (like Novacaine)

4.) Depending on the procedure that was done by the dentist, there are many different types of local anesthetic that last for varying amounts of time.  Make sure you talk with your dentist about the length of time that the anesthetic used on you will last.

5.) For those people that are afraid of the “shot”, the new topical gels that are applied to the gum in the area to be injected are extremely effective in “pre-numbing” the gum so that the “shot” is almost not even felt!

Remember to always talk to your dentist about your concerns and questions…that is what we are there for.  If you have questions about getting numb at your dental visit, please feel free to comment below (I love starting a conversation here) or email me or call our office.  Dr. Carolyn Demas and Dr. Matt Demas are  available to answer your questions.

And remember, as always….we LOVE making you smile!

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If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen me post recently about my day to day successes with the 30 Day Vegan Challenge.  Giving up meat was very easy for me because I have never really been a big meat eater.  It was the dairy products that I had to give up that concerned me…in particular, having to give up cheese.  I am a bit of a cheese-a-holic.  So…with a “can-do” attitude in place, I started the vegan way of eating last Tuesday.  And, you know what?  I am loving it! I am definitely still on the learning curve of meal planning and nutrient monitoring but, I am catching on and I have really loved the meals that I have made so far.  And, here’s the funny thing!  While I tease about my cheese needs, I have not had a single craving for cheese yet.  I know it’s only day 6, but still….

So, why exactly am I taking this 30 day vegan challenge.  Well, a week ago on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Joy Cardin Show ( you can catch the archived show here ), Joy interviewed Colleen Patrick Goudreau who wrote the book The 30 Day Vegan Challenge and I was completely taken in by all that she said.  I already knew that my eating habits are bad on a good day.  I know that my cholesterol is high and that I do not want to be on a statin based medication.  I know that I am getting older (yes…sigh…it’s true) and that I need to take better care of my health. So, I really had nothing to lose and everything to gain in terms of health benefits.

It is time to share my reasons for taking the 30 day vegan challenge so here they are:

1.) I want to experience the benefits of a plant-based diet while increasing my dedication to exercise and see the results ….stay tuned.

2.) I no longer want to put unwanted and dangerous antibiotics and hormones into my system that are used on the milking cows in many dairy farms. Enough said.

3.) I want to be able to lower my cholesterol as naturally as possible by eliminating the causes of increased cholesterol from a dietary standpoint.  No thank you to medications.

4.) I am trying to fill my life with kindness and compassion and the vegan philosophy is rooted (ha ha) in a lifestyle of living compassionately.  By doing no harm to animals either directly or indirectly, I am doing my small part in generating kindness.

As I get smarter about the nutritional value of different foods and I understand the correct portions to assure proper health, I will share more about this new journey.  Right now I am keeping the book The 30 Day Vegan Challenge close by my side as a reference.  I’ll keep you posted about the results!

I’d love to hear  your thoughts and stories  about the vegan challenge. Have you tried a vegan way of eating? How about vegetarian? Were you successful? Please share!

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I had fun doing today’s Word of Mouth Wednesday video (who am I kidding….I always have fun doing these videos)  for a couple of reasons.  First, I got creative with the whole videography thing and tried walking while being videoed….and it worked!!  And second, I am excited to point you all in the direction of a new digital friend who I think is worth connecting with.  In fact, she was the inspiration for today’s video.  Her name is Lori Gosselin and she writes a most thoughtful blog that she calls Life For Instance.  I have truly loved each of the posts that I have read from Lori.  But her post from this weekend really spoke to me.  In it, Lori poses the question “What do you think about?”  She was referring to where do your thoughts go to when they are not focused on the matters at hand?  And how do you tame those fly-away thoughts?  She sparked a lot of “conversation” in her comment section, all of which was very compelling.  In my response to her post, I said that when my thoughts get the better of me, and for me that means when I start to worry too much and scare myself, I often find relief in taking a walk.  And walking ends up being such a win/win!  Walking is a great form of exercise and it takes me away from my worried place within.  I can “escape” for awhile… but the really cool thing about doing something physical like exercise or walking is that our bodies release those magnificent endorphins that enable you to regain a sense of well being and happiness.  So, while my stresses may not have left, I am far better able to face them and to focus more effectively.  See?? I told you…win/win!!

Do yourself a favor and visit Lori’s blog.  You will be glad you did.  And join in her “conversation”. Lori is a great engager and will make you and your thoughts feel very welcome!! And, I’d love to hear your thoughts here as well…don’t be afraid to go to the bottom of this post and write a comment…I will respond!!  I love hearing from you whether it be in the form of a comment here or be emailing me.  Your thoughts, ideas and critiques are important.

And, lest you forget, we LOVE making you smile!

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Taking a page from my alter ego, Social Media DDS’s suggestion, I have decided to talk about sealants in numerical list form.  Clean, easy and to the point.  But before I begin the list, let’s talk about what exactly a dental sealant is.  Dental sealants are very thin plastic coatings that are placed onto the back teeth, or molars, in their deep grooves and pits in an effort to decrease the likelihood of cavities.  It is a painless procedure and it is non-invasive so that no drilling of the tooth is necessary and no anesthetic injections are necessary.  As with all dental procedures, it is best that you familiarize yourself with as much information about the procedure so that you and your dentist can make a decision that will best suit you or your child’s oral health needs.

Here are 5 things that you should know about sealants.

1.) Sealants are most effective on the permanent molars and are best placed rather soon after the tooth has erupted to decrease the chance for decay.

2.) Sealants are painless, non-invasive and are usually clear or slightly opaque white in color and, while they will feel new for awhile, they are so thinly brushed on that they should not affect the bite or anatomy of the tooth

3.) Sealants, when well placed, can last for over five years.  It is important, however, to maintain your twice yearly check ups with your dentist so that she/he can always assess the sealant(s) to assure their integrity.

4.) While placing sealants does not have the same effect as fluoride treatments, there are some sealants available now that have fluoride releasing capabilities incorporated into the sealant.  This is something that you would want to discuss with your dentist

5.) Having sealants placed is a decision that needs to be made by you and your dentist.  There are compelling statistics on both sides of the sealant discussion.  The placement of sealants usually ends up being a case by case determination…in other words, dentists feel that some of their patients may benefit from the placement of sealants and other patients may not have any appreciable result.

As with most dental treatments, the very best thing for you to do is to sit down with your dentist to discuss their feelings about sealants and the appropriateness of placing sealants on yours or your children’s teeth.  I hope that this has given you some useful information about dental sealants.

If you have any questions for Dr. Carolyn Demas or Dr. Matthew Demas about sealants or any other dental related topic, please feel free to send us an email or call us at 847-692-6800.

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It’s definitely summer.  It’s hot, humid and, well… perfect.   I’m trying to stay as cool as I can while typing this post.  But, there is something about summer that, even when I’m not on an official vacation, it still feels very vacation-y to me.  So, as I was getting ready this morning I wondered how many people forget to pack their toothbrushes or toothpaste when they go on vacation.

In today’s segment of Word of Mouth Wednesday, I will address the question “how do you pack for your vacation?”  I’m all about lists.  Sometimes I start the list weeks in advance so that I can add to them.  Then, as the vacation time gets closer, I start editing the list…a sort of down-sizing if you will…so that I end up with a very manageable amount of stuff to bring.  For me, this is actually very efficient and I end up taking just enough.  If I don’t do my lists and pack straight from the impulsive part of my brain, I invariably forget important things AND I always end up taking way too much.  So, lists are my packing tip.  The other packing tip that I can share (that is a bonus here…not shared in the video)  is zip lock bags.  I put lotions, shampoos, toothpaste and anything that can leak into zip lock bags so that if there is an unplanned cap failure, I won’t get shampoo all over my clothes (this tip comes from a few hard learned lessons)

If you have any packing tips or ways that you remember to pack your toothbrush and toothpaste, please share them with us.  If you  have any questions for Dr. Carolyn Demas or Dr. Matt Demas, give us a call at 847-692-6800 or email us.  We are always happy to talk to you.

Words to live by…good oral hygiene never takes a vacation

And remember, even while on vacation….we LOVE making you smile!

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As I was driving in toward the city this morning, I realized that I had forgotten to take my vitamins…yet again.  I mean well…I really do.  I am all about taking good care of myself and my total health.  I try really hard to eat well ( see my true confession about my food habits) but, because I am not “food-healthy reliable”, I take some vitamin supplements.  After talking with my doctor, we decided that my taking a B-Complex, some Vitamin D, some Iron and some Omega-3 supplements would be a wise addition to my healthy lifestyle.  Sounds very simple and straight forward, right?  And yet I forget to take them at least once a week.  Why?  I can’t even begin to answer that because I follow my usual routine, I understand and accept the benefits of taking these supplements and they are right there in my kitchen cabinet.  Crazy.

And then, I had an aha moment.  I realized that I am no different than my hundreds of patients who come to me as if to confession and beg me to forgive them for the fact that they have not been flossing regularly…or brushing twice daily…or wearing their night guard…or… fill in the blank.  You get the picture.  We mean well.  We want to be good to ourselves.  We are not purposely sabotaging our health.  But we forget.  Or we get distracted.  Or life happens.  I get it.  I really do.

And so, I came to a realization on my drive.  We can be really good to ourselves if…we cut ourselves some slack.  When we beat ourselves up for not taking our vitamin supplements or forgetting to floss every day or leaving our night guard out once in a while, we are not being good to ourselves.  So much of our holistic good health and sense of well being is dependent upon us just being good to ourselves.  To be forgiving and compassionate to who we are and to not be so hard on ourselves.  Intellectually, most of us really do know the importance of all of the good medical and dental habits that we should be actively treating ourselves to, but we need to give ourselves a break when life happens and we get momentarily off track.  Sometimes it is more important to give ourselves some compassionate understanding…we’ll get back on track again.  I know I will.  Tomorrow, I will take my vitamin supplements that my doctor suggested but for now, I’m giving myself a guilt free evening.  Life is good.

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First, a quick apology for not posting a Word of Mouth Wednesday video last week…May has been a very busy month and one of it’s highlights for me was the graduation of my daughter, Kirsten, from North Park University with her degree in nursing.  There was quite literally a lot of pomp and circumstance going on in our lives and so I took a break from my video blog.  But, I am back with some great new ideas for future topics.  If you have ideas and/or suggestions about Word of Mouth Wednesday topics for future video blogs, please feel free to email me with your thoughts and I will certainly give them consideration.

Today, I begin by acknowledging my video blog journey while sitting outside in the same spot that I filmed my first segment of Word of Mouth Wednesday.  The serenity of the location lends itself to our topic today which, at first glance seems like it might be a silly topic whose importance seems almost intuitive.  We are talking about the benefit and power of proper breathing.  Overall, in the freneticism that often is our life here in the United States, we take our breathing for granted…and in doing so, we tend to breath rapidly and shallow.  In an already chaotic life, rapid and shallow breathing can often accelerate our feelings of stress and anxiety.  If we step back a bit and learn to pay attention to our breathing and slow it down a bit, we will notice a reduction in stress and anxiety.  We will notice that taking in more optimal amounts of fresh oxygen will create a higher level of mental alertness.  Mindful breathing helps us to feel centered and gives us a better sense of well being.  It takes practice but because the results are so immediate, you will want to make it part of your daily experience.  Check out Claudia Cummins post on Yoga Journal about Breathing for Relaxation.  With time, we can teach ourselves to breathe more deeply and effectively without even having to think about it.

So, if situations bring you feelings of angst and anxiety, try to take some slow and calming deep cleansing breaths for a while and see if you don’t start feeling more relaxed.  Go ahead…give it a try.

And…remember…as always, we LOVE making you smile…

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In today’s Word of Mouth Wednesday video, Dr. Claudia Anderson will talk about inflammation.  You will learn what the term inflammation means.  You will learn about the symptoms of inflammation as well as the causes of inflammation…specifically dental inflammation.  And finally, you will learn how to treat inflammation and what you can do to help prevent inflammatory responses.

If you have any questions about inflammation and what you can do about dental pain, please give us a call at our office or send us an email.  We would be happy to help you with any of your dental concerns.

And, as always….we LOVE making  you smile!

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On today’s segment of Word of Mouth Wednesday, Dr. Claudia Anderson will talk about the difference between biofilm and plaque and calculus (otherwise known as tartar) . You will find out that

• a biofilm is a sort of mixture of microorganisms such as bacteria that adhere to each other on are reversibly adherent to other surfaces
• plaque is a usually colorless biofilm of colonizing bacteria that attach themselves to smooth surfaces such as your teeth and is easily removable with adequate and accurate brushing and flossing
• calculus, often referred to as tartar, is hardened dental plaque that has adhered to the tooth surface in such a way as to not be removable without the use of special instruments

You will also find out what you can do to decrease the amount of plaque and calculus that accumulates in your mouth and what role prevention plays in your oral health.

If you have any question, please feel free to email us at info@ParkRidgeDDS.com or give our office a call. And remember….we LOVE making you smile!

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In this segment of Word of Mouth Wednesday, we talk to you about the importance of those six month dental check ups. I was recently asked to write a guest blog post for April Bowers on her site http://TransitionWithApril.com She wanted to find out more about the correlation between poor oral health and heart disease. It made me realize that sometimes we just need a little push to get going and make our appointment for our dental check up. And maybe, you would like some information as to why those dental check ups are really so important. Take a look…

And remember…we LOVE making you smile!

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