Gingivitis Prevention

Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease and our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC are here to keep you out of it. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that is usually reversible, but if left untreated it can progress to a more aggressive form of gum disease called periodontitis. Gingivitis is caused by inadequate oral care habits. Therefore, if you notice a little pink in the sink, it’s time to review your own.

Signs of gingivitis include red and puffy gums that bleed easily when you brush your teeth. To prevent gingivitis, you’ll need to thoroughly brush your teeth for at least twice minutes twice a day. Because your toothbrush can’t reach the crevices between your teeth, you should floss at least once a day and it doesn’t hurt to top off your oral care routine with some mouthwash. It's especially important to visit our office twice a year for an oral exam, X-rays, and a professional cleaning.

If you have questions about periodontal disease, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862. 

Oral Cancer Screening

At Downtown Dental, we love serving the families from our community and looking out for the condition of your smiles and oral hygiene!  We also screen for oral cancer, and it is important that you and your family are aware of oral cancer and how to prevent it.  Oral cancer screening may not be the most common reason you’ve visited a dentist, but regular screenings are the best way to protect yourself.

Heavy smoking and drinking do increase the risk of oral cancer, but oral cancer can still occur if someone never smokes.  The human papilloma virus (HPV) was recently found to be responsible for most oral cancers that originated in the back of the mouth.  Because there is no way to predict cancer, you should ask about an oral cancer screening with each dental checkup.  Your dentist will conduct a visual exam, and may use an ultraviolet light to see any irregularities inside the mouth. Always contact us if you notice any inexplicable pain, swelling, or numbness in your throat or jaw.

To learn more about the services we provide, visit downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862.

Keeping Up With Regular Cleanings

The doctors at Downtown Dental encourage patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for biannual professional cleanings.  Even when you regularly brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional. At a cleaning, our hygienists use professional tools to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria build-up from your teeth that is too tough to remove on your own.

The Academy of General Dentistry recommends you have a dentist or hygienist perform a dental cleaning every six months. It’s important to see a professional regularly to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, our hygienists thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your teeth and may apply fluoride if recommended by the dentist. If you need your teeth cleaned, don’t wait any longer!

To learn more about dental cleanings and all the services we provide, visit downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862.

Causes of Bad Breath

Most of us experience bad breath at one point or another; after all, it’s only natural. Bad breath can happen anytime due to the hundreds of types of bad-breath causing bacteria that live in your mouth. Often, bad breath isn’t serious and is treatable by our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC, but sometimes it can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. To guarantee your oral health is in good status, visit our office twice a year for professional cleanings.

Bad breath can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as dry mouth, gum disease, or simply just the food and beverages you’ve consumed. Practicing proper oral hygiene with brushing and flossing is critical to bad breath prevention. In addition to brushing and flossing on a daily basis, use American Dental Association (ADA) toothpaste and don’t forget to brush your tongue!

If you have questions or concerns regarding bad breath, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862. 

Find Your Flossing Technique

If you’ve recently consumed a meal that was rich in carbohydrates, it’s time to find some floss. Even if you brush your teeth after eating, a plaque that is left on the teeth contains bacteria that feed on these leftovers. Plaque that is not adequately removed can harden into a substance called tartar which only our team of hygienists at Downtown Dental LLC will be able to remove. We’ve previously mentioned that there is a proper way to brush your teeth, but there is also a proper way to floss. To reap the benefits try utilizing these tips the next time you clean between your teeth.  

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.


• Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.


• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.


• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.


• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up-and-down motions. Repeat this method for the rest of your teeth and don’t forget the molars!

If you have questions about improving your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862. 

Brush Your Teeth with This Technique

It’s no secret that brushing your teeth on a daily basis will not only keep your oral health in prime shape but your overall health as well. The American Dental Association, as well as our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC, recommends that you brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes. You may be surprised to learn that there is a proper way to brush your teeth. Next time you’re standing over the sink with a toothbrush in hand, try utilizing these tips.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.


• Move the brush back and forth in a circular motion in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria.

If you have questions about improving your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862.