Studies indicate that people who maintain excellent oral hygiene have fewer incidences of many illnesses. These people also tend to live longer and also enjoy a better quality of life. This underscores the need for increased awareness of the importance of looking after one’s teeth better.

At Atrium Family Dental, your New Lenox dental practice, one of the first signs that we look for in a patient who comes in for a regular checkup is for periodontal infection. This indicates the presence of bacteria in the mouth that can easily enter the bloodstream through cuts and cause a lot of problems to the person. The presence of this infection, known as PI, indicates a risk for heart disease as well as diabetes.
(more…)

Throughout your lives, dentists have told you that you need to take care of your teeth and protect them from the development of plaque and cavities. But did you know that our teeth have their own natural protection? From your New Lenox dentists, we’re here to tell you that the tooth enamel is a type of tissue that coats the exposed parts of a tooth and it is one of the toughest substances in a person’s body. The strength of the enamel comes from the many minerals that the tooth contains. Tooth enamel is also semi-translucent, meaning the coloration of the tooth comes from the dentin which is underneath the enamel. It coats the top crown of the tooth and serves as the primary defense of our teeth against bacteria.

However, the tooth enamel is not exactly invincible. The types of food we eat can affect the strength of the enamel. Tooth cavities dissolve and destroy enamel by stripping the minerals that make it strong. One of the primary causes of tooth cavities is the consumption of sugary foods and acids. Our Illinois dental practice warns against sugar because it feeds bacteria, and as bacteria work hard to propagate, they release acids, thus destroying enamel.
(more…)

Athletes shouldn’t be interested in just winning when they play a game. Athletes, particularly young athletes, ought to be worried about safeguarding their smiles while playing contact sports.

At Atrium Family Dental, your New Lenox dental office, we provide Under Armour Perfomance Mouthwear and Boil-and-Bite mouthguards that offer your teeth complete protection throughout a game. It is vital to protect your mouth when playing a sport, specifically if you’re using metal braces as part of your orthodontic treatment. Mouthguards are important in keeping your teeth and gums safe from injury.
(more…)