Anthony Markiewicz, d.d.s., f.a.g.d.
helping you keep your teeth for a lifetime
852 North Route 83
Mundelein, IL 60060-9159
Give Us a Call: (847) 566-2811
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Memorial Day
May 24th, 2013
Memorial Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States, but it is a day of observance and remembrance of those who died in service. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn day has been marked on calendars since the end of the American Civil War as a day to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war.
Marking the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, or other tokens has been practiced throughout history, but it wasn’t until the mark of the end of the Civil War that a special day was decided upon as the one to spend in remembrance. By 1890, every state in the country was observing Decoration Day, but it wasn’t until 1967 when the name formally changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, in order to encompass all fallen American soldiers in all wars and conflicts, and in June of 1968, Congress moved the official date of Memorial Day to the last Monday in May in order to create a three day weekend.
Today, while there is certainly an air of remembrance on Memorial Day, it has become more a day of spending time with family, friends, and other loved ones. This day is also heralded as the start of summer, with many schools finishing for the year around this time. Our team at our office remembers it as a day to take solace and remembered those lost.
Traditional observances of Memorial Day are still held, and they often involve raising the American Flag then lowering it to a half-staff position until noon, and then raising it once again to its full height afterwards. The flag is lowered to remember those who’ve lost their lives while in service to their country, and then it is raised to signify our willingness to not let their sacrifice be in vain.
From community parades in the Mundelein, IL area, backyard cook-outs, and fireworks to formal ceremonies, Memorial Day is commemorated in many different ways. No matter how you choose to spend this day, take a moment to remember those who’ve lost their lives in an effort to preserve our freedom.
Telltale Signs That Your Tooth Has A Cavity
May 17th, 2013
Dr. Anthony Markiewicz and our team at our office frequently get questions about cavity causes and prevention. You brush twice a day and floss regularly. You rinse with hydrogen peroxide, just like the dentist recommended. In fact, you can’t remember the last time you had a cavity, but you think it was when you were a little kid. In all seriousness, you thought only kids got cavities.
The Signs and Symptoms of a Cavity
It’s believed that roughly 90% of Americans will get at least one cavity in their lifetime. Those other ten percent, it seems, can eat as much pie, cake, and sugary cereals and sweets as they want. That’s not really true; just a stab at dental humor, and it was as bad as the pain your cavity is probably giving you.
When a cavity is in its initial stages, you will often be symptom-free and experience no discomfort at all. It’s not until the tooth decay has reached a certain level that you will begin to notice the signs and symptoms. While a toothache and sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids are surefire signs that you have a cavity, there are lesser-known symptoms as well. If you’re experiencing any of these warning signs, you may want to consider making an appointment with our office as soon as possible:
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
- When you bite down, there is a sticky, tarry feeling
- Puss or discharge around a tooth
- A visible discoloring, usually black or brown
- Small pits or holes in the tooth
Routine dental care is important. While good oral hygiene, a healthy diet, and regular cleanings will deter the formation of cavities, they do not constitute a foolproof practice. A cavity can occur at any time, no matter what your age. Bacteria causes tooth decay, and no amount of brushing, flossing, and rinsing will eradicate all the bacteria from your mouth. If you think you may have a cavity, please contact our office immediately.
How and When to Use Denture Adhesives
May 8th, 2013
When and How to Use Denture Adhesives
Denture adhesive use causes quite a bit of confusion. I made a short 2 minute instructional video to help clarify how to place denture adhesive.
Denture Adhesives
Should I Use a Denture Adhesive?
Dental Implants are the method of choice to stabilize dentures. The use of denture adhesive is not a substitute for a properly fitting denture. Stability and retention can be significantly improved with dental implants. If an adhesive is required, use may considered under the following circumstances:
1. To enhance your satisfaction with a properly constructed denture. Adhesives enhance retention, stability, bite force and an individual’s sense of security
2. To assist individuals with dry mouth conditions that lessen denture adherence, such as individuals taking cold medications, those with neurologic disabilities including strokes, and the elderly
3. To provide added stability and security for those who place unusual demands on their facial muscles, such as public speakers or musicians
4. To provide added retention when bone loss has compromised support for a denture.
When Shouldn’t Denture Adhesives Be Considered? There are situations when denture adhesives should not be used. Those cases include:
1. When it is used as a “fix” for ill-fitting or poorly constructed dentures. If your dentures begin to feel loose, cause discomfort or cause sores to develop, contact your dentist as soon as possible.
2. When a dentist has not evaluated your dentures for a long time. Dentures rest on gum tissue and your jawbone, which shrink and deteriorate, respectively, over time. Therefore, the real problem might be the need for a denture adjustment or new dentures.
3. When oral hygiene practices cannot be sustained.
4. When adhesives have been used for a long time, especially when visits to the dentist are infrequent, and when the frequency and volume of the adhesive use increases. These developments may indicate the need for a denture adjustment or new dentures.
5. When any known allergy exists to the adhesive’s ingredients.
FDA information on Denture Adhesives
I hope this helps. Feel free to call with any questions.
Anthony Markiewicz, DDS, FAGD
Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry
Your Saftey is Our Priority
May 6th, 2013
Many of you have seen the recent news of the Oklahoma dental office found to have unsanitary conditions. We value the trust you show in our office. We want to reassure you we comply with the guidelines for sterilization and patient protection from the American Dental Association. I wanted to share with you some of what we do to protect you.
Our philosophy has always been and will always be “to treat our patients as if they were our own family members.” Here are some things that our dental office does to protect you:
• Our philosophy is: If it can’t be heat sterilized, use disposable. The best method of sterilization is autoclaving. The process utilizes steam pressure to kill bacteria and viruses. If an item cannot withstand the extreme heat and pressure of an autoclave, we attempt to use disposable. Those few items that are not disposable and cannot be autoclaved are covered with a disposable barrier and wiped clean with a surface disinfectant after use.
• We monitor our autoclave with weekly spore testing. Each week, we submit a test to a monitoring service to verify the effectiveness of our autoclave.
• We treat and monitor the water in our dental unit waterlines. Dental unit waterlines can be a source of infection. Each of our dental units is equipped with a closed water bottle system. These systems allow us to treat and flush the units to prevent build-up of dangerous biofilm.
• Our treatment rooms are sanitized after each patient. Before you enter our examination and hygiene rooms, all surfaces including the dental chair, dental light, drawer handles, x-rays sensors and unit, computer and mouse, and countertops have been cleaned and decontaminated and fresh disposable barriers placed.
• All of our dental team members involved in contact with patients always wash our hands before and after each and every patient and use only fresh gloves.
• In order to reduce post-operative discomfort and reduce the spread of colds and viruses, we request each patient complete a 30 second mouth rinse prior to treatment. The rinse significantly reduces the bacteria and viruses found in the office air and on exposed surfaces.
• In order to reduce your exposure to bacteria and viruses, we have installed HEPA air cleaners in each treatment room. It has been shown that use of these air cleaners significantly reduces the chance of infections.
Your safety is our priority. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Anthony Markiewicz, DDS, FAGD
Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry
