Parsley and Other Ways To Brighten Your Smile from Sellke & Reily Orthodontics

At Sellke & Reily Orthodontics we see lots of patients concerned about their bad breath. So we want to educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral hygiene is the first set. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, you should see us at Sellke & Reily Orthodontics. It might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright from Sellke & Reily Orthodontics.

--Spice Up Your Life
Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.
--Don’t forget the tongue
Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!
--Watch your drinking habits
The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.
--Frequent brushing
Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.
--Make your own Gargle
Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.
--Parsley’s there for a reason
Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.
--Sugarless Gum
Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.
--Don’t cut that cheese
The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

Sellke & reily Orthodontics Make Pediatric Safety Fair Huge Success

Sellke & Reily Orthodontics joined Grayslake firemen, policeman, and the Flight for Life chopper to teach local Illinois children about safety.

The goal of the event is to teach children important tips about safety when they are young, and encourage them to speak with doctors, policemen, and such so that they are not intimidated to express themselves later in life.

Photographed is Jeanette L. of SR Orthodontics, showing siblings Emma and Ted the proper way to brush their teeth.

The event was hosted by Lake Forest Hospital and brought out 850 people from the Grayslake community.

TakeThis Fun Soda Pop Quiz from Dr. Sellke and Dr. Reily

We at Dr. Sellke and Dr. Reily's office wants to know, where does all that soda pop go?

On average, the typical person consumes over 50 gallons of soda pop per year! The amount of acid and sugar found in a can of soda can cause serious tooth decay and lead to cavities, gum disease, and even tooth loss!

We at Dr. Sellke and Dr. Reily's office know that you don’t want to lose your teeth, so take the soda pop quiz, presented by the Minnesota Dental Association, and learn more about how to keep your smile healthy.

It’s a fun interactive quiz, so enjoy! From Dr. Sellke and Dr. Reily.

Gummy Tummy -- Sellke & Reily Orthodontics

We know the rumors going around – mostly among young people – that once you swallow a piece of chewing gum it will stake a claim and take up residency in your stomach for at least seven years! We really hate to take all the fun out of the mystery, but the truth is that chewing gum, when swallowed, will enter the stomach and move through the digestive system just like any other piece of food and leave the body long before seven years! So, if you ever have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum, there is no need to worry!

This being said, gum does not have any dietary benefits, so while it’s not harmful to swallow, you still want to avoid swallowing it. If you are a gum-chewer, make sure you chew sugarless gum, because gum with sugar can lead to cavities. Sugarless gum still has the same amount of flavor, but with less cavity causing ingredients. You see, when the bacterium in your mouth breaks down sugar, what’s left behind is acid. This acid eats away at the enamel coating of your teeth, causing holes that we call cavities. Cavities can lead to other long term mouth problems if they are not treated in time, so it is best to try and avoid overexposing your teeth to too many harmful substances!

Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing from Sellke & Reily Orthodontics!

Adults Improve Your Dental Health With Orthodontics From Sellke & Reily Orthodontics

Like the millions of adults who have already completed orthodontic treatment, the current one million adult orthodontic patients in the U.S. and Canada are looking forward to improved dental health and beautiful smiles. At Sellke & Reily Orthodontics, we know that age need not be a consideration in orthodontic treatment; healthy teeth can be moved at almost any age.

With longer life expectancies than previous generations, and a greater awareness among adults that teeth can last a lifetime, today's adults are taking better care of their teeth, as evidenced in a survey released by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. This study showed that the number of people ages 55-64 with missing teeth has dropped by 60 percent since 1960.

Orthodontics can improve the overall health of teeth and their supporting structures, leading to a properly aligned and functioning bite. By aligning your teeth, orthodontic treatment makes it easier to remove plaque – a colorless, sticky film of bacteria, food particles and saliva that constantly forms in the mouth. Plaque feeds on sugars and starches to form an acid that endangers teeth and gums. With proper alignment, the likelihood that your teeth will last for a lifetime is increased.

Orthodontic technology has come a long way in the past few decades. The major advances in orthodontic tools and techniques mean that the options for adult patients are far greater than ever before. And adults – just like teens and pre-teens – can benefit dramatically from the enhanced self-esteem that comes with a confident smile.

If you’re considering straightening your teeth, give us a call at Sellke & Reily Orthodontics and come in for a consultation to discuss your options.