We are open and looking forward to serving you!
November is Diabetes Awareness Month!
As dentists, we see the link between diabetes and oral health. The increased sugar swimming around in your saliva will lead to inflammation of the gingiva (gums), causing red, swollen and bleeding tissue.
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases that lead to high levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia). This occurs when the body does not make any or enough insulin, or does not use insulin well.
There are two types of Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease, occurring in five to ten percent of all diabetes cases, in which the cells in the pancreas create little to no insulin. Type 2 diabetes, which is more prevalent, occurs in 85% to 90% or more of diabetes cases. It is one of the most common chronic diseases, characterized by decreased response to insulin, insufficient insulin production, or a combination of both.
Periodontal disease occurs in many patients with diabetes.
Common symptoms associated with gum disease include:
• Swollen or sensitive gums
• Bleeding gums
• Receding gums
• Bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• Loose teeth
Diabetes patients are more susceptible to periodontal (gum) disease due to the higher glucose levels in saliva when blood sugar levels are not controlled. The plaque bacteria in your mouth thrive on glucose or sugar present, allowing the bacteria to build up and grow. This will leave you more susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay. They are also susceptible to candidiasis or thrush, which an infection is caused by fungus that overgrows in the mouth, and xerostomia (dry mouth) which can cause oral discomfort and lead to dental decay.
How do you prevent issues? The BIG FIVE!
• Brush two minutes two times a day with an ADA approved toothpaste
• Floss once a day
• Rinse with an antibacterial mouth rinse, preferably one that is alcohol free so it will not irritate the gingiva and cause oral dryness
• Chew sugarless gum when your toothbrush is unavailable to increase the amount of restorative saliva
• See your dental professional regularly for preventive visits to evaluate your oral tissues
If it has been a while since you last came into our office to see us, and you are worried that you might have gingivitis, please schedule an appointment today. You can reach our office by calling (847) 677-1101 or by simply clicking the "Find Out More" button! We are here for you!
COVID-19 Update: What is new in our office!
We are thrilled to announce that we have added another layer of safety protection to our practice: a hypochlorous acid fogger.
Hypochlorous acid has been used as a disinfectant in hospitals for years. In addition, it is used to sanitize foods such as fruits and vegetables (the spray used on the veggies in the grocery store is not water--it is hypochlorous acid), in eye care products, and in wound care, Hypochlorous acid is currently used in restaurants, food & beverage processing, livestock, agriculture, hospitals, schools, water treatment, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Recently, you may have seen the fogging machines with hypochlorous acid used to disinfect cruise ships and airplanes.
Hypochlorous acid is produced naturally by the white blood cells and is used to kill invading microbial pathogens. It is non-toxic and non-hazardous. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) fits into the CDC requirements for an ideal disinfectant because it is an effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that is odorless, fast drying, environmentally friendly, and it is easy to use.
We performed hours of research to include this additional product in our already high level of infection control protocol. We not only fog the operatory after we complete any procedure, prior to using additional disinfectant products, but we fog ourselves. Please feel free to ask about our infection control protocol. 😷
COVID-19 Update: What to expect when you visit our office!
We are so excited to be back with you now! The most difficult part of this journey is that it kept us away from serving you and your dental needs. You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients, our families and ourselves. One of the many different "looks" will be Margaret and I are now sporting face shields and different style masks.
According to the State of Illinois and the Village of Lincolnwood, face coverings (masks or scarves) are required when entering any business. We will ask you to wear your mask upon entry to the office.
In addition:
• We will communicate with you before your appointment to ask some screening questions. You will be receiving an email with a link to a form to fill out. It will automatically and safely be sent to our office. Here is the link: https://us.patientriver.com/donigerdental You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
• We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. We will have disposable gloves available to you, as well.
• You may notice our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and other items, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect. Our signature chocolate will also be missing for a while.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. We plan to have you let us know when you are in our parking lot. Again, since we both may be back treating a patient, we will call you once we are able to get to the phone. Once the office is clear of the previous patient, we will let you know it is time for you to come up to see us! As per CDC guidelines, we will not be allowing anyone in our reception area without an appointment. Masks will be required for entry into the building, as per State of Illinois and Village of Lincolnwood guidelines.
• We will be allowing greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, therefore our appointments will be have more time between procedures to allow for our new engineering changes.
We thank you for your continued trust and confidence and look forward to seeing everyone soon!
Please feel free to contact us either through our website, via email (drsheri@donigerdental.com), via our Facebook page messenger, or simply leave a voice message at (847) 677-1101. If you need us, we will be available to you for telemedicine, via What's App, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Zoom,
Thank you for your understanding and patience during this unprecedented time. We will get through this together! Stay safe, stay healthy!
COVID-19 Update
October 2020 UPDATE: Even though the State of Illinois is in the next phase of reopening, the SARS-CoV-19 virus (coronavirus) has not gone away. We still need to take all the same precautions (wearing a mask, social distancing, hand washing, and following all Illinois Public Health guidelines.
If you have visited one of the hot spots, as designated by Cook Counth and the public health officials, please let us know. You will need to quarantine for two weeks prior to visiting our practice. Thank you for your understanding with this safety measure. We are trying to protect all our patients, as well as our team.
If you experience a fever or chills, sore throat, cough, or difficulty breathing, please contact your primary care healthcare professional.
The CDC has also listed some additonal symptoms to look out for: muscle or body aches, headache, repeat shaking with chills, and a loss of taste or smell.
As of June 27, 2020, the CDC has added additional symptoms: loss of hearing, rash, congestion or runny nose, nausea and diarrhea.
We would like to remind all of our patients that your health and safety are our priority. Please remember to:
--Clean your hands often. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use sanitizer when washing is not accessible.
--Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
--Practice social distancing (6 feet of distance between people). Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
--Maintain six feet physical distance in public spaces.
--Stay home if you are sick and do not return to work until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever without fever-reducing medications.
--Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or in the crook of your arm, and throw away used tissue.
--Use disinfectant wipes or sprays to clean frequently touched surfaces at home and work. The EPA has a new app that will list disinfectents that are effective on the human coronavirus.
Several states are included in a self-quarantine status upon entering Cook County. If you have traveled to any of these states or have been in contact with anyone who traveled from these states, please let us know prior to your appointment.
We care about each of you and hope that you and your family will remain in good health during this difficult time.
Please feel free to contact us either through our website, via email (drsheri@donigerdental.com) via our Facebook page messenger, or simply leave a voice message at (847) 677-1101. If you need us, we will be available to you for teleconferencing, via What's App, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Zoom,
Thank you for your understanding and patience during this unprecedented time.
Please remember for everyone's health and safety:
Please call the office at 847 677 1101 when you arrive for your appointment. We will confirm your arrival, check you in, and will let you know when to come up to the office. Please wait for us to let you know the office is ready for you. We are performing enhanced cleaning procedures in the entire office, and need a few extra minutes to prepare for your arrival. We do not want you waiting in the hall. Also, as per Illinois and Village of Lincolnwood mandate, face coverings are required to enter the building, our office and when you leave the office. Thank you for your cooperation to help keep everyone safe and healthy!
We are safe! We are here for you!
Infection Control has always been our priority!
We have always followed the utmost in infection control for the safety of both you, our patients, and ourselves. We are continually upgrading our infection control procedures to ensure everyone's safety.
Please watch our Facebook page for updates and information about our new infection control systems!
The end of the benefit year is fast approaching!
For those of you who are on dental benefit, the end of your benefit year is upon us. In less than two months, the money set aside for your dental care will be taken away. Once these funds are gone, you will not be able to access 2020 allowance benefits. A new benefit year will start with the basic amount in your plan. Do you have any dental issues you have been waiting on? Now is the perfect time to schedule! Don’t leave your dental dollars behind. Give us a call!
Take a tour of our office!
We have created a virtual tour of the office for those who are interested in joining our practice but COVID may be keeping you away. It is always nice to see where you are going! Check it out on Google Earth!
Take care you you!
Our most important jobs right now are to stay home, stay safe and stay healthy. We are not only protecting ourselves but people around us. With social distancing in full effect, it is more important than ever to practice good oral hygiene and prevent cavities. Remind your family about brushing for two minutes two times a day and flossing once every day. Using an antibacterial mouthwash is also a good precaution.
We have received questions about disinfecting your toothbrush.
Want to disinfect your toothbrush? You can soak it in an antibacterial mouthwash for 30 seconds. For a homemade alternative, mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a cup of water.. Don't forget to change your toothbrush every three months, especially during these times of staying at home.
So honored.........
Our practice has been honored again as one of the Top Dentists in the Chicagoland area for 2020!
Dr. Sheri was honored as the Lincolnwood Madeline Grant Volunteer of the Year for 2020. She has over thirty years of volunteering for the Village and beyond.
Our practice was spotlighted in the Village of Lincolnwood Business Connections Newsletter for the March/April issue (yes, at the begining of the pandemic, but we are still excited to be there!)
No dental benefit? No problem!!!
We have an affordable in-office yearly dental membership plan
Professional quality dental care is a necessity for everyone, although being able to achieve it has not always been within reach, especially for those without dental benefit. Our Dental Priority Platinum solves that problem! We have a variety of plans, starting with two preventive visits a year, inclucing oral examinations, four bitewing radiographs, or full mouth radiograph as necessary, and two fluoride varnish treatments, all at a 25% savings to you and your family. Major and cosmetic dental treatments are 18% off, with no deductible or annual maximum. Each family member has different needs, so we offer different plans. We are unable to combine these plans if you have a current dental benefit..