Getting married soon? Smile bright with Gilleran & Van Fossen DDS!

It’s winter here in Chicago, and it’s cold. But, believe it or not, there is a growing trend of brides choosing to tie the knot in the winter wonderland. If you are gearing up for a wedding this winter, consider matching that white dress to a perfectly white smile!

At Gilleran & Van Fossen DDS, we offer in-office tooth whitening for the bride, the groom, or the entire wedding party! You get the girls together to get their nails done, and now you can get them together to get their teeth done!

In-office whitening is the quickest, most effective way to achieve whiter teeth. Because we are dental professionals, we have the expertise to use higher percentages of whitening agents than the at-home systems allow. So you can get a brighter white, usually in just one visit! In fact, we proudly offer ZOOM!® Smile Whitening, which brightens and whitens your teeth in just 45 minutes.

Give us a ring at our convenient office in Chicago's Loop and let us add some extra sparkle to your “I do”!

Tell us your story! What made you choose Gilleran & Van Fossen DDS?

If you've ever visited our convenient office located in Chicago's Loop, you know we offer professional individualized dental care to make your smile beautiful and healthy. Dr. Gilleran and Dr. Van Fossen, along with our personable staff, are committed to providing a clean and comfortable atmosphere for up-to-date preventive, restorative and cosmetic dental care.

Whether you’ve just come in once for a cleaning or your family has been visiting us for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review on our Google Places page or on our Yelp listing.

We look forward to reading your feedback!

Are those rumors about swallowing bubble gum true?

Good question. At Gilleran and Van Fossen Dentistry, we know the rumors going around that once you swallow a piece of chewing gum it will 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!

Give us a call at our convenient Chicago Loop office if you have any questions!

Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing!

The importance of flossing, from Drs. Gilleran & Van Fossen

At the office of Drs. Gilleran & Van Fossen, we hope you're not a part of the 51 percent of Americans who don’t floss daily. Or worse, we hope you're not part of the 10 percent who never floss at all. Dr. Gilleran and our staff will always tell you that proper flossing is just as important for your dental health as brushing regularly. Flossing cleans food and plaque that build up between teeth and below the gumline, key areas that brushing alone simply cannot reach.

Flossing 3-to-5 minutes everyday is recommended, but even 60 seconds of flossing has a great benefit over not flossing at all. Also, make sure to always brush your teeth after you floss, and to rinse with water or mouthwash. When you begin flossing you may experience gum pain or bleeding, but with daily flossing and brushing this should stop within a week or so.

On a side note, has it been at least six months since your last checkup at our Chicago Loop office? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to schedule an appointment by calling (312) 368-8771.

Happy New Year!