Elmbrook Family Dental Blog

How much toothpaste is too much?

September 14, 2012

Filed under: News — elmbrookfamilydental @ 9:54 am

How much toothpaste do you use on your brush every day? If you take a moment to read the instructions on the tube you have in your bathroom, you will notice it says: “use a pea size amount”. Truth be told, when searching for an image for this article, we could not even find a picture with a pea size amount of paste on a brush!

So, why only a little paste? In order for the fluoride to be effective, you just don’t NEED more than this amount. A pea size contains an appropriate amount of fluoride in order to fight tooth decay, so why waste? Another reason is that it becomes difficult to rinse your bristles completely clean if there is paste gunking it up. Left over paste can hibernate nasty oral bacteria that you just spent two minutes removing from your mouth. Do you really want to put that back in your mouth next time you brush?

Next time you squeeze that tube, stop at a pea size. That’s all you need!paste

Don’t Eat In Bed!

August 22, 2012

Filed under: Health Matters — elmbrookfamilydental @ 11:13 am

Do you ever bring food to bed, or get up and eat late at night and go to sleep without brushing your teeth? I will admit that I am guilty of this. So, today I am writing this post because it’s something that I personally struggle with and need to fix, not only for weight reasons but also teeth reasons!

Image courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Did you know nighttime is the worst time of day to skip brushing and flossing? I mean, think about it, you’re about to close your eyes and your mouth for (hopefully) 8 hours. Just imagine the party all the leftover food particles and bacteria are having in there at night! At least during the day they get flushed out constantly while drinking water (because you should be drinking water!) If you’re only going to brush your teeth once a day (of course we recommend twice!) nighttime is definitely the best option. But isn’t it frustrating to brush your teeth, go to sleep with a minty fresh mouth, and then still wake up with breath that could scare a dragon away? There you go, there’s the reason for the second brushing in the morning. Or the first. Or whichever.

Still. Let’s talk about that nighttime snacking. This is going to sound funny – but did you know there is actually a diagnosis for constant nighttime binge eating? It’s called “Night Eating Syndrome” and I think I might suffer from it myself. Take a look at the symptoms:

People who suffer from night eating syndrome generally:

  • Skip breakfast, and go several hours after waking before their first meal.
  • Consume at least 25% of their calories after dinner. (Many sources would list this as after 9 or 10 pm; dessert is generally not included, if one is eaten.)
  • Late-night binges almost always consist of consuming carbohydrates. However, this eating is typically spread over several hours, which is not consistent with a typical eating binge as evidenced by other eating disorders. Episodes of late-night binge-eating can be repeated throughout the night, with many separate visits to the fridge or cupboard.
  • Suffer from depression or anxiety, often in connection with their eating habits.
  • These night eating episodes typically bring guilt rather than hedonistic enjoyment.
  • Have trouble sleeping in general; see insomnia.
  • Are more likely than the general public to sleepwalk.

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_eating_syndrome)

Livestrong.com has an article with some suggestions on how to stop NES.

Step 1

Eat breakfast and consume all daily calories 3 hours before bedtime. Often, people with Night Eating Syndrome do not eat enough food during the beginning of the day because they are not hungry after a night of bingeing. The guilt that is felt from overeating at night can cause an NES sufferer to avoid calories throughout the day. After dinner, you are left feeling ravenous and the cycle repeats itself. Break the cycle by consuming adequate calories throughout the day and avoid skipping a hearty breakfast.

Step 2

Increase melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that melatonin levels are lower in people with NES. A full stomach makes it easier to fall asleep, so those who do not naturally have enough melatonin to help them easily drift to sleep rely on food. Melatonin supplements can be taken to boost levels. Exposure to sunlight for at least 20 minutes a day leads to increased melatonin production.

Step 3

Learn how to manage stress. Night Eating Syndrome is associated with stress. The higher the level of stress experienced by someone who is prone to NES, the worse the syndrome can get. Talk to a therapist about stressors in your life and implement a healthy lifestyle to reduce stress levels.

Step 4

See a psychiatrist to get evaluated for depression. Night eating syndrome is often triggered by or related to depression, according to Jennifer D. Lundgren, PhD of the Penn Department of Psychiatry. NES can sometimes be treated with anti-depression medications, such as Zoloft.

Step 5

Visit an eating disorder specialist. If you cannot stop night eating syndrome, see an eating disorder specialist to help you determine the steps needed to overcome this disorder and form a healthy relationship with food. Prolonged and severe NES can lead to morbid obesity, which is a life-threatening condition

 

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/30713-stop-night-eating-syndrome/

I am a breakfast skipper. I usually only eat enough to hold me over until lunch. I know it’s not good, but I am afraid to consume a filling breakfast because I feel as though eating breakfast (and thus consuming morning calories) will just add excess calories on to my daily tally because I think I will STILL binge eat at night. However, I’m willing to give the steps a try. I fear for my waist line and my teeth. I’m willing to bet that NES not only leads to obesity but also gross caries of the teeth. I have heard before that brushing your teeth with minty toothpaste can cut down on binge eating too, so I’m going to try to implement a rule to not eat after I brush my teeth.

Anyone with me?

Mouth Sanitizer, What?

August 10, 2012

Filed under: Contests,Health Matters — Tags: , , , , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 10:47 am

Last weekend I attended a blogging conference in New York City, called BlogHer. Networking alongside 4,999 other bloggers I was truly among my people. At the conference, lots of big name companies bring their products to show off and hand out to us bloggers so that we can try them out and tell our loyal readers all about them. One of the companies that was there had a product that I thought would be really good to write about here on our dental blog.

step-two

Oasis Consumer Healthcare already makes a product that we here in the dental world use and recommend to our patients, but they just came out with something new. The product is Halo Oral Antiseptic. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? I thought so too, but I listened to and watched their demo and now I am excited to give it a try myself.

The idea behind Halo Oral Antiseptic is that it is a preventative measure to help stop the spread of sickness from infectious airborne diseases. Here is what Halo has to say about their product and its testing:

“Halo™ is the first scientifically and clinically proven product to kill the airborne germs you breathe in. How can we say that? Because Halo went through rigorous scientific testing and clinical trials at Case Western Medical Center, ranked one of the 2012 Top 25 Medical Research Centers by U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT.”

grape-largeHalo Oral Antiseptic comes in 3 flavors… citrus, berry, and grape for children. One of the things that the Halo representative told me that is really sticking with me is its preventative use in daycare settings. He said that some moms spray it in their children’s mouth when they drop them off at daycare to help stop the spread of sicknesses that so easily pass from child to child. Since the product lasts for 6 hours, the coverage time takes care of most of the day! My kids are only in a day care setting 2 days a week and because each bottle has 35 doses, it will last me quite a while.

Does it really work: Check out this link for a video of it’s germ fighting power and see for yourself.

The question you might be asking now is, is it safe?

“The active ingredient is cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), an antiseptic that is well-known to kill bacteria and other microorganisms. CPC is completely safe and has been used commercially for years. In fact, it’s one of the most common ingredients used in over-the-counter products, and can be found in products ranging from liquids to lotions.”

Now for the exciting part… Halo gave me an extra bottle of their Oral Antiseptic to give away to one lucky reader! All you have to do is complete the mandatory entry on the Rafflecopter form below and you can earn additional entries by doing more things listed on the form.

Halo Oral Antiseptic retails for $12.99 per 35 dose bottle. You can buy your own bottle of Halo Oral Antiseptic at these places:

Smile! It’s good for your health!

August 1, 2012

Filed under: Health Matters — elmbrookfamilydental @ 11:33 am

Don’t be a crab. Why are crabs so crabby all the time? Just smile!

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My beautiful niece, Mya

My 10 month old son, Gavin has a onesie that says “Don’t Bother Me, I’m Crabby!” with a picture of a crab. It’s funny because he’s usually smiling, but when he’s complaining, the shirt fits him perfectly. How many other people should be wearing a shirt like this on a day-to-day basis? You just never know when they will strike. The gas station. The museum. Look around, there are scorning people everywhere. Why are they so unhappy? Maybe they don’t feel good…and that very well could be because they are never smiling!

According to recent research, smiling is good for your health. Not only does it help relieve stress, but it’s actually good for your heart, too! People who were instructed to smile during this study had overall lower heart rates and also reported positive feelings during stressful tasks. You can read more about the study here.

If you need more reasons to smile, just take into consideration the people around you. Have you noticed that one bad mood in a room drags everyone else down? Don’t be the person everyone wants to avoid. Light up the room with your smile! I, for one, am tired of crabby people. Grin and bear it, just like the study suggests. You will feel better and so will those around you.

We here at Elmbrook Family Dental can help you maintain your beautiful smile. Are you on track with your dental cleanings? Call our office today at 262-784-7201 to schedule an appointment.

How To Stop a Pacifier Habit

July 13, 2012

Filed under: News — Tags: , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 8:30 am

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I know you are probably thinking, “Do you seriously think you’re going to get this pacifier away from my child?” I know at one point, I was thinking this. I mean really. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends pacifier use cessation by 6 months of age. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Anyone who has had a baby use a pacifier can surely attest how difficult it would be to just take away a pacifier from a 6 month old. Even if your baby is not sleeping through the night by then (and neither of mine were), who wants to deal with the added difficulties in putting their child to bed without something that they’ve grown accustomed to using as a comfort device to fall asleep?

Don’t get me wrong, I tried to take the pacifier away from my first son at 6 months. I tried. He won. And it’s not really that my reasoning ability was not good, or that he was the “boss” of me, it’s just that… he wasn’t sleeping through the night yet and I was tired and I quickly grew weary of the additional wakeups combined with longer-than-usual coaxing back to sleep. So I gave it back after 2 nights. Thankfully, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has a different recommendation, that pacifier use be discontinued by age 3 to prevent changes in dental occlusion.

So, fast forward 17 months later. It was about a month before his 2nd birthday. He had recently started to fight our bedtime routine. I was on my 3rd round of going in and fetching his pacifier from behind his bed when I finally decided “enough is enough.” I strolled into his room, flipped on the lights, and excitedly explained to him that there was an ambulance here with the “Binky Fairies” who were here to take all of the pacifiers to the hospital for the new babies who needed them. I’m thankful for these 3 things that helped this method: #1 that he had a baby brother born when he was 16 months old so he knew that babies used pacifiers, #2 that his 2nd birthday was coming soon and he was going to be a “big boy” and no longer a baby and #3, that he didn’t ask to look outside and see the ambulance. I grabbed a bucket and started searching his room for all the pacifiers. I placed them all in the bucket, told him “I’ll be right back!”, left his bedroom, stashed them in my bathroom, and came back. He just sat there, stunned. We talked for a few minutes about the pacifier fairies and the babies, and about why they needed them and he didn’t. There were very few tears. He had a little bit of trouble going to sleep that night but he fell asleep nonetheless. He asked for his pacifiers for a few nights but eventually forgot about them. And thus, the pacifier habit was broken.

Now, I’m not saying that I know this method would work for everyone but I thought I’d share it because it worked for us and we are still pacifier free. I think the key to this is to do it when they are old enough to understand, yet still gullible enough to believe such a fantasy story, and he was.

Of course the best way to prevent having to take the pacifier away is to not use one in the first place…but for me, they were a lifesaver. As a nursing mom, pacifiers allowed me to still have the freedom to get things done without having a baby attached to me all day long. Plus, I am a huge worrier and pacifiers are said to decrease the risk of SIDS by keeping babies’ airways open. So yes, I am a huge pacifier proponent.

A couple of other pacifier “rules” that we implemented from the very beginning might have helped too. Pacifiers were pretty much used for naps and bedtime only. There was always one in the diaper bag for emergencies and sometimes they were used on car rides, but during play time and most of the day there are no pacifiers around. My 9 month old, Gavin, now uses a pacifier this same way. Naps and bedtime. Occasionally during sleepy times if we are out to eat too late at night just to keep him calm. As he gets older we will ask him to leave his pacifier in his bed upon waking, just like we did with his brother Quinn.

I hope this helps at least someone!

Pale is the new Tan

July 6, 2012

Filed under: Health Matters — Tags: , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 8:00 am

I want to talk about a very serious issue today.  I’m writing this post before I leave for my vacation and scheduling it to be posted while I’m gone. It’s likely at the moment this blog post is published, I’ll be sitting on the beach in Ocean City, MD. When I was a teenager, I loved the sun. I have always thought that being tan equates with being beautiful and so my sunscreen application has always been minimal so that my tanning was maximal. Unfortunately being a very fair skinned blonde girl, this meant I suffered a lot of sunburns. This is not good. Did you know that one bad sunburn before the age of 18 doubles the chance of developing melanoma?

Warning: this video may make you cry.

Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer in the United States and worldwide. According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, “Melanoma primarily affects individuals in the prime years of life, is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.” In fact, I recently lost a friend to melanoma. He was only 33. If you read the link, you’ll see that he took all of the normal steps and precautions anyone would after having an abnormal mole removed. Except some people don’t even get them checked out. Here is some info from the Melanoma Research Foundation about melanoma detection and screening:

Carefully examine your skin once a month. If you notice any changes, consult a dermatologist right away. If melanoma runs in your family, make sure all of your family members are checked regularly by a dermatologist once or twice a year. Protect yourself from UV radiation by practicing safe sun habits:

  • Avoid the sun during the peak hours (generally 10AM – 4PM)
  • Use sunscreen daily. Sunscreen should contain elements which block both UVA and UVB rays and should have an SPF of at least 30. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and after sweating or swimming. Do not use a sunscreen to spend more time in the sun.
  • Wear protective clothing if you are going to be exposed to a lot of sun (or you are particularly sun sensitive). Wear a wide brimmed hat, long sleeved shirts/pants, and sunglasses.
  • Avoid tanning salons. Exposure to tanning salons increases your risk of melanoma.

If the risk of cancer isn’t enough to keep you out of the damaging effects of the sun, how about beauty?

The New England Journal of Medicine recently posted about a man who developed unilateral dermatoheliosis, or thickening and wrinkling of the skin on one side of his face. This man was a truck driver who spent many years of his life with one side facing the sun. See the damage for yourself:

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I don’t know about you – but that’s enough for me to put a hat on the next time I sit in the sun!

So, while you’re out enjoying the beautiful summer weather, I encourage you to wear sunscreen, hats, sit in the shade, and do whatever else you can to avoid sun exposure.

Pale IS the new tan. Pale is beautiful. This is my new mantra. While I’m sitting at the beach next week under the umbrella slathered with sunscreen, I’ll be daydreaming about how my youthful looks will last well into my older years because of the extra steps I am taking to protect my skin.

Red, White Teeth, and Blue

June 29, 2012

Filed under: Dental Matters — Tags: , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 9:32 am
freedigitalphotos.net

freedigitalphotos.net

Want a smile that shines brighter than the fireworks on the 4th of July? Then you need Britesmile In-Office Teeth Whitening! We offer Britesmile here at our Brookfield office and the results are nothing short of amazing. Have you ever wondered just how a teeth whitening procedure goes? Allow me to tell you!

If this will be your first visit at our office, we will have you fill out a couple of forms including a short health history. Once they are completed and entered into the computer, a dental assistant will come up and bring you back to the room in which you will be having the procedure done.

If you have not recently had a dental exam done at our office, the dentist will come in and make sure there is nothing that will interfere with the whitening procedure. Once the assistant is given the go-ahead, the procedure will start.

She will begin by placing a protective barrier that covers your lips and a rubbery, light cured material that protects your gums. Once everything is properly covered, the whitening gel will be brushed onto the teeth. The gel is stronger than any gel that you can buy in the store, and is only to be used under the supervision of a dental professional. The gel is boosted by a bright blue light that will be placed directly over your mouth in 20 minute increments. There will be 3 sessions like this, and between each the gel will be removed and new gel will be placed. At the end of the 3rd session there is an option for a bonus session.

Once the whitening procedure has been completed, the final round of gel will be removed and a fluoride relief gel is placed on the teeth. After that, all of the protective material is removed and you are good to go!

We also offer a special discount on home whitening trays at this time and will be glad to take the impressions for them at the end of your in office whitening appointment.

A big question everyone wants to know is – does teeth whitening hurt? The answer is that the results are individualized. Some patients have the procedure done and experience very little to no post-op sensitivity while some report high levels of post whitening sensitivity. The good news is that if you are one of the latter that experiences pain, it will be gone by the next day and your teeth will still be very white. We suggest taking ibuprofen before the procedure begins and after as needed for sensitivity.

We recently filmed a video of our very own Dr. Emily having Britesmile done,  so look for that in the near future!

How To Brush Your Teeth: A Refresher Course

June 15, 2012

Filed under: Dental Matters — elmbrookfamilydental @ 9:40 am

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How To Brush Your Teeth: A Refresher Course. No pun intended. (Get it? Refresher? Fresh breath? Ok, some of my jokes are pretty lame, I know)

Let’s go back to basics here. I’m sure you’ve been brushing your teeth for a long time, and you know what you’re doing. Or maybe you just think you know. But I’m willing to bet that a majority of people don’t brush their teeth in the most effective way. Why? Because if we all brushed properly, we’d probably see far fewer cavities in our office. Just imagine: You’d be able to walk the streets and not smell someone else’s halitosis. Food stuck in teeth would be a very rare sight. Everyone would have all of their teeth. Or at least, most of them.

So, let’s discuss the Do’s and Don’t’s of tooth brushing, shall we?

1. Do use a clean toothbrush. Toothbrushes are filled with germs and the bristles wear out. You’ll leave our office every 6 months with a brand new brush, but try to replace that one in between your visits as well. The ADA recommends that you replace your toothbrush every 3 months. If you get sick, that’s another great time to replace it.

2. Don’t skimp on brushing time. Dentists recommend that you brush for 2 minutes. Set a timer, play a short song, or if you have a fancy electronic toothbrush, they usually have a built-in timer. We sell a great one, Sonicare, here in the office that times your brushing. Personally, I spend 30 seconds in each “quadrant” of my mouth and then move on. Then I do a little dance when I’m done. Hey, it’s the little things, right?

3. Don’t brush too hard. Our office dispenses soft bristled toothbrushes. That’s what you should be using, always. We aren’t even sure why the drugstore sells “hard” bristled toothbrushes. Maybe to clean toilets? In fact, one of our employee’s former dentist used to say “the only thing hard bristled toothbrushes are good for is cleaning your kitchen floor.” Hard brushing isn’t good for teeth or gums, period. It can cause recession and it can wear down the enamel on your teeth. For some reason I am remembering a commercial from the 90s where someone brushes a tomato with a toothbrush. You should be brushing gently enough so that you don’t break the skin on the tomato. Give it a try. If you’re brushing for 2 minutes like recommended, you shouldn’t need to brush “hard” anyway.

4. Do brush in a circular motion. Teeth have a lot of different crevices, and brushing strictly back and forth doesn’t do them justice. Hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and brush in small circles. This helps the bristles get slightly below the gum line and removes bacteria and food particles.

5. Don’t skip the insides. The inside of your teeth need a lot of attention too, so make sure you give it to them. If you spend 30 seconds per quadrant like I do, then you should spend 15 on the outside and 15 on the inside. It might start to feel redundant but I promise, as soon as you rinse your mouth out your teeth will feel cleaner than they have in months.

6. Do brush your tongue. Tongues usually have a lot of plaque on them, and plaque causes bad breath. Brushing or scraping your tongue with a tongue scraper does a world of wonders for your overall oral health – and smell.

7. Don’t brush too often, but Do brush at least twice a day! Most people brush too infrequently – one time a day or less (can you believe that? Gross!) but some people go overboard and brush after every time they eat. There is a balance here. Dentists recommend brushing at least twice a day, no more than three times. Too little brushing doesn’t adequately clean teeth while too much brushing can wear down enamel and cause gum recession.

8. DO FLOSS! Dentists aren’t trying to nag you or drive you crazy when they tell you to floss. It’s true! Flossing is essential for overall oral health. In fact, if everyone did this one little thing every day, I venture to guess that dentists would be out of a job. If you haven’t flossed in a while or don’t floss often and see red when you do, don’t panic. Bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation and they will get better over time – as long as you continue to floss. The inflammation is NOT from flossing, the inflammation is from bacteria left behind from NOT flossing. So just do it, ok?

If you follow these recommendations, your teeth will be sparkling in no time. Your breath will be fresh and your friends will thank you.

If you need any more tooth brushing advice or want an in-person refresher course, call our Brookfield Wisconsin office today at 262-784-7201 to set up an appointment.

After Hours Dental Emergency?

June 6, 2012

Filed under: Dental Matters — Tags: , , , , , , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 3:31 pm
Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Picture this: It’s Friday night, you’re getting ready for a night on the town. You’re hungry so you decide to have a little snack…and all the sudden CRUNCH! That didn’t feel like a peanut! Your tongue starts to explore… there it is! Your molar broke. Maybe you’re in pain, maybe you aren’t…but one thing is for sure, you want this taken care of soon, BEFORE it starts hurting!

Or maybe this: It’s almost Christmas. You’ve still got a lot of shopping to do! You have a tooth that has been giving you grief on and off but nothing that makes you feel like an urgent care to your dentist is in order. So you ignore it, and figure you’ll call when the holiday is over. Christmas day: you wake up and your mouth is throbbing. Lightning bolts are shooting through your jaw and you don’t even want to open your presents! Is it too late?

How about this one: It’s three days before your wedding and you’re in a hurry to get the last minute details together. Your mind is elsewhere and your feet have a mind of their own. You fall and your worst nightmare comes true: you just broke your front tooth. What are you going to do with only 3 days until the wedding!?

Believe it or not, these are all real, true dental emergencies that we have treated at our Brookfield dental office. Our patients know and trust that they can call upon us at any hour of the day or night and we will deliver. New patients have commended us on our quick response and attention to detail when it comes to treating their emergencies. The bottom line is: we are here to help you.

If you find yourself in a dental disaster situation, please do not hesitate to call our office no matter what time of the day or week it is. If we are not in the office, you will find the number of our on-call dentist on our answering machine.

From Milwaukee to Waukesha and everything in between: we are here to help you! Call us today at 262-784-7201.

To Pierce or Not to Pierce?

May 23, 2012

Filed under: Health Matters — Tags: , , , , , , , , — elmbrookfamilydental @ 11:10 am

Tongue. Labret. Monroe. Marilyn. Lip. Cheek. No matter where you stick it, facial piercings that involve the inside of the mouth are not good for teeth or overall oral health. It’s not just something that your dentist says because they don’t approve of your “looks”. That’s not it at all. The fact is that dentists treat problems associated from facial piercings every day…problems that could be avoided. Teeth are lost that are otherwise healthy, simply because of the impact of the piercing itself.

Tongue piercings are known to chip and break teeth. During normal talking the barbell can hit your teeth and over time weaken the enamel to the point of the tooth breaking. When eating, sometimes tongue rings get bit, which can cause molars to break. Tongue piercings can get infected, cause nerve damage, loss of taste, permanent numbness…the list goes on. Is it worth it?

Labret piercings, which is a piercing below your lower lip, are known to cause gum recession. Gum recession leads to loose teeth. Loose teeth lead to lost teeth. Permanent teeth. Is it worth it?

Monroe and Marilyn style piercings, which are through the upper area of the mouth (where a beauty mark would be) do the same. Gum recession-> loose teeth-> lost teeth. Your pretty piercing becomes your gap toothed smile. Is it worth it?

Lip rings are no different. Chipped teeth, gum recession. It’s all the same.

Tooth extractions are not always simple procedures, and the subsequent work needed to replace missing teeth can become quite costly. Eventually, your $50 oral piercing (which is the average cost) will become your $3000 problem. Is it really worth it?

Talk to us before you decide to have an oral piercing done. Call our Brookfield office today at 262-784-7201.

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