This is the first post in a 6 week series of posts about pregnancy, babies, children and oral health. Since I am currently 32 weeks pregnant with my second baby, I thought it’d be a good time to spread some dental awareness to our patients and our mommy friends! I’ll be posting on a new topic relating to the subject every Friday. Please come back!
Pregnancy & Oral Health
Congratulations! You’re pregnant! If you’ve never given your teeth a second thought, now of all times is the time to do it! With all of the changes going on in your body, your teeth and gums can be affected. Good dental hygiene during pregnancy is of the utmost importance.
You might find that along with all of the nausea, heartburn and other joys of pregnancy, your gums are also getting quite red and inflamed, maybe even bleeding a bit. This is a condition known as “pregnancy gingivitis” and it can appear as early as the first trimester. According to the ADA, “An increase in hormones exaggerates the way gum tissues react to irritants in plaque. But it is the plaque, not hormone levels, that is the major cause of gum disease.” What that means is taking care of your teeth and gums during pregnancy and being sure to remove all plaque from the surfaces and in between the teeth will help this condition immensely. You should continue to brush your teeth two times a day and also floss once a day. Flossing is so important! The areas between the teeth where most bacteria reside can not be reached with toothbrush bristles. If this bacteria isn’t removed, it can irritate the gums further and eventually break down the enamel in the teeth and cause cavities.
Teeth aren’t the only area that plaque likes. They only account for 25% of the surface of your mouth. It’s also important to keep your tongue clean by brushing it or using a tongue scraper (I know it’s hard mama, anything in your mouth can make you gag but you can do it! Your breath will thank you!) and using an antiseptic mouth rinse.
If you aren’t already making regular dental visits, CALL NOW and make an appointment with your general dentist. A thorough dental cleaning by a dental hygienist will help keep plaque and tarter at bay.
Now let’s talk about that adorable little baby you are growing inside of you. Did you know that what you eat during pregnancy not only helps shape the future health of your unborn child, but you as well? It’s important to get all of the right vitamins and nutrients during pregnancy, especially calcium, vitamins B, C, and D, protein, and phosphorous. The baby’s teeth begin developing between the third and sixth month of pregnancy. That doesn’t mean that your baby will be born with teeth (although it has happened!), it means that they are already forming under their gums. The calcium that your baby needs for his developing teeth is provided by what you eat, and if there is not an adequate amount of calcium in your diet, your body will use the stores in your own bones to provide this mineral. So, you can see why it is incredibly important to take that prenatal vitamin or eat those calcium rich foods, not only for your baby but for you as well!
I often get questions from my pregnant friends about whether or not dental work can be done during pregnancy. Ultimately the decision is between your dentist and your obstetrician. If you provide your doctor’s information to your dentist, they can consult about what is acceptable for your dental treatment. Usually there is no problem and there are alternate forms of pain management that can be used during pregnancy.
If you have any questions about dental health and pregnancy, please don’t hesitate to call us or your general dentist and ask! We are glad to help.
August 4, 2011
Did you know that if you are missing certain nutrients or vitamins in your diet that it may present as an abnormality in your mouth? A lack of the fat soluble vitamin A can lead to impaired tooth formation. Deficiency of the B vitamins may appear as an inflamed and reddened tongue called
glossitis. Glossitis is not only unsightly, but can also cause soreness and pain of your tongue.
Maintaining a balanced diet is important to supporting the overall health of your body and your mouth. Visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ for the recently updated daily food recommendations.
July 28, 2011
Recent studies are showing a correlation between premature birth and gum disease. Up to 12% of births in the United States are premature. Although many things may contribute to premature births, it is important to be aware of the factors that are within your control. Gum disease can be prevented, controlled and monitored by maintaining a regular schedule of dental care with your hygienist. The best time during a pregnancy to receive dental care is during the second trimester. Before you put your oral care on hold, consider the risks. Schedule your cleaning and exam with your friendly staff at Elmbrook Family Dental Partners if you are considering pregnancy or during your second trimester.
Visit the ADHA website for more details: http://adha.org/oralhealth/premature_birth.htm
June 6, 2011
Did you know that every time you go to the dentist, we check your head, face and mouth for abnormalities and skin cancer? As professionals, we take our time to observe and document moles or birthmarks. We have been trained to identify lesions that appear suspicious so we may refer our patients out for further care if necessary.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It is important to protect yourself and your loved ones from sun exposure. The CDC recommends protecting your skin by covering up with clothing and wearing hats. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect exposed skin. Check your skin often and if you see a lesion that is asymmetrical, has irregular borders or an inconsistent color, it is time to consult your physician. Many skin cancers are highly treatable if they are caught in time. Ask your Hygienist or Dentist at your next visit for more information.
June 1, 2011
On Saturday, June 4th, the Hebron House of Hospitality will be hosting a 5K walk to raise money for their organization. Since 1982, the Hebron House has been providing woman in need with a safe place to go in emergency situations. Expanding their services over the years, they now provide rental assistance, housing and transitional living for those recovering from addictions or with mental illness.
With homelessness being a real local issue, it is important that we recognize the needs of our community and support a good cause. For a registration fee of $25.00 for adults or $5 for children, you will receive a t-shirt and enjoy a cook out for the whole family. Visit the web site to pre-register, or you can arrive early to register the same day. Auction items will be available for bidding. We hope to see many of you there to support a good cause!
The walk begins at Wisconsin Memorial Park
13235 W. Capitol Drive.
Brookfield, WI 53005
Registration begins at 9am. The walk will begin at 10:30am.
www.hebronhouse.org
April 25, 2011
Major league baseball players are known to commonly chew tobacco products during practice and games. With 75% of oral cancers being caused by the use of smokeless tobacco, the ADA is encouraging major league stadiums to go tobacco free in the year 2012.
Although minor leagues have banned chewing tobacco since 1993, a reported 30% of major league players still chew. The first steps to decreasing the mortality rate to oral cancer is education. Through the efforts of the ADA, health care professionals hope to bring awareness to major league baseball players.
Visit our sources for more information:
http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/factsheets/oc_facts.htm
April 6, 2011
We held our 2nd Annual NCAA competition this year and it was a hit! After almost a month of nail biting basketball games, UCONN took home the championship. Our three winners are listed below. Watch for a news letter next year at this time on how you can participate!
1st place- custom whitening: Jim K.
2nd place-Sonicare: Jim P.
3rd place-Jose’s Blue Sombrero: Meaghan C.
January 26, 2011
Dr Brunner and his wife Lauren hosted the office holiday party this season in their home. Because nothing is boring with our staff, we themed the party as “Ugly Sweater”. All of the staff and their spouses set out to find the ugliest sweaters possible to compete in a competition with each other. John S. gained the most votes and won with his “ugly” neon green and pink sweater.
We enjoyed a tapas style menu with delicious fresh made food. Each dish was paired with wine and served every 30 min. The food was provided and catered by Chef Britta Kramer who focuses on healthy specialty foods with no preservatives. We enjoyed everything from crab cakes and lamb to chocolate torte!
The whole staff enjoyed everything so much. We can’t wait to see how we will celebrate next year!
Check out Britta Kramers’ page for details on her services: http://privatepalate.com/
Check out our facebook page to become a fan and view more photos: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Elmbrook-Family-Dental/49037228118
December 30, 2010
We have to give a shout out to all of our wonderful staff, patients and building partners for their 
donations to the Hunger Task Force food drive. We collected over 600lbs of food to donate to families in need. Thank you so much for all of your help and support. Those who donated were entered to win a gift basket. Ann was drawn as our winner on December 1st.
Congratulations to Mindy and her new husband Cory who were married on December 5th. The ceremony and reception were beautiful. One of the staffs’ favorite highlights was a photo booth available for all of the guests to take pictures. Silly hats and glasses included! They celebrated their honeymoon in the Turks and Caicos enjoying warm weather and sandy beaches. 
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This blog post is going to concentrate on babies from birth until early childhood, before adult teeth begin erupting.