If you have noticed that your gums bleed when you brush and floss, you may be worried about your oral health — and with good reason. It’s not time to panic, but you should learn why gums bleed and what it means for the state of your smile. Making small changes now can prevent bleeding gums from progressing into a more serious issue later on. Keep reading to learn more on the subject from your dentist near Pewaukee.

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Broken teeth can happen to anyone, at any time. Whether the break or fracture occurs during a Sunday afternoon football game or over dinner on Tuesday night, any kind of dental injury can be frightening and leave you not knowing what to do next. Your emergency dentist in Brookfield wants to help you be prepared for the unexpected. Keep reading to find out what to do after a broken or fractured tooth!

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Are you one of those patients who only floss the night before their dental appointment and maybe the morning of? Does your stomach do a few flips when your New Berlin dentist asks how often you floss? We hope not (Yes, we can tell the difference between a diligent brusher and someone who brushes and flosses)! The teeth and gums don’t lie. If you’re one of the many patients that need to improve their dental regimen at home, this post is for you!

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If you’ve been doing your research about whitening your smile, you’ve probably come across hydrogen peroxide a few times so far. It’s true, hydrogen peroxide has long been used as a bleaching agent. Believe it or not, your dentist in Pewaukee recommends brushing your teeth with hydrogen peroxide toothpaste to rid mild stains on your teeth. Let’s take a look at why hydrogen peroxide might be the next best thing for your smile beside professional teeth whitening.

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Many of us are guilty of using a heavy hand while we brush our teeth, but did you know that brushing too hard can actually damage your teeth and gums over time? A common result of hard brushing is gum recession. When you use heavy pressure, your gums actually wear away over time and begin to expose your root surfaces. In a healthy mouth, the part of the tooth that is visible above the gum line is covered in enamel. Enamel is the hardest structure in our body being 97% mineralized, making it even harder than bone! In a person who has recession, the gum has receded away from the enamel and is now exposing the root surface. That root is covered with something called cementum which is only approximately 40% mineralized. So what does this mean? This means that over time, if you continue to “scrub” your teeth a little too aggressively, you can actually start to scrub away that softer root surface and cause increasingly deep wear spots called abfractions. Having recession can cause cold sensitivity and and increased chance of decay. Having an abrfaction can cause food to get stuck in these spaces, cold sensitivity, decay and a darkened appearance. Abfractions can often be repaired with a simple tooth colored filling, but in severe cases a crown may need to be placed or even gum surgery may be necessary to cover the area.

So, how do you know if you’re brushing too hard? Take a look at the bristles of your own tooth brush after having it for about 2-3 months. Do the bristles look new and still straight up and down? Or, do they look smushed and splayed out to the sides (like pictured above). This significant wear on your tooth brush is a good indication that you’re using too much pressure. Always use a soft or an extra soft tooth brush unless you’re cleaning your bathroom tiles! Replace your brush every 3 months. If you just can’t get used to brushing with a gentle hand, consider investing in an electric tooth brush. They do all of the work for you and are nice and gentle on your gums. We love the Sonicare brand which gives amazing results!

If you have recession, or if your brush looks like the one pictured above, let us know at your next visit. Your friendly Elmbrook Family Dental clinical staff would be happy to help you change your habits and keep a beautiful, healthy smile!

Dr Taibl and his wife welcomed their second child into the world in mid March. Beckham William was born weighing 8lbs 2oz and was 20.5 inches long. He is a relaxed baby with a great appetite! Congratulations Dr Taibl. He is such a beautiful baby!

Throughout the years, you’ve certainly had a lot to smile about – from getting married, to watching your children grow into successful adults with kids of their own, to retiring, you’ve always had a reason to beam. And as you get older, you want to make sure you maintain your healthy smile. But how does the aging process affect your teeth? The team at Elmbrook Family Dental understand your question and are here to help. Follow these tips from your premier Pewaukee dentist for a golden smile in your golden years.

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One of the main goals of any dental practice is to distinguish themselves. When they do it correctly, their special service is often recognized, which is why Elmbrook Family Dental was recently voted the Best Dental Office of Greater Milwaukee 2016 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. What made your Brookfield dentist stand out from the rest? (more…)

Thank you so much to all of our wonderful patients who participated in our 8th annual March Madness contest. We always have such a fun time with the NCAA tournaments. Below are the top 4 winners and the prizes they received:

1st: Yunge M.                          $150 Bartolotta gift card

2nd: Chuck S.                         Custom whitening trays

3rd: Jenny O.                          4 movie tickets and snack passes

4th: Joy B.                               $25 Blackfin gift card

Over the last few years, electronic cigarettes have really become a trend. Many use it as an alternative to smoking regular tobacco cigarettes with the thought that they are not as damaging to your lungs and body. Others use the E-cigs as a transition to cut down on nicotine while they quit smoking regular cigarettes. The truth is, research is just starting to uncover the negative effects that the E-cigs may have to our health. History shows us that it can take decades to study the long term affects of products like this. In the early stages of research, they are uncovering proof that shows cellular change and cellular death at a rate of up to 53% in oral tissue. Studies are also showing that smoking these can be detrimental to your lung health causing an irreversible lung disease commonly known as “popcorn lung”. Think that smoking an E-cigarette doesn’t release second hand vapors? Think again. They do emit second hand toxins which include formaldehyde and other carcinogens.

Only time and further studies will reveal the potential fate of someone who smokes E-cigarettes. We care about your oral health and your overall health. The only safe option is to eliminate cigarettes, E-cigarettes and all other forms of smoke or smokeless tobacco from your life. Did you know that your staff at Elmbrook Family Dental is trained to help you quit? That’s right! Next time you see us, just ask. We are happy to help provide you with the first steps toward quitting and get you further resources as well.

Want to learn more about “popcorn lungs” or lung scarring and it’s long term effects? Visit here: http://www.dentalproductsreport.com/dental/article/e-cigarettes-shown-be-detrimental-oral-health-new-study?kara-rdh

For our other resources, please follow these links.

http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/e-cigarettes-and-lung-health.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

http://www.dentalproductsreport.com/dental/article/e-cigarettes-shown-be-detrimental-oral-health-new-study?kara-rdh