Spring has officially arrived and we want to make sure YOU are up to date on your cleanings! Seeing your dental hygienist and dentist at least twice a year is the best way to prevent and detect cavities and gum disease at an early stage. We help you come up with an individualized routine for your home care so that we can keep your mouth happy and healthy. Most of our patients schedule their next routine visit up to 6 months in advance, so be sure to think ahead in order to get a flexible appointment time. We are adding office hours soon to make it even more convenient! So, call our friendly front desk staff here at Elmbrook to schedule soon.

New to our office? No worries! We are accepting new patients as well and would love to meet you.

Gum (periodontal) disease is the unhealthy inflammation, swelling and even infection of the gums and the surrounding  bone. Early stages of gum disease are referred to as “gingivitis” and can be reversed with better brushing, flossing and rinsing at home. If gingivitis is not reversed, it then often advances to the more severe disease called “periodontal disease”. Periodontal disease refers to an advanced, non-reversible gum disease involving bone loss and even tooth loss. Signs to watch for are sore or swollen gums, gums that bleed during flossing or even brushing, foul smell or taste or even wiggly teeth. Chances are that if you see your dental office twice a year or more, they are measuring your gums and keeping a close eye out for signs of gum disease. If it has been a while since your last visit, no worries! We have seen it all and love helping people to get back on track to a healthy smile.

Smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease as a non smoker is. Smoking decreases the ability of your immune system to fight infection and heal. It can dry your mouth out and constricts the blood vessels in your mouth as well. Aside from a higher risk of gum disease, smoking can leave ugly stain and cause bad breath. It is a habit your body would prefer you to quit, and we would be happy to give you some pointers!

For happy, healthy gums, you should brush 2x daily, floss daily, refrain from smoking and see your friendly Elmbrook Family Dental Hygienist twice yearly.

Elmbrook Family Dental is hosting our Seventh Annual March Madness college basketball tournament for our current patients! (Patients having 1 cleaning within the last 12 months)

Last years, our NCAA tournament contest was a hit and this year we are making it even better by awarding prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places!

To sign up, go to https://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/frontpage and create an account. Once  you have logged in, click “My Groups” link toward the top of the page. Type ELMBROOK FAMILY DENTAL in the search box. Our group password is TEETH. Create your own bracket, and please use your actual name as your team name (so we know who you are!) and pick who you think will win. For more information, click the “How to Play” link.

Prizes are as follows:

1st place: $150 Bartolotta gift card
2nd place: 4 Brewers tickets (dates tbd)
3rd place: 2 sets of custom whitening trays (share with a friend!)
4th place: 4 movie tickets

You must sign up and pick your teams by the tip-off of the first game onMarch 17th in order to play. You will not be able to pick your teams until the tournament field is announced on March 13th.

The contest through ESPN is open to anyone, however in order to be eligible for a prize from Elmbrook Family Dental you must be current patient, meaning 1 cleaning within the last 12 months.

Sincerely,

All of us here at Elmbrook Family Dental

Ok, ok. We think this will be the last baby post for a while! But, check out this gorgeous baby girl. Our hygienist Sarah and her husband welcomed their baby girl Emerson Ann into the world in late January. She was 8lbs 3oz and 21.5 inches long. Enjoy your time with this little one Sarah! We miss you here.

In mid January, our hygienist Kerrie W. and her husband welcomed a new baby boy into their family. Jude was 8lbs 9oz and 21 inches long. He is a sweet, beautiful baby and we are excited to share this beautiful picture with you! Congratulations Kerrie. Enjoy that beautiful little one.

We are a growing team and a busy office. We always do our best to make time to relax and enjoy some laughs, but it isn’t often enough that almost all of us get to be together at the same time. So, at the end of each year our doctors come up with a special event to celebrate the hard work we all put in. It drives us all crazy, but they like to keep the details a secret until the time of the event. This year was extra special! The doctors took us to Arte Bar in Wauwatosa to paint a special picture. Pineapple! The reason this is so significant and dear to our hearts is that a pineapple was one of Joanne’s favorite things. A picture perfect fruit that is extended as a symbol of welcoming. We had so much fun painting these in her honor. After our painting class, we headed down the street to Cafe Hollander for dinner and surprise white elephant gifts. Dr Tack and Dr Taibl were in charge of shopping and chose some fantastic gifts! Everything from spa and restaurant gift cards to a wine lovers gift set. The best gifts of all? A set of Selfie Sticks as well as a framed photo of Dr Brunner, and another gift set which included a mug with Dr Brunner’s face and a snuggie. Wait…. those gifts were terrible! No worries, after a few good laughs the docs replaced the fantastic pictures of Brunner with nicer, more fun gifts at the end.

The paintings turned out gorgeous, the gifts were a fun and appreciated surprise, the food was awesome and the company was the best. We had such a great time!! Thank you to Dr Brunner, Dr Taibl and Dr Tack for all you put in to this event. We truly enjoyed it and can’t wait till next year.

Want to see pictures? Check out our facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/elmbrookfamilydental/

Another sweet baby has arrived! Our front desk team member Tiffany and her husband welcomed Oliver Beckett at the end of November. He weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 19 inches long. His big brother Owen loves to help take care of his baby brother. Congratulations to their whole family. What a cutie pie!

Our hygienist and media manager Amanda welcomed a new baby into the world. Adeline Joyce was born in October. She was 6lbs 5oz and 19 inches long. She is sweet as can be and the family is so in love! Check out her shirt!

Many of us use January 1st as a starting date for a resolution that results in a better “you”. We eat better, we exercise, swear less or read more. Why limit yourself? Consider adding “floss more” or “bush at night” to your resolutions! It’s important to make every goal a realistic one so that it lasts ALL year. Here are some tips to help you with those goals:

Be honest with yourself. You are the only one who knows what you can be successful at. If this means you will increase your flossing frequency to 1x weekly and succeed at that, then this should be your starting goal! Focus a short period of time on a small, attainable goal.

Don’t stop moving forward with your goal. If at the end of a 2 month time you have succeeded at flossing 1x weekly, increase that goal to 2 or 3 times weekly. Focus on that goal for another 2-3 months. Once you have created a routine of that, then increase it again while keeping in mind that your ultimate goal is to floss daily.

Set reminders and notes of encouragement. Sometimes we don’t follow through with our goals simply because we just forget! Set a reminder on your smart phone, in your e-mail or even leave notes on your bathroom mirror. It is helpful to have a schedule for this to keep you on track. Remind yourself every Wednesday and Friday (or any other days you choose).

The key to starting small and increasing slowly is to stay honest and stay positive. You don’t start sprinting when you’re going to run a marathon, right? So don’t start too fast with an un-realistic goal that you need to last your lifetime! Your teeth and your dental hygienist will thank you!

We always like to share some of our favorite recipes during the holiday season. Check these out if you’re still looking for ideas. Enjoy!

Beer cheese dip (this has been a fav at our office for years!)  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/beer-dip

Filet of beef: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/filet-of-beef-recipe.html

No-bake chocolate hazelnut cheesecake:  http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/recipes/article?rid=3471