Eggert Family Dentistry Blog

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Louis Armstrong first recorded “When You’re Smiling” in 1929, nearly a century ago! Even then, he had the idea that smiling can benefit not only you, but the people around you. And now, research shows that “Satchmo” was on to something.

Yes, Your Smile Is Contagious

Smiling is so important to our social interactions that when someone smiles at us, we are physiologically wired to smile back. Returning a smile is something we do unconsciously—it actually takes conscious effort to not smile back at someone.

What’s the effect of all this contagious smiling? Aside from lifting each other’s moods, it helps us look more attractive, makes us generally happier, and even increases our chances of living longer.

When people see you smile, they treat you differently. They perceive you as more sincere, relaxed, and reliable. Flashing someone a smile helps put them—and you—at ease. Smiling helps build social bonds and can even cause smilers’ breathing and heart rates to sync up.

Smiling and Holiday Stress

In the heart of the holiday season, smiling can help us manage stress and feel more connected to our loved ones. Smiling relaxes the muscles in your face and can even calm down your nervous system. So when you’re feeling stressed about the holidays, take a moment to breathe and smile. It will help you feel better, even if you have to “fake it ‘til you make it.”

Smiling is contagious and can help you and the people you’re smiling at feel better. But many of us are reluctant to flash our pearly whites because of pain, misalignment, or the perception that our smiles are ugly. Eggert Family Dentistry is here to keep you smiling and healthy this holiday season. Schedule your appointment today.

Nothing seems to create anxiety in the dentist’s chair like the prospect of a root canal. This routine dental procedure has gotten a bad reputation over the years. But today’s technological innovations and improvements to anesthesia make this dreaded procedure comfortable for most patients. Here are the answers to some of Eggert Family Dentistry’s most-asked root canal questions.

What is a root canal dental procedure?

A root canal dental procedure treats inflammation and infection occurring in the pulp of your tooth. The pulp is the soft interior of your tooth, full of blood vessels and nerves. When the pulp becomes infected, you’ll likely experience pain and tenderness around the affected tooth.

A “root canal” is actually part of your tooth’s anatomy. It contains the pulp that extends down the roots of the tooth. A root canal procedure cleans out the infected tissue and reshapes the interior of the root canal so it can be filled and sealed to prevent further infection. In a later appointment, we’ll place a crown or other restoration over your tooth to better protect it long-term.

Why would I need a root canal procedure?

Root canal procedures treat infection and severe tooth decay. Though some patients do not experience pain when the pulp of a tooth is infected, most of us know when it’s time to call the dentist. Infected teeth are often painful, sensitive to heat and cold, and tender when we chew our food. The surrounding gum area can also be swollen or discolored.

Infections to your tooth’s pulp can be caused by advanced tooth decay, trauma to the tooth, or even a small chip or crack in the tooth’s hard exterior. A root canal will treat the infection, leaving the tooth functional.

What can I expect from my root canal procedure visit?

Before your procedure, we will take x-rays of the affected area to understand the severity of the infection. The day of your procedure, we’ll review the x-rays with you and apply a local anesthetic. Most patients find this anesthetic makes the procedure surprisingly comfortable. Then, we’ll isolate the infected tooth with a protective sheet so saliva does not enter the affected area.

Using tiny instruments, we’ll make an opening through the biting surface of your tooth so we can access the infected pulp. We then clean out the infected tissue and reshape the interior of the tooth. Once the interior is clean and shaped, we fill the root canal with a rubber-like material and apply cement to seal the tooth.

You may experience tenderness in the tooth in the days following the procedure, but over-the-counter or prescription painkillers often alleviate the pain. A subsequent visit will allow us to fit a permanent crown or other restoration. This helps keep the tooth sealed and protects the tooth from splitting.  In the meantime, you can brush and floss as usual, just avoid using the treated tooth to chew until we place the crown.

Still have questions about root canal procedures? The American Association of Endodontists has a great video overview for you to check out.

Need to schedule a root canal procedure? You’re in safe, experienced hands with Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff. Schedule your root canal procedure appointment with Eggert Family Dentists today.

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

‘Tis the season for giving. Give to the Max Day, Giving Tuesday, and the red kettles of the Salvation Army all ring in the holiday season. Presents arrive in the mail and under the tree. We hope our giving and volunteering benefit others, but did you know there’s scientific evidence that our giving and volunteering help us, too?

Giving Makes Us Feel Good

Over the past decade, scientific studies have found that the act of giving makes us feel better. In 2008, Harvard Business School researchers found that spending money on others makes us happier than spending money on ourselves. Giving decreases our stress and makes us feel closer to the recipients of our giving (and vice versa).

What’s more, the simple act of giving can have ripple effects. Not only does giving make us feel better, it makes our recipients feel better and more inclined to give. Our giving is passed down to others, which increases our feeling of connectedness and even promotes more cooperation.

At Eggert Family Dentistry, we are happy to contribute to the local scholarship funds of four local high schools each year: Mounds View, Irondale, Centennial, and Spring Lake Park (Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff’s alma mater). Since 2004, we have contributed over $25,000 to deserving students.

Volunteering Has Health Benefits, Too

Other research has looked into the health benefits of volunteering our time. It turns out that volunteering can improve our health, too. Serving others can lower our blood pressure and decrease depression. The social interaction we experience when we volunteer releases dopamine, a chemical in our brain that makes us happier.

One study of the health effects of volunteering found that elderly people who volunteer at two or more organizations were 44 percent less likely to die over a five-year period, despite their age or exercise and other wellness habits. Even the federal government is examining the health benefits of volunteering. You can read its comprehensive report here.

Our team felt really good about volunteering at Feed My Starving Children this year. It is great to know we all can make a difference.

To stay healthy this holiday season, eat moderately, exercise regularly, and make giving and volunteering part of your routine. And don’t forget your regular dental appointments! Schedule your next visit to Eggert Family Dentistry today.

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Tooth decay occurs when acids wear away the outer layer of the tooth and penetrate the soft, inner tissue, causing an infection that requires advanced dental care. But since decay occurs in three stages, it’s possible to reverse the effects of decay if it’s caught early enough. That’s why regular visits to your dentist are so important.

Bacteria Causes Tooth Decay

Before we explain the three stages of tooth decay, let’s take a look at what causes tooth decay in the first place. Your teeth are covered in a hard, protective layer called enamel. They’re also covered in bacteria (gross, but true). The bacteria live in a sticky substance called plaque and eat the sugars in your food. As they digest the sugars, the bacteria create acid. If you don’t brush and floss the plaque away, the acid will stick to and erode the enamel on your teeth.  It is also important to note that if your saliva contains an excessive amount of acid from other sources, such as foods, drinks, or reflux, this makes the cavity-causing bacteria even more active in attacking your teeth.

Tooth Decay Stage 1: Dull Spots on the Tooth

The first sign of tooth decay is a dull spot on your tooth. Often, this dull spot is only visible to your dentist, which is why it’s important to get regular check-ups. The spot may be dull white or brown, or show up as a shadow or weak spot on an x-ray.

At this stage, decay is often reversible with meticulous cleaning techniques such as brushing and flossing. Once the plaque is scrubbed away, the saliva helps to repair the tooth enamel. Adding extra fluoride, like an over the counter fluoride rinse or a prescription fluoride toothpaste also helps with the rebuilding of enamel. If left unattended, decay will continue until it enters the soft layer under the enamel, the dentin.

Tooth Decay Stage 2: Cavity Formation in the Dentin

Once decay erodes the enamel, it enters the softer layer of the tooth called the dentin. It can take a while for decay to reach stage two, but sometimes it occurs quickly. Once it does, the decay has become a cavity and the decay process is no longer reversible. At this stage, you need help from your dentists at Eggert Family Dentistry to place a filling or crown.  If not treated in this stage, a tooth can easily start to ache.

Tooth Decay Stage 3: Pulp Changes

If not treated in the dentin stage or if treated too late in the dentin stage, the decay will reach the very inside of the tooth called the pulp, where the tooth’s blood vessels and nerves are located.  At this point, the bacteria starts forming a tooth abscess. This infection can become very painful, but oddly can sometimes occur with very little or no pain. Regardless, the dentists at Eggert Family Dentistry can help you save your tooth by treating the tooth with a root canal. Root canals, unfortunately, have gotten a bad reputation, but we have seen many patients thankful for the treatment, often reporting “Oh I didn’t know it was so easy!”

Treating a tooth with an abscess is very important.  Without care, the infection can spread to surrounding tissue and eventually to other areas of your body. This type of infection is a serious medical condition and requires immediate treatment.

This may all sound a bit scary, but we are here to help you stay as healthy as possible.  We already talked about taking great care of your teeth at home, but you can also be sure to eat calcium-rich foods to help strengthen your enamel and drink lots of water to wash away sugars and acids. Of course, it also helps to minimize the sugars and acids you ingest.  And, we can’t emphasize enough, regular visits with us at Eggert Family Dentistry will help us stop the bacteria in the earliest stage possible.

To schedule your appointment, email Eggert Family Dentistry or call (651) 482-8412 today.