Eggert Family Dentistry Blog

Advantages of the All-on-4® Treatment

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

When our patients have many teeth that have been extracted or are severely jeopardized, Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff have an advanced, convenient and very natural solution to offer. It’s called All-on-4® treatment and it’s a simple, streamlined way to restore a full arch of teeth.

What do we mean by a full arch of teeth? This refers to a full set of teeth on the upper and/or lower jaw. Full dentures have traditionally been the solution for replacing all teeth of an arch, but advances in implants have enabled improved technology such as the All-on-4® technique.

All-on-4® treatment is kind of like a hybrid between implants and dentures. Instead of replacing each tooth individually by sinking an implant, we place four (possibly more) implants. These implants serve as the anchor for a single restoration unit which is basically a series of replacement teeth all attached in a row, like dentures.

This way, you get the best of both worlds. The simplicity of installing a series of consecutive teeth at once, like a denture, is combined with the convenient permanence of implants, not to mention rock-solid anchorage like you have from your natural teeth.

This means that you don’t have to worry about your restoration falling out or slipping, as can happen with dentures. Your restored mouth will function just like it was born to do. You can eat anything you like, and you simply brush, floss and clean your teeth as you would your natural teeth (although adding a Waterpik can be helpful).

Temporary Provisional Teeth

With this type of implant technique, we can usually install a temporary set of provisional teeth on the implants on the same day they are installed. This means you will leave our oral surgeon’s office with a smile you can be proud of right away. After the jaw bone integrates to the implants securely, we’ll swap out the temporary set for an even stronger and more life-like final set and you can expect decades of low-maintenance service from your restoration.

Why Choose the All-on-4® Treatment?

The All-on-4® technique has a lot of benefits. In addition to what we mentioned above, consider these factors:

Fewer implants are required when anchoring the All-on-4®. This means less time in the dental chair, less discomfort, and lower costs.
The four implants referred to in the name of the procedure refer to two implants secured perpendicularly to the jawbone and two implants secured at a 45-degree angle. Being placed at an angle gives these second two implants greater traction, so bone grafts are not typically necessary.
Loss of teeth and the accompanying reduction of jawbone stimulation can cause bone loss. That’s why some denture wearers have a sunken appearance to their cheeks. However, dental implants stimulate bone growth which helps preserve the integrity of your jaw bone for a more youthful appearance.

The All-on-4® dental implant technique is a long-term solution that will improve your smile and your oral function for many years to come.

If you’ve been dreading getting multiple implants, maybe an All-on-4® is the solution for you! Talk to Dr. Jeff or Dr. Elizabeth about your priorities in terms of dental reconstruction. We’ll be happy to talk through all your options to ensure that you choose the treatment that best suits your needs. Call us today at 651.482.8412 to schedule your next appointment.

What Exactly Are Implants, and Should You Consider Them? Comparing Implants and Bridges

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Losing a tooth can happen to anyone. We see patients who have lost teeth for a variety of reasons, from sports injuries to gum disease from neglecting dental hygiene or from dental decay, the most common reason for tooth loss.

While it’s our top goal as your dental providers to help you keep your teeth and avert tooth loss, some teeth can’t be saved and extraction ends up being the only option. Once a tooth is extracted, each patient faces a choice of how to restore that tooth (or teeth).

There are two main fixed strategies to choose from: implants and bridges. Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff are committed to helping you understand your options thoroughly so we can help you make an informed choice. We want you to choose a restoration that meets your needs and priorities, so we’ll talk you through all your options in detail.

Here’s some useful information for anyone who is comparing the pros and cons of implants and bridges. Please reach out with any questions about how each of these restoration options will serve you.

Cost

When it comes to cost, bridges are the short-term winner. It costs slightly less to get a bridge than a comparable implant restoration. However, we also urge you to take the long view. Implants are usually “one and done” – they more often last longer. On the other hand, bridges most often have to be replaced at least once in a lifetime, maybe more often.

Speed

Bridges will be completed faster than implants. Because implants require up to six months for the bone to grow around the implant and anchor it properly, implants may require more dental visits. If minimizing your time in our chair is your top priority, you might prefer a bridge over an implant.

Initial Discomfort

An implant is a more invasive procedure, since it requires surgery to get the process started. While local anesthesia means that you won’t feel pain or discomfort during the surgery, there is a short recovery period which will include some discomfort. Usually over-the-counter pain medications are adequate during recovery, and you’ll need to eat soft foods for a day or two. Bridges only require changes to the teeth and do not require oral surgery intervention.

Function

Once your implant is complete, you’ll notice it is much like a healthy tooth of your own. You clean and care for an implant much like you would your real teeth. It can’t get cavities or tooth decay. Caring for a bridge is more complicated because the food traps underneath.

Long-Term Success

A bridge typically is supported by the two teeth adjacent of the missing tooth. This requires that those teeth be modified to accommodate the bridge, which adds extra pressure on them. This is one way that a bridge can fail, by weakening the anchor teeth. Another factor is that implants stimulate the growth of your jaw bone, maintaining a strong and solid foundation for both teeth and implants. Bridges don’t put direct pressure on your jaw bone, so they don’t stimulate that growth. This means that bone loss in the jaw may ultimately jeopardize the anchor teeth, and it may contribute to a somewhat sunken appearance of your lower cheeks.

The right choice for each patient depends on so many factors. We’re excited to have this conversation with all of our patients who have experienced tooth loss.

If you’re facing this important decision, please come and see Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff. We’ll be happy to generate a treatment plan covering both options and help you make a decision that will keep you and your mouth happy for years to come. Call us today at 651.482.8412 to get on our calendar.

Teeth Grinding: Long Term Effects and Treatment Options

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

We all have different ways and different places we hold stress in the body. Some of us have a tense neck or tight shoulders or a tender lower back, which can all be stress responses to the ups and downs of this complicated world we live in.

From a dental perspective, there’s one stress response we frequently notice in some patients’ mouths: bruxism.

Bruxism is just a fancy word with Greek origins that means grinding the teeth. (It’s also a pretty good Scrabble word to keep in your back pocket, if you’re into that kind of thing.)

People with bruxism may grind or clench their teeth during waking hours without really noticing it, or they may grind or clench their teeth while they sleep. Either way, many or most bruxers aren’t aware that they grind or clench unless someone else alerts them to the situation, such as a dental professional or a sleeping partner. In fact, some bruxers don’t inflict serious damage on their teeth, and discover their bruxism habit due to TMJ problems, chronic headaches, or by recognizing how tense their jaw muscles tend to be.

However, bruxism can have very negative consequences on dental and oral health. Over time, people with bruxism can wear their teeth down to flattened surfaces with an even, square appearance. They may even end up with chipped, loose or even fractured teeth. What’s more, grinding and clenching can damage dental restorations such as crowns or fillings and cause premature failure.

Treating Bruxism with a Dental Splint

There are a variety of ways to treat bruxism.

The simplest treatment protects your teeth instantly: An occlusal appliance. This is a custom dental splint designed to be worn while sleeping. It prevents your teeth from touching and it also absorbs bite force. These are different from mouth guards, which are designed to protect your teeth from high-speed foreign objects like baseballs, hockey pucks, or impact with the ground.

Dental splints get high scores in protecting your teeth, but depending on how they are designed, they don’t always discourage the urge to grind, so patients may still suffer from other effects of grinding such as headaches, TMJ issues, and poor jaw mobility.

Other Treatments for Bruxism

There are other potential treatments for bruxism that aim to stop or discourage the grinding behavior, which will help alleviate those non-dental consequences listed above.

These treatments include:

Treatment for airway issues that may be causing the grinding
Prescription medications
Botulinum neurotoxin type A, more commonly known by the brand name Botox
Counter stimulation, such a small electrical impulse that’s activated by clenching
Treating the underlying stress or anxiety that may be causing the bruxism
Behavioral techniques such as biofeedback therapy

Here at Eggert Family Dentistry, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Elizabeth screen for evidence of bruxism during our exams. If your teeth indicate any damage from grinding, we’re here to partner with you in resolving the problem. Likewise, if you’re experiencing any symptoms that could indicate bruxism, such as jaw pain and stiffness, chronic headaches and more, be sure to let us know so we can help you overcome this destructive and uncomfortable activity.

Prolonged teeth grinding or clenching has the potential to damage your teeth irreversibly, so it’s worth taking every possible measure to overcome bruxism and to mitigate its erosive effect on your teeth. We look forward to helping you overcome bruxism and enjoy healthy teeth and reduced jaw and facial tension. Call us today at 651.482.8412 to schedule your next appointment.

Identical Twin Expansion: Zack and Ryan’s Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

When Did this Start?

Zack and Ryan are identical twins and started seeing Dr. Elizabeth for their dental care in August 2019 at age 9. During their first examination, Dr. Elizabeth noticed that their maxillary arches were narrow and that both boys exhibited some acid erosion on their teeth. Acid erosion is a classic sign of a possible airway problem. When a narrow arch is present, the airway is more constricted. Zack and Ryan both had their tonsils and adenoids out at age 5 due to snoring and recurrent strep and tonsillitis. Since having their tonsils out, their snoring decreased and they both were sleeping better but Dr. Elizabeth knew she could help make things better for their airway and their bite by referring both boys to an orthodontist for a consult for dental expansion. It is important to note that the ideal time for expansion is before the bone and cartilage at the roof of the mouth solidifies and hardens. This usually happens around puberty.

What Was Involved?

Zack and Ryan went to Dr. Wahl’s orthodontic office in New Brighton (Village Orthodontics) for an orthodontic consultation in June, 2020. Dr. Wahl agreed with Dr. Elizabeth’s assessment and proposed palatal expander treatment. An expander is a metal device that is placed on the roof of the mouth and connects to the upper back teeth. In the middle of the expander there is a hole that allows for a metal key to be placed. Zack and Ryan would have their mom turn the key once a day in the beginning of their expansion. Dr. Wahl checked their expansion progression on a monthly basis and decided how often their expander needed to be turned. Zack and Ryan’s expansion process lasted from June to December, 2020.

In the beginning of their treatment, both boys complained of soreness while the expansion was in progress. Children’s Tylenol was successful in easing their discomfort. After the turning process was over, the boys still had the expander on the roof of their mouth, but no longer needed to have the key turned. They were in a holding pattern for a few months. They could tell that the shape of their arches had changed from a narrow square-shaped arch to a widened U-shaped arch. Zack and Ryan had their expanders removed December, 2020 and had retainers made to hold the space that was created. They will still need braces in a couple of years for Phase 2 of their orthodontic treatment when all of their permanent teeth are erupted.

What Do Zack and Ryan Think?

Dental expansion for Zack and Ryan was successful! Dr. Wahl was able to widen their upper arches in a short period of time. At their periodic exam with Dr. Elizabeth, she checked the width of their maxillary arch with a cotton roll. With successful expansion, the upper arch should be able to fit the length of the cotton roll. They both passed the test. Zack and Ryan’s mom stated that they wake up more well rested than before expansion – a clear sign that they must be sleeping better due to increased airway space. Both boys agree that the expansion treatment was worth the small amount of discomfort they experienced. Expansion not only improved their airway but also set them up for successful phase 2 orthodontic treatment. Zack and Ryan are both excited for braces to begin soon!

Zack during retention phase, note there is room
for his permanent teeth to erupt!

Ryan during retention phase, note there is room
for his permanent teeth to erupt!

Invisalign: How Effective Is It at Moving Teeth?

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Invisalign is the next generation of braces. These clear aligners are often called “invisible braces” because they function much like traditional braces, but they’re wonderfully discreet. In fact, the company has been supplying their product since 1999, to over 6.4 million patients across the globe, 1.5 million of whom were teenagers at the time of treatment.

If you’re wondering why you haven’t noticed them out and about, that’s just testimony to how invisible they can be. While they may be noticed by folks who are up close and personal, they are extremely hard to detect from a distance.

In addition to being hard to see, they have another benefit over conventional braces – they are easily removed for eating, brushing, flossing, and cleaning, so they are much simpler to live with.

How Do Invisalign Aligners Move Teeth?

Invisalign treatments move teeth the same way that traditional braces do: with slow, persistent traction.

First, let’s talk about the biology of teeth and how they’re anchored. A tooth is connected to your jawbone by a periodontal ligament. This ligament is composed of a bundle of fibers that contain collagen, which is a type of protein. These fibers provide the anchor that secures your teeth to the bone of the jaw.

On one end of the ligament, the collagen fibers attach to surfaces of the tooth’s root by depositing a substance called cementum into living cells on one side of the bone. On the other end of the periodontal ligament, the fibers reach into your jawbone.

While we often think of our teeth as planted, rock-solid, into the jaw, they are actually dynamic. The ligament anchor system permits limited movement as the teeth react to the forces inherent in biting.

Your periodontal ligament, cementum and jawbone react to the continually changing pressures in your mouth. The act of chewing actually has a restorative impact. When you bite, the tension and compression that result are relayed to your ligament through its many protein fibers. Tension causes cementum to be deposited in the bone while compression causes the resorption or dissolution of bone and cementum. These ongoing oppositional forces and reactions help to keep your teeth anchored and in position.

The bottom line is that your teeth aren’t actually rock solid: they are naturally capable of subtle wiggling and repositioning.

How Invisalign Helps Teeth Change Position

Invisalign treatment works by relying on the natural processes within your mouth. The aligners gently and subtly reposition teeth slowly over time. Patients generally receive a new set of Invisalign aligners every one to two weeks. Each set is designed to move your teeth 0.25mm during your first three days wearing them. During that three-day period, the periodontal ligament adjusts itself to the new alignment. For the remainder of the two weeks, the collagen fibers of the ligament are applying cementum in order to attach to your bone in their new position.

In order to get good results, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Elizabeth encourage Invisalign patients to wear their invisible aligners for the recommended daily period, which is generally 22 hours per day. This translates to removing aligners only to eat, floss, brush, and to clean the aligners. The rest of the day and night, leave them in place for the most effective treatment.

Talk to us about a customized Invisalign treatment plan for you and your family. We’d be delighted to help get you all on the path to a straighter, healthier smile! Call us today at 651.482.8412!

Dental Expansion: What Is It and Why Do It?

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Dental expansion is a relatively common orthodontic treatment that broadens the palate and increases space for the teeth. Also known as palatal expansion or upper jaw expansion, it’s an especially simple treatment when administered to children and pre-teens. This is because children’s hard palates remain two separate halves that only fuse together after puberty, sometimes well after puberty.

Here’s some information on what dental expansion is, when it’s indicated, and how it can help both children and adult patients.

What Is Dental Expansion?

The procedure is technically known as maxillary expansion or palatal expansion. It’s a standard orthodontic treatment useful in correcting tooth overcrowding, misalignment, breathing trouble, and other issues. While it can be attempted on patients of any age, it’s a simpler and more predictable treatment on growing children. When it’s administered to adults, it typically requires surgical intervention.

In childhood, the palate consists of two separate bony halves that do not fully fuse until adulthood. If the jaw is narrow or if dental issues such as misalignment or overcrowded teeth are present, we can gradually move the two halves of the palate apart to encourage bone to grow between the halves, making the jaw wider.

When Is Dental Expansion Necessary?

Dental expansion ensures that the upper jaw is the optimal width for healthy teeth. When the jaw is too narrow, a number of undesirable dental consequences may occur including underbite, crossbite, impacted teeth and crowded teeth.

Underbite: The front lower teeth stick out further than the front upper teeth.
Crossbite: The upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth because the lower jaw is wider than the upper jaw.
Impacted teeth: Some teeth are blocked from erupting by the other teeth.
Crowded teeth: There’s not enough space in the jaw for all the permanent teeth to erupt in an aligned manner.

All of these conditions may cause a malocclusion, which means that the teeth fail to align properly and create a poor fit when the jaw is closed.

Dentists and orthodontists can evaluate whether there will be sufficient room for all the permanent teeth to erupt. If there isn’t sufficient room, early orthodontic treatment can expand the palate and thus both minimize how long braces are required and also contribute to a better alignment than braces could do on their own.

How Does Dental Expansion Help Dental Patients of All Ages?

Upper jaw expansion helps ensure a good fit between the lower and upper jaw and the teeth therein. A misaligned bite can cause dental problems such as uneven tooth wear, tooth grinding, tooth cracking, and crowded teeth that are prone to cavities.

However, the consequences aren’t just dental in nature. Other issues can include:

Jaw strain and/or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issues
trouble biting and chewing
difficulty speaking clearly
headaches
facial asymmetry

Additionally, breathing can be impaired by a poor bite due to a narrow arch, which can contribute to mouth breathing and even some types of sleep apnea, which may contribute to sleepiness, poor concentration (including ADHD), and irritability.

Eggert Family Dentistry Can Help

If you or your child has dental or health issues that could be resolved by palatal expansion, please reach out to Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff. We’d be happy to address this during your next exam and let you know whether and how dental expansion can help you or your child to have a better bite and improved dental health, along with potentially improved respiration and other functions. Call us today at 651.482.8412, we look forward to helping you!

Dental Health and Airway Issues

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

We’ve discussed the relationship between obstructed breathing and dental/oral health in other posts, such as The Link Between Airway and Dental Issues; The Effects of Airway Issues in Children; and What is the Seattle Protocol and How Does it Help Pinpoint Airway Obstructions?

Today, we’ll revisit the topic with particular focus on the tonsils and adenoids.

Airway issues, respiratory obstructions, and mouth-breathing can result in enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which can present their own set of health challenges.

What Are Tonsils and Adenoids?

Both tonsils and adenoids are lymphatic tissues, and are part of the body’s immune system.

You can sometimes see your tonsils: they are the two fleshy lumps visible at the back of the throat. They vary in size among different people. These glands occur in pairs, one on each side of the back of the throat at the junction of where the nasal passage meets the throat. Their job is to trap germs, including bacteria and viruses. They also produce antibodies which help destroy germs, preventing throat and lung infections. They usually reach full size by age 4.

Your adenoids are hidden from view. They hang from the upper part of the nasal cavity and can be examined by a medical professional aided with a mirror and light or a small flexible scope. Adenoids are made of similar tissue as tonsils, and they also trap bacteria and viruses and produce antibodies. The adenoids also reach full size by age 4, and tend to shrink after early childhood. In teenagers and adults, they can be nearly undetectable.

Both glands play an important role in infant and early childhood immunity, but become less critical as children grow and their bodies develop other successful tools to fight germs.

Mouth Breathing and Tonsils

Obstructed breathing and airways often cause people to breathe through the mouth instead of the nose. While this may seem like a minor issue, mouth breathing actually has a host of negative consequences on both dental and overall health.

In terms of the tonsils, mouth-breathing increases the turbulence of breath going directly into the throat. This dries out the tonsils, causing post-nasal mucus drip and exacerbating allergic reactions. It can cause chronic inflammation of the tonsils, which enlarges the glands and interferes further with breathing because of the obstruction they cause in the throat.

In other words, enlarged tonsils are both a symptom and a cause of airway obstruction. They both indicate and contribute to impaired breathing while sleeping, which can cause a host of unwelcome symptoms. From a dental perspective, these issues include cavities, teeth grinding, malocclusion, periodontal disease, TMJ problems and more. Other health issues that can result include headaches, snoring, obesity, ADHD, asthma, sleep apnea, and more.

Thorough Dental Exams at Eggert Family Dentistry

Here at Eggert Family Dentistry, Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff conduct thorough exams that include looking at your soft tissues like your tonsils. We recognize the critical role of respiration in your overall health and your dental health. If you think you or your child may have airway issues, or if you or your child has chronic issues with tonsils or adenoids, please share that information with Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff so we can help identify the problem and come up with a solution to support improved health, immunity and vitality for you or your child. Just contact us or schedule an appointment at 651.482.8412 today!

How Even Limited Treatment Can Have a Big Impact – Gloria’s Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?

Gloria has been a patient of Dr. Elizabeth Eggert for over 15 years. She loves to smile and is the kind of person with a spectacular “twinkle in her eye!” Recently, at one of her recare visits, she wanted to talk about her overlapping teeth. She noticed that a large filling she had on one of her front teeth was loose. She wondered if it had come loose because it was at such an angle? She and Dr. Elizabeth talked about how the angulation of her right front tooth and the crowding of her lower front teeth, caused all her anterior teeth to work against each other in an unharmonious manner when she eats and talks. The existing filling was very large and was at the limit of how composite filling material can work when subjected to such heavy forces.

She and Dr. Elizabeth talked about moving to a stronger restorative material, like porcelain, and how if she was willing to work on changing both of her front teeth, the angulation could be improved to create the illusion of straighter teeth.

What was involved?

Gloria was interested in sticking to only working on the two front teeth. She understood that she had other options like orthodontics to move her teeth, but she figured doing only two full coverage porcelain crowns could help improve her smile enough for her satisfaction and could be done much more quickly than undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Gloria’s two front teeth were prepared for full coverage crowns. Dr. Elizabeth worked through a mock-up with her before hand to discuss her midline (center line between the two teeth), tooth size, shape, and symmetry. Gloria was so happy with the temporary crowns based on her mock-up, she commented “if the temporaries feel and look this great, I am so excited to see how the final crowns will be.”

After the two weeks it took to get her crowns back from the dental laboratory, Gloria’s crowns were tried in her mouth. Before cementing the crowns, Gloria looked in the mirror and with an enormous smile, exclaimed, “I like these a lot. The color is perfect and they look really good on me.”

What does Gloria think?

In her final interview, Gloria was asked how she had made the decision to crown her two front teeth? She responded, “My front tooth, the right one, had a huge filling that was too big to stay put. Dr. Elizabeth helped me understand better options for that tooth. After thinking it over, I knew that my other front tooth, the left one, would eventually need a crown too, so having them done at the same time AND being able to change how crowded they looked really appealed to me. It really sounded like a great idea. I was also excited that the color could be evened out with my other teeth. I always thought that right front tooth looked too dark.”

Overall, Gloria is really happy about the outcome of her treatment and would recommend to others considering this procedure to “just do it.” “It was such a successful treatment for me, and I would love for others to experience such great results.”

One thing Gloria would like to pass along about getting crowns done with Eggert Family Dentistry is “Don’t worry about it, trust the process and Dr. Eggert because the results are wonderful.”

Gloria’s story is just one of many others who have also experienced magnificent results with Dr. Eggert. Crowns can yield beautiful and predictable results for accomplishing an improved smile. At Eggert Family Dentistry, we love providing Dentistry for a Lifetime of Smiles – thanks Gloria for trusting us to help you continue to smile big and confidently!

Eating Disorders and Dental Health

By Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

No one asks for an eating disorder. To even recognize and acknowledge one’s eating disorder is inherently challenging. Unfortunately, eating disorders have a lot of negative consequences, including on dental health.

There are two main ways in which eating disorders can have a negative effect on your teeth.

Nutritional Impact of Eating Disorders

First, eating disorders commonly go hand in hand with poor nutrition. People with eating disorders may severely restrict their consumption of food, or may obsessively avoid certain foods. In both cases, nutrition deficiencies can result.

These nutrients are particularly critical to dental health:

Iron: Iron is essential for transporting oxygen throughout the body. When a person’s red blood cell count drops, they are less equipped to fight infections. Low iron can cause mouth ulcers and fissures in the corners of the mouth.
Calcium: Calcium deficiency may cause teeth to loosen and even fall out. Inadequate calcium contributes to tooth decay and gum disease. Plus, your body will respond to low calcium intake by drawing it from both your bones and teeth. A healthy set of teeth depends on a strong and healthy jawbone. Low iron contributes to bone loss.
Vitamin D: Your body depends on vitamin D to help absorb calcium, and it also helps combat gum disease. As an anti-inflammatory, it boosts your immune system so you can fight infections better. Low vitamin D contributes to bone loss.
Niacin: A shortage of B3 (niacin) can cause bad breath and canker sores.

Corrosive Impact of Eating Disorders

The binge eating associated with some eating disorders can cause excess stomach acid. When that acid backs up into the esophagus, it results in reflux or heartburn. Should the stomach acid reach the mouth, it will deteriorate both oral tissues and teeth.

For some people, binge eating is followed by vomiting, which also introduces harsh acid stomach acids into the mouth. This wears away tooth enamel, which increases the risk of tooth decay while also increasing tooth sensitivity. When tooth enamel is softened by acid, brushing the teeth can actually further damage the enamel.

Both vomiting and poor nutrition can make the salivary glands decrease production. The resulting chronic dry mouth also increases acidity which increases risk of tooth loss, cavities, and infections in the mouth.

Minimizing Dental Damage from Eating Disorders

If you have an eating disorder, please have the courage to seek professional help. In addition, you can take these steps to protect your teeth.

Try gum, mints and toothpaste containing xylitol. This sugar substitute helps with saliva production, preventing dry mouth and cavities. You can also get a mouth guard that can reduce the effects of stomach acid on your teeth and get routine fluoride treatments to strengthen tooth enamel.

After vomiting, always rinse your mouth with tap water, and wait awhile before you brush your teeth.

Eating disorders are a tremendous challenge, and Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff have nothing but compassion for anyone on that journey. If you are dealing with one, we encourage you to take the best care you can of your teeth. We are here for you.

Teaching Kids to Floss

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Like every parent, you want the best for your child. We know you put so much energy into raising happy, healthy, well-adjusted kids.

One of the best ways to set them up for a lifetime of better health is by helping them learn good oral hygiene habits early. These habits will last them a lifetime, and help them keep their one precious set of adult teeth healthy and strong as long as possible.

Getting your kids started on a good brushing program is important, but you also need to help them on the path to a good flossing habit. Here are some tips from Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff on setting your kids up for a lifetime of strong, healthy teeth.

Teach Flossing Early

It’s almost never too early to teach your kids how to floss. Once your kid has two teeth that touch each other, you can start teaching them how to floss. By the time they are seven or eight, they are fully capable of flossing daily, so be sure to talk about flossing and model good flossing habits for them. Encourage and reinforce the notion that flossing is something everyone does!

Encourage Consistent Habits

Flossing daily is the goal. For both you and your kids, it doesn’t really matter if it happens in the morning or at night. Likewise, the great debate of “floss first or brush first?” is not a big deal. You can go in either order. The best strategy is to pick one time of day and a consistent sequence, to really incorporate the habit of flossing.

Choosing Your Floss

Help kids feel invested in flossing by letting them choose their floss. Floss comes in a variety of flavors and textures, and once again, the most important thing is that it happens. If kids prefer a certain type of floss, try to accommodate them. Look for child-friendly dental flossers with kid-oriented themes.

You can also choose between traditional dental floss or dental flossers. Flossers aren’t quite as effective as traditional floss, but if kids (or adults) are more willing to floss using this type of tool, go for it!.

Make Flossing Fun

Approach flossing in a light-hearted, fun way. Do it together and make funny faces in the mirror. Set up a reward system with stickers and incentives for sticking to the habit. Give your kids loads of verbal praise and appreciation for flossing, and coach them gently to improve their technique. Need a primer on good technique? Check out our blog post on How to Get a Flawless Floss.

Incorporate some pro-flossing propaganda into your reading sessions. Some childrens’ books about flossing include “Rotten Tooth Ruth” by Ilana K. Levinsky, “Max Goes to the Dentist” by Adria F. Klein, and “Flossing Teeth” by Mari Schuh, among others. After reading about brushing and flossing, encourage them to draw a picture of themselves or the family, brushing and flossing together.

When your child comes in for their dental recare visit, you can count on Dr. Jeff and Dr. Elizabeth to reinforce your pro-flossing messages. Let us know if your child is struggling with flossing, and we can help them develop good technique and habits.