Tag: mouthguards

Sensitive teeth? How to prevent issues and make yourself more comfortable.

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

For people who struggle with sensitive teeth, eating or drinking anything too hot or cold can be uncomfortable. Sometimes, even brushing your teeth or using floss can be uncomfortable if you have sensitive teeth. 

But what causes tooth sensitivity and will you ever be able to enjoy hot coffee or cold ice cream again? 

Causes and Symptoms of Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth are caused by enamel on the teeth that gets worn down. Enamel is the hard outer layer that protects the softer interior of your teeth. When the enamel gets worn down, the softer, more sensitive part of your teeth are exposed. When the dentin or dentin tubules that run to the nerves in your teeth are exposed to heat, cold, or pressure from chewing, the nerves get hyperactive and can send a jolt of pain through your mouth. 

The things that most commonly wear down the enamel on your teeth are:

Tooth sensitivity is often caused by underlying tooth problems. By finding and fixing those problems, discomfort from sensitive teeth often resolves on its own. Some of the most common causes of sensitive teeth include:

  • Infrequent brushing
  • Overly aggressive brushing 
  • Gum recession
  • Periodontal disease
  • Clenching or grinding your teeth
  • A dysfunctional bite

What to Do if You Have Sensitive Teeth

If you have mild tooth sensitivity, Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff can recommend a desensitizing toothpaste or prescription fluoride toothpaste to use at home. The ingredients in these toothpastes help prevent hot and cold sensations from reaching your mouth. Regular fluoride varnish treatments at our office can also help reduce pain. 

There are also at-home remedies we found online, you could try these to get relief: 

  • Salt-water rinse: Add ¼ to ¾ teaspoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water. Gargle the salt water twice daily for up to 30 seconds. 
  • Hydrogen peroxide rinse: Add two caps of 3% hydrogen peroxide to an equal amount of warm water, and swish in your mouth for up to 30 seconds. The mild antiseptic and disinfectant can help deal and prevent inflammation. 
  • Honey and warm water: Mix a spoonful of honey with warm water, and rinse your mouth with the mixture. Hone is an antibacterial agent that helps speed healing and reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. 
  • Turmeric: Massage ground turmeric on your teeth and gums twice a day for pain relief. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory treatment and enhances wound healing. 

If you have severe tooth sensitivity, you may need more involved treatment to resolve your discomfort. When sensitivity is caused by decay or when teeth are worn or decayed, we may recommend a filling, crown, or bonding to fix the root issue. Also, if a dysfunctional bite is keeping the nerves of your teeth hyperactive, changing the tooth positions is an important part of the healing process. 

Addressing the Underlying Issues That Cause Tooth Sensitivity 

Another way to make huge improvements in relieving tooth sensitivity is to look for and treat underlying issues with your bite. By undergoing our records process, we can determine if improvements to how your teeth come together and how you chew can stop your tooth sensitivity – often for good!

One of the best ways to improve sensitive teeth is by developing healthy oral hygiene habits, including regular visits to the dentist. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff, contact our office at 651-482-8412.

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How Does Laughing Gas Help, and What Does It Do?

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

What Is Laughing Gas?

Nitrous oxide gas – also known as laughing gas – is the most commonly used option to reduce anxiety in dentistry. Nitrous oxide is considered an anxiolytic, which means it doesn’t sedate you, but helps you feel comfortable, free from your usual dental anxieties and able to relax while dental procedures are performed.

Laughing gas is commonly used to help patients who have:

  • Dental anxieties or phobias
  • Trouble sitting still or cooperating (typically pediatric patients)
  • Special needs
  • Strong gag reflexes
  • Trouble breathing in and out the nose
  • An inability to respond adequately to local anesthesia alone

It also works well for children who need to have longer procedures done.

How Does It Work?

Laughing gas is given to patients through a mask that’s placed over the nose. When you breathe, you inhale the gas mixture and fall into a relaxed, nearly euphoric state. This leaves most patients feeling anxiety-free, with all their fears in the distant background.

Although the name laughing gas might make you think the medicine would make you giggly, that’s not how it works. The nitrous oxide slows your nervous system, which makes you feel less inhibited. It might make you feel light or tingly, and some people even say it makes their arms or legs feel like they are floating. The result, however, is that you feel calm and comfortable.

What Are the Benefits of Laughing Gas?

It is used commonly in dental offices because it works quickly and safely to help patients relax. It is given throughout your dental procedure and when the procedure is over, patients breathe pure oxygen through the mask, allowing the effects of the nitrous oxide gas to wear off quickly. Therefore, patients are able to drive themselves home.

In addition, although laughing gas helps you relax, it doesn’t put you to sleep. This helps ensure patients are still able to hear Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff and respond to any questions or instructions.

What Are the Side Effects?

When laughing gas is given correctly, most patients don’t have any negative side effects when it wears off. However, if the level of nitrous oxide rises too quickly, or if the amount being inhaled changes too quickly, patients may experience side effects such as:

  • Headaches
  • Shivering
  • Excessive sweating
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sleepiness

To prevent headaches, patients are given oxygen for five minutes at the end of the procedure. This helps clear the remaining gas from the lungs, and it helps you become more alert and awake.

You can also help prevent nausea or vomiting by eating lightly before your procedure and avoiding a large meal for up to three hours after your appointment. If you do start to have any of the side effects, Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff can turn the nitrous oxide level down and by simply breathing more straight oxygen, any adverse side effects diminish quickly.

Interested in Using Laughing Gas at Your Next Appointment?

Laughing gas is a helpful strategy for managing severe pain or dental anxieties. Talk with Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff if you’re interested in learning more about using nitrous oxide gas at your next appointment. To schedule an appointment, call our office at 651-482-8412.

How to Deal with Dental Anxieties

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

What Is Dental Anxiety and How Do You Know if You Have It? 

According to the Dental Research Journal, as many as 14% of people struggle with dental phobia, and even more people have less severe dental anxieties. The cause of dental anxieties varies by person, but the irrational fears and feelings of terror are present among many people. 

Signs and Symptoms of Dental Anxieties

Many people with dental anxieties dread doing to the dentist. They may avoid scheduling routine dental appointments, or they may skip appointments that they’ve already scheduled. Other signs of dental anxieties can include:

  • Sweating
  • Racing heart or heart palpitations
  • Low blood pressure
  • Fainting
  • Visible distress or crying
  • Using humor or aggression to mask fears

How Eggert Family Dentistry Helps Reduce Dental Anxieties

To help all our clients feel as comfortable as possible, we offer a variety of ways to help during your appointment:

  • Music: Many people feel more comfortable when they’re listening to their favorite music. If you’ll more comfortable with headphones on, please do it. Our team can work around headphones for routine cleanings and most procedures. We ask that you bring your own headphones and music device. 
  • Cable TV: We have cable TVs available in every procedure room. Watch your favorite shows while our team works on your teeth. 
  • Calming techniques: Deep breathing and visualization can help ease your nerves. Not sure what to do? Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Jeff, and their assistants, Tracy and Heather, can coach you through some mental exercises to help bring you peace. 
  • Hand signals: For some people, the hardest part of a dentist appointment is feeling like they can’t communicate when their mouths are full of other people’s hands. Raising your left hand during your appointment lets us know that you need a break. 
  • Communication: Sometimes, talking about your fears and having them validated is enough to help you feel at ease. Our team is here to listen to your concerns and explain any procedures that are making you nervous. 
  • Medicine: In many situations, these calming techniques are enough to help patients get through their appointments comfortably. However, if you have dental phobia, we also have laughing gas (also called nitrous oxide gas) available and in worst case scenarios, we can talk about some prescriptions that may help. 

How to Manage Dental Anxieties

Many of the calming techniques listed above can help people work through their dental anxieties enough to get through their appointments. Some people have also found relief by using therapy techniques. If you have headphones on during your dentist appointment, listening to a meditation, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relationship can also help lower your heart rate and help you feel more comfortable. There are many apps available for this. Finally, a few short, targeted sessions of cognitive behavior therapy can help people permanently overcome their dental anxieties. 

At Eggert Family Dentistry, Dr. Elizabeth, Dr. Jeff, and our whole dental team will take the time to listen to your concerns, and we’ll work together to help you feel as comfortable as possible. If you’re ready to schedule an appointment, contact our office at 651-482-8412.

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What Are the Long-Term Effects of Drug Abuse on Dental Health?

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Drug and alcohol abuse have been on the rise in the last few years, and those numbers increased even more during the pandemic. Numbers from the CDC suggest that more than 10% of Americans over the age of 12 have abused illegal drugs in the last month. In addition, 24% of American adults had at least one episode of heavy drinking in the last year.

Unfortunately, drug and alcohol abuse can cause numerous dental health problems, including:

Enamel Breakdown and Mouth Sores from Drug and Alcohol Abuse

One of the most common impacts of drug abuse on dental health is enamel breakdown. Because cocaine and many other drugs are highly acidic, they can break down the enamel on teeth. Cocaine is especially damaging when it is smoked or when people use powdered cocaine in their mouths to be absorbed through their gums. This can lead to mouth sores, which can get infected.

Cocaine can also cause injuries in the mouth when it is snorted. The tissues in the upper palate are weakened, which can cause a hole to form between the nose and the mouth.

Essentially all alcoholic beverages are acidic, with some having a higher pH level than others. Wine is especially acidic and seeing tooth erosion in wine drinkers is very common. So many mixed drinks also contain mixers like juices and sodas, all of which have high levels of acidity and can cause damage to tooth enamel.

Another negative dental health consequence from drug abuse is called transient chorea. This causes muscle spasms in the jaw and mouth, which can make people grind their teeth. When people grind their teeth too much, it weakens the tooth enamel and causes the teeth to crack.

Drug Abuse Can Make Teeth Rot

Tooth rot is so common from meth use that the condition is known as “meth mouth.” Black and brown holes form all over the teeth due to decay. Meth kills blood vessels, which causes problems in the gums. Meth also makes the mouth feel dry. And without saliva, the enamel on the teeth is much more subject to the harmful bacteria that causes tooth decay.

Bad Dental Hygiene from Drug and Alcohol Abuse

When people abuse drugs and alcohol, their dental health suffers. The drugs and alcohol themselves are hard on people’s teeth. However, another side effect of the abuse is neglecting basic dental hygiene.

When people use drugs and alcohol, they often forget to take care of their basic dental needs – such as brushing, flossing, and using mouth wash. Finally, some drugs, such as meth, make people crave sugary foods and drinks, which are hard on your teeth. This combination makes it hard to keep your mouth healthy.

A No-Judgment Appointment to Discuss the Effects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse on Your Dental Health

If you’re concerned about the impact drugs or alcohol are having on your oral health, contact Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff for a no-judgement appointment. Call our office at 651-482-8412 to schedule your appointment.

What to Consider Before You Get an Oral Piercing

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

What Are Oral Piercings?

Oral piercings use a needle to add a hole and jewelry to the mouth. Oral piercings can be inside the mouth, known as intraoral, or outside your mouth, known as perioral. This includes piercings in the:

  • Tongue
  • Cheek
  • Lip
  • Uvula, which is the tissue that hangs at the back of your throat
  • Frenum, which is the tissue that connects your lips to your gums and your tongue to the floor of your mouth

Risks of Oral Piercings

Oral piercings are a common way for people to express themselves. Unlike piercings in other parts of the body, however, oral piercings come with a host of complications because of the sensitive nature of the mouth.

Piercing any part of your mouth is riskier than piercing other parts of the body. Throughout the day, oral piercings touch your teeth and gum tissue, which each contain millions of bacteria. As a result, the risk of infection is higher.

Oral piercings can interfere with talking, chewing, and swallowing. Even if those interruptions don’t bother you, oral piercings can cause of range of mouth damage, including:

  • Excessive drooling
  • Trouble talking or breathing
  • Infection, pain, and swelling
  • Damage to the gums, teeth, and fillings
  • Allergic reactions
  • Nerve damage
  • Excessive bleeding
  • Challenges during dentist appointments
  • Blood-borne diseases
  • Endocarditis

Taking Care of an Oral Piercing If You Already Have One

While we understand piercings are becoming more common, at Eggert Family Dentistry, we believe it is much safer to consider removing mouth jewelry before it causes a problem and don’t pierce on a whim – the piercing will be an added responsibility to your life, requiring constant attention and upkeep.

If you already have an oral piercing, one of the best ways to prevent an oral infection is by consistently taking care of your mouth. Keep your piercing clean by brushing twice a day, flossing, and using mouthwash. Avoid clicking your oral jewelry against your teeth, which can chip or crack them or cause your teeth to become loose.

Finally, it’s also important to take oral piercings out when you play sports, and remember to wear a mouthguard.

When to See Help for an Oral Piercing

Because of the increased risk of infection, it’s important to visit us at Eggert Family Dentistry regularly. And if you notice any signs of infection – such redness, swelling, discharge, smell, rash, fever, or excessive bleeding – it’s important to contact us as soon as possible. Contact Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff if you’re concerned that your oral piercing may be infected. Call our office at 651-482-8412 to schedule your appointment.

Are Sports Mouthguards Worth the Investment?

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

School Has Started – and so Have Fall Sports

It seems like summer just started, but alas, school time is here and so are the fall sports that go along with the season change. We want to make sure you included a sports mouthguard in your “back to school” shopping when getting what you need for your athlete.

What Is a Sports Mouthguard?

A sports mouthguard is a piece of clear (or sometimes very colorful) plastic that’s typically worn over the top row of teeth during sports. A mouthguard may also be worn on the bottom teeth, which can be very helpful for people who wear braces or have fixed dental appliances like expanders.

Mouthguards are considered essential equipment for sports that involve body contact or flying equipment, like football, hockey, soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, and even tennis. However, sports mouthguards can also be beneficial for skateboarding, mountain biking, or other sports where falls could result in mouth injuries. Mouth guards can also prevent dental injuries for people who grind their teeth during sports.

Benefits of a Sports Mouthguard

The biggest benefit of sports mouthguards is that they can prevent a variety of dental injuries and trauma, including:

  • Soft tissue damage, such as biting the tongue, cheeks, or lips
  • Tooth fractures, including root fractures, broken teeth, or chipped teeth
  • Knocked out teeth
  • Tooth displacement
  • Jaw fractures
  • In addition, although medical research is inconclusive, some evidence suggests that sports mouthguards may absorb enough impact between the upper and lower jaws to help reduce concussions.

Mouthguards can also help people save money by preventing the costly need for dental repairs.

Types of Sports Mouthguards

When you are choosing a sports mouthguard, there are three main options to choose from:

  • Stock mouthguards: Stock mouthguards are the cheapest and most easily available mouthguard options. Although they come in different sizes, they often don’t fit well. And, a mouthguard that’s too loose or too small can do more damage to your teeth and gums. Finally, these inexpensive mouthguards tend to be made from cheaper materials, making them prone to breaks and tears.
  • Boil-and-bite mouthguards: Boil-and-bite mouthguards are also relatively inexpensive and are easily available. Because the mouthguard is boiled to soften the plastic so it can be formed to better fit an athlete’s teeth, the fit is better than what a stock sports mouthguard provides.
  • Custom mouthguards: Custom mouthguards are the safest, yet most costly, option available. Dr. Jeff Eggert or Dr. Elizabeth Eggert use impressions of your teeth and mouth to create a mouthguard that fits your teeth perfectly. A custom mouthguard is also the only way to create a precise fit around bridges, braces, and other dental restorations.

Contact Eggert Family Dentistry to Get Fitted for a Custom Sports Mouthguard

When you’re trying to determine which costs to prioritize, remember this: custom sports mouthguards may be more of an investment than the options available online or at retail stores, but they also provide a better fit and are made from stronger material. Finally, investing in a sports mouthguard is considerably less expensive than paying for emergency dental treatment after a preventable injury. Unfortunately, once an injury occurs, it becomes a life-long journey to address the tooth/teeth/or bones involved. In this case prevention is definitely key!

If you’re interested in getting fitted for a sports mouthguard, contact Dr. Elizabeth or Dr. Jeff today. Call our office at 651-482-8412 to schedule your appointment.