Brushing your kid's teeth!

Courtney, one of our great dental assistants and Reno mom of two boys, shared wonderful insight into brushing her own kid's teeth.

           Establishing healthy habits for my children has always been extremely important.  So when it came to oral health I wasted no time teaching my boys how to brush their teeth and how to floss. Not all children find brushing and flossing their teeth fun or exciting, so you have to become creative. When we first introduced brushing their teeth, goofy songs and funny faces were a must. Warning… you will make a complete fool of yourself but it is all worth it. My husband and I started with this when the boys were one. We would do all the brushing and flossing. 

             Starting young is very important if you want this habit to stick and be fun for the child. Soon the funny faces and songs became boring to my boys so I had to think of something else. Different character tooth brushes. Each child had their own ninja turtle, super heroes, minions, star wars and Mickey Mouse toothbrushes.  So every morning and night we would let their imagination take over and they would pick out the character they wanted to be that day or dream about that night. That worked for a while so to make things exciting we would encourage our kids to try it out for themselves. We would first brush and floss their teeth but then we would hand it over to them. They were thrilled! 

            My boys are now almost 3 and 4 ½ and we still have fun with brushing and flossing. Just this morning I was in the kitchen asking my kids if they have stinky breath. They both ran over and like little dragons they blew their stinky breath in my face. So we decided to brush their teeth in the kitchen. Both boys sat on the counter tops seeing how far they could spit the toothpaste in the sink. Never a dull moment in my house. I believe that since I have started this habit early with my kids they are not scared to go to the dentist but they actually enjoy having the sugar bugs cleaned off by the doctor and have pictures taken of their teeth.

        Starting good oral habits early is extremely important. If you have any questions or concerns call us at Brosy Family Dentistry, 775-826-1988. We love seeing children of all ages and look forward to being your family’s dentist. 

A unique way to lose a first tooth!

When it comes to losing their first tooth, kids can experience a wide variety of emotions.

It can actually be a really fun and memorable experience, especially in 6 year old Logan’s case.

It was a very exciting experience for Logan when he lost his first tooth. He was happy to show anyone who wanted to see how loose his tooth was. Logan’s mom was having a hard time pulling his tooth, but Logan’s cousin, Izac, was happy to step in and help out. The family gathered in Northern Nevada, as a long piece of dental floss was tied around Logan’s tooth and the other end was tied to an arrow. Izac raised up his bow*, took aim, and WHOOSH! Off went the arrow and Logan’s tooth! The family cheered and Logan jumped for joy.

If you aren’t sure about removing loose baby teeth make sure to visit us here in Reno, Nevada at Brosy Family Dentistry.

*Brosy Family Dentistry does not recommend using a bow and arrow to remove teeth.

Flossing Time

To floss or not to floss, that is the question!

You know how to get people talking about flossing?  Publish a report that tells them that they don't have to floss! Over the past month we have had more people bring up the subject of flossing than we have over the past year!  So let's break it on down...no I don't mean MC Hammer style!



Many, many moons ago in 1819 a New Orleans dentist by the name of Spear Parmly published a book called A Practical Guide to the Management of Teeth. Dr. Parmly recommended interproximal flossing with waxed silk to dislodge food particles and bacteria.  He noticed a difference in patients who regularly removed plaque that was not accessible by tooth brushing alone and wanted to share his fancy findings with the world! Not long after that, Johnson and Johnson patented the first dental floss product. A dozen packs of floss for $1.50! Jiminy Cricket, who can beat that!?!




In 1979 the US Government added flossing into the Surgeon General's Report for Healthy Living, and later, into the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Recommendations in these reports are required by law to be backed by evidence-based scientific research. Hygienists everywhere jumped for joy and spread floss samples to the masses!  Less gingivitis! Less bad breath! Less bleeding, less cavities, more teeth saved by prevention! Hooray!

Last year, the Associated Press (AP) asked the Health and Human Services and Agriculture for the evidence behind the recommendation, then later submitted written requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The AP looked at the flossing research that spanned the last 25 years and concluded that it was "weak, somewhat unreliable, and had a moderate potential for bias".  The US Government removed the flossing recommendation for the time being until current evidence-based research is available.

So what does this all mean?  I welcome you to listen to the perspective of someone who is elbow deep in plaque, calculus, and gum disease daily...your hygienist!  There is ABSOLUTELY a difference in the oral health of those who floss versus those who do not.  Even the best toothbrushers in the world do not compare to those who floss with proper technique on a daily basis. Hands down, people who floss have less inflammation (which deserves a blog post all it's own!), less cavities, better breath, and better overall oral health. Believe it or not, we can actually tell if you are flossing or just telling us that you are.  Wink, wink...don't fib to your hygienist! If it didn't make a difference, we wouldn't be able to easily pick out flossers from non-flossers.

Still need your own proof?  Here is the challenge! Don't floss for 10 days.  Yes, you just heard a hygienist tell you not to floss for 10 days!  Brush, use mouthwash, whatever floats your boat, just no floss.  On the eleventh day, floss!  Make sure you get each surface and reach below the gum tissue. Look at the floss after each tooth.  If you really want proof, smell the floss after each tooth.  That, my friends, is the bacteria that has been globbing together and setting up camp between your teeth and under your gums.  Notice that some places may bleed, that is from inflammation that has set in.  If left to work it's magic, the bacteria will produce enough acid to cause a hole in the tooth.  That's right folks, a good 'ol cavity!  The bacteria gets into your bloodstream and stirs up inflammation around the rest of your body. All of this can be prevented with something that is cheap, fast, and easy!


The answer to the pressing question...YES, floss.  Although, we do love spending time with you.  If you want to hangout with us more often, try the non-flossing route! Until next time, happy flossing!

Sit Down & Enjoy the Ride!

Hold on to your seats! We're going for a wild ride through dental chair past!

Ever wonder what sitting in a dental chair was like 100 years ago?  Before 1790, most dental procedures were done while sitting on the floor!  The dentist would sit cross-legged and rest the patient's head in his or her lap.  In 1790 Dr. Josiah Flagg decided it was time for a better system and invented the first dental chair.  The hard wooden seat and tipped head rest looks oh so cozy!  The chair had specialized rubber stoppers to keep it in place and a nice little tray to rest instruments.  
Fast forward a few decades and things were getting pretty fancy!  Chairs were now soft and cushy! This chair from the 1830's had the ability to tilt back and also offered a foot rest to kick up them boots. Check out all of the other fancy equipment this practice had to offer.  A mechanical, foot pedal driven drill, a light, and a cuspidor for rinsing and spitting!
Move in to the 1900's and find this rendition of something more like what we see today! Chairs were becoming more streamline and functional.  I don't know about you, but I miss the fancy fringe! This chair allowed a dentist to lay a patient completely flat to reach those tricky maxillary molars.  With full leg support and longer arm rests, a patient may just want to take a nap!

The next gem came to us in the early 1950's. The trend of having an all inclusive dental operatory was booming just as much as light pink poodle skirts!  This mint green beauty offered electric headpieces and ultra bright nights to make dental treatment in the dark a thing of the past.

As we zoom into present day and admire just how far things have come, lets not forget all that it took to get here!  Next time you get cozy in one of our Brosy Family Dentisty chairs, send a little love to the late Dr. Josiah Flagg!  We could all be sitting on the floor!

Rodeo Teeth Facts!

The Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West!

What a better way to prepare for a night at the rodeo than by learning some fun  facts about all of the animals and their teeth!

One of the main attractions of the rodeo is the cattle. Bulls and cows have thirty-two teeth, just like us! However, cattle have no front teeth in the upper jaw. Instead their bottom teeth come into contact with a thick, hard area of gum tissue in the front.  

What rodeo would be complete without horses? Horses, like humans, have a set of baby teeth that are usually lost and are replaced with permanent teeth. Horses have anywhere between 

thirty-six and forty-four teeth depending on their gender. A really interesting thing about horse teeth is they grow continuously at a rate of about a quarter of an inch every year!

Mutton busting is an  attraction that is fun for the whole family! Sheep have twenty baby teeth that are replaced with permanent teeth usually by age four. They have twenty-four molars and eight incisors. Similar to cows, sheep do not have upper front incisors. Instead the bottom teeth come into contact with a hard, toothless pad in the upper jaw. 

Hopefully when you visit the rodeo you can impress your friends and family with all of these fun rodeo teeth facts!

Yeehaw! 

Dr. Lynn's Retirement Fun!

On May 14th the office staff and their families celebrated Dr. Lynn & her retirement from dentistry. It was a day filled with sunshine, fun, laughter, & games! We enjoyed playing a version of jeopardy all about Dr. Lynn.
Did you know that she graduated from dental school at the age of 23? She was also the first female president of the Northern Nevada Dental Society. Dr. Lynn served five years active duty in the Navy and is a huge fan of baseball. She is one of the most devoted Cubs fan and is very excited that they currently have the best record in baseball! All goats in Reno better watch out (http://www.billygoattavern.com/legend/curse/)
Dr. Paul & Dr. Lynn have been visiting major league ballparks over the years, and in one week they will cross off the final park on their list as they watch the Cubs take on the Braves at Turner Field.
During the game if you did not answer a question correctly, you had to play a game called pie face and take the chance of having a face full of whip cream!

Here's to you Dr. Lynn!

Ugly Scrub Top Competition

This year the office kicked off the holiday season with an ugly scrub top competition. Everyone decorated their scrub in their best holiday fashion and we ended with some amazing results. Check out our facebook https://www.facebook.com/BrosyFamilyDentistry/ to see all of the photos and vote on your favorite scrub top!

Shark Week!

Shark Week is an annual event on the Discovery Channel. We got into the spirit here at Brosy Family Dentistry by sharing facts about sharks and by giving away a shark in our "Name a Friend" contest.
 Just in case you missed it here are some shark facts to sink your teeth into:

1. Sharks average about 15 rows of teeth in each jaw. Most sharks have 5 rows of teeth, but some can have up to 50 rows!

2. Sharks continually lose and grow new teeth all throughout their lives. The number of teeth a shark grows and uses during it's life can be enormous. Some sharks can use up to 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. That's roughly 937 times the number of teeth for the average human!

3. Sharks are born with complete sets of teeth and swim away from their mother, soon after being born, to fend for themselves.

4.  Tiger sharks are often referred to as the "garbage cans of the sea" because they will eat anything. They have rows of 24 identical teeth on each jaw that  have both cutting and sawing regions located on them. The unique shape of these teeth allow it to maintain it's eat anything and everything diet.

                                                            HAPPY SHARK WEEK!

Whiten your teeth for charity! #whitenforacause #whiteteeth #itsforthekids #brosyfamilydentistry

Help a child and whiten your teeth! 100% of proceeds for office teeth bleaching will be donated to local Alice Maxwell Elementary School and the Smiles for Life Foundation. From March to June all whitening procedures will benefit children nationally and in our community. Take advantage of this great offer by getting your teeth whitened for a great cause! 

Call our office to schedule a whitening now through June for this great cause, 775-826-1988.

Toothpaste! #brosyfamilydentistry

In a world of different toothpastes, what do 9 out of 10 dentists recommend? Why is there always one practitioner that never agrees with the group? Which toothpaste do they pick?

First, let’s look at what makes up a tube of toothpaste. Most contain mild abrasives, stannous fluoride, glycerol like substances, flavoring agents, sodium lauryl sulfate, water, phosphate, and other inactive ingredients.[1] The goal of combining these ingredients is to reduce the formation of biofilm. The biofilm that forms over teeth is made up of food particles, bacteria, and substrates in your saliva. Formation of this film allows bacteria to form a home on the surface of your tooth. Without mechanical removal this film will continue to grow and can cause cavities[2].

It is very important to look at which ingredients make up the toothpaste you use. Many patients exhibit allergic reactions to sodium lauryl sulfate and require a toothpaste free of this ingredient. The ingredients added to increase water retention vary between products as well as the ingredients to create a mild abrasive.

I believe that the best toothpaste is based on individual preference, effectiveness, and use. Many patients dislike the taste of certain brands. Others feel their mouth is not as clean with different flavors. To find the “perfect” toothpaste one should look at ingredients, but most importantly one should be using a toothpaste that will encourage brushing for two minutes twice a day.

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[1] http://www.ada.org/en/science-research/ada-seal-of-acceptance/product-category-information/toothpaste

[2] Action of food preservatives on 14-days dental biofilm formation, biofilm vitality and biofilm-derived enamel demineralisation in situ. Arweiler et al. German Society of Dental, Oral and Craniomandibular Sciences. 02 Aug 2013

December Sock Drive

Please help those in need this holiday season.

Movember!

It's mustache November = #Movember. Dad's and guys - remember to get your prostate checked!

Happy (early) Nevada Day!

While the last minute touches on costumes are being done, the candy ready at the door, and apple cider mulling it gives one time to reflect on why Nevada celebrates this wonderful day. The candy and day off of work or school is an added plus, but the importance of why Nevada became a state in 1864 is the real reason for celebration. The Nevada Art Museum's exhibit on Nevada's road to statehood highlights the battleborn triumph and worth the trip downtown. Both Nevada's constitution and the emancipation proclamation are available for viewing this weekend!
There are many other fun filled Nevada Day activities this weekend, along with a few Halloween events. So, don't forget to have fun and floss your teeth after eating candy!




http://www.nevadaart.org/

Having fun with our dental family

We are very fortunate to have excellent team members at our second home, Brosy Family Dentistry. Most of these folks have been with us many years, and they truly are our extended family. We enjoy getting together outside of the office walls. Dr. Anderson hosted our latest gathering. Here are a few photos.

Halloween Candy Buy Back

As a dentist, I have a love/hate relationship with candy. Personally, I'm inclined to think of chocolate as an important food group and could easily dine on Reese's peanut butter cups and a glass of red wine. I also brush my teeth very well after this indulgence, something my lollipop and gummy bear eating young patients don't always do so well.

Is Halloween candy fun? You bet. But does anyone really need ten pounds (or even 1 or 2 pounds) of sugar? It's not good for our overall health and weight, and certainly can cause painful cavities, which is why I'm a big fan of the Halloween Candy Buy Back program, promoted by Operation Gratitude. This will be the third year our office as participated in the buy back. The idea is simple- the week after Halloween, we encourage children (and their parents!) to bring in some of their extra confections. We give the kids a dollar a pound for their donations. The candy is packed up and sent to Operation Gratitude in southern California. They in turn send the candy to our overseas military troops.

We're partnering with Pitts orthodontics and are especially grateful to ITS Logistics Reno who have kindly shipped the hundreds of pounds of candy our offices gather.

Working with a great staff – including my parents!

These past two months have been a whirlwind at Brosy Family Dentistry. I could not feel more fortunate to join an amazing staff and be part of what I believe is the best practice for patient care. Working with my parents, Dr. Lynn & Dr. Paul, has become a wonderful learning experience that makes me excited to come to work every day.

My husband and I are settling into both of our jobs, and our dog Rudy is quite excited to no longer deal with the Las Vegas heat. We’ve been able to enjoy Reno activities, ranging from artown festivals, walking along the river, and becoming champions at trivia (in large help to Dr. Paul’s golf knowledge).

I’m sure these next months and upcoming years will be a great time at our office and I look forward to meeting all of our incredible patients!

Lasers!

Our daughter and new associate, Dr. Erin Anderson, comes to our office with laser certification. She inspires the rest of our clinical staff. Here we are with our hygienists at a recent two day continuing education class about dental lasers.

Open House Fun

Thank you to all who made the open house Wednesday night spectacular! Our amazing staff and incredible patients make each day more exciting and rewarding!

Do you have bad breath?

Haven't we all been in a situation where we wished our breath were fresher? Here are some natural remedies to help prevent the dreaded halitosis. This link is from Sheri, one of our really wonderful dental hygienists.  How to naturally combat bad breath

Adding a new doctor to the staff!

Dr. Paul and I could not be prouder. Our daughter, Dr. Erin Anderson, DMD, is officially joining our staff tomorrow. Learning from Erin will be invigorating, and teaching her will be rewarding. We are so blessed!