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When you meet someone new, one of the first things they notice is your smile, so you want to make sure it always looks its best. A healthy, well-maintained smile not only looks attractive but shows the world you care about your oral health. Taking care of your teeth and gums also ensures you enjoy fresh breath, which is essential for making that all-important positive first impression.

Preventive Dentistry Is Key

Most people can easily maintain good oral health by following a preventive dental care plan. It’s a strategy we certainly recommend at our dental practice as it’s by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to look after your dental health.

What Is Preventive Dentistry?

A preventive dental care plan is as simple as making sure you see your dentist regularly. Generally, people need to see a dentist every six months, but if you have any existing dental problems or medical issues that could impact your oral health, we might suggest more frequent checkups. The same applies to regular dental cleanings, a treatment that helps you maintain healthy teeth and gums more easily. A professional dental cleaning is excellent for freshening breath and rejuvenating the appearance of your teeth. It is a procedure that removes some surface stains from teeth, so they look extra sparkly afterwards.

Professional preventive dental care needs to be combined with a good oral care routine at home. Typically it will take less than 10 minutes out of your day to brush your teeth twice daily and floss every day. Not sure how to floss? We know many people struggle with this task, but we are here to help. Ask us to demonstrate flossing techniques or discuss other tools to use during your next checkup.

What about Attaining a Perfect Smile?

While preventive dentistry helps you maintain healthy teeth and gums, some people are looking for a little more. These days numerous cosmetic dental treatments can help improve the alignment, colour or shape of your teeth and can achieve excellent results.

When teeth are generally healthy, and a nice size and shape but may be discoloured and stained, teeth whitening can easily correct this issue. Our practice can provide professional teeth whitening treatments that will lift the colour of your teeth safely and effectively, and treatment is very affordable.

No longer just for children, an increasing number of adults are having orthodontic treatment, largely due to the introduction of adult-oriented braces such as clear aligners. Instead of fixed metal braces, these use clear removable aligners to gently move teeth into the proper positions. Sometimes orthodontics can also help improve overall health, making teeth easier to keep clean and free from disease.

Porcelain crowns and veneers are extremely useful in correcting the shape, size and colour of teeth. Porcelain crowns cover the entire tooth and are ideal when the tooth is substantially decayed or damaged. Porcelain veneers cover only the front surface of a tooth, perfecting its appearance.

These are just some of the solutions available. Ask us for more information during your next visit.

Dental implants are often regarded as the gold standard for restoring missing teeth. If you are unsure what they are, how they work or why they are so good, read on to discover ten facts to consider.

1. Dental implants are stronger than teeth, so relatively few are needed to support even a complete arch of teeth.
2. Dental implants are long-lasting; they could last for life with the proper preventive oral care.
3. They are self-supporting, independent restorations, so there is no need to grind down or adjust existing natural teeth.
4. Dental implants protect your existing teeth, preventing them from moving out of place and protecting your bite.
5. Dental implants are made from titanium alloy, a highly biocompatible material that bonds well with your jawbone.
6. A dental implant replicates a real tooth root, so it protects and preserves your jawbone.
7. Implant treatment has a success rate of 95% or higher when properly placed and cared for correctly.
8. Treatment is relatively comfortable and pain-free.
9. You need good gum health for implants, so any signs of gum disease need treating beforehand.
10. Dental implants are easy to look after and can be brushed and flossed like real teeth, following our instructions.

Sleep apnoea is slightly different from snoring, and while people with sleep apnoea will snore loudly, it’s punctuated by frequent pauses in breath lasting for several seconds. Sleep apnoea is caused when the throat muscles relax during sleep, allowing the airway to collapse inwards, preventing the body from receiving oxygen. After a few seconds, the brain registers this fact and prompts the body to stop breathing again, often with a loud snort or gasp.

These pauses in breath aren’t enough to completely awaken the sufferer, but they prevent deep, restful sleep. Consequently, people with sleep apnoea are often exhausted, have trouble concentrating during the day, and are at higher risk of having high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and other health problems. Treating sleep apnoea helps to reduce these risks.

Our dentists can often detect signs of sleep apnoea because it’s frequently associated with other problems like teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). This condition causes painful jaw joints. If necessary, we can refer you for a sleep study to confirm if you have sleep apnoea and the degree of severity. Mild sleep apnoea is often treatable with a custom-made oral appliance that moves your lower jaw slightly forwards, helping to keep your airway open.

When you no longer need to wear braces, it is often a cause for celebration, but treatment doesn’t end there. Afterwards, you need to make sure your newly straightened teeth stay firmly put in the correct positions, and this is achieved by using your retainers. There are different types of retainers. Some are removable, but others remain firmly fixed in place. We can discuss all possible options with you.

Why Do I Need Retainers?

Once teeth move, the bone around them needs time to remodel, and your retainers help hold your teeth in the right places as this process occurs. It doesn’t happen immediately, which is why it’s important to wear your retainers for as long as we recommend.

The first six months after finishing treatment are especially important because your teeth will still try to return to their original positions. If you have removable retainers, you will probably need to wear them full-time during this period before gradually decreasing their usage.

We will tell you when it is safe to start leaving out your retainers and for how long, but ideally, you will need to wear them periodically for life to retain your beautifully straight smile.

Has it been a while since your family saw our dentist? The school holidays are the perfect time to catch up on dental visits and any planned treatments.

According to research, over 40% of children aged between five and 10 have tooth decay in their baby teeth or primary teeth, but tooth decay is preventable with proper oral care. We thoroughly recommend that children see a dentist regularly, usually twice a year but sometimes more frequently for children who may have dental or other medical issues.

When we can see your child regularly, we can monitor their dental health closely, so any small signs of decay are quickly detected and treated, hopefully well before your child feels any discomfort or pain. We also recommend regular appointments with our hygienist, who can clean your child’s teeth professionally, a vital treatment for maintaining strong teeth and healthy gums.

These visits are a chance for you to ask questions about caring for your child’s teeth and receive valuable advice. If your child is older, we can work with them directly, ensuring they understand the importance of oral care and know how to brush and floss properly.

Many people realise that vitamin D is essential for good health but are unaware of its impact on oral health. Receiving enough vitamin D can reduce the rate of tooth decay and prevent other serious diseases like gum disease. One study showed that children who received a vitamin D supplement every day had fewer cavities than those who didn’t receive the supplement. However, many people do not get enough vitamin D each day.

The most common way to get vitamin D is through sun exposure, but fear of sun damage means most people spend their time in the shade or use sunblock. Another possible factor is that many families eat a lot of processed foods which is lacking in nutrients. Even someone who practices good oral care is at increased risk of cavities if they have low vitamin D levels.

If you are concerned you don’t receive enough vitamin D, ask your doctor for a blood test. If needed, they can then prescribe a vitamin D supplement or suggest other ways to receive this vitamin. One way is to spend at least 10 minutes every day in the sun without sunblock. However, vitamin D is also found in foods like fish and milk.

We were thrilled by the news that the Australian Government is continuing to fund the Children’s Dental Benefits Scheme through 2022. If you have kids, you may already know a bit about this programme, which helps ensure children aged between two and 17 can access basic dental services and treatment by providing financial assistance.

It’s an excellent scheme that ensures Australian children who may otherwise be unable to receive regular dental care can access high-quality dentistry in their local dental practice without travelling to the nearest public dental clinic.

Eligible kids can receive up to $1000 that can be spent on specific dental treatments over two years. Children may qualify for this scheme if their family receives Family Tax Benefit A or another social security payment. Usually, eligible families are sent a Medicare letter, and all treatments are bulk billed, so there are no out-of-pocket payments.

The payments can cover the cost of dental checkups and cleans and other essential services like root canal treatment, tooth extractions and fillings, fissure sealants, and dental x-rays. However, the scheme doesn’t cover orthodontic work or cosmetic dentistry.

If your child is eligible, we can help ensure they gain maximum benefit from this scheme.

With the holidays just around the corner, a brighter smile is on many people’s wish lists, but choosing the right method is important.

Natural home remedies such as oil pulling or brushing your teeth with baking soda or strawberries will do very little to brighten your smile. There are plenty of over-the-counter products to choose from, and while their sale is tightly regulated, so they are safe to use, they may not achieve the results you desire.

The most effective option is a professional teeth whitening treatment. Unlike over-the-counter products, our dentists can use high-quality professional strength products, achieving excellent results safely. Before recommending this procedure, we examine your teeth carefully to ensure treatment is appropriate and will achieve the desired results.

There are two ways we can brighten your smile, and the first is to have a chairside whitening treatment that takes as little as an hour to lift the colour of your teeth by several shades. The second option is a take-home whitening kit for use in the comfort of your own home, where we prescribe professional strength whitening gel that is safe for home use and which takes a couple of weeks to get the desired results. So if you fancy a brighter, whiter smile in time for Christmas, contact us now to book an appointment.

The holidays are a time to celebrate, and these celebrations often revolve around food and plenty of seasonal treats. There is certainly no harm in indulging once in a while, but it’s worth knowing how the holidays can affect dental health. So here are our top tips for the holidays.

Stick to Your Normal Brushing Routine

Other routines might go out of the window, but it’s worth sticking to your normal daily routine of twice a day brushing and once-a-day flossing. Even if you are super tired at the end of the day, it only takes a couple of minutes to clean your mouth thoroughly. If you are out for the day, be sure to pack a travel toothbrush and toothpaste so you can freshen up on the go.

Use Appropriate Tools to Open Packages and Presents

When opening packets or presents, use the appropriate tools and not your teeth. The same goes for trying to crack nuts with your teeth, as this can prove a painful and expensive mistake.

Get Up To Date with Your Dental Checkups

If it’s been a while since you visited us, book your checkup now. We can make sure your teeth are strong and healthy, and free from dental problems before the festivities begin.

Both Santa and the Tooth Fairy are magical figures, appealing to the imagination of young children, and both can be great teaching tools when it comes to good oral hygiene. The Tooth Fairy is well-known for visiting the homes of small children who have recently lost baby teeth, leaving a small gift in the form of money or another trinket in exchange for the tooth.

Children start losing baby teeth between ages five and seven, but parents need to start teaching them good oral care well before then. One way is to incorporate the Tooth Fairy into stories and teeth brushing routines, gently reminding your child that the Tooth Fairy wants teeth that are strong, healthy and cavity-free. When you can get small children excited about the thought of the Tooth Fairy and the anticipation of a visit, it’s easier to begin forming lifelong oral habits.

When it’s time for the Tooth Fairy to leave their gift, try to make it personalised, along with a note congratulating your child on their good oral habits. Another way you can reinforce good oral hygiene is by encouraging Santa to leave tooth-friendly gifts instead of sugary treats. These might be a novelty flavoured toothpaste, or a toothbrush with your child’s favourite cartoon character, or kid-friendly mouthwash.