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Smiling is a wonderful way to express emotion and connect with others, and there are some real benefits to smiling more frequently. However, it is often easier to frown than to crack a smile, especially at the end of a long and stressful day, but if you can force your features into a grin, you will probably feel all the better for doing so, and here is why smiling is so powerful.

Release Those Feelgood Endorphins 

Whenever you smile, your brain releases neuropeptides that help fight stress. It also releases neurotransmitters that include endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. Endorphins can relieve mild levels of pain, while serotonin is well-known as an antidepressant. It’s been suggested that smiling can help you recover more quickly from stress and lower your heart rate. Initially, faking a smile can boost your happiness level and your mood.

Making Others around You Feel Better

The feel-good factor isn’t just limited to you; when you smile, it can positively impact those around you. Seeing somebody smiling at you activates the reward centre in your brain, making you feel a bit better. Also, when someone smiles, it’s infectious and very difficult not to smile back, increasing feelings of happiness.

Making You Feel Happier in the Workplace

When you are happy and smiling at work, it can help improve your performance, increasing productivity. It appears that positive emotions like smiling and happiness can have a stimulating effect, while negative emotions like feeling sad can have the opposite effect. Smiling more can make you a more efficient and creative worker, enabling you to learn and make decisions more effectively.

Enjoy Better Relationships

Smiling is an important way of communicating with others and helps increase social bonds. One study discovered that smiling and laughter benefit emotional well-being in couples, increasing their closeness and deepening their relationship.

You Might Live Longer

Those people who smile and laugh more frequently may enjoy longer lives than those who don’t. A 15-year study in Norway discovered that women with a strong sense of humour lived longer than those without it. They were far less likely to die from heart disease and less likely to suffer from infections. In comparison, men with a good sense of humour only seem to be protected against infection. 

There’s a good reason why smiling and laughter can protect your health as it stimulates your organs and can increase your intake of oxygen, stimulating your muscles and your heart and decreasing blood pressure. When you feel less stress, it’s easier to enjoy more fulfilling social relationships, and a general sense of happiness can help you weather the effects of ageing, and any stressful situation life throws at you more effectively.

The easiest way to smile confidently is to make sure you visit us regularly for dental checkups and cleans. We can make sure your teeth and gums are in great shape, and professionally cleaning your teeth will give an additional sparkle to your smile.

Developing a good oral routine care while your child is still young is essential for them to grow up with healthy teeth and an attractive smile. The sooner you get them into a good routine, the more you normalise the need for excellent oral hygiene and a nutritious diet. The benefits can be huge, as your child is more likely to enjoy better oral health for life, and the school holidays are a great time to begin a new oral care routine. 

Here are some easy tips to follow before the new school year begins.

• Book Regular Dental Checkups

If you don’t already do so, ensure your child visits the dentist regularly. We prefer to see children every six months to monitor the growth and development of their teeth closely. Even though your child may still have their baby teeth, these are important and require excellent care to make sure they aren’t lost too soon. These baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth, so when they are ready to erupt, they are more likely to come through in the proper places.

• Get into a Regular Oral Care Routine

Brushing teeth at least twice daily and flossing once a day is important for everybody, but we know children can be in a rush to get to school and are often tempted to skip brushing their teeth. Ideally, begin making tooth brushing a routine from a very young age so kids know it is non-negotiable. Also, aim to make it more fun by allowing your child to choose their own child’s toothbrush, and you may want to buy them their own toothpaste in a flavour they enjoy using.

• Use Positive Reinforcement for Good Oral Hygiene

Praising or rewarding your child for good oral care habits will help them view tooth brushing as a positive habit. As an example, you may want to reward your child for choosing a piece of fruit in the lunchbox rather than a sugary snack.

• Encourage Your Kid to Keep Their Teeth Clean at School

In an ideal world, your child would be able to brush their teeth after every meal, including after school lunch, but this isn’t always practical. However, you can ensure your child always has a bottle of water handy so that they can swish their mouth thoroughly with water after each meal. Encouraging them to get into this habit will help remove loose food particles that would otherwise feed bacteria found in dental plaque and which can increase their risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease.

• Make Sure Your Child Has a Well-Fitting Mouthguard

Most parents are too pleased to encourage their kids to get involved with sports, but there is a danger of taking a blow to the mouth that could damage or even knock out a tooth, leaving a child facing a lifetime of costly restorative dental bills. A custom-made mouthguard can help prevent or reduce the damage considerably and is comfortable to wear, and won’t hinder breathing. It’s a great way to ensure your child’s safety while enjoying sports.

Making sure you teach your child about good oral care from a young age will help them avoid common problems like tooth decay. Establishing a good oral care routine will help prevent future dental problems, making them more likely to grow up with a healthy and attractive smile.

Here are six easy ways to teach your child about good oral hygiene.

• Let Them Follow Your Example

Children are great mimics and will often want to copy everything you do, so make sure they can see you clean your teeth and floss every day. While you brush and floss, make this task seem as enjoyable as possible, letting them know how good it feels to have clean teeth afterwards.

• Book Regular Dental Checkups

Regular dental checkups are essential for the entire family, including you. Lead by example by ensuring you book regular dental checkups with our practice, so your kid knows it’s just part of normal life. We also encourage young children to come to our practice with their parents so they can get used to a brand-new environment in a way that is fun and nonthreatening.

• Choose a Toothbrush Song

Pick a fun song with your child that lasts approximately two minutes so you can both dance along with it while you clean your teeth. Having a toothbrushing song makes the process more enjoyable.

• Turn Toothbrushing into a Game

An easy way to get a child interested in toothbrushing is to turn it into a game. You could help them clean their favourite stuffed animals or doll’s teeth while you brush their teeth. Children often find brushing an adult’s teeth fun, and you can guide their hands while they do it to ensure each tooth is cleaned properly. When a child has fun cleaning teeth, it turns into a positive experience and is easier to turn into a lifelong habit.

• Offer Rewards

If your child has difficulty cleaning their teeth regularly, offer them an incentive. You might want to start a sticker scheme where they can collect a certain number of stickers before receiving a treat. Decide on the treat between you, whether that’s a favourite bedtime story or a family outing, or something else they can look forward to enjoying. It’s best to avoid offering food as a reward, especially sugary treats.

• Choose a Family-Friendly Dentist

Last but not least, choose a family-friendly dentist you can trust to care for everyone’s teeth. Our practice caters for all ages, but we especially enjoy seeing children. We encourage parents to bring their child for their first dental visit soon after that first precious tooth emerges. Children tend to be curious about a new environment at this age, and most will enjoy a ride in the dental chair. When we see a child early on in life, we can begin building a great relationship with them as they grow up. When they are old enough, we can work with them directly, showing them how to care for their teeth and gently educating them on all the advantages of having healthy teeth and gums.

Getting older affects overall health and dental health, and it’s extremely important to ensure you maintain a good oral care routine. Otherwise, the risk of gum recession and failing teeth can lead to tooth loss. Anyone who has lost teeth will know it is a miserable experience, affecting your self-confidence and ability to eat comfortably and speak clearly, impacting your sense of well-being. 

Luckily, getting older doesn’t mean you will suffer from poor oral health. Biannual dental visits can help identify potential problems, hopefully before you notice anything wrong. We always provide customised preventive dental care plans for our patients, and as you get older, we can adjust this plan to ensure you maintain optimal oral health year-round. 

Read on to discover how getting older affects your teeth and gums and why good oral care is essential.

What Happens to Your Oral Health As You Age?

As you age, your skin becomes thinner and less elastic, and this also affects your oral tissues, including your gums. Teeth can become more fragile while bones can also weaken, losing density, especially amongst adults susceptible to osteoporosis. Your immune system may not work as well as when you are younger, so it is harder to fight infection, and you take longer to heal. Additionally, many older people have chronic conditions and require medications or treatments that can affect oral health.

Xerostomia

Xerostomia or dry mouth is extremely common amongst older adults and can negatively impact dental health. It is a condition where people cannot produce enough saliva, an essential fluid that helps keep your mouth clean, moist and comfortable, washing away loose food particles, plaque and bacteria. Bacteria can thrive when your mouth is dry, increasing your risk of dental diseases, including infections, tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease.

Often, dry mouth is due to side effects of medications or treatments. It can also occur if someone has chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or diabetes or who has needed medical treatments like radiation therapy for head and neck cancers.

If you have dry mouth, we can work with you to help reduce the impact on your oral health. For example, you may benefit from more frequent dental checkups and cleans to reduce the risk of disease. We can also suggest other ways to help keep your mouth moist and comfortable such as using saliva substitutes or making some easy lifestyle changes. 

Gum Disease

Gum disease can affect anyone at any age but is more prevalent in older people. It is a bacterial infection that is often the result of poor oral care. Unfortunately, severe gum disease can result in tooth loss and increases the risk of general health problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases and dementia. The good news is that gum disease is easily treatable when caught early, which is why your regular checkups are so important. We can also offer useful advice on how to clean your teeth thoroughly, especially if it becomes harder to manipulate an ordinary toothbrush due to loss of dexterity.

Tooth decay is a common disease throughout the world, and many children will go on to develop cavities in their teeth. An untreated cavity can cause toothache, greatly affecting a child’s well-being and health. Tooth decay will worsen without treatment because it is a bacterial infection that cannot clear up without professional dental care. In addition to toothache, children affected by tooth decay can suffer from:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Problems with eating can affect the growth and development
• Speech problems
• Lower self-esteem can lead to social isolation
• Untreated cavities can damage the permanent teeth developing underneath
• There is a higher risk of other teeth developing tooth decay
• Problems concentrating at school or missing a significant amount of schooling due to pain and the subsequent dental care needed for severely infected teeth

Although tooth decay may be common, it is preventable with the right oral hygiene habits. We have listed some points to follow below if you have a young child.

Make sure you do not put your baby to sleep with a bottle containing anything other than water. You can begin brushing their teeth as soon as they appear using a small baby toothbrush and either plain water or a smear of toothpaste. Ask us for advice on which we would recommend, as it is best to book your child’s first dental visit as soon as they get their first teeth.

From age one to eighteen months, you should be brushing your child’s teeth twice a day. We can show you how to brush them thoroughly when you bring your child to visit us using the proper techniques. From age one onwards, a child should be able to drink from a cup.

Between ages one and a half and five years, you can start brushing your child’s teeth with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. You will need to help your child brush their teeth until they are aged eight because, before this age, they lack the dexterity needed to complete this task. Milk and plain water are the best drinks for a child, and it is better to avoid fruit juice that can be laden with sugar, regardless of your child’s age. Instead, encourage kids to eat fruit that contains useful fibre.

General Tips for Looking after Your Child’s Teeth

We recommend an initial dental visit by age one, so our dentist can make sure your child’s teeth are developing properly, and we can talk to you about how best to care for them at home. Many parents find this initial visit extremely helpful, especially for first-time mums and dads. Make sure you use an appropriate child-sized toothbrush to clean your child’s teeth. As they get older, it can be a good idea to involve them in choosing a toothbrush as there are many appealing designs available for kids, which can help get them more interested in dental care. Please encourage your child to eat healthily and limit their access to processed foods and foods high in sugars, including sports drinks and energy drinks.

Getting older takes its toll on your body, and your teeth are no exception, but the good news is there is a lot you can do to help keep them in great shape with good preventative dental care. Read on to discover easy ways to reduce the wear and tear on your teeth and gums.

Avoid Damaging Oral Habits

Your teeth are covered with strong tooth enamel, but all that biting, chewing and grinding food can gradually wear down over the years. Over time, your tooth cusps also become flatter due to wear and tear. It’s impossible to prevent all wear and tear on teeth, but you can reduce your risk by avoiding very hard foods or habits like chewing on ice cubes. These can chip or crack your tooth enamel and may require restorative care.

Get Treatment for a Poor Bite

Teeth can be ground down if you have a poor bite, where your teeth do not occlude or bite together properly. Poor occlusion may mean you bite together with some teeth before others, wearing them down. A poor bite can also place stress on your jaw joints. One option is to look into orthodontic treatment to realign teeth, and these days there are several adult braces that are discreet and easy to use. Alternatively, depending on the problems requiring correction, we may be able to adjust your tooth surfaces, so your teeth meet together properly.

Teeth Clenching and Grinding

Many people have a clenching and grinding habit called bruxism, which normally occurs during sleep. It can significantly damage teeth, jaws and gums, causing problems with toothache and jaw ache and even chronic headaches. If you suspect you may have bruxism make an appointment to come and see us. Our dentist can gently examine your teeth and jaw joints for signs of damage and inflammation. Often, bruxism is easy to treat with a custom-made night guard. The night guard fits over your teeth and is made from a strong plastic material, so the opposing teeth grind harmlessly against it.

Gum Health

Maintaining healthy gums is extremely important, protecting your teeth and even your general health. Each day, a sticky biofilm called dental plaque coats your teeth and begins to build up just minutes after brushing and flossing. It contains bacteria that, if not promptly removed, will infect and inflame your gums. Eventually, these bacteria will destroy your gums and the bone around your teeth, loosening them so we may need to extract them. As the gums are infected, they start to bleed more easily, allowing these bacteria to enter your bloodstream, where they can cause serious health problems.

When you come and see us regularly, we always check for any early signs of gum disease because, at this stage, it is reversible. We can clean your teeth professionally, getting rid of plaque and hardened plaque, a substance called calculus or tartar. Our hygienist can also review your oral care routine with you, making sure you are cleaning your teeth thoroughly and using appropriate tools.

We can help ensure your teeth remain in great shape no matter your age by working with you.

Cold and flu season is here, and perhaps you have noticed others around you have started to cough and sneeze. You may not realise that general health is closely connected to oral health, so when you have a cold or the flu, it affects your dental health. If you get sick this winter, follow our easy tips to help protect your oral health.

Pay Extra Attention When Brushing Your Teeth

While it’s important to clean your teeth thoroughly at all times of the year, you are more likely to use medications that contain sugars when you have a cold. These sugars can harm your teeth, especially if you are sucking on cough drops continuously to soothe a sore throat. Although you can purchase sugar-free cough drops, these may be more acidic, and the acids can also damage your teeth. After sucking on cough sweets, it’s best to wait half an hour before cleaning your teeth.

When brushing your teeth, make sure you spend at least two minutes cleaning all tooth surfaces thoroughly. Try to brush methodically, and if you have an electric toothbrush, it will probably alert you when it’s time to move on to a new section of your mouth. 

Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly

Has it been a while since you replaced your toothbrush? You need to purchase a new toothbrush every three or four months or sooner if it begins to look worn. It can also be a good idea to replace your toothbrush after being ill because it can harbour bacteria.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated, especially if you are feeling ill or under the weather, is especially important, and it helps ensure you can create plenty of saliva. Saliva is an important part of controlling harmful bacteria in the mouth, helping keep your mouth fresher and cleaner. It washes away excess food particles that can feed these bacteria. If your mouth feels dry, it can be uncomfortable, and your chance of cavities and gum disease increases. Many medications, including decongestants, can cause dry mouth as a side effect. Also, if you have a cold, you are more likely to have a stuffy nose and need to breathe through your mouth, drying out your oral tissues. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of water, so keep a refillable bottle with you or have a large glass of water nearby to sip on frequently.

If You Have Been Sick, Swish Your Mouth with Water before Brushing

It’s quite common to feel sick or vomit when you have the flu, and your immediate reaction is probably to reach for your toothbrush. However, being sick exposes your teeth to strong stomach acid, so it’s best to wait a while for the acidity levels in your mouth to normalise. Try making a mouth rinse by dissolving a teaspoon of baking soda in water to help neutralise acids more quickly. If you have a sore throat, gargling with salt water can help to soothe it and reduce bacterial levels.

As women go through different stages in life, their hormone levels change, potentially impacting oral health. Understanding how this affects dental health will help you enjoy a healthy, attractive smile, no matter your age. These changes occur during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

Menstruation

During menstruation, changes in hormonal levels can increase the sensitivity of the gums to plaque bacteria. Consequently, you may notice your gums bleed more easily at this time, and they could feel a bit more tender. Another potential side effect is experiencing more mouth ulcers and cold sores in the days immediately before your period starts.

We very much hope you look after your oral health year-round, but it can be useful to pay extra attention to your dental care during your period, especially if you notice your gums are a bit more sensitive or that they are prone to bleeding slightly. Also, it can feel more comfortable to schedule your checkups and cleans outside of your period.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be an amazing and exciting time, but the changes in hormonal levels can be significant as your body accommodates your growing baby. Most women try to eat healthily during this time, but did you know pregnancy can affect your dental health? The increase in hormonal levels can cause pregnancy gingivitis, where your gums begin to bleed more easily due to increased sensitivity to plaque bacteria. Pregnancy gingivitis will clear up once your baby is born, but we might suggest more frequent dental cleanings while you are pregnant. Removing plaque and tartar buildup can help manage pregnancy gingivitis more effectively so you can continue to enjoy a healthy smile.

Morning sickness is another common side effect, and if you are afflicted, rinse your mouth immediately afterwards but wait at least half an hour before brushing your teeth. Vomiting exposes your teeth to strong stomach acid that weakens your tooth enamel. Waiting a while gives it time to re-harden, reducing the impact on your dental health.

Please don’t forget to come and see us regularly during your pregnancy. There is no need to be concerned as regular preventive dental care during pregnancy is perfectly okay, and it’s much safer for you both to have any dental problems treated. We take extra special care of our pregnant patients, making sure any treatment we provide is safe for you both.

Menopause

When menopause rolls around, most women are looking forward to an end to menstruation, but going through the change may affect oral health. As hormonal levels decline and become more erratic, it can increase the risk of gum disease and other issues like dry mouth, where your body cannot produce enough saliva to keep the mouth clean, fresh and comfortable. We have plenty of dental strategies to help you sail through menopause with a smile and with the right care, there is no need for it to negatively affect your oral health.

Customised Dental Care

We customise our preventive dental care plans for every patient, ensuring we factor in your unique oral health needs so you enjoy optimal oral health and healthy teeth for life.

Your teeth are meant to last you for life, but they can only do so if you look after them properly. Unfortunately, poor oral and lifestyle habits can all take their toll on your pearly whites. We have taken a closer look at these oral habits and how they impact your dental health, and how to overcome these effects.

Eating and Drinking

The foods and drinks you consume can significantly affect your dental health, and one of the worst culprits is sugar. Whenever you eat or drink anything sugary, the excess sugars are utilised by decay-causing bacteria found in dental plaque. Dental plaque is a sticky biofilm coating your teeth and builds up over your tooth surfaces between regular brushing and flossing.

The bacteria in plaque use leftover sugar for energy, excreting a weak acid as a byproduct. The acid removes essential minerals from tooth enamel, and repeated exposure to these acids eventually weakens enamel to such an extent that cavities form.

There are some simple steps you can take to reduce the impact of sugar. The first is to brush your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste. Spit out the excess paste after brushing but don’t rinse your mouth as a thin layer of fluoride ions will remain to coat your teeth providing a little more protection.

Make sure you clean between your teeth at least once a day using dental floss or another tool like interdental brushes, soft picks, or a water flosser. If you aren’t sure about flossing, ask us for help and practical advice.

Last but not least, try to limit your sugar consumption to less than six teaspoons per day, which is the recommended amount for an adult, and when you have something sugary, consume it as part of your main meal and try to avoid snacking. The more frequently you snack on sugary foods, the more often your teeth are exposed to those weak acids.

Drink Water, Not Soft Drinks

Many of us don’t drink enough water, but it’s an excellent beverage for your teeth, and it’s sugar-free. Much of the water supply in Australia already contains fluoride, and drinking fluoridated water every day is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to prevent tooth decay.

In comparison, soft drinks are often packed with sugar. These include sports drinks and energy drinks. On average, a 600 mL bottle contains around 16 teaspoons of sugar. Fruit juice is no better, and if you read the nutritional label of a juice carton, you may be shocked to discover its sugar content. These sugary drinks provide very little or no nutrition and greatly increase your risk of tooth decay and developing other health problems like type II diabetes. Swapping to sugar-free drinks isn’t a good solution as these drinks often contain acid to make them tastier. Any food or drink containing acid will automatically attack your tooth enamel, eventually eroding it and causing cavities.

Clenching and grinding is a habit called bruxism. It is a tremendously destructive habit that can wear down your teeth, cause gum recession and affect your jaw joints. Luckily, when you visit our dental practice, we can easily diagnose the signs of bruxism and provide suitable treatment.

What Is Bruxism?

If you have bruxism, you will clench and grind your teeth subconsciously. Although this habit can occur while you are awake, it most often happens during sleep. Most people will grind their teeth occasionally, which won’t cause any lasting damage, but if you begin to clench and grind your teeth more frequently, it’s important to seek proper treatment.

What Causes Bruxism?

Bruxism is often linked to other sleep disorders like sleep apnoea and insomnia. It can manifest during periods of high stress or when someone feels anxious or depressed. Other factors that can cause bruxism include occlusal problems, where your teeth don’t bite together properly. When you have an improper bite, it can make you more likely to clench and grind your teeth. Bruxism may also be due to acid reflux and has even been linked to excessive consumption of caffeine.

What Are the Signs of Bruxism?

Because bruxism often occurs during sleep, people are frequently unaware they have this habit. They may be alerted to the problem by sleeping partners because, as you can imagine, teeth grinding can become pretty noisy.

Potential signs of bruxism include waking up with a headache or jaw pain, or painful teeth. You may notice your jaw joints make a clicking or popping sound when you open your mouth, and it could be painful to move your jaw or perform everyday actions like chewing food. You might find your teeth become more sensitive to hot and cold, and this is because bruxism wears away the protective layer of tooth enamel so the sensations can more easily penetrate the teeth and reach the tooth nerve. If you look at your teeth, they may appear worn, chipped or cracked. In severe cases of bruxism, teeth may be so damaged that they become loose.

Diagnosing and Treating Bruxism

If any of these signs sound familiar, please book a consultation with our dentist. We can soon diagnose signs of bruxism and discuss suitable ways to treat this problem. One of the easiest treatments is to provide you with a custom-made nightguard. The nightguard will fit over your teeth, usually your upper teeth, so your lower teeth grind harmlessly against the guard. Wearing a nightguard can be enough to break the habit of bruxism.

Other possible treatments include restorative dentistry to mend teeth damaged by bruxism. We will also want to check your bite to make sure your teeth bite or occlude correctly, and if necessary, we can make adjustments so they bite together more smoothly.

Self-help treatments can also be useful, so try to reduce your stress levels and avoid consuming too much caffeine before bedtime. Make sure you have a regular bedtime routine, limiting your screen time before sleeping, so you feel more relaxed.