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It is not uncommon for children to have toothaches and many times, it is stressful for both the child and the parents to deal with. Taking children to the dentist can be stressful as parents prepare themselves for their tears and tantrums but it does not have to be like that!

There are ways to make dental appointments less scary!

The foundation for a less daunting dental experience has to be laid at young age for children .As parents, we are used to helping our kids to overcome their fears and phobias but the main problem parents find with dental is how to help a child with their fear if you find it hard to conquer it yourself.

If this problem is not dealt in a timely manner, it can be difficult for a child in the long term to overcome this fear.

An early foundation of good oral health

• To lay a good foundation for kids, we need to incorporate oral health learning into their daily routine. It can be more educational and fun than lecture.
• While you are helping them to brush their teeth before school, talk about why doing so is important.
• Rather than making it a one way conversation, encourage questions from kids. You can also ask your child questions about teeth which make them think about their teeth and their importance.
• Ask them questions about brushing and why teeth need cleaning.
• Along with this, it is good to take your kids to the dentist at an early age. It is recommended to take kids as early as two years of age.

It is a good idea to use some of the following tips to take your kid on the road of healthy teeth.

Tips for your child’s oral health

• You can organise a fun tour of the dental surgery with your local dentist. Most dentists will be happy to do so. Also, there may be a time where your child’s preschool arranges a dentist to visit their preschool so kids can be shown how to look after their teeth.
• It will be good idea to start visiting the dentist at an early age to get them familiar with what is involved and familiarity of surroundings.
• Be a role model for your kids. Always talk positively about your dentist visits
• It’s great to show some videos to your kids at home so they can get familiar with a dental office. You can also consider pretend play and role play about the dental visit, which could be helpful.
• Try and relax your child before their appointment as it is sometimes a parents own fear of the dentist, can tempt you to provide too much emotional comfort. In doing this, they can sometimes make promises and introduce words like pain and hurt while the child may still be thinking about it, which could be harmful for the child.
• Mostly as parents, we discourage our kids to take blankets and toys as we go out of the home but in a situation when a child is stressed and anxious about an unknown territory of the dental office, these items can be comforting. It can soothe kids if they have something familiar. In saying that, these items can also be a problem for kids to have something which can be too distracting for them to open their mouth.
• Give kids some control. Rather than ordering kids around in the dental surgery, make a plan with your kids as what to expect when his/her name is called. Let them lead the way and let them talk to the dentist if they are feeling confident.
• You can give control to your child by deciding a safety sign before their appointment. Your child then can let you know so that you can ask the dentist to briefly step away, which can give them time to control their breathing and relax and cuddle you before we re-commence the dental visit
• Most important is that you should be composed and relaxed. Children can pick up any negative vibes from you and it can make things worse.
• If all of the above is not helpful, then you can take your child to a dental specialist as well.

Having to pay a large dental bill can be very frustrating and stressful for many people on a low, middle or fixed income. While many people save money to cover medical expenses, dental work often isn’t included in those savings; which puts dental health at the backbench. This further leads to worsening of the situation and loss of teeth, smile, confidence and self-esteem for a person. After the eyes, the smile is considered to be the feature that enhances our facial aesthetics. It should be no more difficult to pay for your dental bill then paying for two coffees per week from a café or your visit to the hairdresser every few months.

So if dental care is managed well, then it should not be expensive. In fact, dentistry is not expensive, neglect is.

Tips to manage dental bills:

• Go to your dentist regularly. As we all know, prevention is cheaper than cure.
• Generally, if a filling of a cavity is detected early the cost can be as little as $200 but if left to decay and rot, the same tooth can cost up to $5000 to save. If the tooth needs extraction then it can cost up to $7000 to replace the tooth. Given a decision between spending $200 or $7000, the answer is pretty obvious.
• Also, there are weekly payment plans available for routine checkup and cleans which generally have huge savings as well. This takes stress away from that cost as well.
• Most dentists will also give some loyalty discounts as well for taking the initiative to look after your teeth. So dentistry is not much strain on your pocket if planned well.

Yes, there would be cases where teeth are already in poor shape due to neglect over a period of time. In that case, just the preventive approach may not fit.

You can finance dental work for both necessary procedures such as cavities  root canals, dentures as well as cosmetic dental work such as teeth whitening.

In a nutshell, the situation is not as hopeless as most of you would think. Most dental surgeries do have payment plans available to help you to bring your oral health on track. With these mostly interest-free payment plans, you can reduce the burden of your dental treatment and pay over regular instalments.

If you have been a long-standing patient at your dental office or if you have a payment history at the dentist that shows you can pay your bills on time, you may be able to arrange a payment plan with your dentist. You can then arrange to pay the remainder of the bill in fixed monthly payments.

Do not lose hope. You can call us today if you need to pay off your dental treatment. We offer Afterpay as well as finance and payment plan options both for preventative check-ups and treatments at all our surgeries in Willoughby East, Elermore Vale, Wingham and Tuncurry.

Why does my mouth feel dry all the time?

We often hear this question asked by a lot of people. Your once well moist mouth suddenly decides to go completely dry and you are left helpless with no idea what to do. Dry mouth is a condition commonly referred to as XEROSTOMIA in the medical field. This condition is experienced when the production of saliva in the mouth is not enough. It could be due to reasons like being agitated or upset. Everyone goes through this problem once or a few times in their lives, but if you are having a dry mouth most of the time, it could be a sign of severe health problems.

Problems Caused by Dry Mouth

We all know that the production of saliva is very important because besides keeping the mouth wet it also helps in digestion of food. It also prevents tooth decay and helps in prevention of infections caused by different bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Having a dry mouth can cause you the following problems:

• Difficulty in tasting and chewing food.
• Difficulty in swallowing food.
• It may cause difficulty in speaking.
• Increase the chances of dental decay and infections caused by bacteria in the mouth.

Symptoms of Dry Mouth

• You feel thirsty frequently.
• Your tongue gets dry, red and raw.
• You feel a burning sensation in your mouth.
• Sores appear at the corners of the mouth and this can be characterised by cracked lips.
• Your breath smells bad.

So what really causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth is caused by poor functionality of glands that produce saliva. The following are reasons that can cause these glands to not work properly:

• It could be a side effect of some medication you are taking, e.g. medications for high blood pressure and depression have been known to cause dry mouth.
• It could be a side effect of certain diseases e.g. hyper-tension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and mumps.
• High frequency radiations can also be a cause of dry mouth.
• Autoimmune diseases like Sjorgen syndrome
• Normal dehydration.
• Mouth breathing

Treatment for Dry Mouth

There are different medications available for dry mouth that can increase the production of saliva. You can follow the following few steps to help with dry mouth.

• Use water regularly

Keeping a water bottle handy is the best thing for dry mouth. keep sipping water at regular intervals and also during meals help keeping the mouth wet.

• Use mouthwash

Try using a mouthwash designed for dry mouth especially the ones containing xylitol like Biotene mouth rinse (Xylitol is a SA/sugar alcohol which is a little eatable carbohydrate that resists starches plus includes fibre). Do not use mouthwashes that contain alcohol because that can cause more dryness.

• Use saliva substitutes

Use of over the counter saliva substitutes can help such as Biotene oral balance.

• Chew sugar free gum

By chewing sugar free gums and hard candies the production of saliva is increased that can prevent from dry mouth. Most sugar free candies contain xylitol that can cause diarrhea on large consumption so consume it as prescribed by the dentist.

• Change in dietary habits

Avoid any drinks with caffeine such as coffee, tea and sodas. Caffeine can make your mouth drier so limit your intake amount of caffeine.

• Stop using tobacco

Tobacco has always been a cause of several minor to fatal health problems, and dry mouth is no exception. With prolonged use, tobacco can cause a mouth disease called leukoplakia, characterised by white patches and oral lesions on cheeks, gums and tongue which can eventually lead to oral cancer.

• Breathe through your nose

Try breathing through your nose as much as possible and avoid using your mouth as mouth breathing increases dryness. It is best to check with a doctor if you are mouth breather as there could be some underlying reason for it.

• Improve oral hygiene

Gently brush your teeth at least twice a day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. You can also use a fluoride rinse or a fluoride gel before going to bed. This is important as dry mouth increases the risk of tooth decay.

• Avoid sugary or acidic food

Try to lessen your intake of sugary foods, acidic foods and sweet candies, as they can cause tooth decay. In case you just consumed some, always brush your teeth immediately afterwards.

If these steps do not help in improving your dry mouth, do not wait any longer. You should visit your dentist for further consultation and treatment immediately.

The simple answer to this question is “YES”. Perhaps the more important question to ask is: ‘Why it is important to replace missing teeth?’ The body, as we have been led to believe, is more than the sum of its parts and all parts must function properly for the body to thrive. This is true because if the stomach is upset, then the whole body feels ill. This is the same with the mouth, gums and teeth. After all, the fewer teeth you have, the harder it is to chew your food.

The truth of the matter is that when a tooth is missing, certain things begin to happen. The opposite tooth will begin to grow into the space. So if you lost a top tooth, its opposing tooth on the bottom jaw would grow up in a process called extrusion or super eruption into the space. The teeth on either side of the gap would also slide off their axis, leaning at odd angles. This makes proper cleaning very difficult which could lead to further decay of the surrounding teeth, leading to more teeth being extracted, and so the downward spiral goes.

But this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If the lost tooth is not replaced other more serious things begin to happen. Your gums can begin to recede, exposing the root structures of surrounding teeth that can cause them to become terribly sensitive and more prone to decay themselves. This is still not the worst thing that can happen if multiple teeth are missing.

What occurs when more teeth are lost is that you can lose arch. What this means is that you lose distance between the back of the last tooth on one side of your mouth and its opposite number on the other side. This causes your bite to collapse and the distance between your chin and nose to lessen making your face shrink. Your cheeks then slide into the hollows making you look much older than you are.

But all of this can be avoided! There are many options available nowadays to replace lost teeth on time before any of the things mentioned can happen.  In fact, replacing lost teeth with dental implants has been the treatment method of choice for over 40 years. Dental implants use titanium screws inserted into the jawbone to anchor false teeth in place. This method looks natural but is only one of options open to you.

Another option available is, you can have a fixed replacement like a porcelain crown and bridge or an over-denture or conventional dentures.  For crown and bridge, a crown is fixed into the space your original tooth occupied with little or no fuss. These porcelain teeth can be made to resemble your other teeth, ensuring that the cap is not noticeable and looks natural. Dentures would be used in more severe cases where a lot of teeth needed to be replaced. They would be fitted to your mouth being anchored by the adjacent teeth. But with all these options open to you, you can always ensure that you have a lovely radiant smile once again.

By choosing to replace lost teeth it may turn out to be a little pricey and not all dental procedures are covered by health insurance. But in the long run it works out much cheaper to replace one tooth than a whole mouth of now rotten or missing teeth.

1. USING YOUR TEETH AS CUTTERS TO TEAR PLASTIC WRAPS, OR PACKAGING TAPES; NAIL-HOLDERS, OR EVEN HABITS OF NAIL-BITING.

Self-reliance is a good virtue, but not when it comes to our teeth. We might feel untouchable and cool, tearing packaging tapes without using scissors. Teeth are like glass; like our windshield, micro cracks will definitely happen. But unlike our windshields, we cannot see the little signs. The first symptom you will have, if you get unlucky, is pain. Some cases may only lead to wear and chips, but worst cases are split teeth that may lead eventually to tooth loss.

2. ACIDIC WATER (lemon infused or flavoured water) AS A SUPPLEMENT FOR PLAIN CLEAN WATER.

It is true that lemon-water is good for our gut; however, like any other health advises there are pros and cons. And, it is better to be in the middle.

If we do drink this, it is better that it is only once a day and we finish the glass of flavoured water all at once, instead of sip by sip throughout the day. You see, things other than water, can release acids. Sugars have acid by-products too. The environment in the mouth cannot be acidic for the whole day, or else it will make our teeth brittle, and hello cavities, white spots and worn teeth!

This is the same with chew-able acidic vitamins, if we can take it with water; the better it is for our teeth. We are only talking about the acidic vitamins. Please follow the instructions provided by your doctor when placing emergency medicine under the tongue or around the inside of the mouth.

3. BRUSHING WITH HARD BRISTLES, NOT CHANGING YOUR BRUSH WHEN WORN, AND NOT ALLOWING YOUR TOOTH BRISTLES TO DRY EACH AFTER USE.

Just imagine your teeth as a high-gloss kitchen tiles/counter. You don’t want to brush it with a steel-brush nor harmful gritty cleaners right? It’s the same thing with our teeth; we need to exercise our tender-loving-care, with gentle, longer strokes. When it is already sharp at the tips, or splayed, or it has been 3 months, time to change!

Letting your toothbrush dry is not allowing the bacteria to grow. Anything that is moist all the time, invites germs. You do not want to reintroduce these.

For bamboo toothbrushes, we do recommend wiping the handles with towels after every use to allow it to dry quicker and not letting it develop mold.

4. BRUSHING SOON AFTER EATING OR DRINKING SOMETHING ACIDIC

Remember, when I told you sugars turn to acid somehow when breaking, it is our saliva in the rescue. Let the ambulance of saliva save you, allow 30 minutes at least. However, if you had eaten something sticky at it rests from the chewing tables of your back teeth, oh, that is the gray side, brush now but gently, just take off those sticky ones.

5. FAILING TO PROTECT YOUR TEETH WITH MOUTH GUARD WHEN ENGAGING TO CONTACT SPORTS, OR ACTIVITIES THAT MAY CAUSE YOU TO CLENCH.

Sports are way to be energetic and be healthy but to protect ourselves too with a mouth guard. There are two types, the custom-made and the over-the-counter ones. The custom-made fits better and are more protective. However, for growing individuals or patients undergoing braces or aligners, the over-the-counter ones are advisable as your teeth keep changing positions.

6. THINKING THAT THE FRONT TEETH ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BACK TEETH AS NO ONE SEES THE BACK WHEN SMILING.

Oh, no, this is like saying that the front wheels of a car are the only ones we need to drive and forget about the back.  Everything is created for a reason. The front is to show our nice smile, and the back to chew our food. If we chew using our front teeth, we may not have anything to show off when we smile after a period of time.

7. FAILING TO MAINTAIN THE SIX MONTHLY PROFESSIONAL EXAM AND CLEAN

Visiting a dentist regularly is part of self-care believe it or not. It is not only about professional cleaning, but the examination is equally important. Checking the whole mouth for any signs of abnormalities is very essential as is screening for oral cancer, growths and others. A sleep apnea risk assessment is done too.

Blog by: Dr Beverly San Pablo

Which filling should I choose for my tooth?

This is not an uncommon question which most of us have to answer when we visit a dentist.

With dentistry evolving at such a high pace and with so many technological advances in dentistry, we have more and more options available now.

Although it is hard to explain all the differences between the different materials available, we can touch base on three main materials available to make the choice easy for you.

Amalgam

Amalgam (silver-coloured) dental fillings have been around for a very long time. It was first invented by English chemist Bell in 1819. Later on, it had some changes with mixing of other metals.

Amalgam is made up of a metal alloy of mercury, silver, tin and copper. It is mixed as a soft filling material that is placed into a prepared tooth and hardens over a short period of time.

It is a very reliable and durable material that was used for many years for dental fillings due to its success in a moist environment. However, due to its un-aesthetic nature with the dark colour, its use of mercury and some doubts in relation to release of mercury has led a quest to find an alternative filling material.

Although a lot of people have reservations about its release of mercury and effects on general health, it is not proven yet.

Composite

Another very popular material is composite which has almost replaced amalgam and is widely used at present.

It is made up of glass particles mixed with an acrylic resin. It comes in different viscosities, each chosen by the dentist for different reasons.

It is used as soft material then hardened with help of light. It is chosen due to the following benefits:

• Availability of multiples colour shades so the material can be matched to the tooth.
• Increased working time for the clinician to manipulate the material to suit the tooth structure
• Mercury-free
• Composite resins are able to bond, or stick, to the tooth, which can lead to less tooth removal during preparation
• Easy to use for small and simple repairs and restorations

It is not as hard as amalgam and has issues with longevity in large cavities due to wear, chipping margins, porosity and shrinkage. This leads us to another material; ceramic or porcelain.

Porcelain/Ceramic

In terms of terminology, porcelain fillings are often called inlays, onlays, ceramic or CEREC restorations whereas Composite or resin restorations are referred to as plastic white fillings. Composite Resin is placed in soft and set hard with the curing light, which leads to its shrinkage whereas the porcelain restoration is a hard prefabricated filling that is bonded into the cavity. When a filling is on the larger side, requiring corners or cusp replacements, composite restoration does not last long and porcelain has more longevity due to its lack of shrinkage, hardness and wear resistance and it is recommended to have porcelain reconstruction of the tooth to ensure that you are not back in the dental chair fixing the same tooth again any time soon.

The porcelain filling is no doubt more expensive, but when you consider you may have to replace a plastic resin filling over and over, the cost differential may prove to be a lot less than first envisaged.

• More longevity, wear resistance and durability.
• Better bonding to the tooth.
• Highly aesthetic result giving natural appearance.
• No shrinkage of filling material.
• Tooth-like transparency and smooth texture; ceramic is the closest we can get to natural tooth enamel.
• Excellent for large fillings, amalgam replacement, broken and cracked teeth.
• More cost effective long-term.

After a thorough check-up and diagnosis, your dentist will discuss which of these materials is best suited to you. The decision will be based upon your oral health and what material will be best suited to the type of work needed, both for restoration’s optimum function and appearance.

It’s highly recommended to visit your dentist twice a year. Is there a logic behind it? Why is it recommended to go to the dentist twice a year? 

Six monthly checkups are recommended to the majority of the population, but  it can be more or less frequent depending on multiple factors, such as, oral hygiene, dietary habits, general wellbeing, habits of smoking and many other factors. Your dentist will be best to advise the frequency of checkups.

The reason to attend regular appointments is that some serious problems can go undetected, if there are longer gaps between checkups. There is a strong need for regular checkups to reduce the chances of a dental problem going unnoticed. Within six months, a majority of people will produce enough plaque and calculus build up to cause inflammation and damage of the gums. This calculus needs to be cleaned off  regularly to prevent gum damage, gum disease and bone loss. The bone loss starts off slowly but will accelerate if left undiagnosed leading to loosening of teeth and eventually tooth loss. 

Failure to treat a dental problem in time can lead to some irreversible conditions. For example: Decay left untreated will worsen the cavity to the point of needing root canal treatment. To avoid the occurrence of such a problem, it is advisable to see your dentist at least twice a year. Also, having your mouth checked regularly can help detect any oral cancers at an early stage.

Sometimes there is a factor of finances. There are many patients who would want to receive dental treatment, but they fear the financial aspect which goes along with the treatment. Many people chose to totally forgo their regular treatment on the issue of finances. This makes it impossible for them to have the check up  twice a year. Call our surgery to find out how we can help with this.

Regular 6 monthly checkups or even sometimes at 3-4 monthly are recommended for: 

• Smokers
• Poor oral hygiene and poor dietary habits
• Dry mouth
• Past extensive dental treatment 
• High caries risk
• Chronic health issues like diabetes or heart disease,
• Pregnant and nursing mothers
• Older people
• Taking bisphosphonate medication for osteoporosis
• Radiation in head and neck area for cancer
• History of gum/periodontal disease that has caused damage and loss of bone levels around the teeth.
• Older people with less manual dexterity to brush teeth properly
• Crowded and overlapped teeth and find it hard to clean
• Inadequate saliva flow
• Acidic saliva
• People on non fluoridated water

Sticking to your 6 monthly dental check up, will ensure dental treatment can be done at the right time. Solving the problem in its early stages helps in treating the problem in the least invasive manner as possible. An act that saves you time, money and pain. Make the smart choice today – visit your dentist. It only takes an open mind!

My dentist has advised a tooth extraction. How could I avoid it?

Do you have an achy tooth?  Your tooth, as well as gum, can cause severe pain, which must not be avoided or taken for granted. Rather, immediate treatment or medical assistance is required. You should not falter in communicating with your dentist.  

The best way to avoid any extractions is to prevent the tooth from reaching the condition where it needs extraction. If the tooth has gone beyond scope of restoration, you can discuss with your dentist an alternative option like root canal treatment , periodontal treatment or you can seek a second opinion.

If the tooth can not be saved with any treatment and is advised extraction, it could have some possible complications of keeping the tooth.

 Before things move out of your hand and vision, take proper care of your dental issues and do frequent check-ups. 

Are you wondering why it is necessary to do emergency tooth extraction? Here are some reasons for you. Let’s have a look at them!

Keeping the tooth can lead to emergencies like facial swelling, abscess, severe pain. This can happen at any time like during office hours, late at night at home or during holidays. etc. 

Leaving an infected tooth in the mouth can affect the health of other teeth and also it is not healthy to have infected teeth in your mouth for your general well-being. Evidence suggests that poor oral health is a risk factor for heart conditions, stroke, low birth weight babies etc.

Thus, it is necessary to have an emergency tooth extraction to avoid extra cost, pain, swelling, and much more. Isn’t it true? 

Whenever you are observing any signs of a toothache or infection, you immediately need to head over to a relevant dentist or surgeon right away. Sometimes tooth extraction can be painful and tedious work, but it is necessary to perform such activities to eliminate or reduce the infection quickly. After this, you will have a peaceful sleep at night without any tension and stress. 

Reason for Tooth Extraction

Accident 

In this technology-prone era, accidents are happening abruptly, which further leads to severe consequences like dental problems, and much more. Thus, the victim needs to seek medical assistance to fix the issues. And if the problem is serious,and the tooth can not be saved, then the dentist will perform emergency tooth extraction.

Risk of Infection

There are various possibilities of having an infection in the tooth, which often requires emergency tooth extraction. Due to your negligence and careless attitude, you confront such situations to eliminate infection from the mouth, as well as to prevent it from spreading. The dentist aims to reduce the chances of additional problems, which can further cause serious issues in the future. 

Excessive Decay 

Trauma or excessive decay could lead to serious consequences like tooth extraction. In most of the cases, damage and decay in the centre portion of your tooth can be troublesome and leads to pain and agony. Bacteria can move deep into the pulp and can cause you an infection. If the response of medicine is not impressive, then tooth extraction is a must.

There is an old saying that you should expect to lose a tooth for every baby born which is more a myth than the truth. Women generally complain that the baby has taken calcium from their teeth and has caused holes in the teeth. This is not true. Although there can be problems for teeth and gums during pregnancy, a baby taking calcium from their mother’s teeth is far from true. A baby can take calcium from their mother’s bones but certainly not from teeth.

For bone strength, it is essential to include calcium-rich foods in your diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.  However, be reassured that babies do not draw the calcium out from your teeth although there is some teeth problem which can happen during pregnancy. So there is an element of truth as well in the concern but due to mostly different reasons than customarily believed.

The body goes typically through many changes during pregnancy which can affect mother’s oral health. The main differences which can affect the oral health are:

• Hormonal changes which lead to worsening of gum response to plaque and can result in gum conditions like :
• Gingivitis (gum inflammation) – which has symptoms including swelling of the gums and bleeding, particularly during brushing and flossing between teeth.
• Worsening of pre-existing chronic periodontal disease in pregnancy may exacerbate untreated gum infection and can lead to tooth loss.
• Pregnancy epulis or pyogenic granuloma – a localised enlargement of the gum, which is prone to bleeding. Epulis may require additional professional cleaning, and rarely excision.
• Reflux or morning sickness leading to erosion of teeth and causing sensitivity.
• Changes to dietary habits and sugar cravings leading to increased risk of tooth decay.
• Neglect and poor routine of brushing, due to being occupied with the baby and exhaustion. It’s especially important to keep up your routine, as poor dental health during pregnancy has been associated with premature delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, and preeclampsia.

You are less likely to have dental problems during pregnancy if you maintain good oral hygiene habits. Suggestions include:

• Avoid brushing your teeth immediately for an hour after vomiting.  Reason being that stomach     acids can weaken enamel after vomiting, and the vigorous action of the toothbrush may scratch the tooth enamel.
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain tap water.
• Use a fluoridated mouthwash and fluoridated toothpaste.
• Brush your teeth after having sugary snacks.
• Brush your teeth at least twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste.
• Floss between your teeth.
• Visit your dentist regularly.

Things to remember:

• The demands of pregnancy can lead to particular dental problems in some women.
• You are less likely to have dental problems during pregnancy if you already have good oral hygiene habits.
• With proper dental hygiene at home and professional help from your dentist, your teeth should stay healthy during pregnancy.