Morisset NSW 2264
Preventative Dentistry
Routine Dentistry
Routine dental appointments are essential to maintain good oral health and a happy smile. A standard dental check-up is carried out by an experienced, qualified dentist and is the best way to spot any problems with your mouth before they become serious. Both adults and children require routine dental appointments on a regular basis because preventative dentistry is the key to keeping your mouth healthy.
Routine dental appointments are usually carried out every six months, but the number of times you need to attend these appointments varies from patient to patient. Some patients may require more frequent visits, while others may need to come into the practice less often – your dentist will advise you on how often you need a regular check-up.
What happens at a routine dental check-up?
If it is your first appointment at the practice, your dentist will take a full dental and medical history. They will also:
- Thoroughly examine your teeth, gums and mouth.
- Take X-rays if necessary.
- Discuss any dental problems you may have had since your last visit
- Discuss general health and dietary issues that can affect your teeth and gums – such as alcohol consumption or smoking.
- Discuss your teeth-cleaning habits, such as brushing technique, and recommend any improvements such as interdental brushes or flossing as required.
- Explain any further treatment you may need, such as fillings, root canal treatment or hygienist appointments.
- Provide you with a full treatment plan.
- Answer any questions you may have regarding your treatment and what options are available.
- If you require no other treatment, your dentist will let you know when you should come for your next routine check-up.
Life Benefits
- Maintain good oral health
- Spot any problems early
- In many cases, prevent problems before they start
Dental Hygiene & Fresh Breath
Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene treatment is delivered by a specially trained dental hygienist who will help to remove any hard-to-reach plaque from your teeth that may have built up over time. Here is what you can expect from a hygiene appointment:
- Your teeth and gums will be assessed to determine the amount of plaque removal you will need and risk factors will be highlighted.
- Your teeth will be professionally cleaned with special equipment and pastes. This process is also known as scaling and polishing.
- The hygienist’s role is to show you how to look after your teeth so that they remain free from plaque in the future. You will be advised on the best tooth brushing technique and given tips on flossing and using interdental brushes.
Dental hygiene at our practice also functions preventatively to treat gum disease and bad breath. If you have a bridge, denture, orthodontic treatment or a dental implant you will have specific hygiene needs that the hygienist will be able to assist you with.
It is recommended that you come in for regular hygiene appointments to ensure your mouth stays clean and healthy.
Life Benefits
- Minimised risk of tooth loss.
- Reduced risk of developing tooth decay and need for fillings.
- Fresh minty breath.
Fresh Breath
Bad breath is a very common problem and there are many different causes. Bad breath can be improved by following a daily oral hygiene regime and cutting down on sugary foods and drinks. Regular trips to the hygienist will also ensure your plaque levels are kept under control. Causes of bad breath include:
- Chronic bad breath usually has an underlying medical cause such as throat, nose or lung infections and sinusitis, bronchitis, gastro-intestinal conditions or diabetes.
- Poor dental hygiene. Without regular brushing and flossing, bacteria and bits of food can get trapped in between your teeth, which release an unpleasant odour after some time.
- Smoking.
- Consuming strong, odorous foods like garlic, onions and coffee.
If you are aware that your breath is not as fresh as you would like it to be, make an appointment with the hygienist for some advice and assistance.
Life Benefits
- Fresh breath gives you confidence in social situations.
- Indicates good oral health and clean teeth.
- Healthy gums.
Fissure Sealants
As dental professionals we believe in preventative dental care and encourage our patients to bring their children to the practice from an early age. Regular check-ups from a young age will ensure children don’t suffer from untreated dental decay with devastating effects to their growing dentition. There are a number of preventative treatments that our team can provide for children:
- Fluoride applications are a safe and effective way to safeguard your child’s growing teeth from developing decay. The fluoride is painted onto the surface of the teeth, helping to mineralise them.
- Tooth-coloured fissure sealants are applied to the biting surfaces of children’s teeth to prevent decay.
- Studies have shown that the younger your child is when attending their first dental appointment, even if just for a check-up, the more likely they are to have a positive experience and to grow up unafraid of the dentist. Our team will take special care of your child to make them feel safe and cared for.
- Treating a child from a young age also allows the dentist to spot early signs of underbites, cross bites or overbites developing. As with most dental problems, the sooner you can start to treat it, the quicker it can be resolved.
Prevention is always better than cure, so call the practice today to make an appointment for your child.
Life Benefits
- Reduced risk of developing tooth decay and reduced need for fillings.
- Reduce fear of dentists
Sensitive Teeth
Do you feel a shooting pain in your teeth when eating or drinking something hot? Does the thought of biting into an ice cream or a cold, hard apple make you wince? Sensitive teeth can be a burden for many people and can be caused by a variety of factors. It is always important to seek advice from a dental professional so that the source of the problem can be identified and treated. There are several causes of sensitivity:
- Temporary pain can be experienced after tooth whitening procedures and is treated with over the counter painkillers.
- Dental erosion, or the loss of tooth enamel, can also cause sensitivity. Enamel is the hard outer coating of a tooth that protects the sensitive dentine underneath. If enamel is worn away or eroded, this dentine is exposed which can lead to pain and sensitivity, which can be worsened with extreme temperatures.
- Erosion can be caused by your diet (frequent consumption of high sugar or high acid food or drink), tooth brushing habits (brushing too hard), tooth grinding, certain medical conditions and eating disorders.
For top tips on protecting your enamel and for effective treatment of tooth sensitivity, come to the practice for a check-up and we will create an individualised care plan for you.
Life Benefits
- Being able to consume hot and cold drinks and food.
- Pain-free mouth.
- Reduced risk of further tooth wear.
Mouth Guards
Sports mouthguards are custom-made rubber coverings worn over your teeth to protect them from damage in contact and ball-based sports. They cushion the teeth and gums and help to avoid chipped and broken teeth.
You should wear a professionally-made sports mouthguard at all times when playing any sport involving either moving objects or physical contact.
Being hit in the mouth by a ball in such sports as football, cricket or hockey can lead to serious damage to your teeth, including broken and lost teeth, while sports in which you come into contact with other players, such as rugby, American football and boxing, can also lead to damaged, broken or dislocated jaws.
Sports mouthguards provide cushioning to protect against such injuries. Professional sportspeople can often be seen wearing mouthguards for this reason.
Your dentist can provide your mouthguard:
- First, your dentist will measure and take impressions of your teeth and gums and send these to the lab so your sportsguard can be made to fit you perfectly.
- The lab will make up the sportsguard to your dentist’s specifications.
- Your dentist will check the guard fits properly. You should wear it at all times playing or training for sports.
Sportsguards should be worn by adults and children. Children’s mouthguards will need regular replacement as their teeth and jaws grow. You should check regularly that your child’s mouthguard still fits, and see your dentist for a replacement if it has become loose or tight-fitting.
Adults will also need to replace their mouthguards periodically due to wear and tear.
Life Benefits
- Protects teeth from damage or loss due to trauma
- Bespoke to fit your mouth perfectly
- Prevents jaw damage
Jaw Problems & Night Splints
The way your teeth meet when your top and bottom jaws close down on top of each other is known as your ‘bite’. If your teeth don’t fit together properly, you could have malocclusion or ‘bad bite’, which can cause problems with your teeth, gums, the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles in your face.
This misalignment, often referred to as TMJ disorder, can also cause some people to clench the jaw and grind their teeth at night. This can lead to facial pain, headaches, discomfort and clicking when biting or chewing, migraines as well as neck and shoulder pain, and even back pain.
If you recognise any of these symptoms or suffer with these on a daily basis, you will need to see a dentist to treat your problems or to refer you to a specialist if necessary. Treatment can include the following:
- Impressions of your teeth are taken to create a customised plastic appliance that fits over your teeth and is worn at night.
- When the device is worn, your teeth are in a position where your facial muscles are relaxed, preventing grinding and taking the pressure off your TMJ.
- The device also protects the teeth, preventing them from becoming worn down by grinding.
Depending on the origin and severity of your problem, you may need orthodontic treatment or maxillofacial surgery. Other solutions may include replacing missing teeth or adjusting any ill-fitting bridgework that you may have. The most important thing to do is to see your dentist as soon as possible so that your problem does not become worse over time and require more drastic measures to correct.
Life Benefits
- Alleviated facial and TMJ pain, including a reduction in headaches.
- Prevention of extensive tooth wear.
- Enhanced quality of sleep.
Pregnant Women
Pregnancy can be an exciting time and while you have so much to plan for, your oral health may be one of the last things you’re thinking about. However, it’s particularly important to pay close attention to your teeth and gums at this time. Here are some reasons why Pregnant women should take care of the health of their mouths:
- The hormone progesterone can be raised up to 10 times higher than the normal level in the body during pregnancy, affecting its response to toxins and making it more susceptible to developing periodontal disease, also known as pregnancy gingivitis.
- Some pregnant women also develop a growth on their gums known as a pregnancy granuloma: red nodules, usually found on the upper gums. While they are not dangerous, they can cause discomfort.
- Other oral health problems may include dry mouth and tooth erosion as a result of constant exposure to acid from severe morning sickness.
If you are pregnant we recommend that you come to the practice for a thorough check up so that we can help you to have a healthy and happy pregnancy.
Life Benefits
- Healthy gums during pregnancy.
Smoking Cessation
Many studies have shown that smoking and using tobacco products can have a detrimental effect on your teeth and gums. The root of the problem is the way in which tobacco affects the gum tissue cells, making smokers more prone to infections in the form of gum and periodontal diseases. Here are some oral health problems that can be caused by smoking:
- Bad breath.
- Stained teeth.
- Jawbone loss, shrinking gums and tooth loss.
- Mouth sores, and poor healing of mouth sores.
- Decreased senses of taste and smell.
- Mouth cancer.
As dental professionals it is important for us to tell you the risks of smoking and to help you to quit by giving you information and support. By cutting down and stopping smoking or using tobacco products your oral health will benefit very quickly and you will notice changes in your mouth almost immediately. It is essential that you come into the practice for regular check-ups so that we can help you maintain good oral health and give you advice and encouragement.
Life Benefits
- Improved oral health.
- Decreased risk of tooth loss.
- Decreased risk of mouth cancer.
Mouth Cancer Screening
Studies show that mouth cancer is on the increase and that early detection dramatically improves the chances of recovery. Late detection of mouth cancers has resulted in a higher proportion of deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer or skin melanoma, with about 2,700 deaths per year in the UK. Mouth cancer screening is a simple procedure performed at a dental practice that involves the following:
- A detailed analysis of your oral health history to determine any risk factors that you might have.
- A thorough examination of the outside of your mouth, head and neck by observation and touch.
- A thorough internal examination of your mouth, including the inside of your cheeks and under your tongue.
- A handheld scanning device may also be used to examine any lumps or lesions that you might have.
- Any inconclusive findings will be referred to a specialist consultant.
It is recommended that you come in for a screening on a yearly basis. If you have any sores, lumps or long-term ulcers in your mouth, no matter how small, it is very important that you come in to have it looked at. Because smoking is strongly linked with many forms of cancer and other dental problems, we always encourage our patients to quit smoking. An excellent source of information is the Mouth Cancer Foundation if you require any further information.
Life Benefits
- Early detection of oral cancer dramatically improves the prognosis.
- Sustained good oral health.
- Sustained good general health.
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