Bad Breath: Not just a morning complaint!

Lets be honest, it is fairly common for most of us to wake up with some degree of "morning breath".  This bad breath occurs because the saliva that regularly washes away decaying food and odours during the day time, diminishes at night while we are asleep.

In some cases, persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth, may be a warning sign of gum disease. So what causes gum disease?

Food residues adhere to the teeth and a sticky film of bacteria called "Plaque" forms. Over time, if plaque is not removed, it calcifies into a hard residue. Plaque buildup irritates the gums and left untreated can eventually lead to other serious consequences such as bleeding gums, chronic oral infections and even tooth loss.

Other causes of bad breath include:

• Smoking

• Pungent foods such as, Garlic, Onions and Spices

• Respiratory infections

• Acid Reflux

• Dry mouth

• Certain medications

Ways you can help combat bad breath:

• Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once daily to get rid of food debris that get stuck between your teeth and gums

• Use a toothbrush or tongue scraper to clean your tongue to help eliminate odour-causing bacteria

• Drink plenty of water to encourage saliva production

• Avoid Smoking

• Visit your Dentist for your regular check ups and cleans. They will also be able to show you the best way to clean your teeth and gums, and bring to your attention any areas that you may be missing, including your tongue

If you have any concerns about bad breath - give us a call Today! We can help identify the cause, and if its due to an oral condition, develop a treatment plan to help eliminate it.

Happy Flossing!

The Dental 4U Team

Surviving the colder months

Some of us embrace the cooler weather (cue winter boots and clothes!), while it can send others into hibernation mode, cradling a hot cup of tea on the couch. Whilst flu vaccinations offer the best protection against the dreaded influenza, there are some things that you could try to help support your body against the flu and common cold. Here are 3 quick tips to help keep you firing on all cylinders.

1. Get a good nights rest: Lack of sleep not only leaves us feeling tired and grumpy, it can also suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections. Aim to get a straight 8 hours sleep if you can. As you wind down towards your bed time, instead of reaching for your phone or the remote control - try reading a book or magazine to help you relax. 

2. Keep Moving! As it gets darker and the temperature drops, its easy to just press snooze on your alarm for extra time under the doona. Winter is the perfect time to up your exercise regime. Studies have shown that you burn more calories working out in colder weather - But you don't even need to leave the house to get your blood pumping. Try Yoga or using weights at home, even putting on music and freestyle dancing will boost your mood and give you more energy.

3. Remember to wash your hands: Put simply, Handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick and prevent the spread of germs to others. Carrying hand sanitiser in your bag or car is also helpful as a back up.

 If you have any tips you'd like to share that you use to help stave off the winter blues and keep you feeling great - please feel free to share! 

Tips to help with your sensitive teeth!

When it comes to sensitive teeth, winter can be a killer (especially cold water from the tap!!) So what causes teeth sensitivity? It can be a result of a number of dental issues such as periodontal disease, tooth decay, excessive tooth brushing and the wearing away of your tooth enamel.

Here are a few tips to make sure you can still enjoy your ice cream (on occasion of course)…

1.     Swap your toothbrush – Make sure you are using a soft toothbrush and are brushing your teeth gently in a back and forth motion, rather than erratically. Swap out your old hard-bristled or abrasive toothbrushes and make sure you’re giving your teeth the TLC they deserve.

2.     Stay away from acidic foods – Acidic products can contribute to the wearing away of your tooth enamel, so stay away from excessive consumption of carbonated drinks, coffee and citrus fruits. When eating or drinking these on occasion, have a glass of milk afterwards to help neutralise the acid.

3.     Consider wearing a night splint – You might be grinding your teeth at night and not even realising. If you grind your teeth it wears away at tooth enamel and can cause your teeth to feel sore and sensitive. Have a chat to your dentist about whether a splint is right for you

4.     Try some sensitive toothpaste – Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief or Sensodyne can significantly reduce the sensitivity you might be experiencing. Did you know you can brush with sensitive toothpaste as well as using it as a topical application?

Don’t forget your regular 6 monthly check ups – While it can be tempting to stay indoors during winter, your preventative dental check ups are critical to managing your sensitivity. Give us a call to schedule your visit today

How to get your kids to brush their teeth!

When it comes to a bedtime routine, or getting out of the house on time in the morning, parents often feel like they are swimming against the current on a number of fronts - making school lunches, getting everyone bathed and dressed, and accommodating everyone’s food preferences. But more often than not the biggest concern we hear from parents, is how to get their kids to brush their teeth.

So here a few tips from our Dental team to help make teeth brushing a part of the routine that is enjoyed, not endured!

1. ROUTINE

Work together with your children to establish a clear routine for brushing their teeth, and stick to it. Try to keep teeth brushing to the same time, every morning and night.

2. SHOW AND TELL

Brush your own teeth while your child is brushing theirs. Modelling is such an effective parenting strategy, so get down on their level and let them see how you brush all your teeth – top and bottom, front and back. Children still need help with their technique, so it's a great opportunity for you to help them with places they might be missing.

3. MAKE A STORY FROM IT

Demonstrate how to brush in circles like train wheels going around a track from left to right and right to left… Make it something they will love

4. GIVE THEM CHOICE

Involving children in daily choices is essential to building ownership and increasing their participation in self-care tasks. Next time you are at the supermarket, why not let them pick the flavor of the toothpaste, or the colour of the toothbrush.

5. MAKE IT A GAME

We’ve got lots of ideas – why not see if they can guess when the two minutes is up, or see who can make the most bubbles with their brushing.

6. TELL THEM WHY  

Education is critical. Tailor it to their age and watch their habits change for life.

And lastly, don't forget to start them early at the Dentist! We promise to make a comfortable, fun and good first impression. Give us a call Today, or simply book online here

The Dental 4U Team

Top 5 Dental Tips for Winter!

Shorter days, longer sleep-ins, the crackle of a fireplace, endless cups of tea… Winter 2017 has well and truly arrived! Whether you are a winter-person (and this has you ecstatic) or you are already counting down the days to spring, this cold season can be very harsh on your oral health.

Here are our top 5 tips to help you keep your oral health at its best this winter!

1.     Sensitive toothpaste – While we battle to keep our fingers and toes warm, don’t forget our teeth feel the cold too! If cold drinks and a mouthful of ice cream set off your teeth sensitivity, it’s likely cold temperatures could have the same effect. Try using a sensitive toothpaste like Colgate Pro-Relief or Sensodyne to help ease the pain. Did you know you can apply these toothpastes directly to your teeth without rinsing to help with sensitivity? Try it before bed this winter.

2.     Stay hydrated – During winter tea and coffee consumption increases dramatically as we keep ourselves warm. While these drinks can be great winter warmers, be aware of any hidden sugars in your mug and make sure all that caffeine doesn’t leave you dehydrated!

3.     Vitamin C – Yes, your citrus fruits and Vitamin C tablets can help to keep those nasty winter colds away, but did you know they they can also help your oral health? Vitamin C helps the body produce collagen, which is necessary for healthy gums. Vitamin C is also essential for keeping your blood vessels healthy and your immune system strong. Vitamin C is found in dark green vegetables, tomatoes, strawberries and citrus fruits.

4.     Don’t forget your lips – Dry and chapped lips are a common issue in cold wind and on overcast days (due to high UV). Make sure to wear a daily lip balm with a minimum of SPF 15 and always pack your paw-paw cream.

5.     Get a dental check up – We know how tempting it can be to stay indoors on the couch all winter, but don’t forget your regular 6-monthly check up and clean appointment.  Your regular visits are essential to keeping your oral health in check this season.

 Stay warm this winter!

The facts on flossing

WHY SHOULD I FLOSS?

Flossing removes plaque - a sticky, germ-containing substance that builds up on your teeth and gums to cause gum disease. Brushing helps remove plaque from the outer surfaces of teeth, but using floss is critical to remove plaque from between your teeth where a toothbrush can't reach, helping to fight of “bad breath”. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chances of keeping your teeth for a lifetime. By removing plaque from between teeth with flossing, you can decrease your chances of developing gum problems.

HOW TO FLOSS

1.     Wrap the ends of a 45cm section of floss around your middle fingers

2.     Hold the floss between your thumbs and forefingers. Leave about 1" of floss between your hands.

3.     Gently work the floss between your teeth using a gentle side-to-side motion. When you reach the gumline, curve into a "C" shape around the tooth, making sure to go below the gumline.

4.     Gently glide the floss up and down several times between each tooth, including your back teeth. Apply pressure against the tooth while flossing.

5.     Unwind new floss as needed.

Your gums may bleed for the first week until the plaque layer is broken up, bacteria are removed, and your gums heal.

If you get in a tangle with normal floss you may like to try these handy aids - Pikster Supagrips. They slide easily between your teeth without fraying or shredding.

Hidden Sugar (The Truth About What You're Eating)

We all know sugar impacts our oral health and can contribute to dental decay, but what you might not know is that sugar isn’t just the white stuff we put into our coffee or use when baking cakes… It turns out the average Australian is eating a lot more sugar than they realise. In fact, as adults, we consume an average of 15 teaspoons of added sugar per day, with children consuming even more – up to 20 teaspoons a day.

According to a recent ADA publication, many Australians consume more than the daily-recommended limit of sugar before they have finished their breakfast! One serving of breakfast cereal with strawberry yoghurt can contain as much as 24 grams of sugar (that’s 6 teaspoons)!

Sugar comes in many shapes and forms and sometimes it’s hard to know what we are really eating. Here is a list that will help you find those hidden sugars so we can be aware of what we are eating.  Just because a sugar is healthy or natural doesn’t make it any less sugar! (Remember, all these sugars can cause just as much harm to our teeth).

Common names for added sugars are agave nectar, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, cane juice, cane sugar, caster sugar, corn syrup, demarara sugar, dextrose, fructose, glucose, golden syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, icing sugar, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar and rock sugar.

SOURCE: ADA Victoria, Caring for your Teeth (April 2017)

No MouthGuard No Play - What It Means For Your Kids This Football Season

According to an article recently published by Bite Magazine, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is urging parents to get their children’s mouthguard checked to ensure it still fits. This announcement coincides with football’s pre-seasoning training commencement.

“The ADA urges parents to make sure mouthguards are custom-made and checked regularly by a dentist to make sure they fit correctly. We also need parents to understand that the risk of injury is just as great during training, so mouthguards should be worn during both training and games.”

The ADA explains that mouthguards which are correctly designed and custom-fit have proven to reduce the consequences of oral trauma. Your dentist can mould these mouthguards specifically to the player’s teeth to provide the best way to minimise damage should a collision occur.

The ADA has joined forces with Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) to ask sporting clubs to commit to a Mouthguard Policy which mandates a ‘No Mouthguard, No Play’ rule for those who play high risk collision sports—whether at training or at the game itself.

SMA is also using the start of the football season as an opportunity to call on all sporting clubs and schools nationwide to adopt a ‘No Mouthguard, No Play’ policy.

Thanks for keeping us informed Bite Magazine! What a great initiative ADA!

World Oral Health Day Exposes Oral Health Myths

(SOURCE: Australian Dental Association)

Today on World Oral Health Day, FDI World Dental Federation and the Australian Dental Association (ADA) are recognising how integral oral health is to our over wellbeing by busting the myths around what people around the world believe to be good oral health practices, in the process encouraging Australia to become better informed and take action. 

President of the ADA, Dr Hugo Sachs, stated “This World Oral Health Day, it is vital Australians take ownership of their oral health and separate truth from myth. Understanding good oral health practices and adopting them early in life, will help to maintain optimal oral health into old age and ensure you live a long life free from physical pain and often emotional suffering caused by oral disease.”

The results from a survey carried out in 12 countries by YouGov on behalf of FDI, exposed a significant gap between what Australians believe to be good oral health practices, versus what they actually do. Just over half (51%) of people surveyed mistakenly think it is important to brush your teeth straight after every main meal. FDI recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth to avoid weakening tooth enamel.

Two out of three (66%) reported they rinsed their mouth out with water after brushing, with a similar amount (69%) tending to do this. It is actually recommended not to rinse with water straight after brushing to allow maximum exposure to fluoride, which will optimize the preventative effects. 

Over a third (35%) surveyed felt that drinking fruit juice rather than fizzy drinks was important for good oral health. Fruit juice however, can also be high in sugar which can cause tooth decay. FDI recommends keeping consumption of sugary drinks to a minimum as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

“These survey results highlight an alarming discrepancy between knowledge and actual good oral health practices,” said Dr Patrick Hescot, FDI President. “We want everyone to take control of their oral health this World Oral Health Day and understand that by adopting good oral hygiene habits, avoiding risk factors and having a regular dental check-up, they can help protect their mouths. A healthy mouth allows us to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions with confidence and without pain, discomfort and disease. Good oral health matters and translates to a better quality of life.”

Other key findings on oral health practices include: 

•    81 percent of people surveyed agreed that visiting a dentist once per year is good oral health practice, but only half (50%) actually tend to do it
•    Only 42 percent of respondents identified drinking alcohol in moderation as important for good oral health

5 Health Issues Your Dentist Can Spot!

How your dental wellbeing speaks about a lot more than just your teeth. 

1.     Heart Problems

Did you know that gum disease can cause bacteria to travel to your heart, causing clotting in your arteries and interfering with blood flow, which may contribute to coronary artery disease? Researchers are still investigating the links between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, but by treating gum inflammation you could lower your risk of stroke or heart attack.

2.     Osteoporosis

Did you know that a receding gum line and loosening teeth may indicate weakness in the bones that support your teeth? While the strength of your bones is not linked to the strength of your teeth, the strength of the supporting structures around your teeth can say a lot about the health of your bones. This weakness may be an early warning sign of osteoporosis.

3.     Oral Cancer

Did you know that one of the first signs of oral cancer is often small red or white spots/sores on the gums, lips, tongue or cheek lining? Early detection can be critical, and your dentist can recommend relevant tests and biopsies for any suspicious tissues.

4.     Stress

Did you know that many people grind their teeth while sleeping when suffering from stress? This grinding can lead to chipped teeth, worn teeth, jaw pain and ultimately bone loss. Your dentist may note an increase in wear on your teeth and recommend stress management solutions or that you wear a splint while sleeping.

5.     Mental Health issues

Did you know that researchers speculate a link between gum disease bacteria and brain function? A recent report in the Journal of American Geriatric Society found that people who brushed their teeth less than once a day were 65 percent more likely to develop dementia than those who brushed daily.

Regular appointments could help your dentist spot warning signs for potential health issues, allowing you to take necessary steps to prevent or treat them. Make sure you book your routine dental check ups and cleans to keep your oral health and your general health in tip top condition.