How much do you really know about your mouth? Most people understand basic brushing and flossing, but they may not realize the myriad of factors that influence dental health. Knowing how your lifestyle impacts your teeth and gums can help you make the best choices to protect your smile.
True or False: You don’t need to floss every day.
Answer: False. Brushing alone won’t protect your mouth from decay or gum disease. Floss gets hard-to-reach areas, cleaning out the plaque and bacteria that wreak havoc on your oral health.
True or False: Taking care of your tongue is important, so you should brush it regularly.
Answer: True. The tiny bumps on your tongue called papillae trap food and bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Brushing twice a day will keep your breath smelling great.
True or False: Soft drinks and sports drinks don’t damage teeth.
Answer: False. These beverages, as well as red wine and fruit juices, can lead to enamel erosion. It’s best to stick with water, but if you consume these drinks, rinse your mouth when you finish.
True or False: It’s okay to put your baby to bed with a bottle of juice or milk.
Answer: False. When you let your baby or toddler fall asleep with anything but water, you increase the risk of baby bottle tooth decay. This condition occurs because of prolonged bottle feeding, usually during sleep. Young children don’t have good plaque removal, so these beverages provide a breeding ground for bacteria.
True or False: Fluoride reduces decay 20 to 40 percent.
Answer: True. Drinking water with fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and also reduces the amount of acid that the bacteria in your mouth produce. Since fluoride was added to the drinking water supplies across the country, childhood cavity rates have dramatically dropped.
Schedule a dental cleaning appointment today at our Ryde, Campsie, Kogarah, and Haymarket dentists offices.
Dental crowns and bridges were originally made to fix terribly damaged or missing teeth. No matter how your teeth have been damaged, crown and bridge restorations can help to restore your beautiful smile.
Even one missing tooth can cause surrounding teeth to shift and create a crooked smile. Missing and broken teeth can also cause problems speaking and chewing. One of the best options for restoring function and improving the aesthetics of your smile are dental crowns and bridges.
Crowns are placed over a tooth to help restore form and function when a traditional filling is not sufficient to do the job. A bridge works to replace missing teeth. There are several options for the type of bridge that is placed, depending on your specific situation. Crowns and bridges can be made of natural looking tooth-colored material, metal, or some of both.
Crowns improve the look of your smile, improve the function of your teeth, and help restore your overall oral health. A crown can be used to repair and protect a tooth with old, broken-down fillings as well as to replace older, metal crowns. Crowns are also used to protect the existing tooth structure following root canal treatment.
Bridges are used to fill the space of missing teeth, to keep the remaining teeth from shifting and causing changes in the jaw and facial structure. Bridges are also used as an alternative to removable dentures. Bridges can be supported by either natural teeth or dental implants, and improve both the look and function of your smile.
If you are suffering from missing or damaged teeth, consult with your dental professional to find out more about how crowns and bridges can improve both the beauty and function of your smile.
If you need a dentist in Ryde, Campsie, Kogarah, and Haymarket contact us today
Severe dental phobia can cause people to completely avoid dental examinations and treatments. Anxiety about dental treatment can develop for many reasons, including fear of pain, the feeling of not having control, fear of needles, a strong gag reflex, or a history of bad dental experiences. If you suffer from extreme dental fears causing you to neglect necessary oral care, sedation dentistry may be the answer to your problem.
A trained sedation dentist can offer a variety of options to address your situation:
- Minimal sedation in the form of nitrous oxide allows you to be awake but relaxed during dental treatment and may be a good option for cleanings, routine examinations, or minor procedures. Your dentist is able to control the amount of sedation you receive.
- Oral conscious sedation also allows you to remain awake during procedures, but may cause you to feel drowsy and will keep you from having much memory of the treatment. A stronger dose can be given to produce more moderate sedation, in which case you may fall asleep but can easily be awakened.
- IV sedation is when a sedative drug is administered through a vein. This type of sedation works rapidly and also allows your dental professional to adjust the level of sedation during treatment.
- General anesthesia provides deep sedation through medications administered that cause nearly complete or total unconsciousness. With general anesthesia you cannot be awakened until the effects of the drugs have dissipated.
Sedation dentistry can be used for any type of dental procedure, from routine cleanings to more complicated, invasive procedures. Thanks to advances in sedation dentistry, you no longer have to fear the dentist and avoid necessary oral health care.
If you need a dentist in Ryde, Campsie, Kogarah, and Haymarket contact us today
