Check ups & professional cleans
Wherever possible we try to prevent the need for invasive dental treatment, but this can involve an investment of time and effort. Of course, it’s what you do at home every day that makes all the difference when it comes to your dental health. Brush twice a day with a fluoride containing toothpaste. We find electric toothbrushes give the best result and we can teach you how to use them as there are different techniques required compared to a manual brush. We encourage you to try to only spit out after brushing rather than rinsing out with water to obtain maximum benefit from your fluoride toothpaste. Floss or use small brushes between the teeth (eg Piksters) once a day. Mouthrinses are for occasional (not daily) use unless directed by your dental professional and should be alcohol free. Avoid sugary and acidic foods and beverages, including soft drinks, juices and cordials of course but also options considered more healthy such as soda water with lime, lemon water and apple cider vinegar. Also try to avoid a constantly grazing style of eating as the pH in the mouth drops when eating and if we nibble all day it creates an environment that is favourable for cavity forming bacteria. Another habit best avoided that can cause many health problems including serious oral problems is smoking or vaping.
We like to see our patients either every 6 or 12 months depending on individual risk factors and home care. At your regular visit we usually provide gentle and thorough professional scaling and cleaning to remove plaque and tartar to improve and maintain the condition of your gums. Ideally after a professional clean we apply a concentrated fluoride varnish to provide resistance to decay and to improve general tooth sensitivity. We also try to offer suggestions specific for your situation which may include using a sensitive toothpaste, dry mouth solutions.
If your gum condition is deteriorating despite good oral hygiene and regular dental visits, we may recommend you see a dental specialist in gum health called a Periodontist.
In our younger patients we can identify if the tooth anatomy is likely to cause decay. Sometimes the natural grooves and pits particularly in our molar teeth trap plaque and bacteria and are very prone to decay. If this is the case we may recommend fissure sealants. Fissure sealants fill up the microscopic fissures to prevent bacteria causing cavities in these high risk surfaces and are quick and painless to provide so are an excellent investment for children and teens. They usually last into your 20s and get you through the most risky period of development and gradually wear down.
We usually take dental x-rays approximately every two years to help diagnose decay, bone loss and other pathology. If early decay (called demineralisation) is identified we can try to work with you to reverse this using targeted oral hygiene methods, recommending changes in lifestyle habits that may be contributing to the problem and fluoride application. Wherever possible we will try to prevent needing a restorative solution, but if we need to we can restore your tooth. Early cavities may not cause you any symptoms at all and that is why regular preventative care is so important to avoid pain and problems in the future.
Prevention of tooth wear and cracking of teeth may involve the use of a guard to wear at night time such as an occlusal splint.
Prevention of orthodontic problems may involve identifying missing adult teeth early, the removal of baby teeth at the correct time due to crowding or failure to fall out properly, removable orthodontic plates or space maintainers where a baby tooth is lost too early. We may also identify where habits such as thumb sucking are altering the bite and occlusion development and recommend strategies to correct this.