Milk Caries: How can you reduce your child’s risk
Babies and toddlers are vulnerable to a type of dental decay or caries known as milk caries or bottle caries. This is because baby teeth have thin enamel, which is less resistant to plaque acid than adult teeth. As a result, any time we eat, even healthy food, the bacteria in our mouth produce acid, […]
Getting to the Root of the Problem
Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime and with modern treatment methods this is often possible, despite damage or decay. Take root canal treatment (RCT) for example. Once-upon-a-time a tooth with an infected nerve had to be extracted; now it can be saved through root canal (or endodontic) treatment. Any fears conjured thinking of […]
Top five questions about bleeding gums
My gums only bleed when I’m flossing and have done for years. Is this normal? Having bleeding gums is not a sign of good dental health. In fact, it is the body telling you that you have inflammation directly as a result of an increase in the amount of plaque in the region. In other […]
CONFIDENCE | CALMNESS | CONTROL – How does a paediatric dentist put frightened children at ease?
Children are keen readers of body language; if anyone is worried or uneasy about the visit, you can be sure that your child will sense it! And if he or she is already nervous, the tension would only get worse. Paediatric dentists are trained to be confident and calm about what needs to be done, […]
5 habits you want to instil in your children
1. 2-minute brushing, 2 times a day Everyone knows we should brush twice a day, but did you know that research supports a minimum duration of 2 minutes each time? The longer we brush, the more plaque we remove from more areas in the mouth, and the longer the contact time between our teeth and […]
Oral cancer – need to know
The best way to prevent oral cancer is to avoid tobacco (both cigarette and chewing tobacco). Tobacco use together with alcohol has been shown to greatly increase the risk of oral cancer. It is unclear whether vaping is also linked to increased risk, but some early studies are suggesting that it is. Because there are so […]
Mouthwashes – do they actually work?
What are mouthwashes used for? There are many different types of mouthwashes on the market as well as some you can make at home. They are used to control and treat different oral problems. What ingredients are in a mouthwash? The active ingredients vary depending on the purpose of the mouthwash. The most common ingredients […]
Worried about ‘buck teeth’?
What is the difference between an ‘overbite’ and an ‘underbite’? Ideally when the teeth are in biting position, the upper front teeth should close over the lower teeth. This is called the ‘overbite’, which is a proper dental term. An ‘underbite’ is actually a layman’s term. It refers to the opposite of the overbite where […]
The key life stages of your teeth
What happens to your children’s growing teeth and when are the key growth stages? We asked Dr Alison Roberts to explain all: How many teeth does an adult typically have? An adult has 28 teeth and may or may not have a further 4 wisdom teeth. Some or all of the wisdom teeth may be […]
Top 10 tips to avoid dental decay
We asked Dr Brendan Gin to provide us with the Top Tips to avoid dental decay! Choose water and avoid sugary drinks. Eat plenty of unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, wholegrains, fish and lean meat. Check food labels on packaged foods and look at both the amount of sugar per serving and […]
