Dental Frequently Asked Questions Aspley, Bulimba and Brisbane

Baby teeth eventually fall out, so why should it matter if they are lost early? Most dentists believe that baby teeth should remain in the mouth as long as possible, to serve as placeholders for the adult teeth that will follow. When baby teeth are lost early, the surrounding teeth often tilt and move toward the empty space. This can cause the permanent teeth to come in crooked.

You can remove plaque thoroughly from all surfaces by daily brushing and flossing. Use a fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily because fluoride acts against the destruction of the tooth surface by acids. It also reduces the loss of minerals from the tooth and promotes repair of early decay.

Watch out for these early warning signs:

• Your gums are tender and swollen or red
• Your gums bleed when you brush or floss
• You can’t get rid of bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

If you think you might have gum disease, visit your dentist straight away for a professional examination and cleaning. If caught early enough, gum disease can usually be controlled.

Here are a few preventative techniques to help stop thumb sucking:

• Children often suck their thumbs when they are feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort for your child.
• Avoid punishing the child; instead praise them for not sucking.
• A positive reward system can be implemented that provides a small reward for not engaging the habit.
• Avoid giving too much parental pressures – it can have a negative effect. Instead, keep supervision to a minimum and keep the environment happy.
• For an older child, involve him or her in choosing a method of stopping.

Let your dentist offer encouragement to your child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they don’t stop sucking. A discussion between your child and a dentist might be more of a benefit that between parent and child.

Root canal treatment can save a tooth as well as preventing the other oral health problems associated with tooth loss and infection. Thanks to advances in modern dentistry, root canal treatment is no more painful that getting a filling.

It depends on what you are looking for in your treatment. If you are simply looking to whiten your teeth, then teeth whitening treatments are an effective way to go. On the other hand, if you are looking to repair minor chips and cracks then veneers would be the better choice.

There is also another option, getting both treatments. Veneers are applied to the front six upper and lower teeth, so sometimes whiten all your teeth and then applying the veneers can provide you with an amazing smile.