Bleeding gums are a sign of irritation. Food debris and bacteria that collect on the tooth and irritate the gums. This irritation causes the blood vessels in the gum to dilate. This in turn delivers important immune cells to the area to try and combat the irritation. Swollen blood vessels are more fragile. Tooth brushing […]
Why does my floss tear and shred when I try to floss my tooth? Floss is designed to wipe the surfaces between adjacent teeth and the part of the tooth located below the gum line. Poorly placed fillings may catch your floss and tear or shred the floss when you try and remove it from […]
OPG is an acronym for ‘orthopantomograph’. An OPG machine is specifically designed to produce an OPG x-ray of the teeth, jaws and temperomandibular joints. The image provides an overview of the state of the dentition as well as information regarding the bones of the jaw (the mandible and maxilla), the sinuses in the upper jaw and the […]
Well fitted fillings are smooth and continuous with the tooth. If a filling is poorly fitted, the filling ‘overhangs’ the tooth and this creates a catch that tears she we use floss. Constant fraying or tearing of dental floss usually indicates a problem with a filling.
Food gets caught in the spaces or gaps that may develop between teeth. These spaces are often caused by poor quality fillings that when placed, do not, butt up against the tooth immediately next to the new filling. Although not a serious problem in the short term, this situation often requires a lot more effort […]
You should plan to see a dentist at least once a year. With good oral hygiene you will not develop tooth decay or gum disease. Both these conditions take about 18-24 months to develop. In some patients this may occur much more rapidly. If you have medical problems or a history of frequent tooth decay, […]
Not all mouths are the same. Some mouths are much more difficult to clean and maintain and will therefore require more regular professional cleans. Some patients form tartar and calculus at a more rapid rate than others. As a general guide it is recommended that you have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a […]
Is it true that drinking hot water with raw lemon every single morning is bad for your teeth? Is there anything I can do to protect my teeth but still drink it? Many people regularly drink hot lemon water first thing in the morning. It is suggested that this helps to cleanse the digestive system, […]
Moderate to Severe Enamel Fluorosis…. Dental fluorosis, also called mottling of tooth enamel, is a developmental disturbance of dental enamel caused by excessive exposure concentrations of fluoride during tooth development. The risk of fluoride overexposure occurs at any age but it is higher at younger ages. In its mild forms (which are its most common), fluorosis often appears […]
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s lymphocytes attack their own moisture-producing glands. Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, infiltrate and destroy these glands causing decreased production of saliva and tears. Approximately 1.2 million Australians have this condition. The majority of sufferers are women who are in their late 40s at the […]
