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Oatlands Dental

Gaps Between Teeth

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Oatlands Dental – Space Between Teeth

Some of us have a gap between our front teeth. Some of us have gaps between several of our teeth. This may have an effect on our appearance, perhaps even a good effect, though usually it does not really affect our health.

The technical term for spaces between teeth is Diastema. There are many possible causes of these gaps. Only rarely is it a sign of an underlying problem. Only rarely does it cause any dental problems.

Oatlands Dental – Causes of Diastema

Children
Children’s teeth often have gaps, both with the baby teeth and the permanent teeth. It is often most noticeable when the gap is front and centre. More often than not these gaps close over time.
There will often be gaps between the baby teeth as the teeth are small and the child’s jaw will need to be large enough to hold the permanent teeth, which are larger. So these spaces often disappear, or end up greatly reduced, when all of the permanent teeth have emerged.
Permanent teeth may have some gaps at first. Often, but not always, these will disappear when the canine teeth emerge.
Thumb Sucking that persists past the age of 4 can lead to the front teeth being forced apart. Children need to be discouraged from thumb sucking before this age.

Small Teeth, Wide Jaw.
Our teeth might not be in proportion to our jaws. If the permanent teeth are small they will leave gaps. The opposite problem is actually more common, larger teeth that crowd the mouth.
There are a few methods to fix small teeth, such as wide veneers or crowns.

Lost or missing Teeth
Occasionally we are short of one tooth – it just never formed. Or we might lose a tooth through an injury. This can be an issue as the adjacent teeth tend to move into the gap where the tooth should be. A dental implant or a dental bridge can rectify this problem.

Infections
Gum disease can cause the gums to recede, leaving gaps between the tops of the teeth. This is a situation we should avoid, as gum disease is hard to cure. We should prevent the chance of developing gum disease by diligently cleaning our teeth.

Oatlands Dental – Fixing Gapped Teeth

Orthodontic braces can fix many teeth alignment issues, including many minor gap problems. But there are limitations. If all the teeth are small and there are many gaps the braces will not have enough to work with. In this case it is far better to have the teeth altered with veneers or implants.

Veneers are porcelain covers permanently attached to the front of teeth. These veneers can be made slightly wider than the natural teeth, neatly filling the gaps. This is a good option at a moderate cost, as the veneers look very realistic, and will always have a healthy white colour.
An alternative veneer is made of resin, matched to the natural colour of the teeth.
Crowns or implants can replace teeth. This is very effective, but it is a more expensive option.

Oatlands Dental

Gaps between teeth are usually not serious. But if you feel they affect you appearance there are many options available from the dentist.

Newington Dental

Differences in Toothpaste

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Newington Dental – Fluoride Toothpaste

There are always many different brands and types of toothpaste available. Often the options here are similar; the most important thing is to brush twice daily, whatever the brand of toothpaste being used. Yet at the same time, a different type of toothpaste may offer some advantages.

There has been a small trend in recent years towards natural toothpaste, and other natural products. These tend to be chemical free, or should we say artificial chemical free, items. For other commodities this is often this is not a bad idea; natural food is usually preferable to junk food. But with natural toothpaste this can mean missing out on fluoride. And this does deprive us of a health benefit.

Fluoride is included in most toothpastes because it has solid dental benefits. A fairly small amount of fluoride can harden tooth enamel and prevent decay. It can even reverse demineralized tooth enamel, so cavities just starting to form can be reversed with fluoride.

There is no real downside to fluoride, as long as it is used correctly. We should avoid swallowing it, as ingesting fluoride in larger quantities may causes uneven tooth colour. But if we spit out the toothpaste (or mouthwash) afterward there should be no problems.

If we prefer natural toothpaste, we can still get fluoride in a mouthwash, or as a gel treatment.

 

Newington Dental – Other additives

Many toothpastes contain lauryl sulphate. This is the agent that causes the toothpaste to foam when we brush. The came ingredient is found in many soaps and shampoos. This is of no concern to most people, except that lauryl sulphate will badly affect canker sores, causing a strong stinging sensation. Think of this as aggravating an allergy. People with canker sores or similar afflictions will prefer natural toothpaste without lauryl sulphate.

 

Some toothpastes have a whitening action. They achieve this by adding a mildly abrasive compound to the toothpaste, such as charcoal or bi carb of soda. We should be wary of these products as abrasive paste will start to wear away the tooth enamel, which is terrible. Perhaps if used just once per week these abrasive products are fine. Use other types of toothpaste for the rest of the week. Talk to the dentist about other ways to whiten teeth.

 

Newington Dental

Diligent daily brushing and flossing will prevent most dental problems. Visit the dentist twice per year for a check-up.

Newington Dental

Consider Dental Implants

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Our Teeth – Newington Dental

It is too easy to take teeth, or even our overall heath, for granted. But as we were all taught in primary school, neglecting our teeth and health means suffering problems in the near future. Not brushing teeth today means bad breath tomorrow, and decay a few weeks later.

 

Perhaps the worst thing about dental problems is that once damage has occurred, it tends to get progressively worse. If we lose a tooth then the surrounding teeth tend to move into the space left behind. This means teeth falling out of alignment, perhaps followed by jaw problems caused by the misaligned teeth. So it is in our best interest to have any missing or damaged teeth replaced as soon as possible.

 

 

Implants – Newington Dental

A dental implant can replace an entire tooth, including the root. This is the next best thing to having our natural tooth back. Implants look, feel and function like a natural tooth; we will soon forget that the tooth has been replaced.

  • Implants replace the missing tooth. This maintains the strength of the jawbone.
  • Implants prevent the adjacent teeth from moving, so teeth will not fall out of alignment.
  • Implants have a titanium post that bonds to the jawbone at a molecular level. This is a very secure type of join.
  • Implants will not require the maintenance that dentures require, nor will they take time to get used to.
  • Implants only need to be brushed and flossed twice per day, like normal teeth. They will never decay, but the surrounding gum must be kept clean to avoid disease.
  • The procedure is safe, with minimal recovery time. Complications are rare, especially if the patient is on good health.
  • Implants will last 20 to 30 years, often longer.

 

Newington Dental – What is a Dental Implant

Dental implants have two main sections. There is a metal post inserted into the jawbone, and there is a facsimile tooth made of porcelain or similar material mounted on this metal post. Because the post is made of titanium it will never suffer corrosion, and it will bond very strongly into the surrounding jawbone. This bonding takes a few weeks, so the tooth must not suffer too much stress, though problems at this stage are rare.

 

There are a few different materials used for the outer part of the implant tooth. One is porcelain, but more modern implants have used Zirconia and Lithium Disilicate. Some of these materials look exactly like organic teeth, some look less realistic. Back teeth molars might be made of less realistic looking material, but optimised for strength. Front teeth, which are visible when we smile, will use highly realistic material, yet still be strong.

 

Newington Dental

Dental implants are the next best thing to natural teeth. Implants look realistic and can last for decades.

 

 

Oatlands Dental

Sports Mouthguards

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Oatlands Dental – Sports Mouthguards

There are a few types of different mouthguards, which all serve different purposes. Sport mouthguards are designed to protect our teeth in case of an accident. These accidents occur from time to time in many contact sports. A mouthguard will not prevent the accident, but they can greatly reduce the extent of the injury.

There are a few sub-types of sports mouthguards. Generic mouthguards are cheap, but they will never be a perfect fit as everybody’s teeth are unique. ‘Boil and bite’ mouthguards are an improvement. These are heated in water when first used, and will mostly adapt to the shape of the teeth when they are bitten into. But the better option is the custom-made mouthguard from the dentist.

A custom mouth guard is moulded to the individual’s teeth. This costs more, but the results are worthwhile. And the cost is moderate when you consider the other equipment needed to most sports. A custom mouthguard will:

• Fit comfortably, yet not be loose
• Allow you to breathe easily, and not compromise speech too much
• Not cause a gag reflex
• Not have any appreciable taste or smell
• Keep the teeth in place in the event of an accident

Sport mouthguards are worth the investment. Injuries to the face do occur, and if we do not have the protective equipment then the extent of the injury can be severe and expensive. Sometimes they can be life threatening. A mouth can reduce potentially severe injuries to minor injuries.

Oatlands Dental – Other mouthguards

Dentists do make other mouthguards for purposes other than sport. Some people use a mouthguard when sleeping to help them breathe. Or they might need this to prevent them from grinding their teeth. Mouthguards, such as Invisalign, are also used for straightening teeth. Unfortunately, these are not suitable for sports protection.

The mouthguard should be cleaned after each use. Toothpaste and mouthwash do a good job of this. Scrub the mouthguard with a toothbrush (use a different brush to clean your teeth with). Alternately, Bi Carb of soda and water can be used to make a paste for cleaning the mouthguard.

Oatlands Dental

Mouthguards reduce sports, so they are worth the investment.. A custom mouthguard made by the dentist is the best option.

Newington Dentist

Teeth That Have Gone Yellow

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Newington Dentist – Tooth Appearance

 

The bright white teeth we see in popular magazines are often not real. Very few people have a Hollywood smile. But most people do tend to find this type of smile to be attractive. In truth, white teeth tend to be a fair sign of good dental health, but not a definitive one. Occasionally the teeth look might good, but still suffer problems. In other people the teeth might look off-colour, ever as they are actually quite healthy.

 

The most common form of tooth discolouration is yellow teeth. This might only be an aesthetic concern. The teeth might well be healthy. But looking good is a genuine concern. And if our teeth really do look bad then our confidence and social life are affected.

 

Cause of Yellow Teeth – Newington Dentist

Our teeth might be yellow for several different reasons. The cause might be intrinsic (Internal to our body) or Extrinsic (an external cause).

Intrinsic Yellowing of Teeth

Genetic – Our natural tooth colour might be yellow, or reddish-brown to grey. Like hair and skin colour this runs in the family.

Age – The tooth enamel will thin over time, so the dentin behind the enamel starts to show through. As the dentin is yellow so in makes the teeth appear to be slightly yellow.

 

External Yellowing of Teeth

Wear and Tear – Over time the tooth enamel will tend to thin, exposing the yellow dentin beneath. This process will be more rapid if we consume acidic drinks and harsh food.

Poor Oral Hygiene – If plaque builds upon teeth it will quickly turn to tartar, which has the off-white yellow colour. This process can occur in less than 48 hours, so we should brush twice daily.

Smoking – This will cause yellow teeth.

Food and Drink Stains – Some food will stain some teeth, though it varies greatly between individuals.

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Soft drinks, especially cola.
  • Red wine
  • Sport drinks
  • Fruit juice
  • Tomato paste or sauces
  • Curries
  • Soy sauce
  • Berries
  • Beetroot
  • Vinegars

Fluoride – While externally applied fluoride is good for teeth it is unhealth to have too much in the diet. It can cause fluorosis – discoloured spots on teeth.

 

Newington Dentist

We deserve the best teeth possible. This applies to health and appearance. Talk to us if you feel your teeth could be better.

 

 

 

 

Dentist Sydney

Preventative Care

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The Preventative Dentist Sydney

It is a mistake to just fix problems after they occur. Of course if there is a problem we should deal with is as quickly as possible, and in the best manner possible. But it is better to prevent problems, to be proactive so there are fewer problems to deal with.

We all understand the basic idea here. Prevention is better than cure. And we all understand the basics of how this applies to dental work – twice daily brushing and flossing will greatly reduce dental problems. But of course we can go beyond this.

Dentist Sydney – The Basic Daily Care

Twice daily brushing goes a long way to preventing gum disease and tooth decay. In fact, without this brushing all our other efforts are wasted. The physical action of the toothbrush removes bacteria, plaque and food debris from the teeth. The toothpaste will also fight bacteria. And if it contains fluoride (as it should) then it will help harden tooth enamel.

Flossing the teeth is almost as important as brushing. About 30% of the tooth surface is between the teeth. Brushing will not reach this surface, but flossing will. Alternately, we can use a Waterpik device to clean between the teeth.

Dentist Sydney – Nutrition.

Our diet is often overlooked, at least in terms of how it affects our teeth. Ever wonder how many people had perfect teeth before the invention of the toothbrush? If their diet has low in sugar, with plenty of natural food, then there was almost no decay. We could greatly improve our dental health by cutting our sugar and junk food. Unfortunately, most of us are used to the diet we have, and will be reluctant to change to an all vegetable and lean meat plate. Still, reducing sugar and junk food will have some benefits.

Brushing will mostly remove the effects of a bad diet, but not entirely. We need to be healthy at several levels.

Water is healthy at several levels. It benefits dental health by keeping the teeth clean.

Dentist Sydney Prevention.

While clean teeth are far healthier, there are some occasional dental issues that cleanliness cannot prevent. Our teeth might be crooked, or we might prematurely lose a baby tooth. If this is addressed by a dentist early on the issue can often be fixed. Losing a baby tooth too soon can lead to the permanent teeth moving into the space where the baby tooth was. This leads to ongoing problems. But if the dentist put a spacer in place of the lost tooth the issues can almost always be avoided, or at least reduced. Crooked teeth can be fixed by braces where we are teens. This will give us straight teeth for our entire adult life. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean.

Dentist Sydney

Preventative dentistry aims to keep our teeth healthy, preventing issues. Have regular dental appointments for professional advice.

Dental Newington

Teeth Grinding

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Newington Dental – Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding, technically knows and bruxism, will quickly cause damage to teeth. It can also lead to a sore jaw and serious headaches. The cause of teeth grinding can be hard to trace down. Even if we know it is stress or anxiety, the cause of the stress or anxiety can be hard to trace down. It is all the worse if the grinding occurs while we are asleep.

Sometimes teeth grinding occurs in children and infants when new teeth emerge. This usually ceases when all the teeth have come through.

Teeth clenching is a similar condition, though it does not cause quite as much damage to teeth as grinding it is still a serious problem.

Signs of Teeth Grinding – Newington Dental

We might clench or grind our teeth at night. We awake to find something is wrong, but may not connect the signs with the cause.

Signs we are grinding our teeth as we sleep.
– Our jaw muscles are sore.
– Fractured, chipped, loose or aching teeth.
– A dull headache, or pain near in the ears when we first wake up.
– Feeling stiff in the face and temples when we first wake up.
– Over time the teeth show signs of wear.
– Over time the teeth become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
– The jaw develops a click (this can have other causes)

Unfortunately, the damage to tooth enamel is permanent. and this will often require dental repair. There can also be permanent damage to the joints in the jaw.

Treatment for Teeth Grinding – Newington Dental

A custom mouth guard, made by the dentist, can be useful. This will not stop the actual grinding, but it will prevent the grinding from causing further damage to the teeth.

Facial injections (like botox) can relax the muscles in the jaw. This can reduce the effects of grinding, and perhaps lower the underlying stress.

Diet can have at least some effect on teeth grinding. Reduce caffeine, especially after midday, to see if this has any impact. Nicotine (from smoking or gum) may also cause some stress.

Finding the underlying cause of stress that often causes teeth grinding lies outside the training of dentists. But we recommend a dental consultation (probably with a custom-made mouth guard) to prevent further damage to the teeth.

Newington Dental

Is teeth grinding an issue? We can provide a custom mouthguard to prevent tooth damage while you resolve the underlying anxiety.

Newington Dental Newington Dentist Newington

Dental Implants and Misconceptions

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Dental Newington Implants

A few generations ago missing teeth meant dentures. And for almost all people this was an inevitable part of growing old. But today we can have permanent replacement teeth. And while we would all agree that keeping our natural teeth is the best option, modern replacement teeth are almost indistinguishable from the original teeth. In fact, they might even look better.

Dental Implants are the best type of replacement tooth. They are bonded to the jaw with a metal post that connects at a molecular level, and they externally look and function like a natural tooth. Unlike other alternative replacement teeth, such as a bridge, they don’t require the surrounding teeth to be modified. And unlike dentures, which require glue to stay in, they are very much permanent.

Best of all, implants don’t require any special maintenance. they just need to be brushed twice per day and flossed, to prevent the surrounding gum from infection.

Dental Newington Implant Misconceptions

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Cost – Implants are expensive up front, but they last for the rest of your life. This is a saving in the long term.

Do they look real? – A modern implant looks and feels like a real tooth. You soon forget that you ever had a tooth replaced. Each implant is custom designed to suit the individual’s mouth.

There is a limit on the food you can eat – Quite the opposite. Older tooth replacement technology like dentures meant that eating was awkward. But implants free you up to eat virtually anything that normal people eat.

Implants are painful – Not a complete myth. Losing a tooth might have been painful. And implant surgery will require anesthetic. But if all goes well the procedure is not particularly painful.

The body might reject the implant – This is very rare. Unhealthy people have a small change of rejecting the implant. Smokers have a higher risk than non-smokers. But healthy non-smokers very rarely have any issue.

Cleaning – Implants will never suffer decay. But we should brush then twice daily to prevent gum disease.

Dental Newington

Implants are the ideal replacement for a lost or badly damaged tooth. They last a lifetime with regular brushing and flossing.

Newington Dental Newington Dentist

The Athlete’s Dental Health

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Newington Dental Athlete Advice

It may be a surprise to some that athletes tend to have poor dental health. Given how much athletes emphasis good health we might expect them to go to great lengths to look after their teeth. But even the athletes who are thorough about cleaning and flossing teeth still perform under expectation when it comes to dental hygiene. So what is the explanation?

Athletes don’t usually smoke or eat junk food (as we understand it) to any significant degree. But there are aspects of their training and lifestyle that compromise their dental health.

Sport Drinks
This is possibly the main culprit. Athletes over the last 20 years have picked up on the sports drinks trend. They also tend to use energy gels and energy bars. These products contain far more sugar than is generally known. And when they consume these products before a game or training, the sugar stays on their teeth for several hours. Brushing the teeth a few hours latter will not help, it is too late. The sugar has already done the damage. Professional athletes who train or compete several days a week may be steadily ruining their teeth every time they take a sports drink.

Dry Mouth
Heavy exertion will cause a dry mouth, especially if we start breathing through the mouth when running or training in any fashion. The dry mouth leads to increased bacteria, and this badly affects teeth and gums. Using a sports drink only makes matters worse as the sugar feeds the bad bacteria.

Using water instead of sports drinks would go a long way to reducing, perhaps preventing, the problem.

Swimmers
While swimming will not give us a dry mouth it will cause problems because of the chlorinated water. Water that is un-chlorinated tend to be just as bad, being made unclean by the many people swimming. This is hard to prevent. We cannot completely avoid swallowing water when we swim. But gargling clean water (bottled water) afterwards will help to some degree.

Newington Dental

Talk to your dentist about preventing dental problems. We encourage a proactive approach.

Dental Newington

Consider Porcelain Veneers

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Dental Veneers at Dental Newington

Teeth can suffer many different types of imperfections. Often these imperfections are simply a matter of appearance, such as staining or minor chips. Occasionally the teeth might be misaligned to the point where it affects our ability to eat or speak. Veneers can often fix the cosmetic issues of teeth, and may even fix at least some functional issues.

Dental Newington – Porcelain Veneers

A veneer is a little like a crown, except that it only covers the front of the tooth. This means they are less expensive and easier to fit. Yet in many cases, where the tooth isn’t too bad, veneers are very effective. They are ideal for a situation where a whole row of teeth need alteration.

White Teeth – If our teeth are stained, or dull in colour, or simply do not match our skin complexion, then veneers can help. Porcelain veneers have a clean white, or if you prefer off-white, appearance. So they look like neat, ideal, natural teeth. And as a bonus, they are basically stain resistant, so they are unlikely to change over time.

Chipped and Cracked Teeth – A porcelain veneer can change the shape of the tooth. So any damage, if it is not too severe, can be corrected. The result is smoother, straighter teeth when you smile.

Pitting and Grooves – Like stains, surface imperfections in the tooth surface can be covered up with veneers. The results are stronger, better looking teeth.

Widely Spaced Teeth – This surprises a few people, but if there are larger spaces between the teeth the porcelain veneers can help. The veneers can be made slightly wider than each individual tooth, giving small neat spaces between teeth.

Over or Under Bite – Perhaps the upper jaw and lower jaw do not meet correctly when your mouth is closed. The veneers can effectively bring the row of teeth on one jaw slightly forward. This will correct slight over or under bite.

Strengthen and Protect – Veneers make teeth stronger, so they are far less likely to be damaged.

Dental Newington

You deserve the best smile possible, and the best in dental health. Talk to us about veneers, crowns, and other dental treatments.

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