Baby teeth are of great importance as they path the way for proper growth and development of the jaw. They also maintain space for the adult teeth and are beneficial in speech development and eating. Premature loss of baby teeth can lead to the need for Orthodontic treatment later in a child’s life.
You can start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they start to come through the gums. This will generally be around 6 to 9 months of age.
Begin cleaning your child’s teeth with a soft, damp cloth to wipe gently over their teeth. You can start to introduce a children’s toothbrush as soon as you feel your child will accept it.
Children generally lose their front 8 baby teeth between 6 and 8 years of age. At this time the first permanent molars will also come through behind the baby teeth. Then between 10 and12 years of age, the remaining baby teeth are lost and are replaced with adult teeth.
If a baby tooth is knocked out DO NOT TRY TO PUT IT BACK IN. This is the case as you could accidentally damage the adult tooth that is developing below the gum. As soon as the accident occurs call your Dentist and organize an appointment immediately.
Unlike baby teeth, if a permanent tooth is knocked out it should be REPLACED IN THE SOCKET STRAIGHT AWAY. The longer the tooth is out of the mouth, the less likely the tooth will survive. As soon as the accident occurs call your Dentist and organize an appointment immediately. If you are unable to put the tooth back into the socket, place it into a glass of milk in the meantime.
Your child should see a Dentist every 6 months for a check up.
It is important to take your child to the Dentist as early as possible to avoid creating a fear of the Dentist. It may help to role play a visit with your child, and explain to them what they will see when they go into the room and what the Dentist does. Setting a date and telling the child when they are going will enable the child to prepare for the Dentist. It is important not to show that you are anxious or nervous.
Maintaining your teeth and gums, as you age is an important step in sustaining your general health and well-being. Whilst exercising, eating right and regular health checks are important – looking after your teeth and gums is also essential. Good dental health will help you to lead a long, happy and healthy life.
Did you know smiling and laughing are actually healthy for you? It’s true! As well as being attractive; smiling and laughing are beneficial to your entire well-being!
The activity of smiling releases natural antidepressant chemicals from your brain, beneficial to your entire being. Laughing also has a direct affect on the body. The popular saying “laughing makes good blood” is scientifically accurate. When we laugh, it produces rapid rhythmical contractions of the diaphragm. These contractions; stimulate abdominal organs and pulmonary function, modify breathing and heart rate. The psychological value of smiling and laughing is just as impressive. These activities release inner tension and repressed tendencies. When a person is tired or unhappy, it is better to relax through smiling and / or laughing than any other non-active means.
It is very important to wear a mouthguard during all forms of contact sports, i.e. football, hockey, basketball, baseball, gymnastics and volleyball. It is your only protection against broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. Complete Smiles provides state of the art custom made athletic mouthguards. These mouthguards are custom made to your individual requirements so that they are comfortable to wear and appropriate for the level of competition.
Firstly call Complete Smiles ASAP! If you can see a Dentist within 30minutes of the incident, there is an 85% chance that the tooth will survive.
The first step after you have lost a tooth is to find it. Once you have found your tooth handle it very delicately, not touching the fragile root as it will be needed intact to encourage re-attachment. You must also resist the temptation to clean your tooth off with water. If the tooth is clean, place it gently back into its socket immediately and apply slight pressure. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it using milk and place it back into its socket. Otherwise keep the tooth moist by placing it in a glass of milk or tuck it into your cheek until you can visit your Dentist.
The popularity of oral piercing is growing. It involves the insertion of jewellery into soft oral tissue – such as the lips, tongue and cheek. Oral piercings can cause serious health complications, including; tooth fractures, speech impediment, infection and allergic responses, blood poisoning and blood clots, damage to nerves and veins, loss of taste and permanent numbness.
Everyone is aware of how bad smoking is for the lungs, but many people forget about how much damage it does to your teeth. Smoking can cause serious long term damage to teeth and gums. The main concern for most smokers is the discolouration and staining of their teeth. Tobacco causes teeth to yellow and darken to a light brown colour. It promotes the build up of plaque which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Smoking will also cause bad breath, leave a bad taste in your mouth and make your gums pull away from your teeth. Seek help to quit smoking today. Your whole body will thank you for it!
Soda tastes great; however, many people do not realise how bad it is for their teeth. The sugar found in Soda reacts with the natural bacteria in your mouth and forms acid. This acid can erode your tooth enamel and over time causes cavities. Sugar-free soda can also cause tooth decay. We recommend drinking soda in moderation.
Soon after brushing, a thin sticky layer forms over the surface of your teeth which contains bacteria, this is referred to as plaque. When you eat anything containing sugar, the bacteria in plaque uses it as energy and produces acid which can soften and dissolve the enamel which cover your teeth. This is how a cavity is formed. Because the enamel doesn’t contain any nerves, you won’t realize that it is happening. Only when a cavity is in the advanced stages will you feel pain. This pain will occur when you eat or drink anything particularly hot, cold, sugary or acidic. Saliva helps to wash away and neutralize this acid. It also contains the minerals that replace loss from enamel.
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the back of your mouth. Usually, they erupt between the ages of 17 and 25. Wisdom teeth may need to be extracted if they affect other teeth – often referred to as “coming in sideways” or “impacted wisdom teeth”. This failure to erupt properly may occur either because there is not enough room in the jaw for the tooth, or because of its abnormal position. Many oral health specialists will recommend the removal of wisdom teeth, as early extraction will help to eliminate problems.
Maintaining your teeth and gums as you age is an important step in sustaining your general health and well-being. Whilst exercising, eating right and regular health checks are important – looking after your teeth and gums is also essential. Good dental health will help you to lead a long, happy and healthy life
If your teeth become damaged, lost or simply worn over time, there are a number of options available to treat these problems.
If teeth are lost, then Implants, Dentures or Bridges may be an option for you.
If a tooth needs rebuilding, then Crowns, Inlays or Onlays could be the solution.
For cosmetic changes, Tooth Whitening, Veneers and Bonding are amongst some of the treatments that you could consider.
Achieving optimal dental health has the power to change your life for the better. Just a few of the major benefits, dental treatment may provide include;
Cosmetic Dentistry is the ultimate mixture of art and dental science. These procedures endeavour to create beautiful, aesthetically pleasing smiles; utilising the latest restorative technologies and materials.
Previously, little could be done to attain the smile you always dreamed of. The treatments available to treat chipped, stained or crooked teeth were limited. Yet, today with the vast range of Cosmetic Dentistry treatments available, every smile can be aesthetically enhanced.
A common problem is that teeth will crack, either due to trauma, grinding, clenching, decay or heavily filled teeth. “Cracked Tooth Syndrome” relates to a variety of symptoms and signs caused by a crack or many cracks in a tooth. Early diagnosis is needed to improve the chances of saving a cracked tooth. Symptoms include:
If you suspect that you may have a cracked tooth, discuss this with your Dentist.
The black filling material used in your teeth is amalgam. It has been used as a filling material for over a hundred years, it’s still one of the strongest materials available.
However, it’s about as unattractive a filling material as you can get. There are a number of other tooth-colour restorative materials currently available that can be used to replace old amalgams.
Conscientious removal of plaque by flossing, brushing and regular professional cleanings will minimise your risk of gum disease. However, there are other factors that can affect the health of your gums, such as stress, diabetes, genetics and pregnancy.
As the plaque and calculus accumulate, the periodontal disease continues. Supporting tissues around the teeth (gums, periodontal ligaments, bone) are lost.
Periodontal pockets form which trap additional plaque. Bad breath often accompanies this condition. Once the bone that supports the teeth is lost, it will not regrow without surgical intervention.
If you are not in any pain then ring the Dentist as soon as possible and make an appointment, but try and keep the tooth as clean as possible and avoid biting hard on that tooth. If you have pain, then you will need to go to your Dentist ASAP as an emergency.
