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Teeth grinding is more than just teeth grinding.

Let me repeat that again “teeth grinding is more than just teeth grinding”.

Have you ever walked by your sleeping child and hear an awful sound like nails being scratched on a chalkboard?

Teeth grinding, or the technical term bruxism, is the sound you may be hearing that is coming from your child. This occurs when teeth are contacting each other and abrade the biting surfaces in all different direction. Overtime these cause the teeth to shorten, become sensitive, chip and potentially crack.
This is also known as a form of a parafunction as para (other than the norm) and function (of normal physiological order) when there is an upset within the body system. Unfortunately, this occurs subconsciously (during sleep).

Clenching and grinding is not unique to just children alone, it happens to all ages of life. In particular, adulthood when the stresses of life are compounded together. Work, family, external stress and the never-ending cost of living can all contribute to your clenching and grinding. However, in children, we ask why are they grinding if they don’t have these stresses?

In most cases, many children are not under a lot of stress from lifestyle factors, so if we know that stress is one of the factors to causing bruxism/grinding? What other factors could be affecting a young child that’s grinding in their sleep?

This is where we look into physiological stress, and at True Smiles Dental, our dentists and oral health therapists explore breathing to assess and manage as a team with other medical professions.

The term “Sleep-disordered Breathing” (SDB) is a broad term that categorises the different diagnoses of unideal/interrupted breathing during sleep in both adults and children. The most common form of this is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea where some of you may know yourself or of a relative that wears a sleep machine (Central positive air pressure machine – CPAP) to help with their breathing.

As you can imagine, SDB presents itself when there is an obstruction along the path of our airway. Think of a hose in your garden, when running water through the hose and any where you step or squeeze the hose it will cause a blockage to the flow of water and of course, if there are multiple blockages along this hose, it even further propagates the barrier for the water to pass through.
This analogue also happens in the body, thus, this includes any abnormal structure or function of the nasal airway and jaws which are the main areas that we deal with as dental professions.

Oxygen is the main nutrient for cells and bodily function to continue to work. If a blockage occurs in our airways, then we have the potential to stop breathing, and thus restricting the much-needed oxygen required for our bodies to function. In others words, there are moments within their sleep where they are suffocating. As you can imagine, our brain is firing a million of signals to keep our body working whilst we sleep to ensure that our cells and tissues are getting the nutrients it needs to repair and function and to form new neural pathways to help create memory. But without oxygen, all of this is disrupted.

With limited oxygen, our body enters a fight-flight mode – your body begins to release more adrenaline and cortisol which causes our hearts to race, digestive system to shut down, blood glucose levels increase, mental acuteness elevates and eventually, grinding and clenching commences. In addition to grinding, in order to deal with the stress from lack of oxygen, the body also attempts to bring the jaw forward to relieve of any obstruction particularly when we are laying down, in turn, the tongue collapses into the airway.

As you’re reading this now try it out for yourself, hold your breath in as long as possible and eventually you will reach a point where you need to take a huge gasp of air with a slight sense of panic and relief at the end as you take your big gulp of air in. That is exactly what is happening in our sleep multiple times – in some cases, more than 10 times!

This “fight-flight” mode that we have is the exact same mechanism that is activated when we are placed in a stressful situation like if we were faced with our most feared thing in life. Imagine this happening multiple times during our sleep, as you can now picture then, not only is the sleep disrupted but this starts to affect us during the day!

Some of the more common symptoms children suffering from sleep disordered breathing face include:

• Increased anxiousness
• Less tolerable to stress
• Restless and unsettled
• Poor concentration
• Increased tiredness throughout the day

Returning to the implications of long term ‘increased’ adrenaline and cortisol release. This can lead to further long-term effects in our health.

• Chronic increased adrenaline release can be linked to higher blood pressure if associated with uncontrolled sleep apnoea. It can also disrupt the digestive process, risking nutrient uptake and optimal development in children
• Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released as part of the process of fight-flight to activate certain inflammatory cells to engage our systems to fend off the threat. During the process of SDB, the chronic release of cortisol can be pathological and may place children at a younger age for chronic inflammation and thus, risk of inflammatory diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

SDB is an epidemic in young children in Australia and most of the time, it goes unnoticed which is why the team at True Smiles Dental screen at a young age for signs of potential SDB, we may be able to prevent further systemic complications as they grow into adulthood and thus, improve their overall quality of life.

The most common areas that underlie the cause of obstruction along the airway are:

1. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
2. Unaddressed and/or poor management of allergies
3. Narrow jaws and crowded teeth
4. Enlarged turbinates’
5. Sinusitis
6. Deviated septum
7. Trauma to nasal airway
8. Weak tongue

As such, it is important for health professionals, particularly dental professions that work closely in this region to screen for SDB. Your Dentist or Oral Health Therapist is in the best position to screen for this as we are already looking in your mouth!

At True Smiles Dental, our team of Dentists and Oral Health Therapists specialise in screening for these signs and providing a management plan to address the root cause of bruxism in children.
We examine the tonsils, grinding habits, sleeping habits, enquire about allergies and development of the jaw. When appropriate, we refer to a team of ENTs, sleep physicians and orthodontist that work closely to ensure that your child/ren do not suffer from the prolonged undiagnosed SDB.

In regard to narrow jaws and crowded teeth, we advocate for early intervention in orthodontic practice. As such, we refer for any signs of crossbite and narrow upper jaws at the young age of 8 to potentially initiate early expansion particularly when the bone is easily malleable and thus when influenced the jaw to expand optimally. In doing so, the nasal airway also expands with it as the roof of the mouth makes up the floor of the nasal airway.
There is rising evidence in the scientific literature that indicate that early expansion reduces enlarged tonsils and adenoids and thus, limits the need to undergo tonsil and adenoid removal surgery which can be costly and uncomfortable for the child.

Through this process, the desired result for your child to be breathing in the most optimal way is having their lip sealed, tongue on the roof to the mouth and nasal breathing which can only be achieved when all underlying issues of nasal congestion and restrictions are addressed. Altogether, we aim to maintain the physiological body systems working in harmony and at balance with one another.
Remember, this is just one aspect of the bigger picture of the health of a child. This part of health is also one that has not been addressed thoroughly in the past which why at True Smiles Dental, we have taken a proactive approach in exploring an area in which we are able to positively influence. As the saying goes, putting the mouth back into health!

So the next time you are asked if your child grinds or you notice your child’s teeth are getting shorter each time you have a look or chipping often, considering investigating further into their sleep quality.

If you would like to have a chat more with our Dentists and Oral Health Therapists, call us on (02) 7228 7272, or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointments.

In the next blog post, we will talk more about the nuances of nasal breathing – why it is important and the health benefits, as well as the big muscle king – the tongue and its role in breathing, development and TMJ.

Welcome to True Smiles Dental Marrickville! We understand that visiting the dentist can be daunting, and that dental x-rays may not be your favourite topic and may be concerned about the level of radiation it emits. However, dental x-rays play an essential role in your oral health and can help us detect potential problems before they become more severe and therefore, avoid costly treatment. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why dental x-rays are important, the types of dental x-rays available, how often you should update them, and some common misconceptions about dental x-rays.

 Fun fact: Did you know that bananas contain radiation? 

 Bananas have radiation that is naturally occuring and is 0.1 radiation unit whereas a dental x-ray is 0.2 radiation unit. 

Why are dental x-rays important?

Dental x-rays are crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of dental problems. They provide a detailed view of your teeth, gums, and jawbone, which helps us detect and treat dental problems that may not be visible during your regular clinical examination.

A simple way to put it is, if the x-ray can see it, it may still be quite small and treatable with conservative means. If the dentist can see it with their eyes, it may be approaching a larger size. However, if the patient can see it, then it might be quite big which requires a bit of work to resolve.

 

 

Dental x-rays are essential for the following reasons:

Early Detection of Dental Problems: Dental x-rays help us detect dental problems early, before they cause significant damage to your teeth and gums. X-rays can identify early signs of dental decay, gum disease, and other oral problems before they are visible to the naked eye. This early detection can lead to less invasive and less expensive treatments. For example, a sign of early dental decay located in between the teeth can be seen as a shadow confined to the first layer of the tooth. When this is detected, your dental health professional will go through ways to prevent this early decay from progressing and thus avoid treating it with a filling or even tooth loss.

Effective Treatment Planning: Dental x-rays enable us to develop a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. They help us determine the extent of dental problems, evaluate the position and development of your teeth, and assess the condition of your jawbone. With this information, we can create a customised treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Particularly in children, having x-rays to view where the permanent teeth are within the developing dentition/mouth will give us the insight whether there will be significant crowding to occur in future and if the bite (occlusion) will be unideal. With this information, it can allow us to intervene and/or refer to an Orthodontist for early treatment in order to prevent detrimental long term effects to the development of a child.

Prevention of Future Dental Problems: Regular dental x-rays can help prevent future dental problems. By detecting problems early, we can take preventive measures to stop them from worsening, such as prescribing fluoride treatments or recommending dental sealants. X-rays can also help us monitor the growth and development of children’s teeth, allowing us to detect any potential problems early and prevent more serious issues from developing.

 

Oral malignancies: just like anywhere else in the body, unfavourable lesions may form that can lead to fatal outcomes. As such, dental x-rays can help us detect for such oral malignancies which can be difficult to detect in its early stages, but dental x-rays can help us identify abnormalities in the jaw or teeth that may indicate cancer. Early detection of oral cancer is critical for successful treatment, so regular dental x-rays can potentially save lives.

In summary, dental x-rays are a valuable tool for maintaining optimal oral health. They can help us detect and treat dental problems early, develop customized treatment plans, and prevent future dental issues. While some people may have concerns about radiation exposure, the benefits of dental x-rays far outweigh the risks, and we take every precaution to ensure that our patients are safe during the process. Below, we will discuss the types of dental x-rays and debunk some myths regarding this.

 

Types of Dental X-rays:

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we use different types of dental x-rays to evaluate various aspects of your oral health. These include:

Bitewing X-rays: These x-rays are taken to evaluate the crowns of the upper and lower teeth. They are particularly useful in detecting cavities between the teeth. These also provide additional insight to the bone loss that has occurred on the back teeth and where potentially tartar or calculus has been built up underneath the gum. Bitewing x-rays are usually taken every 12-24 months, depending on your decay rate.

Panoramic X-rays: These x-rays provide a complete view of your upper and lower jaws. They are useful in detecting problems with the bone levels which helps the clinician and patient better understand the activity of the periodontal health. Particularly in children and adolescents, we are able to evaluate the adult teeth that are coming through and missing adult teeth. They are also helpful in viewing the development and eruption of the wisdom teeth and to help determine if they are required to be removed before it causes any damages to the adjacent teeth. They are also particularly useful for finding any pathologies (oral malignancies) that can appear in the jaw. Panoramic x-rays are typically taken every 3-5 years, or as needed.

Periapical X-rays: These x-rays are used to evaluate the root and surrounding bone of a single tooth. They are helpful in diagnosing abscesses and other infections. Periapical x-rays may be taken as needed, depending on your individual needs.

Occlusal X-rays: These x-rays are used to evaluate the development and placement of teeth in the upper or lower jaw. They are particularly useful in detecting problems with children’s teeth. They also useful in very young children who had a fall and traumatised their front teeth. They are only taken when needed.

How often should you update your dental x-rays?

The frequency at which you should update your dental x-rays depends on several factors, including your age, medical and dental history, and current oral health. Generally, most people should update their x-rays every 12-24 months. However, some people may need to update their x-rays more frequently. For example, if you have a history of cavities or gum disease, we may recommend more frequent x-rays to monitor your oral health.

Children may require more frequent x-rays than adults because their teeth and jaws are still developing. We may also recommend more frequent x-rays if you are undergoing a dental procedure or treatment that requires us to monitor your oral health closely.

It’s important to note that dental x-rays use very low levels of radiation and are generally considered safe. However, we take every precaution to ensure that your exposure to radiation is minimal.

 

Common Misconceptions About Dental X-Rays:

There are several misconceptions about dental x-rays that may prevent people from getting the care they need. Here are some of the most common myths about dental x-rays:

Myth #1: Dental x-rays are unnecessary and only expose you to radiation.

Fact: Dental x-rays are an essential tool for diagnosing and treating dental problems. The dental x-ray tube is shaped as a cylinder which aids in localising the radiation to the mouth. Once the radiation is released, the residual radiation particles that are scattered are very minute and thus, a very low chance of leading to any pathologies. At True Smiles Dental, we use digital x-ray technology with lower radiation than the traditional x-ray and are considered safe. So as mentioned prior with the fun fact, having two bitewings is like eating two bananas. The benefits of dental x-rays far outweigh the risks.

Myth #2: Dental x-rays are only necessary if you have a problem with your teeth.

Fact: A lot of people believe that dental x-rays are not necessary if you have good oral hygiene habits. While brushing, flossing and maintaining healthy dietary habits are essential for maintaining oral health, they cannot detect or prevent all dental problems. Dental x-rays can provide a more comprehensive view of your oral health, allowing us to identify and treat issues that may not be visible to the naked eye, making dental x-rays part of preventative care. They help us detect potential problems before they become more severe, which can save you time and money in the long run.

Myth #3: Dental x-rays are painful.

Fact: Dental x-rays are painless. You may feel a slight discomfort when the x-ray film is positioned in your mouth, but this should only last a few seconds.

Myth #4: Dental x-rays are expensive.

Fact: At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, our check up and cleans are gap free! This means that your private health insurance will cover the cost of dental x-rays. If you do not have private health insurance, we offer affordable dental x-rays for all our patients.

Conclusion:

Dental x-rays are an essential part of maintaining your oral health. They help us detect potential problems early, develop effective treatment plans, and prevent future dental problems. It’s also worth noting that dental x-rays have come a long way in recent years. With advancements in technology, our team at True Smiles Dental Marrickville have kept up to date with the best and most safest technology, where we use digital x-rays which are now faster, more accurate, and safer than ever before as they use less radiation than traditional x-rays and provide instant results.

If you haven’t had a dental x-ray in a while, or if you have any concerns about your oral health, please don’t hesitate to contact us at True Smiles Dental Marrickville. We are here to help you achieve optimal oral health and a beautiful smile.

The link between the tongue and nasal breathing to development and the snowball effect.

Before we begin discussing the nuances of this very big topic, I want you as the reader to take note of how you’re breathing and the position of your lips and tongue as you’re reading this sentence.

– Are your lips sealed or is your mouth open and dry?

– Is your tongue resting on the floor of your mouth or the roof?

– Do you feel like your face is drooping downwards?

If your answer pertains to the similar lines of mouth open, dry lips and tongue resting on the floor then most likely along the system of nasal breathing (as discussed in the prior blog post) there is a disruption within the flow.

Mouth breathing tends to go unnoticed as many people have not been queried of it in the past, are not aware of its effects or that this has become a norm for them.

The causes of mouth breathing is multifactorial and tends to have a chain reaction starting from one origin of a dysfunction or discrepancy in the anatomy and slowly becomes a snowball effect turning into mouth breathing.

In this blog we will explore the different factors that may contribute to mouth breathing at different stages in life. Now despite dissecting the different age groups, it does not mean that an individual who suffers from mouth breathing has each and every one of these factors. It could just be that there is just one or a few that have offset the cascade into becoming chronic mouth breathers.

Now, this post is by no means comprehensive but it does engage in the common factors in which you are able to start looking out for or perhaps initiate a conversation next time you see one of our dentists, oral health therapists or even your local GP/medic.

 

Infant 

Before we delve into the intricacy of infancy, let’s start off with the fetus, particularly when little bubba is around 28-31 weeks, ultrasounds typically reveal finger/umbilical cord sucking and at the 35th week, suck/swallow sequence becomes developed. Yes! Some of you might be alarmed at the “finger/thumb sucking” , now at this stage and even little bubbas at the age of 1, it is all okay! Particularly as a fetus, the finger sucking is part of natural development to allow for the baby to “practise” this very motion needed for obtaining nutrients through breastfeeding. Therefore, it is not uncommon that infants that are premature born (that is prior to 35 weeks) that do not completely develop their suck/swallow sequence have difficulties with feeding. Let’s leave it at this for now and we will come back to why this is significant in the development and breathing.

On to infants, the main factors in which the tongue has its attention are looking for tongue ties (little stretchy muscles underneath the tongue). As many of you know, tongue ties can be detrimental to an infant’s and young child’s ability to speak and feed. However, not all tongue ties are tongue ties! In infants, it is common for a slight frenectomy (snip) of the tongue tie to facilitate proper feeding. The issue with this sometimes is that parents are not notified of post-operative care of the tongue tie and thus, at times parents find a relapse of this “tongue tie”. In fact, it is scar tissue that has formed because the tongue was not exercised enough after the surgery. In infants, this simply could just be gentle tickles around the floor of the mouth to elevate it and allow the tongue to move in all sorts of directions as it needs to. If not, then this will lead to tongue restriction and dysfunction.

Putting these two puzzles together, principally we are looking at the function of the tongue – that is, the tonicity (how strong it is) and its ability to do what it needs to do, so is it able to lift up, go side to side without any unnecessary jaw movement, suction to the roof of the mouth, depress and protrude and retrude.

Now as an infant, if an individual has not developed the appropriate sucking/swallowing action, then you can imagine the swallowing pattern as they grow into their childhood will not be correctly developed. As an infant, the correct swallow pattern when breastfeeding particularly follows as a wave-like motion of the back part of the tongue to create vacuum when drinking/sucking then slightly protrudes over the lower gum area during front tongue movement but not out of the mouth. Then as a child and into adulthood, it would be chewing on both sides of the jaw, tongue onto the palate creating a suction then a wave-like motion to move the food down the oesophagus. If the initial tongue swallow is not appropriately established due to the discrepancy in embryo development or a tongue restriction/tie (because the tongue is restricted from lifting), the tongue tends to form a FORWARD, THRUSTING motion of swallowing rather than a suction wave-like motion. Why is this significant? Because of the development of the jaw and thus how crowded the teeth are largely influenced by the degree of quality of suction to the roof and swallow pattern.

The tongue is the second strongest muscle in the head and neck , just short before our masseters(two muscles on either sides of the jaw that help us eat) and if you can imagine, as an infant and child the bones are very malleable and the tongue being of the biggest influences in the growth of the upper jaw. And what is attached with the jaw, the rest of the skull!!

Therefore , if there is this lack of motion and more of a forward tongue posture, the upper jaw would become more narrow, high and hourglass-like rather than broad, flat and wide!

With such tongue restrictions and tongue thrusting swallow pattern, there tends to be a downward , forward resting posture of the tongue rather than a slight suction to the roof of the mouth which is its natural position. With this compromised form, comes with compromised tonicity and strength of the tongue. Think about your biceps, if you do not go to the gym to lift weights regularly and hit your protein intake, the tonicity of the biceps will be lacking much like the tongue. As such, the tongue becomes “slouchy”. The tongue can be analogously similar to a sling slot, the tongue becomes weak and “slouchy” and the two poles that the sling is attached to are pulled down. These two poles in the head is your jaw and thus, the jaw tends to droop and thus, mouth breathing commences!!!

These categories of dysfunction go under the umbrella term of “myofunctional disorders’ as it involves the compromised function of the musculature of the head and neck.

 

Child 

In children, there are a number of factors that contribute or even maintain the mouth breathing that we see. These could include: oral habits and tongue restrictions.

In the context of oral habits, the big one is thumb sucking and bottle feeding.

Now in this blog post, we will won’t discuss the fine details of thumb sucking as this is opening another can of worms, but to simply put, the constant pressure of the thumb onto the roof of the mouth becomes the pressure influence to the developmental process of the upper jaw and thus eventually forms the narrow high palate and an anterior open bite. Furthermore, because the thumb is in the way of the tongue, the tongue loses tonicity and thus, its usual function becomes compromised and the normal flow for correct swallowing pattern and resting tongue posture is thus unideal.

Tongue restrictions/dysfunction

Tongue restrictions refer to the limitation for the tongue to exercise its full potential range of motion. The previous aspects have been discussed prior but additional causes could be unaddressed tongue ties and narrow jaws. With unaddressed tongue ties, they may have been unaddressed for a reason as it may not be causing any issues for the child’s daily life such as with feeding and speech development and thus, not every tongue tie is a TONGUE TIE! Therefore, we look at the tongue function which we have prior listed. Sometimes if there’s a dysfunction, prescribed myofunctional exercises may help in increasing the function and may avoid the need for a frenectomy.

 

Narrow upper jaw:

If a child has a narrow jaw, it is given that there is insufficient space for the tongue to rest itself on the roof of the mouth, thus the tongue naturally rests onto the mouth and the cascade of mouth breathing endlessly cycles through.

Compared with nasal breathing, mouth breathing is not the most optimal and efficient way to breathe and, in some ways, compromises the immune system. The nasal passages have little hairlike structures called “cilia ” which help facilitate the filtering of small invasive particles, bacteria and viruses to prevent them from entering into the body.  Furthermore, nasal breathing manifests deeper, substantial breaths and humidifies the air which allows for appropriate blood-gas exchange to occur and thus homeostasis (when the body is at balance and working harmoniously) is maintained. With mouth breathing, we do not have these protective factors in place and oftentimes, nasty bacteria and viruses enter in our body and tonsils become swollen, the immune system is not at its strongest and the air we breathe in is shallow. Therefore, mouth breathing along with potential unaddressed allergies and constant nasal congestion (which is already making the immune system work hard) may manifest for the child to likely get more sick.

 

Adult 

When these myofunctional disorders become unaddressed as a child, they may elicit further regression in health. With what we have discussed prior about mouth breathing, this occurring whilst sleep feeds into the severity of the sleep-disordered-breathing. Snoring being one of the most common symptoms of SDB is from the vibration of the uvula. There is evidence to show that the physical vibration of uvula transmits to the carotid artery (one of the major arteries of the heart) and leads to trauma of the vessels leading to increase risk of high blood pressure.

Furthermore, snoring is not always from mouth breathing as there are other factors that can lead to snoring such as an enlarged uvuvla, collapsed tongue or an elongated soft palate. With the enlarged uvula and elongated soft palate, the ENT (ears, nose, throat doctor) manages this with surgical procedures. With a collapsed tongue, myofunctional therapy can be performed regularly to increase tonicity and strengthen neural pathways to reduce tongue collapse on the airway.Overtime when such presentations progress, it will lead to a level of sleep apnoea and potentially the other systemic issues that have been discussed prior.

Dentally, we will superifically see crowded teeth in some cases chipped teeth (due to traumatic occlusions from the narrow jaws and poor bite), TMJ pain, dry mouth, gingivitis and potentially more holes in the mouth. But as we come to the end of this blog and walked through the stages of each milestone, we can appreciate how one thing can lead to the next and so on and so on. Hence why it is so important to address such issues and dive into its root causes at an early age. As an adult there are way around to intervene but most important goal is to stabilize and work towards a healthier state.

 

Again, all of what has been discussed is only a contributing piece to the puzzle.

 

If you would like to have a chat more with our Dentists and Oral Health Therapists, call us on (02) 7228 7272, or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointments.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy smile, knowledge is power. Have you recently been told by your dentist that you have deep pockets? Don’t panic! This blog post will shed light on what deep pockets mean in dental terms and discuss the various treatment options available to you. We’ll also highlight the significance of regular maintenance appointments with our Oral Health Therapist to ensure optimal oral health and prevent future complications. At True Smiles Dental, your trusted Marrickville Dentist, we are committed to providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your dental care.

What Are Deep Pockets?

Deep pockets, also known as periodontal pockets, are a common indicator of gum disease or periodontitis. They refer to the spaces that form between the gums and teeth when the gum tissue becomes inflamed and starts to pull away from the tooth surface. These pockets provide a breeding ground for bacteria, plaque, and tartar accumulation, which can lead to further gum and bone damage if left untreated.

Why have they come about?

When plaque builds up along the gum line, it triggers inflammation in the gums and bones, resulting in the formation of pockets. However, the severity of damage caused by these pockets can be influenced by various factors. Medical conditions such as autoimmune disorders, pregnancy, Type 2 diabetes, and smoking can lower your immune system’s threshold, causing heightened gum inflammation and an increased likelihood of pocket formation. While genetics play a role, making healthy choices and prioritising oral health can positively impact gum health. Maintaining effective oral home care, attending regular dental examinations, receiving professional teeth cleanings, and adopting a healthy lifestyle can help prevent deep pockets and ensure the maintenance of healthy gums.

The Importance of Early Intervention

If you’ve been diagnosed with deep pockets, it’s crucial to take immediate action. Leaving the condition untreated can result in serious consequences, such as tooth loss and overall deterioration of oral health. Deep pockets are typically accompanied by symptoms like gum sensitivity, bleeding gums, bad breath, and even tooth mobility. Ignoring these signs can allow the disease to progress, making treatment more complex and costly.

Treatment Options for Deep Pockets

Fortunately, various treatment options are available to address deep pockets and manage gum disease effectively. Your dental profession at True Smiles Dental will evaluate your condition and recommend the most appropriate course of action, which may include:

Professional Teeth Cleaning

When it comes to deep pockets and gum disease treatment, it’s essential to understand the difference between scaling and root planing and a regular scale and clean. While both procedures involve cleaning the teeth, they serve different purposes and target different areas of the mouth.

A regular scale and clean, focuses on removing plaque and tartar from the visible surfaces of the teeth. During this procedure, your dental professional will use special instruments to carefully remove the buildup of plaque and tartar, leaving your teeth feeling clean and polished. A regular scale and clean is typically recommended for patients with healthy gums and is an important part of routine dental care to maintain optimal oral hygiene.

On the other hand, scaling and root planing or gum disease treatment is a more in-depth procedure specifically designed to address deep pockets and gum disease. This treatment targets the areas below the gumline, where plaque and tartar have accumulated and caused inflammation. Scaling involves the removal of plaque, tartar, and bacteria from both the surfaces of the teeth and the pocket depths within the gums. This process is usually performed under local anesthesia to ensure your comfort. It also aims to eliminate any rough areas or bacterial deposits that may contribute to ongoing gum inflammation and the progression of gum disease. By smoothing the root surfaces, the gums can better reattach to the teeth, reducing pocket depths and preventing further bacterial accumulation.

Unlike a regular scale and clean, scaling and root planing may require multiple visits to complete, depending on the extent of the gum disease and the number of areas requiring treatment. It is a thorough and effective procedure that allows for the removal of bacteria, plaque, and tartar from deep pockets, promoting gum healing and preventing the progression of gum disease.
If you have been diagnosed with deep pockets, your dental professional will evaluate your condition and determine whether scaling and root planing is necessary. They will also provide you with detailed instructions on post-treatment care and oral hygiene practices to promote optimal healing and maintain the health of your gums.

Gum Surgery

In more severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary. Procedures like gum flap surgery or pocket reduction surgery can be performed to eliminate deep pockets and restore gum health. These surgical techniques involve accessing the infected area, thoroughly cleaning it, and repositioning the gum tissue to minimize pocket depth.

Antibiotic Therapy
In majority of the cases, the prescription of antibiotics is not commonly practised as routinely in the gum disease treatment phase. This is because the majority of the antibiotics does not have the ability to penetrate within the framework of the plaque and cause enough disruption to significantly improve gum health. The physical removal of the plaque and calculus is what will significantly encourage improved healing. In some rare instances, despite achieving meticulous professional gum disease treatment, controlling medical conditions and oral hygiene home care, there is some evidence to show a prescription of Azithromycin may help in clearing residual bacteria strains within the pockets. However this is only performed in specific instances as judged by the dental profession and is considered as an adjunctive.

The Role of Maintenance Appointments with an Oral Health Therapist:
Once your deep pockets have been treated, it’s crucial to establish a proactive approach to oral health care. Regular maintenance appointments with an Oral Health Therapist play a vital role in preventing the recurrence of gum disease and maintaining the overall health of your gums and teeth. These appointments typically occur every three months and involve the following essential components:

• • Professional Teeth Cleaning
    During each maintenance appointment, your Oral Health Therapist will perform a hygiene examination which includes, professional teeth cleaning, removing any plaque, tartar, or stain buildup that may have occurred since your last visit. This cleaning goes beyond what you can achieve with regular brushing and flossing, ensuring a healthier smile.
  • Thorough Examination
    Your Oral Health Therapist will conduct a comprehensive examination of your gums, teeth, oral tissues, plaque disclosing that reveals the location and duration of plaque around the teeth and gums. and reviewing the healing and response to the gum disease treatment. Early detection is key to preventing complications and receiving timely treatment if necessary.
  • Personalised Oral Hygiene Instruction
    Your Oral Health Therapist will provide personalised guidance on the most effective brushing and flossing techniques, as well as recommend any additional oral hygiene aids or products that may benefit your specific oral health needs. They will address any concerns or questions you may have regarding your oral hygiene routine, ensuring you have the knowledge and tools to maintain a healthy smile between visits.
  • Monitoring of Gum Health
    Regular maintenance appointments allow your oral health therapist to monitor the health of your gums closely. They will measure and assess pocket depths, check for any signs of inflammation or bleeding, and evaluate the overall condition of your gum tissue. This monitoring helps identify any changes or potential issues early on, enabling prompt intervention if required.

The Benefits of Regular Maintenance Appointments:
Maintaining a consistent schedule of maintenance appointments with your Oral Health Therapist offers several key advantages for your oral health:

• Prevention of Recurrence:
  By addressing deep pockets and managing gum disease through regular maintenance appointments, you significantly reduce the risk of the condition returning or progressing. This proactive approach helps safeguard your oral health and minimize the need for more invasive treatments in the future.
• Early Detection of Oral Health Issues:
  Regular check-ups allow your oral health therapist to identify any oral health issues at their earliest stages. Whether it’s gum disease, tooth decay, or other concerns, early detection means early intervention, which can prevent further damage and save you from unnecessary discomfort and expenses.
• Customised Care:
  Each maintenance appointment is tailored to your specific needs. Your oral health therapist will consider your oral health history, lifestyle factors, and any ongoing concerns to provide personalized care and guidance. This individualized approach ensures that you receive the most effective treatment and preventive measures for your oral health.
• Improved Overall Health:
  Maintaining optimal oral health has a positive impact on your overall well-being. Gum disease has been linked to various systemic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory issues. By prioritizing regular maintenance appointments, you contribute to your overall health and reduce the risk of these potential complications.

If you’ve been told you have deep pockets, there’s no need to panic. With the right treatment and ongoing care, you can regain control of your oral health and maintain a beautiful smile. True Smiles Dental, your trusted Marrickville Dentist, is here to provide you with comprehensive treatment options and guide you through regular maintenance appointments with an oral health therapist. By embracing these proactive measures, you can prevent the progression of gum disease, ensure long-term oral health, and enjoy the confidence that comes with a healthy smile. Don’t wait—schedule your next maintenance appointment today and take the first step towards a brighter, healthier future.

I’m sure many of us have been in a situation where you attend your regular check-up and clean and have your routine x-rays taken, then your dentist says “there appears to be a cavity on your upper left tooth that needs to be filled’. You may be frustrated by the news so in this blog post, we are going to break down the science of dental decay and all the nooks and crannies about it all so that this news becomes less frequently (and hopefully, one that you do not hear ever again)!

Firstly, how does dental decay occur? Most of you may know that sugar is the number one culprit for accelerating dental decay. This still holds true as it is the main contributor but in recent times, it is now understood that the cause of dental decay is multifactorial. Factors contributing include oral hygiene, fluoride, diet, saliva and plaque. We will briefly discuss how each of these factors are important.

Oral hygiene

This, as you may know, depends on the quality and quantity of brushing. You may recall with our hygiene appointments at True Smiles Dental that we ask a few questions about your cleaning habits around and in between the teeth. This helps us gauge the probability for both gum disease and dental decay to occur. In terms of quality, we use a special dye that helps disclose the soft plaque (a whitish film that overlays the tooth) around the teeth and gum line and indicates the duration it has been there.
Plaque is simply bacteria and for bacteria to grow, it requires food (it eats what you eat). When there are heaps of plaque (particularly the ones that are mature and are coloured dark blue/purple/light blue) sitting around the gum line and in between for too long, the plaque grows and starts to release toxins and enzymes that cause the teeth to weaken and break down. Hence, dental decay occurs. As such, this dye allows us to help you improve the quality of brushing. In terms of quantity, the magic number is twice daily brushing generally. There are other circumstances where an individual may need to brush more frequently but we will not dive into that topic today! As mentioned earlier about the growth of plaque, cleaning the teeth and gums frequently will limit the plaque from causing damage to the teeth and gums as much as possible. The typical brushing is best in AM and PM, but in some cases especially for individuals with differing lifestyles with work, it may differ. Provided a consistent twice-daily brushing is performed for two minutes, plaque levels will be kept at a minimum, thus reducing their contact time with your teeth and gums. Ultimately, a reduction in your risk of dental decay and gum disease.

Fluoride

Many toothpastes in the supermarket and drinking water around Sydney contain fluoride which all are topical (application on the teeth via direct contact) that has been shown to be the most beneficial way to re-strengthen the teeth. Similarly, to our bones, teeth are mainly composed of calcium minerals and hydroxyapatite (crystal-like lattice structure – think of a beehive) in which this matrix is quite strong. However, this structure does degrade from acid attacks and causes holes in the structure. As a result, dental decay starts to occur. This is where fluoride comes in to ‘remineralise’ (put back minerals back into the tooth). Now you’re probably thinking, why not add calcium back instead of fluoride? Yes, calcium is also another way to remineralise the tooth such as through dairy products and oral hygiene products such as Tooth Mousse. However, evidence shows that when fluoride remineralises the tooth, it forms a new crystal structure called “fluorapatite’ where the fluoride that replaces the calcium is more resistant to acid attacks and therefore, makes it LESS likely for the process of dental decay to progress. In summary, fluoride helps to protect and repair your teeth, making them stronger and more resistant to tooth decay. Of course, fluoride intake needs to be in moderation with respect to one’s age. An excess of fluoride can result in unfavourable effects to the teeth.

Diet

As mentioned earlier, sugar is the main culprit but is more complex than this. It is also about frequency, type of carbohydrates and when. Frequently look at how many times you are snacking – it is simply put, the more frequent snacking you are having the more likely you are feeding into the process of dental decay. This is because, through the frequent intake of food, particularly simple carbohydrates, the tooth is constantly being insulted and thus becomes weaker. The form of carbohydrate involves looking at how sticky it is. For example, a caramel toffee vs a marshmallow… the toffee will be much stickier than the marshmallow and therefore will be more prone to stick in the grooves of the teeth for prolonged time periods and at multiple occasions will lead to a very increased risk of dental decay. Not saying that a marshmallow won’t cause dental decay because it is at the end of the day, full of sugar. But snacks/foods that are stickier will likely speed up the process of forming a hole. Another important thing to note is hidden sugars… These include white bread and pasta, sauces/condiments, yoghurt, muesli bars and dried fruits. So be on alert when picking snacks for your children. Alternatives can include popcorn, rice wheels, crackers and cheese, and greek yoghurt. The type of carbohydrate also matters as well – simply put, is the food/snack mainly containing simple or complex carbohydrates? Generally, simple carbohydrates are in your lollies and confectionary and because they are in their simplest form, it is able to quickly act with the bacteria and cause acid to break down the tooth.

Saliva

This looks at how much saliva is produced and the consistency. Saliva is important as it neutralises the acidity in the mouth, washes away some plaque and kills some of the bacteria (it has antibacterial properties).

Think of your tap in the sink and washing your dishes. If your tap is not running very well at a good rate due to a blockage, it will take a while for the soap to be cleaned off. Similarly, if there is a limited flow of saliva being produced, there is less capability of the saliva to wash the plaque and loose food away and the mouth is more acidic, leaving a drier mouth and thus, more likely for dental decay to form. Many medications and medical conditions can lead to dry mouth which we at True Smiles Dental check through your medical history to see if you’re susceptible to this and come up with some solutions to help reduce the risk for dental decay. Mouth breathing leads to a drier mouth too (read more about the implications of mouth breathing in the previous blog posts).

Plaque

Plaque is the technical term for bacteria, but not only one single bacteria, but a colony. Think of an ant’s nest or a termite mound; plaque is a huge collection of bacteria stuck together by its own matrices. When it becomes a heap, you or your dental professional may mention a white/yellowish film that is sitting over the teeth and gum line. Depending on the bacteria, it may instigate gum disease and/or dental decay. There is several bacteria that cause dental decay, but the main culprit is Streptococcus mutans (S. Mutans). It is understood that some may have a higher bacterial load but many of the factors above can largely influence the bacterial activity and therefore, the risk for dental decay.

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we mentioned the special dye earlier that can help to assess how much plaque has colonised your teeth and even give you a time frame of how long it has been sitting on your teeth. With this, we can quickly stain your teeth and identify the various plaque that may be sitting on your teeth. With the aid of such tools, our patients can gain an in depth understanding of their mouth and what areas of their teeth that require further attention to ensure the happiest and healthiest smile possible. You’d be surprised how much colour there may or may not be on your teeth after trying it out!

All in all, I hope you have taken up a few new take new messages that may be helpful for you. As you can see, dental decay is more than just “stop eating lollies” and “cut down on the soft drink”, although those statements are true, we now see that there are other factors that contribute to dental decay. At your next appointment with True Smiles Dental Marrickville, ask one of our dental professionals to go through a risk assessment of all these factors with you if you are concerned about your decay rate and formulate an individualised advice for yourself to get you back on track. If you have any further questions, please contact our team on (02) 7228 7272 or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment/

At True Smiles Dental, your premier destination for Invisalign treatment in the heart of Marrickville. Our experienced dental team is committed to helping you achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve with the latest in dental technology and personalized care.

As one of the leading Google Reviewed Marrickville Dentist, True Smiles Dental Marrickville specialises in a range of dental services, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontics. One of our special ties is Invisalign treatment, a revolutionary way to straighten teeth without the use of traditional metal braces.

If you’re looking for a discreet, comfortable, and effective way to achieve the perfect smile, Invisalign may be the right treatment option for you. Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gently shift your teeth into the desired position over time. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible and can be easily removed for eating, drinking, and daily oral hygiene.

In addition to our state-of-the-art dental technology and personalized care, we are committed to providing a comfortable and relaxing dental experience for every patient. From the moment you step into our modern and inviting dental office, you’ll feel at ease knowing that you’re in good hands with our friendly and professional dental team.

In this blog post, we’ll take you through the process of getting Invisalign, what is involved, how it works, what is required for retainers, and how long it takes. So, let’s get started.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a clear aligner system designed to straighten teeth without the use of traditional metal braces. It uses a series of custom-made, removable clear trays that gradually move your teeth into a more desirable position. Invisalign is a popular choice for adults and teenagers alike who want a discreet and comfortable way to achieve that perfect smile.

The Process of Getting Invisalign

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we offer a complimentar y consultation to assess your teeth and determine if Invisalign is the right treatment for you. If it is, we will take copies of your teeth which will be then sent to the Invisalign lab. From this, the team of dentist, Specialist Orthodontist, technicians
and Engineers plan your case which will help create a custom treatment plan through a simulation called Clincheck. A Clincheck is an animated simulation that will map out the movement of your teeth throughout the treatment. This will include how many trays and the approximate duration of the treatment.

Once the Clincheck is ready, our team at True Smiles Dental gives you a call to come in to visit your dentist to discuss the case to ensure you’re happy with the result and teeth movement. Once all is OK, we will indicate to Invisalign to initiate the production of where your custom-made aligners will be created.

When they arrive, we will schedule an appointment for you to come in, place attachments and receive your first set of aligners. Attachments are placed on the teeth to allow us to grip the tooth better in order to achieve certain movements. They are tooth coloured fillings which stay on the tooth only for the duration of treatment.

What age is appropriate for Invisalign?

While there is no specific age limit for Invisalign treatment, our dentists typically work with teenagers and adults who have all their permanent teeth. This usually means that Invisalign is appropriate for individuals who are in their late teens or older.

However, Invisalign treatment can be tailored to meet the needs of younger patients as well. In some cases, children as young as 10 or 11 may be eligible for Invisalign treatment, depending on their individual needs which at our complimentary consultation, we would advise and provide a referral to the local Specialist Orthodontist where applicable.

It’s important to note that Invisalign treatment is not suitable for everyone. During your complimentary consultation at True Smiles Dental Marrickville, our experienced dental team will evaluate your dental health including the bone levels and tooth stability to ensure that full treatment can be carried out with very little risks for complications and determine if Invisalign is the right treatment option for you.

How Invisalign Works

Each set of aligners is designed to move your teeth gradually into the desired position. You’ll wear each set of aligners for around 10 days , up to two weeks, before switching to the next set in the series. Each set of aligners is slightly different, which means your teeth will be moving constantly throughout the treatment. As such, there may be some discomfort that may be experienced throughout the process, however the benefit unlike to braces is that you are able to eat all sorts of foods!

Invisalign aligners are removable, which means you can take them out when you eat or drink, brush and floss your teeth or for special occasions. However, for the best results, we recommend wearing your aligners for at least 22 hours a day.

After each meal, it is recommended that you floss and brush your teeth.

Why Choose Invisalign?

There are several reasons why Invisalign is a popular choice for adults and teenagers who want to
straighten their teeth. Here are just a few:

• Discreet – Invisalign aligners are virtually invisible, which means you can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing.
• Comfortable – Invisalign aligners are made from a smooth, comfortable plastic that won’t irritate your cheeks or gums like traditional metal braces.
• Removable – Invisalign aligners are removable, which means you can eat and drink whatever you like during treatment.
• Effective – Invisalign has been shown to be an effective way to straighten teeth, with many patients achieving the desired results.
• Custom-made – Invisalign aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth, which means you’ll get the best possible results.
• Easy to clean – Invisalign aligners are easy to clean, and you can use a special cleaning solution to keep them looking and feeling fresh. It is also important that during the process of having Invisalign, maintaining your regular hygiene appointments with our dental professional team is highly recommended to ensure that gum health and teeth are in its most optimal health level so that the results and outcomes are not compromised.
• Improved oral health – Straight teeth are easier to clean, which means you’re less likely to develop gum disease, cavities, and other oral health problems.
• No food restrictions – Unlike traditional braces, there are no food restrictions with Invisalign. You can eat whatever you like during treatment.
• Shorter treatment time – Invisalign treatment typically takes less time than traditional braces, which means you can enjoy your new smile sooner.
  Retainers

Retention/Retainers

After you complete your Invisalign treatment, you will need to wear a retainer to maintain your new smile. A retainer is a custom-made appliance that is designed to hold your teeth in their new positions. It is usually worn at full time for the first 2-3 months then switched to lifelong night-time wear while you sleep.

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we offer a range of different retainers to suit your individual needs. We will work with you to determine which type of retainer is best for you

2 most common types of retainers include:

• Clear plastic retainers – These are like Invisalign aligners and are made from clear plastic that is custom-made to fit over your teeth. Our team may place you on Invisalign’s Vivera Retainer System which is a series of 3 trays that are change periodically to allow time for the teeth to settle into their position transitionally.
• Bonded retainers – These are permanent retainers that are attached to the back of your teeth of upper and/or lower front teeth. They are usually made from a thin stainless-steel wire that is cemented in place.

How Long Does Invisalign Treatment Take?

The length of your Invisalign treatment will depend on the severity of your case and your individual needs. In general, Invisalign treatment takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months. However, some cases may take longer.

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we believe that everyone deserves a beautiful, healthy smile. That’s why we offer Invisalign treatment as a safe, effective, and discreet way to achieve a perfect smile. Our team has treated many patients young and old, and we believe we can find a solution for you also!

If you’re interested in Invisalign treatment, we invite you to schedule a complimentary, obligation-free consultation at True Smiles Dental Marrickville which we will be able to give you a better idea of how long your treatment will take. Our team of friendly and experienced dental professionals will be happy to answer any questions you may have and help you determine if Invisalign is the right treatment for you.

If you’re ready to take the first step towards a healthier, happier smile, contact us today on 02 7728 7272 or book on your website https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment/ to schedule your complimentary consultation. We look forward to helping you achieve the smile of your dreams with Invisalign!

Wisdom teeth, the dreaded pain that you don’t ever want to deal with. Wisdom teeth, also known as your third molars – reside at the back most region of your mouth, bringing the total number of teeth in your mouth to 32. Wisdom teeth come through at a much later age than the rest of your permanent teeth. The average age for wisdom teeth to erupt are around 18-25 years old, however, this can vary and, in some cases, they may never erupt or potentially erupt at a much later age. The eruption of wisdom teeth in the mouth are often associated with an unpleasant pain which can affect eating, talking and chewing. In most cases, the pain will disappear after the wisdom tooth has erupted ‘enough’. Others may not be so lucky and may suffer from persistent issues that require further intervention.

Unfortunately, many patients suffer from impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth. This basically means the wisdom teeth refuses to erupt straight, and so, the wisdom teeth will erupt at an angle or potentially get stuck halfway. In some cases, your wisdom teeth, whether they have fully erupted or not, may be fine without any need for intervention. However, it is important to consult with your dentist to determine what your options are. The team at True Smiles Dental are well equipped to assess your wisdom teeth and give you an indication of what the best treatment options are for you and how to best prepare. In rare cases, patients may not present with wisdom teeth and all – The only way to figure that out is with an x-ray!

Why do the wisdom teeth erupt in such an odd manner? One theory suggests that due to our changing diet, humans are consuming more processed foods that don’t require as much chewing and tearing. This has possibly resulted in a reduction is jaw sizes with evolution. A smaller jaw is less accommodating for the eruption of all our teeth. And hence, wisdom teeth, which come out at a much later age, often do not have enough space to fully erupt. Although this is just one theory, the reasons for why wisdom teeth come out at a weird or funny angle is still uncertain. For the general populace, wisdom teeth should generally be removed for a number of reasons. We’ve listed a few of the common issues that are associated with wisdom teeth below:

1. Swelling

Swelling is commonly associated with wisdom teeth that have either erupted or partially erupted. The gum or fleshy part around the wisdom tooth can create a space for food and debris to trap under. Overtime, as the gums become irritated from the foreign debris – swelling, redness and pain can ensue. In most cases, food may dislodge itself and the issues resolve. Mouth rinsing or cleaning aids can be used to dislodge the debris. Although this may work in the early stages, overtime, the space may enlargen, making it trickier to remove debris that may trap itself underneath the gum.

Swelling can be painful and impact daily activities such as eating and talking. And in some severe cases, it can affect your mouth opening. If you notice a drastic increase in swelling size in a short period of time, we recommend you seek medical advice immediately.

2. Decay

Wisdom teeth don’t always erupt in the mouth straight and in line with the rest of your teeth. Impacted wisdom, or otherwise known as the ‘sideway’ wisdom teeth often find themselves trapping copious amounts of food between itself and the tooth in front (your second molar). Despite the best of intentions to keep the area clean, the deepest areas will tend to leave some food debris behind. And it is this food debris and its unwelcomed stay which is responsible for tooth decay. Our mouth has a finite amount of space, and our ability to keep all teeth clean can be quite difficult with teeth that are located further back in the mouth. As a result, our penultimate teeth, namely our second molars or wisdom teeth are often not kept as clean as we would like them to be.

Tooth decay can appear on either tooth, your wisdom tooth or the second molar tooth which lives in front. Unfortunately, decay that appears on the second molar tooth is difficult to detect without appropriate x-rays and close monitoring. Furthermore, should decay arise on the second molar tooth, the methods of treatment may be quite complex and costly due to the difficult nature of the decay. In some cases, the tooth may require root canal therapy, or even extraction due to the extensive tooth loss.

Should the decay affect the wisdom tooth, then treatment options generally recommend extraction of the wisdom tooth. In some circumstances, placing a filling on the tooth may be possible. A thorough exam of your teeth is highly recommended to detect any signs of decay on your teeth. Standard small film x-rays known as bitewings may not be enough to detect decay or issues with your wisdom teeth. An OPG (orthopantomogram) is recommended to assess the position of your teeth and its impact on neighbouring teeth.

3. Pain

Wisdom teeth can be quite troublesome when they start to erupt. Pain is often the first sign of your wisdom teeth coming through. Thankfully, the pain will dissipate with time as the wisdom tooth stops erupting. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine exactly when the wisdom tooth will stop erupting and, in some cases, wisdom teeth will continue to erupt throughout adulthood, and one may experience varying bouts of pain over a course of many years.

The pain you experience varies from individual to individual and is often dictated by the direction of your wisdom tooths eruption. The pain may inhibit eating properly as it can impact chewing or even talking. Over the counter pain relief medication may be useful for patients once wisdom teeth have started to erupt. If pain persists, we recommend seeking advice from your dentist.

Pain can be associated with infection, swelling, normal eruption, or complications associated with decay. Careful assessment with the team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville can accurately determine what the issue is and can help you to devise a plan for treatment.

4. Infection or cyst formation

Infection is a complication that can be associated with swelling and pain. As mentioned previously, food can trap itself underneath the overlying gum tissue of your wisdom tooth. With time, swelling, pain and infection can develop. Infection in the area is when bacteria has multiplied and nestles itself underneath the gum tissue. Common signs include pus exudate which may be released upon pressure around the swelling.

In some circumstances, the infection can spread to more sinister areas and can result in facial swellings. Some infections can be slow and with the help of antibiotics, the infection may subside for a period of time. However, so long as the wisdom tooth remains, infection and swelling has the opportunity to return. We recommend removal of wisdom teeth that have experienced multiple bouts of infection to reduce the burden of constantly treating infections.

Cysts, are known as a sac like envelope that are often filled with fluid, air and other substances. Cysts can develop around wisdom teeth that haven’t fully erupted. So, even if you don’t see your wisdom teeth or haven’t had any issues with them, x-rays should be taken to determine whether there are any issues associated with your unerupted wisdom teeth. In rare instances, cysts may be present which require intervention with an Oral Surgeon. At True Smiles Dental, our new patient packages include an OPG x-ray, this allows us to carefully assess your entire jaw for abnormalities such as cysts.

5. Cheek biting and ulceration

Wisdom teeth have the tendency to not erupt fully, or often erupt at an angle. This can result to cheek biting which can be a painful experience, affecting talking and chewing. Cheek biting often develops into an ulcer, and the size of the ulcer can vary. Ulcerations can be quite painful and can take up to 2 weeks to heal.

We recommend an examination to identify the cause and suggest treatment options for the prevention of cheek biting and ulceration. Removal of your wisdom teeth may be indicated to prevent further cheek biting and mouth ulceration.

We’ve list 5 of the common issues that are associated with your wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth issues have become ubiquitous amongst young adults, and we suggest patients receive thorough oral examination along with x-rays to determine the nature of your wisdom teeth. In some lucky individuals, they may not even have them at all, saving you the trouble of dealing with the above complications.

The team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville are experienced in dealing with wisdom teeth complications and wisdom teeth removal. We employ the latest technology utilising 3D imaging to accurately assess your wisdom teeth for careful planning before removal. Are you experiencing any of the above complications? Call us on (02) 7228 7272, or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment

Dental Implants are widely used to replace missing individual or multiple teeth. They replace the roots of your teeth and allow for a connection with the crown, thus replacing the original missing tooth. They are an impressive feat of engineering that allow individuals to regain their smile and most importantly, function.

The success of a dental implant is dictated by careful assessment of your mouth, including x-rays (CT scans), along with careful planning. The process requires a sufficient amount and quality of bone in your jaw to tightly hold the dental implant. Treatment may vary depending on each case, and thus this can affect the healing after dental implant surgery. Your dentist will explain the procedure to you so that you know exactly what to expect on surgery day and after surgery.

Dental implant surgery can be surprisingly simple and with the right hands, and planning, dental implant surgery can be relatively pain free. The use of anaesthetic and proper techniques can leave patients impressed with how quickly everything heals, along with how easy the recovery can be.

If you’ve decided you are ready for a dental implant, but are a little concerned about the surgery involved, and the after care. Like most people, its normal to feel slight trepidation to any type of surgery. Thankfully, dental implant surgery has advanced allowing patients to recover as quickly as possible and thus minimising the disturbance to an individual’s day to day activities.

Similar to any type of surgery, dental implant surgery come with small risks also, fortunately, complications are rare and once identified can be treated and resolved. With the right after care protocol, patients can recover quickly with minimal discomfort.

The placement of a dental implant may occur over a period of one or two sessions, this variation is dictated by your bone and the type of procedure required to place an implant that will be successful. Your dentist will go over the plan with you and discuss what you should expect post-surgery with each appointment.
We’ve listed a few things that you should keep in mind prior to surgery day and what to do after your surgery.

Pre-surgery day

Our team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville are an experienced team that can help you prepare for any treatment you may undergo. We will give you instructions prior to treatment and are here to help you with any questions you may have. Some of the common questions that are asked include:

• Can I drive after?
  • Depending on the surgery involved, and how we proceed with treatment, whether you are sedated or not, will dictate whether you need someone to accompany you. If you are deciding to have treatment under IV sedation, then we advise all of our patients to be accompanied for treatment and to aid with escorting you home.
  • Patients that do not have sedation and choose to have treatment under anaesthesia, technically, are able to drive following treatment. We recommend you have someone with you to accompany home just to be safe
• How many days off do I need?
  • Implant surgery can be vary depending on the surgery that is required, but in general, we recommend patients taking at least 1-2 days off work for recovery. Although some patients may recover quickly, everyone is different, and so it is difficult to anticipate how much time you will need off. Keep in mind, that more extensive surgery is associated with an increased recovery time. Your dentist will advise you accordingly beforehand.
• Do I need antibiotics beforehand?
  • In most situations, antibiotics prior to any surgery is reserved for individuals with underlying medical concerns. For the larger populace that are otherwise healthy, the use of antibiotics prior to treatment is not warranted.
• How much pain am I expecting?
  • During treatment, anaesthetic will be provided and is more than sufficient to render a pain free surgery. Treatment is straightforward once anaesthesia has been administered, with most patients only complaining of slight pressure if at all.

Post Treatment

After treatment is completed, our team will outline your post operative care instructions prior to discharge. It is imperative that you maintain good oral hygiene for the success of your implant, along with maintaining the rest of the mouth. The success of an implant can be decided based on how well you take care of the surgery site, so it is important to address some of the issues that may arise after your implant surgery. Even after your implant has healed and a new crown has been placed, an implant should be treated like any other tooth in the mouth. Therefore, to avoid future problems, we recommend you maintain regular dental check-ups and practice good oral hygiene.

Shortly after implant surgery, some patients may experience a variety of symptoms, we’ve listed a few that are commonly associated with implant surgery:

• Pain
  • A slight bit of discomfort is common at the surgical site due to the procedure required to place. Most patients will only feel a little bit of pain which can be easily managed with over-the-counter medication.
  • More involved surgery may result in further discomfort for patients, your dentist may prescribe you with medication to help. The pain and discomfort will usefully subside within a few days after surgery.
  • We recommend following pain relief instructions as indicated by the packaging or as instructed by your dentist.
• Swelling
  • For most implant surgeries, there is little to no swelling around the surgical site. Some patients may feel the area will swell slightly, but not so much that it will be obvious. An ice pack shortly after surgery will help keep the swelling to a minimal.
  • Swelling should subside within a few days after treatment. Use of ice packs after the first day will not be effective.
• Bleeding
  • It is normal that you may experience a small amount of bleeding shortly after implant placement. Your dentist may place some stitches in your mouth to help cease bleeding. By applying pressure from a piece of gauze for 20-30 minutes, bleeding should subside. If bleeding continues, we recommend using another gauze pad for another 30 minutes until bleeding stops. In most cases, this should be sufficient to stop any bleeding. Should the site continue to bleed, we recommend contacting your dentist immediately for further advice.
  • Bleeding is important for proper healing of the site, so we are not concerned with a small amount of bleeding in the area. We do not want the area to be bleeding profusely. Most bleeding can be stopped with good pressure from a piece of gauze for 30 minutes.
• Infection
  • Although unlikely, infection is possible should the surgical site be agitated for any reason. This can result in bacteria forming around the site which can lead to infection. Ensuring good oral hygiene and following the after-care instructions provided by your dentist should prevent this.
  • Use of antibiotics may be prescribed to you from your dentist, this may not always be the case.
• Food and drink
  • Similar to teeth extractions, we recommend a soft diet for the first few days. A soft, and warm diet is recommended to minimise the risk of agitating the area. The treatment site may be tender and sore, so it is best to start with foods that don’t require too much chewing to begin with. We recommend avoiding any seed like foods that are small and can get stuck in the surgical site which can result in infection.
  • Fluids is important, and we highly recommend staying hydrated
• Exercise
  • In order for your surgical site to heal as fast as possible, we recommend restricting any physical activity for at least 1-2 days after treatment. Taking a few days off to rest is recommended
• Oral Hygiene
  • Your oral hygiene is imperative for healing, but also for long term success of your implant. A warm saltwater rinse on the night of surgery is recommended or a chlorhexidine mouth rinse. We recommend 2-3 times daily for about a week. It’s important to remember that rinsing should not be vigorous as to not agitate the surgical site and cause unnecessary bleeding.
  • Brushing can be performed as normal, but extra care is to be taken around the surgical site
  • Flossing is always recommended!

Ensuring the success of an implant is not just up to the dentist, your responsibilities in home care will dictate successful healing and a good outcome. We’ve listed the most common issues that may arise following implant surgery and hope that this will help to reinforce the message or provide valuable information for those that are interested in dental implants. For most cases, dental implant surgery can be straightforward with minimal to no pain associated. Combined with the appropriate measures to ensure a healthy mouth through regular dental check-ups and hygiene appointments, dental implants can be safe, predictable and life changing.

The team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville are well equipped to provide you with any further questions regarding dental implants, call us on (02) 7228 7272, or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment

At True Smiles Dental – we firmly believe in preventative care and patient education when it comes to looking after your teeth and gums. That is why your Marrickville dentist or Oral health therapist will usually take some time during your routine check-up and clean appointments to go through your brushing habits and techniques. Patient education enables a better understanding of our dental health, which helps us prevent dental problems and in turn saves our patients from possible pain, time and money.

One of the most commonly asked questions we get at True Smiles Dental is whether an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush is better. Truth be told, both types of toothbrushes will remove plaque as well as the other, however there may be reasons why one would be recommended a powered (electric) or manual toothbrush over the other.

But before we get into the specifics of electric and manual brushes: there are 2 main important features most dental professionals would recommend with regard to electric and manual toothbrushes:

1. Soft bristle brushes: when brushing our teeth and gums, we want to be doing so gently. Over time, if we brush too hard or over-brush our teeth and gums, we can cause the gum and bone to recede. When this happens, our teeth start to feel more sensitive to hot, cold, sweets and acidic food and beverages due to the exposed dentinal surface. Your dentinal surfaces are a layer in your tooth that appears yellow in colour, and can be exposed from over-brushing. Using a soft bristle toothbrush will help to minimise the risk of over-brushing or traumatising the gum. Leave the medium or hard bristle brushes for scrubbing your floors!

2. Small compact head: small and compact head toothbrushes allow us to reach our back molars better (especially if you still have your wisdom teeth!). This is because they are easier to manoeuvre and are able to get into the crevices of our teeth better

What is the difference between an electric toothbrush and manual toothbrush?

Hand-held toothbrushes require manual movement to move the bristles around for plaque removal. This movement is usually in a circular motion along the gum line. Electric toothbrushes remove the mechanical element and will either oscillate/rotate or vibrate to disrupt the plaque. No scrubbing motion is needed when using an electric toothbrush as the brush will ‘do all the work for you’.

At the end of the day, both an electric and manual toothbrush can achieve a similar result – plaque removal – so why choose one over the other? Let’s break it down further.

Why choose a manual brush?

Benefits

• Control: manual brushes help us feel like we’ve got more control over our brushing as we ‘manually’ move the brush around. It allows us to brush more gently in areas that may be sensitive.
• Pressure: the ability to have more control also sequentially allows us to manually apply less pressure when brushing
• Size: standard manual toothbrushes come in all shapes, sizes and colours. When compared to powered toothbrushes they are usually smaller and more compact in size which is handy for travelling.
• Cost: Manual toothbrushes are cheaper than powered brushes and therefore more cost-effective. Don’t forget, toothbrushes/toothbrush heads are often recommended to be replaced every 3 months.
• Carbon neutral options: biodegradable toothbrushes are available on the market including bamboo alternatives which are eco-conscious and good for the environment.

Disadvantages

• Technique sensitive: more effort and focus are required when using a manual brush to ensure we are adopting the correct technique and brushing well.
• Easier to brush too hard: Although we all may try to brush gently with our toothbrushes, a lot of us may not know our own strength and surprisingly enough it can be super easy to brush too hard and damage our gums, which can result in gingival recession.
• Thinner/smaller handles: thin handles on manual brushes may be difficult for those with dexterity issues or arthritic hands.

Why choose an electric/powered toothbrush?

Benefits

1. Pressure sensors: this is an important feature to have when looking at electric toothbrushes! Pressure sensors on electric toothbrushes alert us when we’re brushing too hard through a light up feature or vibration change depending on the brand. So, this is the number one feature to look for when shopping for an electric toothbrush
2. Timer: Timers are great to ensure that we are brushing for long enough. The recommended average time for brushing our teeth should be around 2 minutes. This helps us to take our time and in turn hopefully improve the quality of brushing
3. Dexterity: Patients with limited dexterity will often be recommended to use electric toothbrushes as they generally have a larger handle to hold.
4. Motivation: Powered toothbrushes have advanced a lot over time and now offer an array of features for their users including beautifully designed handles, stands and travel cases, while some even offer in-app services to track your brushing habits. This makes using an electric toothbrush more exciting and fun, which increases our motivation to want to use the brush morning and night.
5. Technology: The technology behind powered are also scientifically backed. Depending on the brand of choice, the technology may differ. Oral B electric toothbrushes have an oscillating-rotating technology which offers 48,500 strokes per minute verses a 300 strokes per minute with a manual toothbrush.

Disadvantages

• Cost: The initial cost of an electric toothbrush is more expensive than a manual toothbrush and the ongoing cost of brush head replacements can easily add up.
• Size: Electric toothbrushes are bulkier than manual brushes and can be an inconvenience for those who travel
• Carbon negative: Electric toothbrushes need to be charged to operate. Therefore, they are not as energy efficient as manual brushes.

Which toothbrush is better for my child?

Whether your child would benefit more from a manual or electric toothbrush will depend on how well they are currently brushing and which one they are more inclined to use. This is why it can be good for your children to try both manual and electric toothbrushes to see what they’re most comfortable with.

Letting your child pick their toothbrush whilst at the supermarket can help to motivate them to use it more.

Electric toothbrushes for kids can offer excitement when it comes to brushing time. A lot of children’s toothbrushes may have flashing lights, songs, timers or feature their favourite character to help with motivation and make brushing fun.

Children undergoing orthodontic treatment may also benefit from an electric toothbrush as orthodontic appliances such as braces can make it much more difficult to clean. By taking out the guesswork for children, the electric toothbrush can help keep your children’s teeth and gums healthy for the duration of their treatment.

Some kids however, may not like the sound or vibration of an electric toothbrush. Children with sensory sensitivity may prefer to use a manual brush. Manual brushes often come in a variety of colours and can also feature their favourite cartoon characters.

Overall, children are more likely to develop healthy long-term habits if they enjoy brushing from a young age, so making it fun with reward charts or allowing them to pick their own toothbrush can help with this. The team at True Smiles Dental looks after smiles of all ages and encourage kids to see a dental professional every 6 to 12 months to ensure all teeth are developing on track and all their teeth are healthy.

Oral Hygiene

Regardless of toothbrush preference, maintaining good oral hygiene habits is important to maintaining a healthy mouth. This may include:

• Brushing twice daily, morning and night with the toothbrush of choice for at least 2 minutes
• Flossing/cleaning in between your teeth daily to remove interproximal plaque
• Cleaning the tongue
• Visiting your dentist every 6 months for a routine check-up and clean

Verdict

Ultimately, whether you decide to use a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush will come down to personal preference and overall experience. Provided the correct brushing technique is adopted, a manual toothbrush can still provide an effective clean and help protect your teeth against gum disease and dental decay. However, those with dexterity challenges, younger children and those seeking an easier brushing experience may wish to consider investing in an electric toothbrush.

If you’re uncertain about the best toothbrush or oral hygiene tool for your needs, your Marrickville Dentist or Oral health therapist at True Smiles Dental can help provide the best advice. During our hygiene appointments, we adopt a Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) protocol which means we plaque disclose your teeth to identify missed areas of plaque and biofilm in your mouth prior to a professional clean with our EMS airflow. This helps to tailor our oral hygiene advice specifically to each individual as needed.

Contact the team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville today for an appointment on (02) 7228 7272 or book online today at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment to make an appointment.

Summer in Sydney is the best time of year! With longer days and warmer weather, there’s the potential for endless fun and activities all Summer as parents take a much-needed break over the holiday season and school is on break!

But we all know that the new season ushers in plenty of schedule change for the whole family. More time is spent outdoors travelling, on social sports and outdoor fun which can often put our oral health priority on the back burner.

So here are some handy tips to ensure you and your family keep a healthy oral health routine that will be sure to keep you smiling all year long.

1. Stick with a routine

Getting off track over the summer can be as easy as getting back on track! Not having to wake up for work or school as early as you normally would can definitely throw off your routine. Resist the temptation to skip brushing before a late bedtime or let it slide to the next morning. It’s vital to consistently brush and floss during the summer and this also helps keep the kids on track for back-to-school dental visits. Help your little ones with staying on track with their brushing habits by creating a fun reward system or charts to motivate them with brushing morning and night. By building healthy dental habits early on, this aims to reduce the chances of developing dental problems later in life.

2. Set healthy new year’s resolutions

Haven’t been flossing much lately? Or forgetting to brush your teeth in the morning (or night) while you’ve been at home more? With Sydney’s summer spreading over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, what better way to set healthy dental goals than by adding them into your new year’s resolution. Start by incorporating realistic expectations and goals to help you achieve them. Handy tip – Try keeping floss out on the counter-top where its visible so that you’ll remember to use it!

By going the extra-mile to make a routine of cleaning your teeth this will set you up for a life-time of habits.

Did you know? According to Australian data 75% of adults rarely or never floss and clean between their teeth, and about 1 in 5 adults brush only once per day.

Following proper oral hygiene instructions ensures that we maintain a healthy summer smile.

Follow this protocol to ensure clean teeth and a healthy smile:

• Brushing twice daily, morning and night with a soft bristle brush or your favourite electric toothbrush, aiming the bristles of your brush 45 degrees towards the gum line.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste to help prevent cavities and strengthen your enamel.
• Clean in between our teeth to remove the sticky plaque that builds up daily. Flossing helps to reach areas where your toothbrush isn’t able to!
• Don’t forget to also brush your tongue as biofilm and bacteria can also harbor there

3. Give up smoking

Following on from our new year’s resolution goals, another goal to consider is to give up those cigarettes!

Smoking not only has an impact on our dental health but our overall health, so what better time than now but to ditch those sticks!

4. Pack healthy snacks and beverages

Whether your family is off on a road trip, relaxing on the beach or headed to the local park for some fresh air and fun activities, it can be very tempting to grab quick and easy snacks such as packaged cookies, chips, dried fruits and fruit juice to keep the family fueled while on the go. Packaged snacks, although a big time-saver – can often contain lots of hidden sugars which can result in cavities and tooth decay. Instead, we recommend healthier alternatives such as fresh fruit, vegetable sticks and dips (i.e., Hummus), cheese cubes/sticks, popcorn, whole grain pretzels and nuts to keep your family and children energized throughout the day.

Similarly, keep in mind the hidden sugars that can be found in some beverages. Sports drinks are a popular choice on social sport days as they contain electrolytes however many sports drinks contain high levels of sugar and every sip leads to an acid attack in the mouth. Keep water containers available for your child to utilize during their sporting events to reduce tooth decay and to save money. Water is the best option to help with rehydration in Sydney’s warm climate.

Handy tip – If your child doesn’t like plain water, try adding a few frozen berries, some mint leaves or cucumber slices to provide some flavour!

5. Be mindful when grazing at social events

With the holiday season being a popular time for social gatherings, there can also be high temptation for grazing on the limitless amounts of available sweets, food and alcohol. Remember, everything in moderation is key. Grazing on snacks or sipping on our favourite wine can lead to not just dental decay but also dental erosion.

Using a straw when drinking beverages can also help to minimize the effects of any dental erosion that may occur.

6. Use a mouthguard when playing sports

If your kids play in summer sports, depending on the sport, a mouthguard may be recommended. Sports injuries to the mouth and teeth are common and can result in trauma to the lips, gums and teeth in severe circumstances. To help prevent those injuries that can occur in sports such as soccer or football, encourage your kids to wear a mouthguard. The team at True Smiles Dental are able to make custom mouthguards which are better fitted when compared with store-bought boil and bites. Speak to your dentist in Marrickville about a custom mouthguard today.

7. Wear protective lip balm

Before enjoying that day out in the sun, don’t forget to apply sunscreen! Most people won’t remember to apply sunscreen to their lips. Sunburns on your lips are not only painful, but they can increase your risk for oral cancer. So, opt for a lip balm with SPF in it for extra protection.

8. Be mindful around swimming pools

Swimming pools are a great option for exercising or just relaxing during the hot summer days. However, be aware that swimming pools contain chlorine, a chemical that is used to keep the pool water clean. Chlorine when exposed to your teeth can cause damage to your teeth when levels are not properly monitored. Water that is over chlorinated (such as many community pools) may cause tooth enamel erosion and staining of teeth due to the high acidity of the water.

9. Ditch the hype

With an increased number of social events occurring over the summer, the desire for whiter teeth also increases. If you have been thinking about teeth whitening, speak to a trained dental professional for advice to ensure that your teeth are suitable for teeth whitening and that it is completed in a safe manner. Permanent damage can occur to not just the gums and soft tissues but also the teeth if not done correctly. At True Smiles Dental, we assess your teeth and gums to ensure they are suitable for whitening prior to commencing and discuss all the different options of teeth whitening available. Everyone’s teeth are unique and different, so it’s important to understand that results can always vary. Avoid the hype seen on social media and think twice about going to your local beautician or ‘at-home’ mobile whitening service when considering teeth whitening.

10. Schedule dental appointments for the whole family

Before kick-starting another great year ahead, the best time for the whole family to get their dental checkup is during the summer holidays! This ensures that everyone’s dental health is in tip-top shape before heading back for the next school term or to work.

Alternatively, if you have a holiday or trip planned, many patients choose to get their check up before going away. This is to avoid any nasty surprises that might pop up whilst you’re away. A toothache can ruin most good days, let alone whilst you’re away. So, get your teeth sorted before jet-setting off!

Handy tips to remember while packing for your holiday can include:

• Packing all your normal oral hygiene tools including toothbrush, floss and mouth-rinse as needed. This makes sure we don’t have any excuses while away!
• Pack plenty of sugar-free gum and sweets to avoid over-loading on sugary treats while out and about

Of course, after following all these wonderful summer dental tips and taking all the necessary precautions to maintain your teeth, don’t forget to smile! Studies have found that there is a direct correlation between smiling and the impact it has on your self-confidence, making you feel happier overall.

At True Smiles Dental, Marrickville we recommend getting a check -up and clean once every 6 months or at least twice a year. Contact the friendly team on (02) 7228 7272 or through our website, https://truesmilesdental.com.au. Alternatively, visit us at 235 Marrickville Road, Marrickville to book your appointment today.