Some patients need some extra help to strengthen their teeth and protect them from cavities. If you have complex dental restorations, are unable to clean thoroughly between your back teeth, low saliva flow rates, have a diet high in carbohydrates, or take medication that causes a dry mouth, you may be at higher risk of decay.
Tooth Mousse is a crème you apply to your teeth after brushing. It contains calcium and phosphate in a special milk-derived protein called RECALDENT – the major minerals teeth are made from. It’s suitable for use for patients of all ages.
This means Tooth Mousse can provide extra protection for teeth, buffer dental plaque acid from bacteria in the mouth and protect teeth from acidic foods and drinks.
https://www.toothmousse.com.au/faq
Please note, there is another product, GC Tooth Mousse PLUS, which also contains fluoride. Some patients may choose to avoid fluoride containing products.
Dental caries is a result of too much sugar in one’s diet, genetic weakness of teeth enamel or improper oral hygiene techniques.
The germs on your teeth use the sugar left in your mouth after a meal to produce acid, which then eats away at the tooth structure if left.
Decay can be detected visually (if quite large) but is generally diagnosed on x-ray or with a specialised laser (diagnodent).
Children are more susceptible to decay due to a lack of manual dexterity required to use a toothbrush and from a diet high in sugar (especially from hidden sources such as fruit juice, sports drinks).
Decay can occur in the elderly due to a decline in manual dexterity, medications they take and decreased saliva production.
Hygienists can help you reduce the incidence of decay by monitoring your oral health and teaching you better hygiene techniques to minimise plaque build-up.
At Lifetime smiles, we are fortunate to have dental hygienists and oral health therapists working with us.
Hygienists are professionally trained in diagnosing and treating gum problems. Gum disease is hallmarked by red, puffy, bleeding gums (gingivitis) or pain, mobile teeth, halitosis, discharge (periodontitis-a more severe form of gum disease).
Sometimes the presence of periodontitis reflects that a systemic illness is occurring (such as diabetes, white cell disorders, heart disease etc), therefore it is essential to be aware of how healthy your gums are.
Hygienists Assist with:
- Educating you in dental health
- Showing you effective plaque control techniques
- Providing gum treatment by using gentle hand scaling to remove plaque deposits from above and below the gum line
- Comfortably polishing your teeth with our latest air polishing machine
- Minimising anxiety and enhancing comfort during treatment via administering combinations of: local anaesthetic, nitrous oxide, rescue remedy (for more information see Sedation »).
We utilise a variety of dental home care products to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy between visits to the practice.
What we advise depends upon your own specific requirements such as the size of the gaps between teeth, existing dental restoration, and manual dexterity.
The products we use can be obtained at the surgery or purchased online or from a chemist. These will help you to prevent the occurrence of new cavities and make sure your investment on your teeth is protected and maintained for as long as possible!
How Is Gum Disease Treated?
Therapeutic Scaling
Gingivitis is an early form of gum disease characterised by inflamed, red gums which can bleed when flossed or brushed, but does not affect the underlying bone.
Therapeutic scaling is required to remove the bacteria, dead tissue, hard deposits (calculus) and soft deposits (plaque) causing the infection from the surface of the tooth and under the gum line.
The overall success of this therapy is also dependent on your commitment to daily dental home care. We will advise you of the most current and effective oral hygiene techniques for you to maintain healthy teeth and gums at home.
Post Operative Expectations
- Occasionally patients experience sensitivity along the gum line from the above procedures. This is usually due to shrinkage of the inflamed gums during the healing process, thereby exposing previously covered surfaces.
- Reduced or ideally eliminated bleeding gums
- Bigger gaps between the teeth that were previously joined by scale
- Reduced redness of the gums, they appear coral pink
- Easier to floss
- Fresher, healthier mouth.
Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing
Periodontitis is where the infection spreads from the gum to the underlying bone. There are several different types of periodontitis, some more aggressive than others. If this is left untreated, tooth loss can occur as the bone supporting the tooth is lost.
Several appointments are often necessary to remove all the calculus and bacteria residing on the root surfaces. Frequently this will require local anaesthetic to ensure your comfort so a thorough treatment can be carried out.