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Posts Categorized: Dental Advice

Achieve A Straight Smile Without Braces

Posted June 7th, 2017

Are you self conscious about crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth? Many adults have concerns with their smile – whether it’s straightness, gaps, overlapping or overbites, but they don’t want to have braces. There are now many treatment options for adults to straighten their teeth and improve their smile, without the need for traditional bulky orthodontics. Some options are:

Invisalign:

– Invisalign is a series of clear retainers, which gradually improve the alignment of your teeth. As they are clear, they are virtually undetectable, and give patients great results in minimal treatment time. Impressions of your teeth are taken in order to make the retainers, and highly advanced technology and imaging creates a prototype of how your teeth will reach their ideal straightness.invisaligh_002 read more

Dental Abscess: A Serious Dental Condition

Posted May 10th, 2017

A dental abscess is a serious but common problem. An abscess is a type of lump or swelling due to pus and infection. A dental abscess is exactly that – but in your mouth. Sometimes a dental abscess will present with no pain, but just look like a pimple type lump on the gum. However if there is pain associated with a dental abscess, it’s usually an intense, nerve pain.abscess

The lump itself will usually be above or below a tooth, on the gum. Redness, swelling and pus are all visible signs of a dental abscess. As a dental abscess is an infection, antibiotics are often used to treat them. A course of antibiotics will often reduce pain, swelling and clear up the infection immediately. read more

Dental Cavities in Baby Teeth

Posted April 26th, 2017

Dental cavities are the most commonly treated tooth problem in both adults and children across the globe. However, few people understand what they are, how they occur. It’s important you know the correct treatment and how your children’s dentist will prevent them. It’s important to understand how your tooth is made up, to understand how cavities are formed.baby teeth cavities

Every tooth has a ‘crown’ (the part you see in your mouth) and roots. The crown is coated in natural tooth enamel, which is a hard surface designed to keep bacteria out. However, children’s tooth enamel is not as strong as fully formed adult enamel. Because children’s tooth enamel is not as strong, cavities can form in baby teeth much more quickly and easily than adult teeth. read more

Teeth Whitening: David’s Story

Posted April 10th, 2017

David took great care of his teeth, but was always unhappy with their colour. While he brushed and flossed regularly, he also enjoyed lots of coffee, red wine, and was a long term smoker. Over the years, David’s teeth had become heavily stained and he was feeling self conscious about it. At his regular 6 monthly check up and clean, he discussed his concerns with our caring dentist Dr Theresa Leong.

Dr Leong was able to explain to David that the staining of his teeth may have been caused by several factors, including: read more

Dark, Stained or Yellow Teeth?

Posted December 20th, 2016

Many patients come to us hoping to improve the appearance of a black tooth or generalised yellow teeth. There can be many reasons that may result in black or yellow teeth over time. Some of the reasons can be:

  • Smoking cigarettes, cigars or chewing tobacco
  • Frequent drinking of coffee and black tea
  • Frequent drinking of red wine
  • Consumption of deeply coloured foods such as curries, cherries, berries and some tomato based sauces
  • Antibiotic usage as an infant
  • Dead or damaged nerves
  • Leaking amalgam fillings
  • Cavities

dark tooth

It can be difficult to know where to start – often patients think there is no easy fix, and that they just have to live with their current condition. However, at Vivid Dental, we can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. Whether you haeve generalised yellow teeth, or a dark grey or black tooth, we can help you. read more

Is Organic Toothpaste Better For You?

Posted December 13th, 2016

With a significant movement towards organic lifestyle choices becoming increasingly popular, many patients ask us if organic toothpaste is better for their teeth and their children’s teeth. While some people are concerned about fluoride being ‘toxic’ and chemicals being ingested, organic toothpaste isn’t always a better option.

Vivid Dental supports the controlled use of fluoride for strengthening teeth. Most brands of organic toothpaste don’t contain fluoride to strengthen teeth, or sufficient ingredients to effectively remove plaque and bacteria. While organic toothpaste may sound appealing as a holistic option, the lack of fluoride can mean soft, weak tooth enamel and ineffective removal of bacteria, which ultimately leads to cavities and dental disease. read more

Orthodontic Treatment Relapse

Posted November 29th, 2016

Did you have orthodontic treatment as a teen, but find years down the track your teeth have reverted back to crookedness? Many patients who have had braces, retainers or other appliances find that later in life their teeth relapse into their original alignment. This can be caused by a number of factors, particularly not wearing a prescribed retainer, and sometimes the age at which treatment was completed.

If you had orthodontic treatment as a child and your teeth have become crooked again over time, you may be thinking “I don’t want to go through braces again!” which is perfectly understandable. At Vivid Dental, we are proud to provide options that make straightening your smile easier, more comfortable and less visible. retainer-2 read more

Sugar Decays Baby Teeth

Posted February 16th, 2016

The number of children under 12 having fillings is rapidly increasing and has more than doubled since 1970. Deciduous teeth (or “baby teeth”) decay more quickly and easily than adult teeth. High levels of sugar and acidity in your child’s mouth can cause their baby teeth to decay.

Monitor how much sugar is in your child’s diet, and remember, this isn’t just ‘bad’ sugars like lollies and biscuit. Fruit, juice, milk, cordial, even white bread, all also contain high levels of sugar. If your child frequently sips from a bottle or cup, make sure they are only having water. The frequency of sugar in take is more relevant than the quantity of sugar itself – eg to sip on cordial or juice over the entire day is more damaging to the teeth than to eat one high sugar chocolate and then have a glass of water. read more

Do You Need a Dental Crown?

Posted February 9th, 2016

If you have had root canal treatment, or have been advised that you need it, it’s often recommended that you have a dental crown placed over that tooth after treatment. Many patients ask why dental crowns are so highly recommended.  If you have broken a tooth or have a heavily filled tooth, a dental crown may also be the answer.

During root canal therapy, the nerve and pulp of your tooth is removed. This leaves just the outside shell of your tooth – which appears normal, but is missing its blood supply and nerve system. read more

Party Season Causes Stained Teeth!

Posted December 22nd, 2015

The Christmas and New Year break usually involves lots of functions, parties and BBQ’s, which can mean lots of cocktails, wines and treat foods. This can be highly detrimental for your dental health, resulting in stained teeth and decay.

As you attend functions and events, keep in mind that alcoholic beverages typically contain very high levels of sugar and acidity. This can cause worn enamel, cavities and stained teeth.

We recommend you focus on drinking water after each beverage or treat, as water will help dilute the sugar and acids in your saliva. This has the added benefit of washing away colouring (hello red wine) to prevent stained teeth. read more

Bad Habits for Dental Health

Posted November 25th, 2015

How much do your habits affect your dental health? We are constantly told about how diet and lifestyle habits can affect our general health, but don’t often think of how they may affect our dental health, teeth and gums. nailbiting

Your dental health and oral health can be affected by many bad habits. The main habits that directly affect your dental health are:

–          Nail biting

–          Clenching your jaw

–          Use of drugs, smoking and alcohol consumption read more

Why you have bleeding gums

Posted November 18th, 2015

The general rule is: bleeding gums are unhealthy gums. If you notice bleeding gums when you brush or floss your teeth, this is an indication that your gums are inflamed or infected.

Plaque forms in your mouth over a 24 hour period – from everything you eat and drink and from all the sugars and acids in your saliva. This plaque sits on your teeth at the gum-line and between the teeth. The bacteria from the plaque begins to irritate your gums, causing them to become red, slightly puffy and inflamed or even infected. read more

Jaw Pain, Grinding and TMJ

Posted October 27th, 2015

Many people are subconsciously grinding teeth throughout the day – at work due to stress, perhaps when they’re nervous due to public speaking, or while concentrating. Others maybe be grinding teeth during the night, without even knowing.

Signs that you may be grinding teeth include a sore, tender jaw especially in the morning, or worn down and chipped edges on some of your teeth. Your partner may notice the sound of you grinding teeth during your sleep and often patients don’t realise they grind but their partner insists they do. read more

The Facts About Wisdom Teeth

Posted October 8th, 2015

We all know someone who has had a swollen face or a hospital visit to have their wisdom teeth extracted. The topic of having wisdom teeth extracted can sound scary and overwhelming, but at Vivid Dental we can make the experience easy. If you have any concerns or issues with your wisdom teeth, come in for a consultation.

Many patients think that all wisdom teeth must be extracted. This is not the case. Some people will have two wisdom teeth, some will have four, some will have none! No two mouths are exactly alike, and some wisdom teeth may exist harmlessly in your mouth – above or below the gum line, causing no problems at all. However, sometimes wisdom teeth can cause a number of issues, such as: read more

The Facts About Dental Fillings

Posted June 5th, 2015

Fillings are one of the most common dental treatments to exist. Dental fillings can be amalgam (silver) or composite (tooth coloured). Either type of dental filling can chip or crack over time.

A fantastic way to kick-start your new year and better your health, is to book in an appointment for a check-up and clean with the dental hygienist. Our lovely Leanne specialises in thoroughly cleaning between your teeth in all those nooks your toothbrush can’t reach.

She also provides prophylaxis polishing which can help remove stains and brighten your smile. A thorough examination is done, of all your teeth and between your teeth. This way we can note any sticky spots or dark areas which may be cavities. fillings read more

Fillings in Baby Teeth

Posted January 29th, 2015

When told their child needs fillings on baby teeth, many parents ask us if it’s really necessary, considering the teeth will fall out anyway. While we understand the concept of treating a tooth that will fall out seems strange and unnecessary, it’s actually very important.

Baby teeth will be in your child’s mouth for up to 12 years, depending on how fast or slow your child loses their teeth. If your child develops a cavity when they are very young, for example two or three, this cavity could potentially be in their mouth for a number of years, worsening and decaying further.11116-83723-Mnd-immedPreTx-300508 read more

Flossing: Is It Necessary?

Posted December 12th, 2014

You brush your teeth every morning and night, and use mouth wash, that’s enough right? Wrong. While brushing thoroughly is crucial for your dental health, and mouth wash can help freshen your breath, if you aren’t flossing, you aren’t completing the job.

Think of everything you eat and drink. All those coffees, your breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day – for weeks, months and years… Every time you eat, tiny amounts of debris and plaque get wedged between your teeth.

Even if it doesn’t feel obvious, it’s there. Your toothbrush cleans most surfaces of your teeth, but it can’t get into those tiny spaces between your teeth. That’s where flossing comes in. Flossing draws out built up plaque or food particles that are caught between your teeth and gum line. It promotes healthy gums, prevents gum disease and completes the job of cleaning your teeth. read more

Considering Teeth Whitening?

Posted November 1st, 2014

Whitening

Many of our patients ask us about tooth whitening. Everybody wants a bright, white, Hollywood smile. However, there are some important things to know about teeth whitening before you go ahead.

There are several different teeth whitening options available, which can make it difficult to choose which one is right for you. We have broken down the main options below and included the positives and negatives of each.

Whitening Toothpaste

With so many brands and types available, all boasting great results, teeth whitening toothpastes can seem appealing. While they may achieve a very minimal result over a long period of usage, it’s important to note that the strength of peroxide (bleaching agent) in teeth whitening toothpastes is extremely low. This means it can’t whiten teeth very successfully, but may have minimal results over time. read more

Fluoride in Tap Water

Posted October 25th, 2014

It’s an age old debate – is fluoride in tap water better for our kids health, or is it toxic? Ongoing studies have revealed that the average exposure an Australian child has to fluoride in tap water, is absolutely not harmful at all.

However, a lack of fluoride exposure saw an increase of 49% of children needing dental treatment.  Aside from bottled water contributing to a rise in children needing dental treatment, the increased number of children consuming soft drinks, energy drinks, lollies and processed sweetened foods regularly has also seen sky-rocketing figures of dental decay. read more

Healthy Living with Vivid Dental

Posted September 27th, 2014

Many of us start the New Year with many resolutions we want to achieve. One of the most common resolutions, is aiming to implement healthy living to stay well. However as the year progresses, we lose motivation, we become ‘too busy’, or ‘too tired’ and we often lose sight of our goals. Whether your goal is losing weight, quitting smoking, eating more vegetables or going for a jog every day, we can help.

Healthy living doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference to your health. read more