It’s 3pm. Traffic thickens, you’re waiting in your car with your eyes carefully scanning to find your kids big smiles among the sea of school uniforms. Finally you spot your little angels with their large backpacks and big smiles.
They jump in the car and you notice something different, “what happened to your tooth?!” you ask. No parent wants to see their child with a chipped tooth. Many people don’t realise that the consequences of a chipped tooth can be more severe than just the appearance.
5 Tips to Help Your Child Stop Thumb Sucking
Make them think it’s their idea
Nagging your child doesn’t always work. Instead, encourage them to realize how much they have grown and changed. Show them what they have left behind, point out that they no longer use nappies, bottles, or high chairs. Praise them and ask them what else they think they should give up. If they don’t say thumb sucking, then you should suggest it.
Weaken the Habit
When you notice your child’s thumb in their mouth, try to distract them give them activities that will use both hands. This is particularly important before nap time and bedtime. Have them hold the book you are reading or hug a stuffed animal with each arm.
Many parents are reluctant to have X-Rays taken of their children’s teeth due to concerns about the safety or necessity of the procedure. Dental X-Rays are completely safe and expose your child to the most minimal degree of radiation that is not harmful at all. Today’s advanced technology means that a tunnel-beam X-Ray is used, meaning only one specific area is exposed to the very minimal radiation. This makes it even more safe and harmless. The ability to generate X-Rays instantly thanks to technological improvements reduces the time that radiation is existent.
Does your child fall asleep with a bottle of milk? While very common, this isn’t ideal for your children’s teeth. Milk is a great source of calcium and calcium is good for building strong bones and teeth. However the lactose in milk is a naturally occurring sugar. This sugar, despite being natural, can decay your children’s teeth.
The constant washing over your children’s teeth caused by sleeping with a bottle, means that your children’s teeth are basically soaking in these sugars overnight. Baby teeth have much softer enamel than adult teeth and are therefore much more prone to decay.
Easter is a wonderful time of year. School holidays roll around, we have a long weekend, often family functions occur and lots of delicious food is consumed. This holiday season can be tough on your teeth.
For those who are Christian, Easter has a wonderful meaning of new life and hope. For those who don’t celebrate the religious meaning of Easter, it’s a great time to rest and relax with friends and family.
One thing is for sure across all faiths and backgrounds – and that’s sweet treats at Easter time. Easter eggs, hot cross buns, lollies, big meals, the list goes on. 
You may have seen the many advertisements for Colgate’s new toothpaste – containing a ‘sugar acid neutraliser’. Colgate claims that after eight years of research, they have finally developed an ingredient that neutralises the acidic effect of sugar on teeth.
While there may have been advances in chemical technology that aid in the prevention of tooth decay, we believe that no matter what fluoride toothpaste you are using, proper brushing and flossing is the only way to prevent tooth decay.
Mouth Guards are crucial for protecting your teeth from impact. Whether this impact is from a sport, or from grinding your teeth, you need to protect your mouth with a mouth guard. Tooth trauma can occur easily if your teeth are not protected by a mouth guard.
Without protection from internal or external forces, your teeth will gradually wear down over time. During high impact sports such as football, hockey, water polo or boxing, teeth can be broken, chipped or even knocked out if a mouth guard is not worn.
We all lead such busy lives – juggling work, kids, family, health, leisure, relaxation, finances, the car, the house, the list goes on! At Vivid Dental, we make your life that little bit easier – by organising your dental appointments and reminding you in the way that suits you best.
We are proud to have Five Dock’s only dental hygienist, Leanne Smith, who takes care of all our six monthly check-up and clean dental appointments. She is so experienced and diligent with thorough cleaning of teeth, and monitoring the health of your smile. Working Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, she has even more dental appointments available to you. 
Are you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after the holiday break? Well the chances are, your teeth are feeling quite the opposite!
Amalgam Dental Fillings replaced with Composite Dental Fillings
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.
2014 is a new school year for kids! Parents often ask us how to care for their kids teeth, so this blog will explain why kids teeth need extra care. This year, start your children off on the right foot.
Try some of our healthy lunchbox ideas which are great for kids teeth. One of the leading causes of decay in kids teeth is constant snacking and sipping on sugary drinks. Help maintain healthy kids teeth by limiting consumption of sweet drinks.
Drinks such as juice or flavoured milk should be had at meal times only. Throughout the day, kids should sip on only water. Tap water is excellent for kids teeth as it contains slightly higher levels of fluoride which strengthens and mineralises enamel.
Flossing for kids may seem unnecessary, however it is a great way to start kids off with good dental habits from an early age. If flossing becomes second nature to them as children, they will carry the habit throughout their adult lives too. Flossing cleans the surfaces between the teeth, where a toothbrush simply cannot get to.
There are alternatives to flossing that can be good for kids as they are a little less dextrose than adults. These are things like picksters, flossers and floss threaders. These are all tools which clean the space between the teeth and gums, but are a little easier for small hands to use. You can purchase these items from most chemists and some supermarkets, or at Vivid Dental. If your child has braces or orthodontic appliances, flossing can be tricky – but it’s even more important. Braces and appliances can also build up plaque and bacteria if not cleaned properly. This can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. It’s crucial to use floss threaders or ‘superfloss’ to ensure your child is flossing between braces or appliances.
There is a lot of controversy and differing opinions surrounding the issue of fluoridation and whether or not fluoride is safe for consumption, especially for children. At Vivid Dental we highly recommend topical fluoride treatment every 3-6 months when you have your regular check-up and clean, no matter what your age is.
We also recommend that all our patients use a fluoride toothpaste at home. In some cases where decay is severe and rapid, an extra high strength fluoride toothpaste may be recommended to strengthen tooth enamel. Fluoride can be harmful if it is ingested in large quantities. Swallowing tiny amounts of fluoride in your saliva will not cause harm to you or your children, however we always teach children to spit out their toothpaste. In Australia, our tap water has fluoride in it, and this is good for teeth. If you are concerned about your child’s exposure to fluoride, please book in an appointment and have a chat to our friendly team.
During Business hours Monday to Saturday please call 9713 1760. If you have an emergency we will undertake to fit you in as soon as possible.
Outside of these hours please send us an email to reception@vividdental.com.au and we will call or email you back by 9am the next day.
If you experience severe trauma or extreme facial swelling please visit your closest emergency department straight away.