It's Dental Health Week!

Brisbane Smile Boutique has a preventive dental care offer of a comprehensive examination, professional scaling and cleaning, and bitewing x-rays for $199 for August. Call on 07 3391 2504

Q. How often should I visit the dentist?
A.  Most people see the dentist each six months. Those with an exceptional set of teeth, who have never had a filling, or evidence of gum issues, are sometimes seen yearly, and sometimes patients with a higher decay rate or gum problems are seen more regularly.  
Regular preventive care allows the teeth to be examined closely to capture early changes before they worsen and cause problems that can be costly and inconvenient to sort out. Preventive bitewing x-rays find decay well before it can be seen by looking in the mouth and allow a direct view of the bone support around the roots of the teeth.  Even calcified plaque under the gums can be seen on these x-rays, which are taken every two years and captured in the computer with sophisticated technology.  
Seeing the dental hygienist regularly allows the stains and calcified bacteria to be lifted off the teeth, and for the gum and bone health to be carefully checked.  Modifications to home care can make all the difference in maintaining a healthy smile for years to come.
Calculus trapped under the gum can lead to loss of the bone that holds the teeth. Sometimes there is so much bone damage that the tooth becomes mobile, and is lost. Once the calculus hardens like cement, it cannot be removed with a toothbrush anymore, and has to be professionally cleaned. That way the gums sit against clean teeth again.
Hardened plaque under the gums is a bit like barnacles under the water line on a boat.  It is more porous than the tooth, so more bacteria sticks to it.  If it is left under the gums, it can allow the bacteria to burrow down the roots of the teeth, and in around 25% of the population, the jaw bone is eaten away from around the roots, and in advanced cases, the teeth become wobbly and painful, called periodontal disease. Regular dental hygiene care, by way of scaling and cleaning, allows the gum to stay healthy, along with careful monitoring of home care and checking by the dentist.
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