News for the 3rd Quarter of 2008

Treating gum disease is now more important than ever…

There are many stages of gum disease; some are minor and treatable whilst the advanced stages of gum disease can cause you to lose your teeth completely. It is basically the deterioration of the gums that hold your teeth in place. Some people have naturally weak gums, despite cleaning well, whilst others simply neglect their teeth. It is more common with older people, but gum disease is still very common among teenagers.

We all know that neglecting your mouth causes bad breath, plaque and ultimately cavities, but did you know that plaque and lack of cleanliness causes gum disease. Early signs include swollen gums, bleeding when cleaning your teeth and general irritation. If oral hygiene isn’t taken care off at this point, the gums will begin to wear away and can result in loose teeth and ultimately them falling out.

Only you and presumably your dentist will know if you have bad teeth or gums and the only way to turn this around is to clean them twice daily. Thus the only way to really treat gum disease is to stay on top of your oral hygiene. If it reaches a more advanced level though, there is gum disease treatment you can have, administered by your dentist.

Scale and Polish – Your dentist may do this regularly without you paying much attention, but a scale and a polish does wonders for getting rid of plaque build-up, which leads to gum disease. They essentially use a powered tool that vibrates and scrapes in order to clean and dislodge plaque that is beyond help from brushing.

Root Planning – Usually part of the scaling process, this aims to clean right near the gum and root of the tooth. It removes plaque and other toxins so that the gums can then heal properly and become healthy again.

Periodontal Surgery – This is at the extreme end of gum disease treatment and your dentist would have usually spotted a problem by then. Surgery may include procedures such as “pocket depth reduction” (filling the space between root and gum, where plaque can form), “crown lengthening” (reshaping the gums), and tissue grafts (to restore damaged gums).

Treating gum disease is now more important than ever. Poor oral health is linked to all sorts of other ailments, including some heart problems, due to the bacteria traveling around the body. An unhealthy mouth can detrimentally affect your overall health and well-being, so keep it fresh and clean.

DENTAL CARE NETWORK™ is an Australian network of dentists and dental pratices offering quality, professional dental services such as teeth whitening, wisdom teeth removal and porcelain veneers. Our network features Sydney dentists, Melbourne dentists and dental practices in many locations around Australia.

Flossing every day is a great way to maintain good oral health…

Flossing is an oral hygiene technique that is used to remove plaque from between the teeth, which regular brushing can over look. It is usually done during morning and night brushing sessions or directly after eating when bits of food have become stuck in between the teeth. Although some people see flossing as overdoing it and that it is not needed, almost all dentists are now advocates of flossing and it should be done to maintain oral health at least once per day.

Dental floss now comes in many forms. The traditional method was to use lengths of silk, nylon filaments or plastic. You can still buy regular lengths that you can unravel and snap off accordingly, although floss now commonly comes attached to a plastic toothpick or with a handle.

Most recently on the market are toothbrushes with floss on the handle end and vibrating dental floss, which increase plaque removal by vibrating, similarly to an electric toothbrush. This makes it easier to dislodge food and other debris.

How to floss efficiently? This is a common question. There is a special technique to flossing and many people still do not know how to floss in the right way. The traditional method with a simple length of floss can be done by holding each end by each hand (or wrapping it around your fingers for support). You then force it between the gaps in your teeth and pull it tight against either side, sliding it back and forth to remove plaque or debris.

To add friction is best to go in a diagonal motion, or to pull tightly to one side of a tooth (like a C shape) before pulling it upwards or side to side. A common mistake is to simply pull it back and forth with little friction (it must be diagonal or tight), or going down too far and causing the gum to split and bleed.

Floss with handles or toothpicks work in the same way except you obviously hold the handle for support instead. The toothpick can be used to remove larger bits of debris like food, whereas the floss can go directly in between the teeth for a deeper clean.

Flossing is a great way to prevent plaque build-up. Since the build up of plaque can lead to gum disease, flossing every day is essential for good oral hygiene.

DENTAL CARE NETWORK™ is an Australian network of dentists and dental pratices offering quality, professional dental services such as teeth whitening, wisdom teeth removal and porcelain veneers. Our network features Sydney dentists, Melbourne dentists and dental practices in many locations around Australia.

Roughly two-thirds of the entire world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa, with close to half of the total sourced from the Ivory Coast. Individual cocoa farmers are paid prices that vary with the world markets. While investors trading in cocoa can dump shares at will, individual cocoa farmers cannot increase production or abandon trees which are their only livelihood.

Cocoa farmers are poorer than they were 30 years ago. An estimated 90% of cocoa farms in Ivory Coast have to use some form of slave or indentured labour in order to remain viable. Most cocoa farmers are forced to use their own or enslaved children to work in the fields, instead of sending them to school.

A new national initiative called “Bright Smiles” was launched Monday July 28 2008. This program has been designed to treat children in need. There is an urgent requirement to tackle the problem of children’s oral health in unprivileged families

The following stats help to tell the story!

• Up to 16% of Australian children aged 4-10 have decay in more than 30% of their teeth.
• Almost half of Australia’s six-year-olds have cavities in their baby teeth.
• Our 12-year-olds have worse dental health than children in Hong Kong, the Netherlands, England,Wales and Switzerland to name but a few.

The campaign aims to recruit volunteer dentists across Australia to donate their time and deliver oral health care where it is most needed. Volunteer dentists and their staff will be matched with kids from families who are doing it tough.

A number of our DENTAL CARE NETWORK™ practices have already kindly offered their support and
Dr Nick Hocking
has kicked off the ‘Bright Smiles’ campaign as the first dentist to treat a child under the new initiative.

DENTAL CARE NETWORK™ is an Australian network of dentists and dental pratices offering quality, professional dental services such as teeth whitening, wisdom teeth removal and porcelain veneers. Our network features Sydney dentists, Melbourne dentists and dental practices in many locations around Australia.