Did you know that brushing and flossing remove bacteria from teeth and gums but as much as 50% of the bacteria in the mouth live on the surface of your tongue? And it’s these bacteria in particular that can be one cause of bad breath. The best and most effective way of neutralising bacteria that live on the tongue is to scrape them off. Your kids may think it sounds yucky but [...]
Are your teeth getting the minerals they need? We all know that ensuring your body gets the right nutrients and minerals is essential for good health. But what minerals do our teeth need in particular?Fluoride is the one we all know about, but there are also other beneficial minerals – calcium and phosphate. The saliva in our mouth helps provide essential minerals that strengthen your teeth and protect the enamel, but there [...]
Milk teeth, or baby teeth, are the first set of teeth that appear, starting from around 6 months of age up to around 3 years. There should be 20 all together. Baby teeth are generally whiter and resemble the colour of milk. Sometimes, teeth may appear a couple of months earlier or later than the expected time, depending on the child. Baby teeth are temporary, and will eventually fall out making way [...]
Tooth brushing either with an electric toothbrush or manual toothbrush helps physically reduce plaque build up in our mouths. There is evidence revealing that electric toothbrushing may assist with reducing plaque build-up provided that it is used correctly. Thus, electric toothbrushes are generally recommended for adults who have already developed the correct dexterity in toothbrushing appropriately. Children usually will require assistance with their tooth brushing and flossing. As a parent, if you [...]
Exploring options for your child’s first dental visit? Read on to find out why a paediatric dental clinic may be the best option for your child. What is a paediatric dentist? Paediatric dentists are registered specialists that have completed additional training to manage and treat children from birth through to adolescence. Infact, paediatric dentists study an additional 3 years on top of their bachelor of dental science to gain qualification in this [...]
It's Easter again, and time to eat chocolate without the guilt! The good news is, you can enjoy those yummy chocolate eggs and still look after your teeth! We have put together our recommendations on the best way for you and your children to enjoy this time of year, still have the yummy chocolate and look after those gorgeous smiles. One of the keys is to know the amount of sugar you [...]
Why use toothpaste? There are many reasons to use toothpaste. Toothpaste physically helps remove thick harmful biofilm on teeth surfaces which may cause tooth decay or gum disease. Most toothpastes also contain fluoride, which makes teeth more resistant to dental caries and aid remineralisation of early carious lesions. Additionally, some toothpastes have special ingredients to address staining and/or bad breath! How much toothpaste should my child be using? For infants, toothpaste is [...]
Wobbly baby teeth are one of the important developmental milestones for any child and parent. It can be an exciting time to look forward to, with the arrival of the big adult teeth, but can also spark anxiety and discomfort. This will usually start around the age of 6. From 6 to 12 years, children will usually have a mixture of adult and baby teeth. Wiggly and sore teeth can create anxiety [...]
Most of the time parents are happy just to get their kids to fall asleep, but have you ever noticed your child grinding their teeth? Teeth grinding, commonly known as “bruxism” is a problem that can lead to dental complications in adults. Bruxism is characterised by clenching and grinding of the teeth. But, is it bad for babies and children to be grinding their teeth? What are the causes of teeth grinding? [...]
Many parents ask us what impact thumb sucking will have on their child and how they can help to stop it so we thought we’d share some insights we have. Firstly, thumb sucking is a very natural thing that many children do from an early age…and we mean very early. There is plenty of evidence that shows babies in utero sucking their thumb! Why do they do it? Thumb or finger sucking [...]