CLEAN & CARE
WORD OF MOUTH PROFESSIONAL CARE
Your first visit to Word of Mouth Dentistry® is likely to be for a wonderful new patient experience package.
For adults you will enjoy around 90 minutes of Professional Care & Attention.
The new patient experience for an adult typically includes:
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An Amazing Dental Clean with an expert Oral Health Therapist
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Comprehensive Full Mouth dental examination by a Dentist
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Identifying & addressing any oral health concerns
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Explore any possibilities for enhancing appearance
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High-tech mucosal screening for early lesion detection
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Expert advice on maintaining the health of your teeth and gums
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Professional fluoride treatment to protect your teeth
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Complimentary Gift Pack
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Oral Care samples, Gum, Information & Great Offers
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Any Digital Images or Radiographs (X-Rays) needed
Great all-inclusive Value at $285*
Different packages and pricing apply to children. Medicare Bulk Billing available for eligible children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule with adequate cover remaining.
*Price subject to change without notice.
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HOME CARE
Home care is an important part of your oral hygiene. The key to good oral health is 2 x daily removal of plaque and bacteria. Plaque is a sticky colourless film of bacteria that covers the teeth and it is constantly forming. If plaque is left, it continues to build up and usually after a couple of days starts forming a much more stubborn matrix called calculus or tartar. This subsequent calculus layer cannot be removed at home by brushing and needs to be removed by a dental professional otherwise it can lead to advanced gum disease known as periodontitis. This can lead to tooth mobility and potential tooth and bone loss. This should be a significant concern because poor oral health has been linked to heart disease and has been shown to shorten life expectancy by around 6 years on average.
Follow these simple guidelines and you will be off to a great start:
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See your Word of Mouth® Oral Health Therapist at least every six months for your important dental hygiene appointment.
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Brush your teeth every morning and every night
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Clean in between your teeth every day
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Use a fluoride toothpaste
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Eat a well balanced diet
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Use a tongue cleaner to keep your tongue & breath fresh
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Smile!!!
Every time you eat or drink anything sugary, your teeth are under acid attack for up to one hour. This is because the sugar will react with the bacteria in plaque (the sticky coating on your teeth) and produce the harmful acids. It is important to keep sugary foods only to mealtimes, limiting the amount of time your mouth is at risk.
Acidic foods and drinks can be just as harmful to your teeth. The acid erodes the enamel, exposing the dentine underneath. This can make the teeth sensitive and unsightly.
A diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals and fresh produce can help to prevent gum disease. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and cause bad breath.
DIETARY
What foods can cause decay?
All sugars can cause decay. Sugar can come in many forms; many processed foods contain sugar and the higher it appears on the list of ingredients the more sugar is in the product. The key is to remember everything is to be consumed in moderation
Acidic food and drinks can cause decay and/or erosion. Foods with pH levels below 5.5 can cause decay and erosion.
Examples of pH in food:
• Mineral water (still) pH 7.6
• Milk pH 6.9
• Cheese pH 5.9
• Orange juice pH 3.8 (Acidic)
• Cola pH 2.5 (Highly Acidic)
• Vinegar pH 2.0 (Extremely Acidic)
(Unflavoured Sparkling Mineral Water is not normally considered harmful to tooth enamel, although flavoured sparkling water, especially citrus flavoured can have a similar erosive effect as fruit juice.)
If you do eat snacks and eat between meals remember to choose foods that do not contain sugar, and if you eat acidic foods as a snack try to have water straight afterwards. Try to have acidic drinks with meals and water in between meal times.
You may now be asking ‘can I still have sweets?’ The answer is ‘yes’, however the main point to remember is it is not the amount but more the frequency of consumption. Sweet foods can be permitted but it is important to eat them only at meal times rather than random times during the day.
FLUORIDE
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in many foods and in all drinking water. The amount of fluoride in water varies from area to area.
What are the benefits of fluoride?
Fluoride can greatly help dental health by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay. It also reduces the amount of acid that the bacteria on your teeth produce. Children who have fluoride when their teeth are developing tend to have shallower grooves in their teeth so plaque can be more easily removed. Plaque is a thin, sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. The addition of fluoride to water has been researched for over 50 years and water fluoridation has been proven to reduce decay by 40-60%.
What about fluoride toothpaste?
Most toothpastes now contain fluoride, and most people get their fluoride this way. Fluoride toothpaste is very effective in preventing tooth decay. The amount of fluoride in toothpaste is usually enough to lessen the level of decay. In areas where the water supply is fluoridated, fluoride toothpaste gives extra protection. All children up to three years old, should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per million). After three years old, they should use toothpaste that contains 1350ppm-1500ppm. Parents should supervise their children's tooth brushing, and use only a pea-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste until they are about 7 years old.
SMOKING & ORAL HEALTH
Most people are now aware that smoking is bad for our health and that it can cause many different medical problems and in many cases fatal disease. However many people do not realise the damage that smoking does to their mouth, gums and teeth.
Smoking can lead to periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss, tooth staining, bad breath and mouth cancer. Patients who smoke are more likely to produce bacterial plaque that causes periodontal disease. The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums fail to heal.
Smoking causes people to have more dental plaque and for gum disease to progress more rapidly than in non-smokers. Gum disease still remains the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.