“Their lunchbox has healthy stuff like muesli bars, dried fruit and flavoured milk.”

“My kids get a sweet treat during the day if they’ve been good.”

Are you falling into the sugar trap?

As a parent, you often think you’re making healthy choices for your kids and saying no to sugary foods and drinks because they’re not great for their teeth (or waistlines).

So then why is it that, according to a Child Dental Health Survey, nearly half of six-year-old children in Australia have decay in their baby teeth? And, sadly, why are some toddlers – as young as 18 months old – going into hospital to have a mouthful of black, rotten teeth pulled out?

The answer, according to Australian health experts and dentists, is SUGAR. Here, we explain how the sweet stuff leads to tooth decay and simple ways you can make changes to what your child eats and drinks to protect them from tooth decay.

How sugar causes tooth decay

The real culprit that causes tooth decay is actually plaque – not sugar. If you haven’t brushed your teeth all day (or more!), you might feel a soft, sticky film has built up over them – that’s plaque.

Tooth decay is not caused by sugar but plaque. Brushing teeth and flossing regularly is important for reducing tooth decay and rotten teeth in children.

In plaque are millions of bacteria that love the sugars in your food – not only the refined sugars found in unhealthy food (biscuits, lollies, soft drinks), but also the ‘simple sugars’ or carbohydrates found in healthy food (bread, vegetables, fruit).

Like us, bacteria get an energy kick from these sugars – and make acids that eat away at the tooth enamel. If you don’t remove the bacteria every day with brushing and flossing, the acids keep attacking. After a while, the acid breaks down the tooth’s surface, resulting in a dental cavity. Now your child is off to the dentist with a hole in their teeth to have a filling or, worse, that sweet tooth has to come out! So while sugar isn’t the direct cause of tooth decay, you can see it plays a harmful role.

Ways we consume sugar – why it matters

While studies confirm that sugary food and drinks lead to tooth decay, many oral health experts are also looking at the ways we consume sugar and how they can increase our risk of a dental cavity.

The amount of sugar we eat isn’t the leading factor in causing tooth decay (although too much sugar can add up to other significant health issues such as obesity and diabetes).

When you eat sugar and for how long are just as important than what you eat. If you snack on sugary stuff between meals, it’s worse than only having dessert after dinner then brushing. This is because your teeth are exposed to acid-causing bacteria for longer.

The form and composition of sugary foods, sticky sweets for example, may be critical.

The type of sugar may play a part – whether it’s refined sugar (soft drinks, confectionery) rather than food containing ‘simple sugars’ (carbohydrates) like wholegrains.

Sugar – the age-appropriate guide

Sugar is in almost everything you eat and drink, so how do you avoid little sugar addicts – and the risk of tooth decay? What age can your child have some?

First 12 months

A can of Coke contains around 10 teaspoons of sugar – would you put that in your baby’s bottle? Paediatricians recommend a zero-sugar diet for at least the first year – the longer you can hold it off, the better for your child’s budding teeth and development.

Toddlers

By now, your Little Miss or Mr might have experienced the delicious joy of ice-cream for the first time, but limit foods with added sugar. Around half or more of their food should come from good-source carbohydrates like wholegrains and vegetables.

Kindy kids and up

With ‘big school’ comes more sugar pitfalls, lurking in lunchboxes and tuckshop. Avoid packaged, grab-and-go foods and get clued up on nutritious, low-sugar foods, but don’t ban sweets – save them for special occasions like birthday parties. Like any yo-yo dieter, if you deprive your child of those cupcakes completely, they’ll only want them even more and may binge when they can.

5 surprising sugar culprits

1. Pizza, bread, hamburger buns
   Check nutrition labels – you may be shocked to see how much sugar they contain (a hot cross bun is loaded with over five teaspoons).
2. Brown sugar, honey, molasses, syrups
   Refined white sugar damages teeth, but so do these alternatives. Honey is often added to ‘healthy’ muesli or muesli bars, so they can be promoted as ‘sugar free’.
3. Gummy vitamins
   Kids love these yummy gummies because they’re coated in… sugar! Medicines can contain sugar too, so ask your pharmacist or GP for a sugar-free alternative.
4. Sticky foods
   Other than hard or chewy lollies, watch out for ‘sneaky’ sugar in so-called ‘healthy’ fruit snacks like roll-ups and dried fruit like sultanas. Sticky, sugary particles are more difficult to brush off and can stay on little teeth.
5. Fruit juice, cordial, flavoured milk
   Stick to plain water or milk. If your child is hooked on juice, wean them off it by watering it down.

Get tooth friendly: how to reduce your child’s sugar

• Aim for a well-balanced diet from the basic food groups.
• Try to cut back sugary food and drinks. Target one high-octane sugar item at a time, like soft drinks, then once you’ve kicked it, move on to the next. You’re more likely to stick to this than if you went cold turkey on sugar.
• Read nutrition labels for foods with ‘hidden’ sugars and double-check anything labelled as ‘low fat’, ‘sugar free’ or ‘naturally sweetened’. As a very general rule, avoid food and drinks with over 10g sugar per 100g.
• Only let your kids have sugary food and drinks at mealtimes – not snacking on them between meals.
• Save sweet treats as just that – a treat on special occasions, not every day. Find other ways to reward them for good behaviour, like stickers or an outing to the park.
• Teach your kids to identify foods as ‘everyday’ and ‘occasional’ using a food code – ‘green’ for healthy and ‘red’ for sweet.

Signs of tooth decay in your child?

Want to talk more about sugar and your child’s teeth? At Adelaide Quality Dental, we encourage our little patients to avoid tooth decay with healthy eating and drinking, as well as regular dental cleans.

If it’s time for your child’s check-up, please call us on 08 8346 3940 or request an appointment via contact. 

At Adelaide Quality Dental, we want your toddler to have a fun first experience, so as they grow up (with healthy teeth and gums), going to the dentist will never be a drama.

What age should you take your child?

Kids first visit to the dentist Adelaide: not sure when to take them for a dental check-up? If their first teeth are popping through, now’s the time!

Here’s an easy way to remember – ‘first visit by first birthday’.

Although many children don’t have their first proper dental check-up until they’re toddlers or older, the Australian Dental Association encourages parents to take them to the dentist when they’re babies. By caring for their teeth early, you’ll set them up with healthy oral habits and any dental problems won’t get out of hand.

We like to make sure we’ve seen your little one for a check-up by the time they’re three years old.

Get your little one ready to visit the dentist

While the first visit can just be to familiarise your child with the dentist and to ride in the big chair, some preparation can really pay off.

• Be positive Even if your child is still a baby, talk about the dentist without using any negative words. Mention the word ‘dentist’ a lot and make it sound happy. If you do have dental anxiety, try not to let on. Be honest and explain to your child what’s happening and why they’re going to the dentist.
• Look after your own teeth Let your child watch you brush and floss morning and night. Even if they only have two front teeth, gently let them feel a toothbrush in their mouth and get them used to fingers poking around in there.
• Play! Pretend you’re all going to the dentist, where your child can be the patient lying back in the dentist chair and you the dentist – “Aaahh, open your mouth…” Make it fun and exciting, using props like toothbrushes, bright lights, rinsing cups, spit bowls, bibs. Or invite all their stuffed toys for a check-up.
• Make it part of story time Try books about visiting the dentist. Some classics are Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer and Doctor De Soto by William Steig.
• Take them to a dentist you feel comfortable with If you’re anxious about going to the dentist, your child can pick up on that. Try to be calm and confident – chat with your dentist about ways we can help make your little one feel relaxed and positive about their first visit, then you also know what to expect. Why not bring your child when you come in to see us yourself, even if it’s just to get them used to someone other than Mum or Dad having a look at their teeth. It may take a couple of times before they let anyone go near their teeth.
• Go as a family Of course, Mum or Dad will sit in with them during their first check-up, but if you can all go for an appointment at the same time, it can make it less scary – “See, Mum and Dad get to go in the dentist chair, too.”

What will happen at their first visit?

• Hello there Expect the first appointment to be short and toddler-friendly, possibly without a full oral examination – it’s simply a chance for your child to suss out the dentist. Depending on how old they are, you might be asked to hold them while the dentist looks in their mouth, help them get into the big chair (“Look how it goes up and down”), or wait back so they can get to know the dentist and staff on their own.
• Try out the dentist stuff Your dentist will show your child how things work – “Let’s spit into the sink and hear it make some silly sucking noises”, “This light is bright so you need sunglasses”, “This is a mask that we look funny in”, “Let’s blow up a glove and make a face on it”, etc. This will take the mystery out of it all and make it fun.
• Let’s look in your mouth Then the dentist will check your tot’s teeth (if any) for development and decay, plus look at their bite, gums, jaws and tongue. During this, the dentist might turn on the TV to distract them a little.
• We’ll make your teeth nice and clean If your child is ready (we’ll never make them have a cleaning procedure), the dentist may clean and polish their teeth with a rotary toothbrush (“Mr Grumbly makes lots of noise”), while your tot wears sunglasses to protect their eyes.
• And put some special stuff on them A final step may be to apply topical fluoride or your dentist may save this for when they’re older (we wouldn’t normally give fluoride to children unless they’re high risk). Digital X-rays are also usually held off until further development.

Your dentist can show your child how to take good care of their teeth, and brush and floss with your help. Put a timer on for two minutes and practise brushing their teeth gently.

• Talk with Mum and Dad The dentist will chat with you about any findings with your child’s teeth, development, good oral hygiene habits and how to go forward with regular check-ups and cleans. Ask any questions you may have about toddler teething, thumb sucking or tooth-friendly foods (bring a list).
• Would you like a sticker? A dental-themed grab bag with a soft new toothbrush and stickers is a great way to get kids to think the dentist is a fun place to go – and happy to come back again.

Let’s go to the dentist!

If your child’s little teeth are ready for their first check-up, call us at Adelaide Quality Dental for an appointment on 08 8346 3940 or contact us

Why first teeth are important

Looking after your child’s baby teeth is just as important as its adult, permanent teeth. Why? For little ones, we want to avoid dental decay, fillings and major intervention like tooth extractions because these serious dental problems can affect the way their ‘big’ teeth come through.

Sadly, it’s not uncommon for Australian dentists to pull out rotting teeth from toddlers and young children, leaving them without enough teeth to speak and eat properly.

If your child needs many baby teeth taken out in one go, this can cause lifelong problems when their adult teeth come through – such as crooked, crowded or misaligned teeth – and they may need orthodontic treatment.

Little teeth still get decay

Babies develop dental decay the same way we do: bacteria in our mouth build up on teeth (if we don’t brush and floss). When we eat sugary or starchy foods, the bacteria form a gunky film of plaque and an acid that dissolves the hard enamel of the tooth. This causes a cavity.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2009,
42% of five-year-olds and 61% of nine-year-olds experienced decay
in their baby teeth.

5 things dentists wish all parents knew

We all know that lollies and lemonade aren’t great for kids’ teeth (and waistlines). But it’s not just too much sugar that causes tooth decay – it’s also how often it’s eaten or drunk throughout the day and night. See if you can change some of these simple habits.

1. Do you put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk? The sugars in milk and other high-fructose drinks like fruit juice pool in their mouth while sleeping, building up bacteria and eroding the enamel on their teeth. If you have to give a bottle at night, stick to plain water.
2. Are you giving them juice or soft drinks in a bottle during the day? Again, sugary liquid sits in their mouth and rots their teeth. Switch to water in a beaker or cup, or if you can’t get them off juice, water it down.
3. Are they sucking on a sweet dummy? Avoid dipping pacifiers in honey, jam, chocolate or sugar water.
4. Are you forgetting to brush their teeth? When their first tooth bud erupts, gently use a small, soft toothbrush morning and night, after they’ve had their last drink. Brush with plain water up to 18 months, then use a thin smear of toothpaste.
5. Do you give them sugary foods and drinks? Even the ‘healthy’ ones – sultanas, muesli bars, orange juice – can be loaded with decay-causing sugar. Try to cut these out and avoid letting them snack all day, as sugars sit in the mouth. Australian dentists believe high-sugar foods and soft drinks, cordials, flavoured waters and fruit juices are the number one culprits when it comes to tooth decay in children.

How to tell if your toddler has dental decay

The first sign: chalky, white spots on their teeth (called demineralisation). This shows that the enamel is starting to break down. You may also notice:

• The colour of their teeth changes – a tooth with a cavity will go light brown, become a darker brownish-black, then a hole (cavity) will appear
• Your toddler might complain when eating food or drinks that are hot, cold or sweet – their teeth are sensitive
• They’re cranky – they may not be able to explain that their tooth hurts
• Their teeth are soft to the touch
• Bad breath
• Your child can’t chew properly
• They’re saying something tastes yukky their mouth
• They’re not sleeping well

Can you bring a baby to see us?

Yes! While changing habits, as we’ve talked about here, can help minimise dental decay, a dental check-up is still the best way to prevent problems and learn how to look after your child’s teeth for life.

At Adelaide Quality Dental, we love to see little ones before their first birthday – about six months after their first tooth has popped up. We can check for dental decay, if their teeth are coming through well and help with teething pain.

If you’d like to make an appointment for your baby or young one, we find it’s best to bring them early in the day, before they get too tired.

Baby bottle tooth decay Adelaide: find out if your baby’s teeth are healthy

Call us at Adelaide Quality Dental on 08 8346 3940 for a time that suits you and your tot.

What is sleep apnea?

Is sleep apnea different in children than adults?

There are three types: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and can range from mild to severe, causing long-term  health issues such as high blood pressure and heart failure.

Sleep apnea is a common disorder where a person’s breathing stops and starts during sleep. It affects anyone, including children. Source: Wikipedia Commons

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, including children (generally around three to six years), although as people age it becomes more likely, due to the loss of muscle tone in the throat.

• Snoring loudly
• Struggling to breathe during sleep
• Breathing through their mouth
• Sounding like they can’t get air in, making gasping or choking noises
• Sleeping restlessly (insomnia)
• Often blocked up and sound muffled (perhaps even during the day)
• Waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Tired and cranky during the day
• Having headaches in the morning
• Listless and lethargic – can’t concentrate
• Not eating well
• Experiencing behavioural issues (watch for kids having problems at school)

 What causes sleep apnea in children?

There are three main reasons:

1. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids (the glands in the throat just behind the nose) can obstruct their airway. Your child may need to get them removed by an ear, nose and throat specialist.

2. Certain facial characteristics can affect the upper airway. They may have been born with a small jaw, receding chin, cleft palate or have a narrowed airway due to excess tissue in the throat or slackened muscles not opening the mouth effectively.

3. Overweight children run a higher risk of sleep-breathing issues, as excess fat around the upper airway and in the neck may press on the throat muscles when they’re relaxed during sleep.

Our dentists can help to diagnose sleep related breathing disorders and can help to treat mild cases with an oral appliance similar to a mouthguard.

 Where can parents get help?  

Often, your dentist may be the one to pick up that your child may have a sleep-related breathing disorder, simply because they may see them more regularly for check-ups than your GP.

What can you eat with braces? What foods should you avoid with braces?

Here are our top 6 tips on coping with braces…

Life with braces: top 6 things to do (and not do)

1. Manage discomfort

   When braces first go on, your teeth can be a little tender and sensitive to cold for the first few days. This can also occur after adjustment appointments. This is completely normal and you’ll find things settle well within a few days. If necessary, take pain-relief products like Panadol or Nurofen to ease the discomfort (check with your dentist or doctor prior to taking any medication to ensure it’s appropriate for you).

   Wires and brackets can also cause irritation and ulceration in the early stages of treatment. You’ll be supplied with orthodontic wax to help alleviate this. If the problem persists, contact our surgery for assistance.

2. Watch what you eat

   Be mindful of the foods that you eat once your braces have been placed.

   Hard foods like nuts, muesli bars, certain breads and fruits like apples can shear brackets off your teeth. Avoid these foods or cut them into more manageable sizes that can be placed towards the back of the mouth, avoiding teeth that are bracketed.

   Avoid eating sticky sweets or foods that’ll adhere to the brackets and teeth. These will be difficult to clean and remove. They’ll also increase your risk of developing tooth decay.

3. Brush regularly

   Brush and floss your teeth after each meal. This is essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment. Use the specialised brushes and floss in your take-home pack to clean thoroughly and regularly.

4. Use a mouthguard

   It’s best to avoid playing contact sport while wearing braces, for obvious reasons. If you continue to play, using a custom-made dental sports mouthguard is essential for protection against trauma that could damage brackets or severely lacerate your lips or tongue.

5. Call us ASAP…

   If you have a bracket come off a tooth or an elastic ligature come off a bracket, it’s important to contact us immediately. Our staff will advise you of how to manage the situation.

   

6. Keep smiling!

   Orthodontic treatment can be long and arduous. However, the most important thing to remember is that the result will be worth it in the end. Taking care of your braces and teeth on a daily basis will help ensure that the result you get is the best possible one for you.

If you have questions about your braces and can’t hold off until your next adjustment appointment, feel free to talk to our staff at Adelaide Quality Dental on 08 8346 3940.

In general, we recommend that children, like adults, have six-monthly dental check ups.

However, every child has a different level of risk for developing decay, which is assessed dependent upon such things as previous dental history, fluoride exposure, intake of sugars, tooth morphology, oral hygiene, and other lifestyle and biological factors. This assessment is conducted at your child’s initial appointment and is ongoing at each check up, helping us to best treat your child in a preventive approach.

Here are our top 5 reasons your child should have regular dental check ups.

1. Your child can become familiar with the dentist without fear or pain. Many dental phobias originate in childhood, so taking your child off to the dentist for the first time with a massive cavity is only going to build a negative association to the dentist in their mind.

Instead, we recommend an approach where they come in with mum, dad or a sibling, from a young age, have a ‘ride in the chair’ and we have a quick, fun check in their mouth. If there are any dental problems present, it’s important to detect these as early as possible.

Similarly, children will cope much better if they have to receive dental treatment down the track if they’ve attended from an early age and built a relationship with the dental practitioner.

2. We can check their susceptibility to decay or other dental problems. Everyone differs in how predisposed they are to decay or other dental problems. For instance, if your child has crowded teeth or deep grooves in their molars, then it’s more likely these teeth will develop decay.

We can check your child’s teeth for any of these potential problems and recommend preventive treatments or teach them how to best care for these areas.

3. The dentist can detect early signs of decay and treat to prevent cavities. We believe that prevention is better than a cure and, in many cases, it’s also less painful and more cost-effective. Regular dental check ups for your children can detect, identify any risk factors and treat any early signs of decay in order to prevent cavities.

Our dental team has lots of great advice and tips for kids and their parents when it comes to looking after little teeth.

4. The dentist can check for signs of sleep apnea, or other ear, nose and throat related problems.  Sleep apnea in kids is often caused by enlarged adenoids and/or tonsils which can sometimes block your child’s airway when they sleep, resulting in both developmental and behavourial problems.

We can assess your child at their dental check up and refer you to a relevant specialist if necessary.

5. We can educate and encourage your kids to take ownership. Kids dental check ups at Adelaide Quality Dental are a great way for your kids to learn the ‘ins and outs’ of caring for their teeth, setting them up for a lifetime of the best dental health.

Our team has lots of great advice and tips for kids and parents when it comes to looking after little teeth. We’ve found that educating kids empowers them in the home environment to ‘own’ their own dental care, rather than being nagged by mum and dad.

Is it time for your child’s next dental check up?

Kids dental check up Adelaide: you can now see how important a dental check up is for your child, regardless of whether they’re experiencing tooth pain or not.

Call Adelaide Quality Dental on (08) 8346 3940 to book your child’s next dental check up, or to ask us any questions or concerns you have about your child’s dental situation.

What age should I begin brushing my child’s teeth?

We recommend that parents begin to brush their infant’s teeth from the moment the first tooth appears (approx 6-8 months). Refer to our section below on “How to get my child used to a brushing routine“ for more information.

Although to some parents this may seem a little early there are 2 main reasons we recommend this:

• Sugars in their milk and food (both natural and artificial) cause dental caries on baby teeth. Brushing the plaque off daily helps prevent dental decay and caries from occurring.
• It is never too early to start the good dental habits of a lifetime. The sooner your little one gets used to ‘tooth brushing’ being a part of their routine the better this sets them up for a lifetime of good oral health care.

Whilst it is good to empower your baby and let them ‘have a go’, up to the age of 18 month mums and dads should be the primary brusher of their child’s teeth. This should be done at least once a day after their last meal/bottle for the day and before they sleep.

What type of toothbrush is it best to use when they first start brushing? How much toothpaste should I use?

Be sure to use the appropriate infant toothpastes as they have a lower concentration of fluoride than adult versions.

Always use a soft bristled toothbrush and one with a smaller head will be better for little mouths. Look at the packaging advice as toothbrush sizes changes a lot in early childhood – just as children’s mouths grow quickly.

Using the soft brush you only need a pea sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste that is suitable for their age. Before the age of 18 months we recommend you use water and then move onto a child toothpaste after this age.

Be sure to use the appropriate infant toothpastes as they have a lower concentration of fluoride than adult versions. Gently massage the toothpaste into their teeth and gums to clear away any harmful bacteria and leave a protective layer of fluoride on their teeth.

What do you think about electric toothbrushes for children? What age can these be used from?

We think electric toothbrushes are a great option for kids after the age of 2. Kids find electric toothbrushes easy to use and they can be quite effective. If you are looking at electric toothbrushes for your child then ideally buy one that has an in-built 2 minute timer.

The technique of using an electric toothbrush is different to that of a manual toothbrush so if you are considering changing over then we recommend you do this around the time of a dental appointment so that the dentist or oral health therapist can teach your child how to best do this and give them the appropriate brushing tips.

If your child is a ‘reluctant brusher’ then electric toothbrushes often provide kids with a fun novelty factor to boost your child’s interest in brushing their teeth. Tooth brushing time needn’t be a battle for parents and in many cases it is about finding a way to make it fun for your child.

How do I get my child used to a brushing routine?

Don’t force them – this will lead to reluctance in the future. It is better to take your time and go slow and steady.

It is important to establish a brushing routine with your child from an early age to prevent any difficulties.

One tip we give new parents is to introduce their baby (who doesn’t have teeth yet) to the sensation of a clean, wet cloth run across their gums. Doing this will allow your baby to become familiar with this routine and sensation.

Then once their child’s first tooth erupts they can ‘graduate’ to an age appropriate toothbrush.

Introducing toothpaste at 18 months can sometimes be a difficult transition due to the new and different texture and taste of the toothpaste. You can introduce this with just a little amount at a time and try different toothpastes as they have different flavours.

If they don’t like toothpaste initially, make sure you still brush with water and try a little bit of toothpaste again at the next sitting.

Other tips to encourage good brushing routines with your little one include:

• Letting them watch you brush your teeth – play follow the leader in choosing whether you both brush the top or bottom teeth
• Get them to brush one of their toy’s teeth – they can turn into little parents and tell their teddy how important it is to brush their teeth everyday!
• Don’t force them – this will lead to reluctance in the future. It is better to take your time and go slow and steady.

How do I brush and floss my child’s teeth?

We recommend that parents always have a turn brushing their child’s tooth until the age of 10. Brush in small, gentle circles using a soft bristled toothbrush tilted at a 45 degree angle from the gum line.

You might like to stand behind your child with both of you looking into the mirror – this gives your child the opportunity to watch and learn what you are doing.

Flossing is another important technique for kids to learn and practice from a young age. We will teach how to floss at their dental appointment but this is best reinforced by watching mum and dad floss their own teeth on a regular basis as well.

When should my child first visit the dentist?

From the time your child’s first tooth erupts we recommend regular dental visits for you and your child. Not only can we keep an eye out for any potential problems, these appointments allow us to teach and reinforce good habits. This teaching is for parents as well – we will arm you with all the advice and tips to best care for your child’s teeth.

Call Adelaide Quality Dental on 08 8346 3940 to book your child’s appointment with one of our friendly dentists or oral health therapists . Alternatively book your appointment and bring them along for a ‘ride in the dental chair’.

In this article, Dr. Daniel Horne explains about crooked teeth and  alignment problems and their treatment options.

We see alignment problems in both our adult and child patients, although serious alignment problems are often tackled in early to mid teens.

Common problems or symptoms adults and children with alignment issues have include:

• Functional problems such as:
  • Problems chewing their food
  • Problems with talking and affected speech, for instance with the ‘s’ sound
• Aesthetic or cosmetic problems with how their teeth appear when they talk or smile
  • Crooked teeth
  • Crowding of the teeth
  • Teeth coming up in front of or behind other teeth (sometimes referred to as shark teeth in kids)

Alignment issues can affect how easily people can clean their teeth and floss well between their teeth.  Unfortunately this gives people with alignment problems a predisposition to cavities.

Cosmetic problems with alignment shouldn’t be underrated

With alignment issues many people think that we should be more worried by the functional problems than the cosmetic, but the impacts of the ‘appearance’ of someone’s smile can be quite significant.

How a person’s smile looks and how they feel about their smile is a huge issue and one that many patients are reluctant to bring up, even with their dentist.

How a person’s smile looks and how they feel about their smile is a huge issue and one that many patients are reluctant to bring up, even with their dentist. A person’s own concerns about the appearance of their teeth has a massive affect on:

• their self-assurance
• how they socialise
• progression at work
• confidence in relationships

There are a number of options to treat alignment problems

It’s not something many people feel at ease talking about with their dentist but the range of options differ greatly in terms of the level of intervention, time of treatment and naturally the cost of the treatment.

The first option to consider is a non-destructive way of bringing your teeth together through Orthodontic braces or aligners such as Invisalign. The second option for patients who have crooked teeth is to have a crown or veneer placed over their original teeth to make it look straight.

We call the second option destructive because in order to put a crown on a tooth you’ve got to cut away a lot of the enamel of the tooth that is being crowned. This doesn’t necessarily make it a worse treatment or less desirable – it is simply another option for patients with alignment issues to consider.

 Braces aren’t as bad as in the ‘old days’

It’s not something many people feel at ease talking about with their dentist but the range of options differ greatly in terms of the level of intervention, time of treatment and naturally the cost of the treatment.

It is a lot more common and accepted nowadays to see adults with braces, and we have a lot more options with colours and design. So having braces doesn’t have to look terrible anymore.

How do I find the most affordable treatment for my alignment issues?

As everyone’s situation is different we recommend you start your discussion with your dentist around the problem you are trying to solve, rather than the treatment that you think you need.

Eg “I don’t like how these teeth are crooked – what are my options?”

verses “I think I need Invisalign – how much will it cost?”

There are many elements that impact the cost of your treatment, these include:

• the treatment type
• the length of treatment needed
• your suitability for that particular treatment
• the number of teeth for treatment and their condition
• your lifestyle factors

If you are concerned about alignment issues with your smile or teeth then contact Adelaide Quality Dental on (08) 8346 3940.

Dental decay is a disease of the teeth caused by bacteria.  Known in the dental community as caries, decay results in ‘holes’ or ‘cavities’ occurring in the tooth as a result of the bacterial activity.  When decay is mild, it may only cause mild discomfort in the child’s tooth, but when it is advanced, it can result in terrible toothache, and even infection.

Dental decay is Australia’s most common health problem.  Here are some facts regarding its impact:

• Nearly 50% of children aged 5-6 years of age will experience dental caries
• Approximately 45% of children aged 12 years or over had a history of dental decay in their permanent teeth.
• Dental caries has five times the prevalence of that of asthma among children
• It is estimated that poor dental health in children contributes to 600,000 days lost from school
• The number of children aged 0-8 years of age in SA requiring a general anaesthetic for dental disease is approximately 1,800.

The most concerning conclusion from the facts mentioned above is that dental caries is a 100% preventable disease in ALL children.

What causes tooth decay in children?

Decay is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth.  Not every child develops decay, and not every child needs to!  The bacteria can be kept under control by…

• Having a diet that is low in sugar.  Decay bacteria needs sugar to cause trouble, and so starving them of sugar through having a diet low in sugar, greatly reduces the risk of decay.
• Brushing twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste.  Brushing in younger children must be supervised by an adult to ensure that all the teeth are cleaned well.  A lot of decay in children’s decay occurs in the back molars, which are the teeth hardest for a child to clean!
• Regular visits to the dentist or oral health therapist.

How do I treat dental decay in my kids?

When decay has already started in a tooth, the bacteria needs to be cleaned out.

This is usually done by performing a filling, where the “diseased” tooth structure is removed and replaced with a dental material. Decay is an ongoing process, and the longer it is left the more damaging (and expensive) it becomes. If the bacteria is left there long enough it has the potential to reach the nerve of the tooth.  If the bacteria reaches the nerve, it will likely result in your child experiencing a toothache (which means infection is present), meaning the treatment becomes far more complex for your child and can even eventuate in tooth loss.

Early loss of teeth due to decay may lead to spacing problems with the adult teeth later on. It may also affect your child’s chewing and overall appearance (and therefore confidence) before their adult teeth arrive. This is why we believe…

At Adelaide Quality Dental we believe that prevention is better than cure!

Having your child’s baby teeth checked regularly is essential to make sure there is no decay, and if there is, that it is dealt with early on.

For more information about looking after your child’s dental health and why this is so important see our article on Basic facts about your child’s teeth.

If you would like your child’s teeth checked with a dentist or our oral health therapist, please call Adelaide Quality Dental on (08) 8346 3940.

This article was written by Adelaide Quality Dental’s own Oral Health Therapist, Olivia.

You can expect the first baby tooth to come through the gum (also known as primary teeth) as early as four months old. For most children all 20 baby teeth are generally present by the age of three.

However, don’t be alarmed if this is not the case with your child, as the timing and sequence of tooth eruption (eruption is dental speak for the tooth growing out of the gum) may vary as is often the case with adult teeth as well.

A mixture of baby and adult teeth

In most cases a child’s first adult tooth will begin to appear around their 6th birthday. Naturally as their adult teeth appear then it is also this age (approximately) that your child will also begin to lose their baby teeth.

This is known as the “mixed dentition” stage and will continue until the child is approximately 13 years of age (excluding their wisdom teeth), by which point all their adult teeth will be present.

Why is it important to look after my child’s baby teeth?

Some of you may be thinking, “Well if my child is only going to lose their baby teeth – why is it so important to look after them?”

Well here are our top 5 reasons to take good care of your child’s baby teeth:

1. You want your child to begin to develop appropriate and healthy oral hygiene habits and routines from an early age, so that they understand the importance of looking after their teeth and take these lessons forward with their adult teeth.
2. Decay (also referred to as caries) is a disease. It can cause infection if left untreated, which can in turn cause further health complications.
3. Early Childhood Caries (defined as the presence of one or more decayed primary teeth in a child aged 6 years or younger) is still considered the single most common chronic disease of childhood.
4. Early Childhood Caries can cause long term growth and developmental implications, with the potential to influence a child’s growth rate, body weight and ability to thrive.
5. Research has shown that decay in adult teeth is more likely to occur if the child experienced decay in their baby teeth.

If your child loses a tooth whilst playing sport or otherwise please check our Dental Emergency advice article on what you should do.

What age should my child have their first dental check-up?

It is highly recommended that your child visit the dentist by their first birthday. This may be a surprise to many who feel this is too young. So why should your child have their first dental check-up so early on in life?

• Preventative dental visits from an early age lay the foundation for a lifetime of good dental health. The Dentist or Oral Health Therapist (OHT) can provide parents and their children with educational advice regarding the child’s oral health to prevent future caries.
• It’s important to diagnose caries sooner, rather than later. The longer caries are left undiagnosed, the more damaging they will become.
• You want your child to become familiar with the dental environment. Each time the child visits the dental practice they will become more confident and relaxed.

If you would like to know more about looking after your children’s dental health or are looking for a childrens dentist in Adelaide then we invite you to book a consultation with us on (08) 8346 3940. At your kid’s dental check up we can discuss their dental health with you and them to ensure you are all on ‘the same dental page’.