Archives for August 2016

It’s common knowledge that too much sugar can harm your liver and teeth and make you overweight. So why can’t we quit sugar? Turns out, that our brain feeds on sugar and when our brain experiences sugar, it craves for more. That spark is because of a chemical called dopamine which causes our brain to light up like a Christmas tree. That is why it is not possible to quit the sugar altogether but it is important to be able to control our intake. Here are three ways to do it:

1. Read the label – Manufacturers of food and beverage use different names for the sugar they add.  One can use this list when we next go to the grocer. Its important to bear in mind that nearly all food contains one kind of sugar or another — even ones that don’t taste sweet. But by choosing the items that are low in sugar we are on our way to better health.
2. Think before you eat –  When we are tired or dehydrated, our brain gets confused.  It causes you to think, that you need to eat, when all you really need is to drink or sleep. So before you reach for a sugary snack, think, is it hunger or are you tired or thirsty.
3. Use artificial sweeteners –  There are many non nutritive sweeteners out there, choose which one you like and use it instead of sugar.

Using these three strategies can help you cut the sugar intake and improve your health and well being. if you need more guidance on the ways to reduce your sugar cravings, contact us at Tooronga Family Dentistry  for more advice.

Reports about a possible connection between the use of paracetamol, while being pregnant and child health and development, have been published more than a decade ago, pointing to a possible connection to children suffering from wheezing, asthma and ADHD. But it is important to remember that tooth pain, inflammation and fever have detrimental effects of the fetus and the pregnancy as well. This is why when pregnant women are suffering it is important to provide them with pain relief in conjunction with treatment for the source of pain. To date research points to paracetamol being as an acceptable solution to tooth pain. But it is important for the pregnant woman who suffers from the painful episode to make an appointment as soon as possible to have the source of pain examined and a remedy provided. Since paracetamol is not a cure for the source of pain and without treatment the pain will only increase, causing the need for more pain relief and increasing the risks of severe complications. The combined effect of tooth pain, gum infection or inflammation and ingestion of painkillers will lead to increasingly more damage for the fetus.

If you suffer from toothache, bleeding gums and inflammation please call us on 98227006 or ask online for an appointment.

Our dietary habits, from eating too much sugar or too little fruit and veggies can have a strong influence on our oral health. But if harmful dietary disorders and nutritional deficiencies are present, they can lead to deficiencies and problems with our dental health.

Eating disorders stem from an extreme fear of weight gain or a dread of becoming “fat”, and cause lingering or even permanent damage to the teeth and mouth:

• Lack of essential vitamins will result in unprovoked or easy bleeding  of the gums and the lining inside of your mouth.
•  Nutritional deficiencies will result in lack of saliva causing a chronic dry mouth and cracked lips.
• Food restrictions often lead to deficiencies in calcium, iron and B vitamins. Insufficient calcium can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Insufficient iron can lead to the development of mouth sores. Insufficient amounts of vitamin B3 can contribute to bad breath and the development of mouth ulcers.
• Frequent vomiting exposes the teeth repeatedly to a strong stomach acid. The tooth’s outer layer, the enamel, can be dissolved and lost, resulting in brittle, translucent and weak teeth, sensitive to hot or cold food or drink. In extreme cases the pulp can be exposed leading to an infection, discoloration or even pulp death.
• The sharp tooth edges formed by the acid erosion can cause ulcers in the mouth lining leading to peeling and sores.
• Purging can lead to redness, scratches and cuts inside the mouth, especially on the roof of the mouth.
• A frequent binge-and-purge habit can cause swollen and painful salivary glands.

How to prevent the Oral Health Consequences of Eating Disorders

• Maintain perfect oral hygiene with brushing and flossing. Have twice a year an examination by your dentist. We at Tooronga Family Dentistry have a confidential relationship with our patients that suffer from Eating Disorders making it easy for them to disclose their struggles and progress towards recovery.
• For those who suffer from Bulimia, after purging should immediately rinse their mouth with water or use a sugar-free mouth rinse. Wait with brushing for an hour to avoid stripping away the soft enamel layer created by the strong stomach acid.
• For those who suffer from a dry mouth have a bottle of water at hand to moisten your mouth and use oil based products to protect your lips
• To increase the resilience of the enamel to acid, fluoride rinses may be prescribed as well as desensitizing or re-mineralizing agents.

If eating disorders are detected and treated early the prevention and recovery will be more successful for the body in general and the teeth in particular.  If you or your loved one is struggled with an eating disorder, call us on 98227006 for an appointment to have the mouth and teeth examined.

Bad breath, or halitosis, is created by a build up of toxin producing bacteria in the mouth. The common reasons for it are:

1. Oral hygiene: Brushing and flossing irregularly or ineffectively can lead to trapped food particles promoting the growth of bacteria. In the general examination at Tooronga Family dentistry , we examine the efficiency of brushing and flossing and demonstrate how to make it better.
2. Gum disease: Bad breath that persists after brushing and flossing may be due to gum disease. Plaque and bacteria cause gum disease leading to bone loss and deep pockets. These crevices in the gum, provide a safe-heaven for your bacteria, and even good brushing and flossing will reach them. You will need to see Dr. Kaufman Daniel to have the gum disease treated , since without treatment it can lead to more serious problems, such as diabetes, stroke , cancer and tooth loss.
3. Dry mouth: Once the saliva production decreases, bacteria can grow quickly and cause bad breath. By encouraging saliva secretion and replacement therapy the bad breath will subside.
4. Cavities: When a tooth has cavity, the bacteria present inside can also produce a bad odor. Even a tiny amount of dental decay can produce a very bad smell. The treatment for decay is composite restorations.
5. Dentures: The same bacteria that grow on natural teeth can also grow on dentures. At times the acrylic, the material dentures are made of, allows bacteria to establish themselves more easily than on the natural teeth. It is important to clean dentures, regularly and thoroughly.

If you have bad breath, it’s important to call 98227006 to make an appointment with Dr. Kaufman Daniel right away, to check the reason for it.

• Give him a bright smile with a teeth cleaning and whitening visit: There are two major reasons for yellow and stained teeth. The first reason are bacteria which stick on the teeth and stain them. On a hygiene appointment we remove the  plaque or dental biofilm and hard deposits off the teeth, giving Dad a fresh feeling in his mouth and helping his gingival inflammation heal . The second reason for yellow teeth are the stains that sink in the tooth enamel. The solution for staining is, teeth whitening which can be done either at home or in the dental office.
• Buy him an electric toothbrush: It’s something practical that will make a big difference for his oral and general health.
• Help him quit smoking: If your dad is a smoker, encourage him to quit. Not only will it keep his teeth white, it will protect him from gum disease, bone loss and oral cancer.

Please call us 98227006 to help you Dad achieve a bright smile.