Embarrassed to smile? 5 ways to make you smile again

Are you embarrassed to show your smile due to crooked, stained teeth, gum disease or bad breath? There are many affordable options now available that address each of these potentially embarrassing issues. Below reveals five options that are guaranteed to make you smile once more.

1. Stained teeth? Why not try teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is a quick and painless way to remove stains, bringing your teeth to a whiter yet natural colour. At Dentalini we use Zoom whitening instead of UV treatment, which means a more comfortable treatment, immediate results in an hour and reduced sensitivity. Having white teeth improves your confidence beyond expectations.

2. Crooked teeth

Many of us have suffered from crooked teeth growing up, but haven’t been able to afford braces and now that we’re adults we don’t really want to be wearing braces. However there is an affordable option – Invisalign. Invisalign is a clear braces option that is also removable; perfect for weddings and job interviews.

If this doesn’t suit your needs, veneers can be your option of correcting crooked teeth without the hassle of longer braces treatment!!

3. Bad Breath

No one wants to admit they have bad breath and sometimes we don’t even realise we do. The causes of bad breath can be from a variety of reasons, whether it be gum disease, tooth decay, sickness or personal habits. Each of these can be treated; if you come in for an appointment we can diagnose the best course of action, whether it be gum disease treatment, filling, root canal treatment, diet management or even to be referred to a specialist. Bad breath shouldn’t stop you from smiling anymore.

4. Gaps between the teeth

Sometimes we don’t want to have to go through the whole process of braces just to close a gap and so an option to achieve a closed gap is to use porcelain veneers. Veneers are great not only for closing a gap between teeth, but can also whiten stained or discoloured teeth or cover cracks, chips or serrations. Porcelain veneers last for up to 10-30 years, therefore maintain your smile for decades to come.

5. Bad dental hygiene

Okay, so many of us hate to visit the dentist. The perception of dentists is that the experience is always painful and ends up being expensive. The thing is, the longer we leave an appointment the worse our dental hygiene becomes; meaning a higher likelihood of decay, gum disease, bad breath etc. The more regularly we visit a dentist the less painful it becomes as we are keeping on top of any issues before they become problems. Teeth cleaning becomes easier the more regular you make it and having great dental hygiene makes you feel good and want to smile more!

As can be seen, many of the things that keep us from smiling can be easily avoided or fixed. You don’t have to live in pain or discomfit as there are many options available to make you smile again. For more information regarding your dental health, contact Dentalini on 8290 3000.

Sterilisation & Infection Control

YOUR HEALTH & SAFETY IS OUR UTMOST CONCERN

Fear of infection is a valid one; we are much more aware in our modern day and age of the dangers of germs and infection and how they can best be avoided. Sterilisation is one of the key basics to ensuring infection control is maintained within a dental or medical surgery.

Recent news, reports of a Sydney dentist exposing patients to HIV and other diseases through unclean, unsterilised, dental equipment. Even though the risk was low, the risk should not have even entered the ball park. The Australian Dental Association requires that sharp instruments be ‘…placed in a puncture-resistant tray or bowl after each use.’ this ensures that when transported for sterilisation, no germs can be transported in anyway whatsoever. All sharp equipment needs to be sterilised after each individual use; if you are unsure of your dentists procedures don’t hesitate to ask.

At Dentalini we are focused on providing the highest care for our patients, we believe that all people should have access to safe and healthy conditions during their dental appointments. Our process for sterilisation are:

Our sterilisation process is very thorough to ensure the safety of the patients, clinician and the staff; we maintain a high level of infection control at all times.

• After use, all instruments are manually cleaned by scrubbing the instruments to remove all the debris then they gets placed into the ultrasonic machine
• Then they are rinsed with water then pouched into the sterilisation bags which has colour indicator arrows that changes colour to dark brown/black once they are sterile in the autoclave
• All bagged instruments are placed into the autoclave. We also place a colour emulator strip that changes colour from pink to dark green once the load is sterile. A receipt prints out at the end of the autoclave cycle also indicating that the load is sterile
• The autoclave machine is well maintained and tested regularly
• Inside the surgery, all surfaces are wiped with alcohol wipes and neutral detergent solution and all surfaces touched by the dentist are covered by a protective barrier
• Protective glasses, mouth mask and gloves are worn at all times by the dentist and the dental nurse during treatment to ensure everyone’s safety
• For hygienic purposes we use disposable plastic glasses for rinsing instead of spittoon
• Needles, suction tips, metal matrix rings, dappen dishes are disposed after every patient and are never reused
• The suction is flushed every day using Puli-Jet plus solution, to clear out all debris & sanitise the pipelines
• The dental chair and its components are maintained at all times, with regular checks & replacement of parts
• The whole practice is cleaned on a daily basis with hospital grade cleaning solution

It is stated by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia that “A patient-centred health system is known to be associated with safer and higher quality care.” At Dentalini we strive to offer the best patient care possible and we believe that prevention is key not only to your overall oral health but also during your visits at Dentalini.

For further information regarding the policies and procedures regarding sterilisation and infection control at Dentalini, please contact us on 8920 3000.

Do I really need to floss?

One of the most commonly asked questions of dentists to their patients is ‘have you been flossing?’ -most of us want to respond yes, not wanting to give away how often we are not flossing! However your dentist will already know the answer, even after just a quick examination of your mouth.

The short answer as to whether you need to floss is YES. Flossing is an assistant to brushing when you are teeth cleaning; it in no way replaces brushing and may not necessarily prevent decay however as British dentist Dr N Carter says “If you don’t clean between the teeth, you’re cleaning only 60 per cent of the tooth’s surface.”

Flossing is not just about preventing your teeth from decaying, it’s part of the teeth cleaning process that prevents needing gum disease treatment or gingivitis treatment, prevents the causes of bad breath and also prevents further and more deep teeth cleaning from your dentist.

Flossing your teeth is about protecting your gums; as dentist Dr G Barnby states“…although the benefits of flossing may be limited with tooth decay, flossing does have a role in the prevention of gum disease.” When you fail to protect your gums, your teeth can become loose and even lead to heart disease.

Flossing is only effective when it is done properly; so ask your Sydney dentist today how to correctly floss your teeth as to ensure a healthy teeth cleaning regime and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.

Contact the team at Dentalini on 02 8920 3000, for your individualised oral hygiene plan including instruction in tooth brushing and flossing, counselling in proper nutrition and recommendations for future treatment.

Is sugar as bad for your teeth as we think?

YES! Sugar is bad for our teeth however it is not really the amount of sugar that affects teeth, but the amount of time that it sits in our mouth and on our teeth; as well as how often you eat sugar. It doesn’t matter what kind of sugar it is, whether it is white, brown, refined or natural, whether in cakes, biscuits, chocolates, lollies or soft drinks– all sugar will create acid build up in your mouth. Sugar can even be one of the causes of bad breath- a result of built up bacteria.

Which is why when eating small amounts of sugar more regularly is more detrimental than eating one batch of sugar. To prevent sugar eating away at our enamel it is best to try some of the following preventions:

• Eat sugary food along with other meals, rather than as a snack. Your mouth produces more saliva when eating meals which is what helps balance the acids in your mouth.
• Teeth cleaning after eating – brushing, rinsing and flossing
• Chew a gum that contains xylitol – this helps prevent decay
• Drink more water- this helps move bacteria, but also increases saliva levels. Water also helps us rehydrate and so is better than all other health drinks.

If we avoid looking after our teeth when eating sugar, we can put ourselves at the risk of needing drastic dental care, particularly in the cosmetic dentistry department. Dental care may include:

• Deep teeth cleaning
• Gum surgery and/or bone grafting (due to gum disease and bone resorption)
• Dentures (due to teeth decaying and falling out)
• Porcelain veneers (due to stained teeth)
• Root canal treatment

If you are unsure what types of foods contain sugars or what may be the best teeth cleaning method for you – contact us at Dentalini on 02 8920 3000.