The plan here at Q Dental is to start working more closely with the community to educate children (and their parents) on the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene from an early age. When the team at Q Dental visits child care centres or schools, they will deliver an interactive seminar on the importance of oral hygiene and visiting the dentist.

We will also be visiting aged care facilities. At Q Dental we aim to help out those in aged care facilities—our principle dentist Dr Amin and a dental hygienist can visit aged care facilities and provide a general check-up and clean.

How Q Dental Can Help You

Did you know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults?

Did you know that gum disease can be prevented with a good oral hygiene routine, diet and regular visits to the dentist? Gum disease has been linked to serious health issues such as:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Chronic kidney disease

This link is due to chronic inflammation and bacteria that travels through your bloodstream contributing to these other health issues.

Maintaining Optimal Oral Hygiene

The team at Q Dental in Bella Vista want to help the community maintain optimal oral hygiene. We aim to do that through education and offering our patients easier access to general check-ups and clean.

At the moment we are offering check-up and clean with x-rays for $149 down from $300.

Check-up: a general check-up every six months allows the team at Q Dental to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy—during a check-up we check for decay, cavities and gum disease.

Clean: a dental can clean your teeth in a way that no floss or toothpaste can. When you have a professional clean plaque and tartar are removed—which decreases your chance of cavities.

X-rays: an important part of a general check-up as they allow us to see decay and other oral health issues more clearly.

Regular visits to the dentist can be the difference between needing a filling and needing a root canal treatment. It can be the difference between needing to treat gingivitis and needing to treat gum disease.

Would like the team at Q Dental to visit you? Contact Q Dental today on (02) 8883 5004

The post Q Dental’s Working with the Community appeared first on Q Dental.

Children begin to gain all of their baby teeth (primary teeth) around the age of two or three. These teeth help your child to chew and speak properly while they are developing. As your child develops their teeth will also work to shape and reserve the space inside their mouth so that their mouth can easily adjust when their adult teeth (secondary teeth) start to surface. Baby teeth start to develop before your child is born and the first baby tooth will begin to surface around six months, but in some cases it can occur as early as the birth or as late as their first birthday. The time of your child’s first tooth will be completely unique to them.

When your child’s baby teeth all emerge they will have around twenty teeth:

• Upper row:
  • 2 central incisors
  • 2 lateral incisors
  • 2 canines
  • 2 first molars
  • 2 second molars
  • Lower row:
    • 2 central incisors
    • 2 lateral incisors
    • 2 canines
    • 2 first molars
    • 2 second molars

Each of your child’s baby teeth is designed in the image of their eventual adult teeth and will contribute to their digestive process in a similar manner. It will help them learn to chew and mash food into an edible paste so that they can digest it easier. That is why many baby food products are in paste form because without teeth your child will be unable to begin to digest meals. Once all of their baby teeth surface (around 25 to 33 months for the lower second molars to emerge) then your child will be able to eat properly and begin to strengthen their ability to eat, their jaw mobility and communication skills will be improved, and most importantly their confidence will increase in these fundamental actions.

Once your child has a mouth full of healthy teeth it is time to keep an eyeful watch…

The development of your child’s occlusion (bite) is incredibly important to their teeth development and future oral health. The atmospheric conditions inside the mouth are one of the most bacteria ridden areas on the human body. It is constantly humid, hit with air flow that blows foreign particles in and out, food is consumed that’s covered in a variety of healthy and unhealthy bacteria which causes substances to stick to your teeth and fall in between the tooth spaces. These are perfect conditions for the breeding of harmful bacteria such as plaque and tartar. This coloured build-up is the starter for a majority of oral conditions such as

• Bad breath
• Yellowed and discoloured teeth
• Tooth decay and caries
• Demineralisation
• Cavities
• Pulpitis
• Abscess formation and systemic disease
• Gum disease
• Periodontal disease

Even though your child’s baby teeth are designed to eventually fall out, it is crucial that their baby teeth are treated with the same care and consideration that their adult teeth will receive when they are older. The purpose of the baby teeth is to act as functional placeholders for the adult teeth while they develop. If these baby teeth become prone to infection and decay the result can have an unpleasant effect on their adult teeth when they begin to surface and open the doors to necessary dental procedures. Essentially, the better your child’s baby teeth and oral hygiene are taken care of the lower risk your child will have in developing dental complications as they grow older.

How can I protect my child from tooth decay?

A study entitled Oral health and dental care in Australia conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare concluded that on average over 42% of children around the age of five and 61% of children around the age of 9 were experiencing decay in their baby teeth. To cease the active development of tooth decay in children’s baby teeth it is common to utilise a dental seal to cover the pits and fissures of the teeth with a resin or glass-ionomer (cement) material. On average, 20% of children between the ages of 6 and 14 benefited from the use of a fissure seal on their teeth and prevented further decay.

Benefits of Fissure Seal for your child at Q-Dental in Bella Vista…

At Q Dental, we offer our community outstanding paediatric dentistry to ensure our younger clients are given the same standards of care and consideration as their parents. For children, visiting the dentist can be a daunting experience, especially if they are suffering from a small case of tooth decay but at our practice we have proven that a fissure seal is a fantastic way to prevent further decay and create peace of mind for your child and your whole family.

It is a very simple treatment that will require cleaning the affected area and curing it in preparation for the fissure seal so that it adheres to the tooth as effectively as possible. We recommend patients to start bringing their children in around the age of two so that we can develop a healthy relationship with your child and aid their oral development by reducing the risk of dental implications in the future.

For more information on fissure sealants for your child or book an appointment at Q Dental in Bella Vista, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post Protect Your Child from Tooth Decay with Fissure Seals appeared first on Q Dental.

Are you looking to improve your smile? Cosmetic veneers might be perfect for you…

If you are less than satisfied with your smile maybe it is time to consider cosmetic dentistry to turn that frown upside down. Our teeth are made of some of the strongest substances in our bodies but even they can become open to problems that can affect the aesthetics of our smiles. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to the poor appearance of your teeth and unfortunately most of the time they are permanent. That is why at Q Dental we offer cosmetic veneers to help our patients regain a perfectly symmetrical and clean smile. Cosmetic veneers are crafted from a strong porcelain material which will look and feel exactly like a real tooth.

Aesthetic problems such as craze lines, chips, fractures, discolouration and staining benefit from veneers…

Cosmetic veneers benefit damaged teeth by providing a stain resistant, strong durable and long lasting alternative. The process of placing the veneers can take just two visits and they can be used to fix one singular problem tooth or multiple teeth in the ‘smile zone’ (front teeth) for a total transformation.

Craze lines, chips and fractures… the tooth is designed to undertake a lot of pressure because they are used to gnash and cut food into a digestible paste but when teeth consistently take too much pressure they can be prone to cracking and chipping. Weakened teeth from grinding (bruxism), being used as tools (such as opening bottle tops) and poor oral health can cause them to develop craze lines. These ‘craze’ lines are on the outer layer of the enamel and are not yet detrimental to the inner layer of the tooth (dentine and pulp). If left unattended these craze lines can turn into fractures or can even weaken the tooth enough to chip if it is exposed to some type of trauma.

Staining and discolouration… there are two types of tooth staining– extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains are found on the outer layers of your teeth and are easily removed by your tooth brush. These stains are usually caused by food and drink stains from eating but saliva and cleaning can easily remove them. Intrinsic stains on the other hand are not so easily removed. These stains physically affect the enamel and are not cleanable by manual methods and can be managed with tooth whitening treatments done by professionals. Discolouration of the teeth can be caused by these intrinsic stains and can also be a signifier of a dying tooth, your aging body or even your genetics.

A Cosmetic veneer can change your life and at Q Dental we make the transition in two easy visits…

At Q Dental we can give our patients cosmetic veneers in two easy visits. When preparing your natural tooth for the adhesion of the cosmetic veneer we will make sure to keep as much of your natural tooth as possible. Your natural teeth will be colour matched to your new cosmetic veneers to ensure that your new smile will look exactly the same as your other teeth without looking false or unnatural. At the end of your treatment your teeth will look natural, seamless and the cosmetic veneer(s) will be virtually invisible.  

First visit… About half a millimetre will be removed to maximise the adhesion of your cosmetic veneer. Then the natural tooth with be prepped for the impressions to be made and then sent off to the lab to custom make each veneer, this process may take some time for the final product to be produced.

Second visit… Once we receive your cosmetic veneers it will be time to fix them to your teeth. This bonding process will cement the veneer to your tooth. Once the veneer is placed on your tooth in the correct position it will be trimmed and polished to match the rest of your teeth.

Taking care of your cosmetic veneers is quite simple …

Cosmetic Veneers can generally last up to 5 to 10 years if properly taken care of and do not require any special attention from your natural teeth. Maintaining a regular oral hygiene and being cavity conscious when you eat can assure that your teeth and your veneers maintain a healthy and balanced oral hygiene. Veneers are easy to eat with but can be prone to chipping so remain conscious about the food you eat and avoid hard foods such as hard sweets and ice. Avoid habits such as using your teeth to pull open bottle lids or using your teeth as tools because this puts too much stress on your teeth and could cause your veneers to become damaged. Veneers also have the benefit of being stain resistant but it is recommended that you avoid food and drinks that can stain your teeth such as wine, coffee, tea, sugar and berries so that your natural teeth do not stain.

For more information on cosmetic veneers or to book an appointment at Q Dental in Bella Vista, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post Enhance Your Smile with Cosmetic Veneers appeared first on Q Dental.

Prevention is better than a cure and the best way to prevent dental caries and tooth decay is to look after your teeth…

That is why at Q Dental we have made a comprehensive list of the most beneficial oral hygiene habits to ensure your teeth remain healthy and strong.

Brush your teeth, gums and tongue at least twice a day…

Documented as early as the 1500’s, the toothbrush remains one of the most effective and timeless ways of maintaining healthy teeth. The toothbrush has gone through a massive transformation over the years of its conception from horse hair and boar bristle to synthetic and nylon bristles. The design of the tooth brush is to allow the bristles to gently alleviate and remove any plaque, food debris and bacteria from the teeth while safely reaching under the gums without irritating or harming them.

Getting into the habit of brushing at least twice a day can ensure that bacteria does not hang around in your mouth long enough to become plaque. Even the smallest flame can start the largest fire and the same instance can be considered for plaque, the more plaque that is allowed to remain in your mouth the higher your risk is of developing dental cavies, tooth decay and dental related diseases.

Choosing a toothbrush can be a difficult task as there is quite a large selection available commercially and they will all tell you that they do different things. Every toothbrush will clean your teeth to some degree but every mouth is different and when considering a toothbrush it is important to choose one that is going to be suitable for your needs.

1)      Choose a brush with soft bristles… Soft bristles are more considerate to your teeth and gums while hard bristles can damage your gums and leave your teeth sensitive.

2)      Electronic or no… there is no significant difference between an electronic toothbrush and a normal toothbrush, this choice can come purely to preference.

3)      Size matters…choose a toothbrush head that will fit comfortably in your mouth. Remember that is has to conform to the curve of your mouth and teeth and if the head is too long it might clean your mouth ineffectively.

4)      Colour and patterns…these factors have no influence on how the toothbrush cleans but it does influence your likelihood of cleaning. Pick a toothbrush that is fun and that you are going to want to pick up and use. Toothbrushes come in all types of interesting patterns and fun colours, especially for children who can find toothbrushes shaped like their favourite cartoon characters.

When brushing your teeth it is important to remember to keep your brush at a 45 degree angle against the gum line, gently brush the inside of your teeth and always brush your tongue. Some toothbrushes are equipped with a tongue cleaning pad because majority of the bacteria can be found on your tongue.

Floss between your teeth to get those hard to reach places…

One of the most underappreciated dental hygiene tools, floss is just as important in your cleaning routine as your toothbrush. Floss has the ability to glide seamlessly in between your teeth, a task that not even your toothbrush can accomplish without harming your gums. The floss can remove hard to reach plaque, food debris and bacteria from in between your teeth. It is a very simple tool to use and when used effectively it can make a huge difference to your oral health.

Proper flossing technique…

Commercial floss has conveniently designed floss compartments to have a small blade and a spool which the floss is wrapped around. When pulling out the floss from the compartment make sure you have enough floss to wrap around your fingers (for control) and about an inch or two to work with. Each space in your mouth is important, so in order to remember each space make a decision about how you are going to make your way around to each tooth. Gently push the floss through the gap in your teeth and curve the floss around your teeth and make a zigzag motion to free the debris from your mouth.

*If your gum line bleeds when you are flossing you might be doing it too hard.

Remain cavity conscious when you choose your meals and engaging in activities…

What you put in your mouth not only affects your waistline but it also affects the health and wellbeing of your teeth. The food that we eat plays a vital role in our oral health and if we consistently eat the wrong food with a lack of oral hygiene then problems can start to develop.

• Sugar… is one of the most destructive foods to teeth. It creates an acidic environment in your mouth which will remain up to two hours after you initially consume it. The sugar will actually begin to eat away at your tooth enamel – one of the strongest substances in the body.
• Alcohol…dries out your mouth and reduces the amount of saliva present in the mouth. Saliva is your body’s way of cleansing your mouth and helping food become a digestible paste. Alcohol is also strongly acidic and will erode, discolour and stain your teeth.
• Smoking…can actually leave you four times more likely to develop oral cancer. The aesthetic damages of smoking can leave your teeth discoloured, stained and translucent.

Visit Q Dental for a check-up every six months…

Maintaining a regular oral hygiene regiment is the only proven way of ensuring your teeth stay healthy and strong and part of this routine includes  having your teeth looked at by professionals. At Q Dental we urge our patients to visit us every six months to ensure that their teeth are healthy and to prevent any deteriorating problems in the future.

For more information on dental hygiene or to book an appointment at Q Dental in Bella Vista, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post Four Easy Oral hygiene habits for a better smile appeared first on Q Dental.

Your teeth are one of your greatest assets; they allow you to communicate, function and survive. Without your teeth you would be unable to form words, your facial symmetry and mobility would suffer and your surrounding soft tissue and muscle would deteriorate. Finally, without teeth you would be unable to commence one of the greatest essentials to human survival – your digestive process. *These examples are the extreme long term implications of losing all of your adult teeth and not following the proper channels to correct it. Losing one or few teeth will not have as a dramatic affect but will impair these abilities over time. To ensure that your teeth are healthy and strong, learning to identify an emergency can help prevent you from losing them.

How the elements can damage your smile…

Teeth are essentially bone and made from some of the strongest mineralised substances in the human body. Tooth enamel (for which the tooth is covered) can withstand extreme temperature changes, various substances and edible objects; as well as high degrees of pressure and friction. The environment in which teeth formulate is one of the most bacteria-ridden locations in the human body and with the assistance of proper regular oral hygiene; your teeth can maintain their place and withstand these dramatic changes effectively. However, teeth are very rarely at their maximum health and this is the time when your teeth can become susceptible to unforeseeable damages.

As children we grow with teeth that are designed to fall out which help us develop communicative skills, eating mobility and physical expressions. These baby teeth help strengthen our jaws until our adult teeth are ready to surface. These adult teeth are larger and more durable than baby teeth but unfortunately once you lose them, they will not grow back. The contribution of poor oral hygiene and deteriorative disease can make your teeth susceptible to damage and instances where your teeth are chipped, fractured, split or even knocked out can deteriorate your oral health and overall well-being considerably. The sooner you can restore your teeth, the better chance you have of retaining your natural teeth.

What constitutes as an emergency?

Dental emergencies can be categorised into two sections; functional and aesthetic. Functional concerns can have an adverse effect on your eating ability, jaw mobility, facial comfort and healthy teeth. Cosmetic concerns can have a devastating effect on your smile, your self-confidence, your ability to socialise and can make you appear less attractive.

Any of these concerns whether they cause you discomfort, pain or impair your confidence is a cause for emergency but there are instances that are  not cause for alarm. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms they can be easily addressed in a normal consultation and are not cause for alarm:

• Dull tooth aches
• Discolouration
• Craze lines on teeth
• General plaque build up

If at any point you are experiencing pain or discomfort, if your tooth has been injured or dislodged and/or if you are undergoing treatments and are facing failures or implications, then these are reasons to consider emergency dentistry in order to fix the problems before they get out of hand.

Damage to your teeth can cause damage to your health in the long term…

One of the most common dental emergencies is the loss of an adult tooth. This could occur from a sports injury, weakened tooth from oral health problems or even an accident but it is important to remember that if you lose a tooth:

1. Pick it up by the crown NEVER the root
2. Rinse the tooth with water or milk if it is not clean
3. Do not scrub the tooth or remove any attached tissue fragments
4. Keep the tooth in a container of milk or in the mouth of the injured patient

Your natural tooth is something you cannot regain once you have lost it so it is essential to get in touch with an emergency dentist to ensure your natural tooth is saved. Life without a tooth can result in tooth migrations (movement of teeth), malocclusions (uneven bite), poor oral hygiene, jaw bone reabsorption and many functional and cosmetic problems.

Entrust your smile to our friendly team and we will support you in your time of need…

If you do find yourself in a position where you have received extensive damage to your tooth/teeth, are in a lot of pain or have lost your tooth, it is important to know where your emergency dentistry services are. At Q-Dental we strive to provide emergency services for our community to ensure that everyone has a chance to save their natural teeth. To provide this service we are available seven days a week to accommodate our patients with busy lifestyles, unfortunate dental incidents and general dentistry requirements. Dr Amin takes this availability further by making his services readily available for his patients and can be contacted directly if your emergency occurs outside irregular hours.

For more information on our emergency services or to take advantage of our irregular hours at Q Dental or to book an appointment at Q-Dental in Bella Vista, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post Accessible Emergency Care Can Save Your Teeth appeared first on Q Dental.

So you’ve just enhanced your smile with porcelain veneers, now you need to look after them!

Porcelain veneers at Q Dental in Bella Vista are strong, durable and a great option for enhancing the appearance of your smile. That said, porcelain veneers are not indestructible, and it is very important you take care of them! We outline the main things you need to remember in order to keep your smile beautiful after your transformation – so you can enjoy your new smile for longer!

While porcelain is naturally stain-resistant, it is still important to avoid foods that can discolour your smile…

A great thing about veneers is their ability to be stain-resistant, so your smile should stay whiter and brighter for longer. It is important to note however that while they are resistant to staining, porcelain veneers are not stain-proof! Avoid the following foods, drinks and lifestyle habits that could put your smile at risk of discolouration:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Red Wine
• Smoking
• Chocolate
• Caramel

Red wine is especially bad for the teeth as not only does it stain, it also has acidic properties which can damage the teeth and add staining simultaneously. To keep your veneers beautiful, we recommend you avoid the above or consume them in minimal amounts.

Maintain the health of your new smile by maintaining your regular oral health routine…

Taking care of your new smile is really quite simple – just brush and floss like you normally would! This means using a soft-bristled toothbrush and brushing twice daily for around 2 minutes to make sure all food debris and bacteria are removed from the teeth. For those particles that are more difficult to remove, floss between the teeth every day before bed to make sure your smile stays clean and healthy!

Stay away from overly crunchy or hard foods…

As said previously, porcelain is a strong and durable dental material, but it is not indestructible. To make sure your veneers do not become chipped or broken, be sure to refrain from habits such as chewing on ice or hard candies, as veneers are not made to withstand that kind of blunt force and pressure.

At Q Dental we are dedicated to helping you achieve your very best smile…

With good care, your veneers should last from 10-15 years, but have been known to last even longer! It is vitally important you maintain good oral health, as while your veneers may not be at risk of decay, your teeth underneath sure are!

If you have porcelain veneers remember these great tips and you should be able to enjoy your new smile for more than a decade!

Typically porcelain veneers are used to conceal flaws in the teeth such as chips, cracks, discolouration, large gaps and stubby teeth. If you are considering porcelain veneers to enhance the appearance of your smile, Dr Armin is happy to discuss this treatment in depth with you during your consultation.

Want to learn more about taking care of your porcelain veneers? Contact us at Q Dental in Bella Vista today for more information or to book an appointment.

The post Porcelain Veneers: How to Look After Your New Smile appeared first on Q Dental.

It’s probably time to have them checked by a dentist…

Are you feeling pain at the back of your mouth? Are you between 16-25 years of age? It very well could be your wisdom teeth, and it is important to have these checked as early as possible. While it is important to book an appointment at Q Dental in Bella Vista if you experience any kind of dental pain, pain associated with wisdom teeth could be due to a number of different reasons. The pain could be due to:

• The tooth becoming impacted under the gums, which can lead to an abscess!
• The wisdom teeth emerging then falling back underneath the gums
• The tooth erupting at an angle and hitting the adjacent tooth

All of these issues can cause large amounts of pain, so it is important to have your wisdom teeth checked at around 16-17 years of age, to ensure they will erupt correctly and that you have enough room in your mouth to accommodate them.

Why wouldn’t I have enough room?

Our wisdom teeth used to fit comfortably in our mouths about 100 million years ago, when we used our teeth to do almost everything, including tearing meat and crunching vegetables. The prehistoric man’s jaws were much larger and were able to accommodate all 32 teeth comfortably. Evolution has since seen man invent utensils and appliances that have rendered wisdom teeth virtually useless, as a result our mouths have become much narrower and wisdom teeth no longer play a part in our lives. This is why you may not have enough room in the mouth for your wisdom teeth to erupt, and if this is the case you may need an extraction.

At Q Dental we perform wisdom tooth extractions to help alleviate your pain…

The main reasons we will need to remove wisdom teeth include:

• Not having enough room in the jaw to accommodate the teeth
• Partial eruption occurs which can cause the gums to become red, sore and inflamed
• The teeth may erupt at odd angles, putting pressure on the surrounding teeth and ultimately distorting your bite and teeth alignment

We are able to remove wisdom teeth in simplistic cases and will be able to walk you through all aspects of your extraction prior to surgery so you can understand what to expect before and after treatment. While recovering it is normal to experience some tenderness but this should subside a few days after your surgery.

Will my wisdom tooth extraction hurt?

At Q Dental we believe in gentle dental care, and as such perform wisdom tooth extractions under IV Sedation so you can breeze through treatment. If you have a particularly complex case, we can refer you to high quality local specialists who can give you the in-depth and extensive treatment you require.

For further information on wisdom teeth or the extractions we perform, please do not hesitate to contact us at our Bella Vista dental practice.

The post When Wisdom Teeth Send You Running For Cover appeared first on Q Dental.

Your child’s primary (milk) teeth play an integral part in their dental and overall development…

They’re going to fall out anyway, right? So what is the big deal about keeping children’s teeth so clean?

Yes, your child’s teeth will eventually fall out to accommodate their permanent adult teeth, but this does not mean that they are useless! In fact, you wouldn’t build a house without a plan or take a long drive without a map – in the same way your child’s teeth act as their dental blueprint, laying the foundations of not only their dental development, but their development in general.

Think about it. What do you need your teeth for? To smile, sure, but also to eat, laugh and talk! These basic fundamentals of life that we take for granted each and every day are something our primary teeth set us up with while we are young.

Your child’s primary teeth help them form words

By developing properly, primary teeth allow your child to form words properly – helping them gain confidence in communication, a basic fundamental of life. This is one of the main reasons why baby teeth come through so early (usually between 1-2 years of age) so they can begin to communicate!

Primary teeth help your child eat properly

Without primary teeth, your child would have to learn to live with soft foods for a very long time! Instead, when their teeth come through they are allowed to learn to chew and eat properly, a skill they will keep for the rest of their lives.

Their baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth

By monitoring the way in which their baby teeth emerge, at Q Dental Dr Amin can assess whether the child may need specific dental care in the future such as braces. This is because the primary teeth essentially act as placeholders and if they erupt crooked, it is highly likely so too will their adult teeth.

This is why it is vitally important for parents to take extra care with their children’s teeth! By brushing them twice a day and flossing before bed, you can help your child understand good oral health routines. We also believe in bringing children in for their first dental check-up by around their first birthday, as this allows us to track their dental development and form strong associations with your child, who will use their early experiences as a basis to whether they continue visiting the dentist!

Taking care of your infant’s smile…

Yes, before they even have teeth you can look after their oral health. To give your child the best start in life in regards to oral health, it is important to:

• NOT put them to bed with a sugary drink or milk, as this can cause an accumulation of bacteria and harm their gums or the teeth under the gums
• Clean their smile with a damp clean cloth to wipe away any residue after feeding
• Start brushing their teeth (with a soft bristled toothbrush and a small amount of children’s toothpaste) as soon as their very first tooth comes through.

For more hints and tips for taking care of your child’s smile, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

The post Why Are Primary Teeth So Important For Kids? appeared first on Q Dental.

If you notice your gums are tender, swollen or brushing your teeth causes them to bleed, you may have gum disease!

Gum disease can be a very devastating issue for your smile – not only does it cause your gums to recede, bleed and become tender, it also causes the surrounding teeth to become weak and at a higher risk of falling out! At Q Dental in Bella Vista we are dedicated to helping you maintain total oral health and as such it is very important to know the initial signs of gum disease.

What is causing my gums to bleed?

Sometimes gums can bleed due to aggravation caused by sharp bits of food stuck between teeth – if this is the cause of your bleeding gums; this can be easily solved by flossing and brushing away the food debris. Other simple causes can be due to flossing, medications such as blood thinners or pregnancy. However if your gums continue to bleed after a week, it is important to visit your Q Dental dentist!

The other more severe cause of bleeding gums…

Another reason for bleeding gums is gingivitis, which is the very early stage of periodontal disease. This can be debilitating and needs to be treated promptly otherwise it can easily decline to severe periodontitis, which can result in bone loss and even tooth loss! The good news is, if addressed quickly, gingivitis can be reversed and prevented with treatment.

Understanding gingivitis…

Your mouth is made up of several elements, all of which depend upon each other to survive and remain healthy. These structures include your jaws, teeth, gums, tongue and saliva. When there is a lot of dental plaque present within the mouth due to poor oral health, it can accumulate on the teeth and cause inflammation of the gums. This is gingivitis. If not properly addressed, the inflammation can move deeper into the gum tissue – attacking sensitive tooth roots and jawbone. Once it gets to this stage it is called periodontitis, which can permanently cause gradual bone loss and eventually tooth loss.

How do I know if I have gum disease?

If you suffer the following symptoms without any sign of improvement, it is best to book an appointment with a Bella Vista dentist at Q Dental for a check-up:

• Red or swollen gums
• Inflammation in the mouth
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• Sensitive teeth
• Gum withdrawal
• Tender gums
• Bleeding gums

At Q Dental we are able to effectively identify and diagnose gum disease and will be able to recommend the appropriate treatment for you. Our professional and friendly team of dentists can help you understand your condition and will only recommend treatment if it is in your best interests.

We believe in preventive care, and that means helping you maintain your oral health by checking your condition every 6 months, which allows us to discover any underlying problems early.

If you are worried about bleeding gums or are worried you may have gum disease, contact us for further information or to book an appointment at our Bella Vista dental practice.

The post HELP! My Gums are Swollen and Bleeding! appeared first on Q Dental.

1. You have lost a filling

Losing a filling is generally not a major cause for concern. Simply rinse your tooth with warm clean water and press a cotton wool ball firmly into the cavity. Make an appointment with your dentist within the next few days to have your filling replaced.

2. You have lost a crown.

Do not wait more than two days to replace a crown! Although losing a crown may not cause you immediate discomfort, it can and will if you leave your damaged tooth exposed to debris. Dental wax may be able to protect your tooth until you are able to gain a replacement crown.

3. You have a toothache

An acute toothache can be an incredibly painful and traumatic dental emergency. If you are suffering from this form of oral trauma first rinse your mouth out with warm water and apply a cold compress to the affected area for 20 minutes. Contrary to popular belief, DO NOT apply pain relief medication directly to the affected gum- this can burn and cause extensive damage to the gum tissue. Arrange an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible.

4. You have chipped or broken your tooth

If possible, locate and save the chipped portion of your tooth. Rinse with warm water and apply a cold compress to the outside of the impacted area. Make an appointment with an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

5. Your tooth has been knocked out

If your tooth has been knocked out it is VITAL that you visit your dentist within 30 minutes- this can mean the difference between saving and losing your natural tooth! Pick your tooth up by the crown (never the root) and gently rinse with clean water or milk. DO NOT scrub the tooth or attempt to remove any of the connective tissue around the tooth. Store the tooth in your mouth or in a container of milk until you can reach an emergency dentist.

Dental emergencies can be a traumatic and stressful time, and at Q Dental we offer flexible hours accommodate emergency patients in our high quality dental practice.

The post Five Most Common Dental Emergencies appeared first on Q Dental.