Category: general health

Snoring or trouble with sleep apnoea?

Posted on by adminvpdc in general health

At Victoria Park Dental Care, we believe in helping our patients achieve not only healthy smiles but also a better quality of life. Today, we are shining a spotlight on sleep apnoea, a condition that can disrupt your sleep and negatively impact your overall health.

What is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a serious sleep disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax excessively during sleep, causing a temporary blockage in your airway. Current findings have also found that the tissues in the upper airway are also more likely to collapse with aging. 

Common symptoms of sleep apnoea can include:

  • Loud snoring
  • Gasping or choking during sleep
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Morning headaches
  • Feeling unrefreshed upon waking
  • Grinding teeth during sleep

If left untreated, OSA can lead to serious health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

How to Address Sleep Apnoea

If you suspect you may have sleep apnoea, it is important to speak with your local GP. Consider bringing your bedroom partner along if they notice your sleep being noisy or disturbed. Your GP will refer you to a sleep clinic for a sleep study, where your oxygen levels and breathing patterns will be monitored overnight.

Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

There are two main treatments for managing sleep apnoea:

  1. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) – This is the most common treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnoea. A CPAP machine uses a mask that delivers a continuous flow of air to keep your airway open as you sleep.
  2. Mandibular Advancement Splints – For mild to moderate sleep apnoea or for those who cannot tolerate a CPAP machine, a bimaxillary advancement splint is an effective alternative. This custom-fitted device helps reposition the lower jaw slightly forward, which keeps the airway open and prevents it from collapsing during sleep. They are also a great option for those who travel a lot.

At our sister practice of Adelaide City Dental Care, we offer a range of Somnomed devices as part of our commitment to providing high-quality solutions for sleep apnoea. Somnomed is a leader in the development of mandibular advancement splints, offering a comfortable, non-invasive way to manage sleep apnoea without the need for bulky equipment like CPAP machines. We can custom-fit a Somnomed device to your unique mouth and jaw structure, ensuring it is comfortable and effective.

Schedule a Consultation Today! If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnoea, snoring, or related symptoms, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our team at Adelaide City Dental Care. We will help you explore the best treatment options, including the Somnomed device, to improve your sleep quality and overall health.

See you in the clinic!  The Victoria Park Dental Care team.

PS:  check out our socials (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for top tips for teeth, mouth and gums and dental family snaps!  Maybe even the latest video on YouTube. 

A spotlight on cold sores

Posted on by adminvpdc in general health

As we welcome November, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to our wonderful patients. Your trust in us for your dental care means the world, and we are here to keep you informed about your oral health.

Spotlight on Oral Health: Understanding Cold Sores (Oral Herpes)

This month, we would like to discuss a common condition that affects many: oral herpes, often caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). Oral herpes usually presents as cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person, even when sores are not visible.

Symptoms to Watch For:

Tingling, burning, or itching around the lipsTiny fluid filled blisters
Blisters that may break open and crust openPainful sores that can last 1-2 weeks


Managing Oral Herpes:

While there is no cure for oral herpes, you can manage outbreaks effectively:

  1. Avoid Triggers: Stress, illness, and sun exposure can trigger outbreaks. Practicing stress-reducing techniques and using lip balm with SPF can help.
  2. Medications: Over-the-counter creams that contain antiviral medication (such as acyclovir 5% w/w) can reduce the severity and duration of outbreaks. There is also pharmacist dispensed tablets as a once off antiviral dose to treat cold sores.
  3. Laser Treatment: At our sister practice, Adelaide City Dental Care, we offer laser treatment for oral herpes. Laser therapy can help reduce pain, speed up healing, and minimize the duration of outbreaks when treated early. This painless and simple procedure targets the affected area and promotes faster recovery.  Treatment is best done as soon as the first signs start or within 48 hours.

When to See Us:

If you experience frequent outbreaks or have concerns about sores that are not healing, please reach out. Our team is here to provide guidance and treatment options to help manage your symptoms effectively.

Upcoming Festivities:

As we head into the festive season, remember that holiday treats can impact your oral health. Enjoy sweets in moderation, and maintain your oral hygiene routine—brushing and flossing daily are key to preventing cavities and gum disease. Come in to see us to make the best use of your dental benefits for this calendar year. December can be our busiest period, so book now if you have outstanding treatment or want to get your teeth cleaned before Christmas!

Welcome to Soheila, our new hygienist, who is joining our team on.  Soheila is lovely and very experienced.

See you in the clinic!  The Victoria Park Dental Care team.

PS:  check out our socials (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for top tips for teeth, mouth and gums and dental family snaps!  Maybe even the latest video on YouTube. 

Do you need some mindfulness? Maybe try this.

Posted on by adminvpdc in general health

Selfcare and mindfulness as a priority in our lives is not the activity that many of us do well.  We tend to take things for granted until a health professional mentions that we need to improve some aspect of our lives for good overall health or in our case dental health. The health of your mouth, teeth and gums is vital for good overall health of your body as we saw from the last Dental Health Week campaign. Incorporating mindfulness into our oral health routine twice a day for the 3 minutes it takes to brush and floss might just be the time you need. 

So, what is mindful tooth brushing and why is it important?

Mindfulness is usually associated with meditation, deep breathing and being present in the moment.  Being present in the moment of oral health care will assist with the following.

  • Improved oral health – mindful brushing improves tooth and gum care as you are aware of thoroughly brushing all surfaces of your teeth and take the time to clean between your teeth properly with interdental brushes or floss.  Improving your brushing and interdental techniques will help prevent tooth decay, and gum disease so you can keep your teeth for life.
  • Helps reduce stress- mindful brushing is an opportunity to decompress and get ready for the day or ready for sleep.
  • Reduces the tendency to over brush too vigorously and hence helping to reducing loss of enamel and reducing recession of the gums over time.  Loss of enamel and exposure of the root surfaces of the teeth can result in sensitivity, more susceptibility to root surface decay and darker teeth.

So, how do we mindfully carry out an oral health routine?

  • Give yourself 3 minutes of alone time twice a day.
  • Take some deep breaths and then smile.
  • Brush in a small gentle circular motion on all the surfaces that your brush head can get to.  Watch in the mirror to make sure you don’t miss any spots. (Hint:  often people miss the area where they swap their hand around to get to the other side.  It is not on purpose it is just that the brush head is further away from your hand.  Your hand position doesn’t move but the brush head is on the end of a fulcrum and it does.  So when you turn your hand pull it back over the space you may already have cleaned so the brush head is in the correct place.)  If you are using an electric brush the brush will do the motion for you. Just be careful to place the brush head on the correct angle and don’t push in onto the tooth.
  • Use your choice of interdental brushes and/or floss to clean between the spaces of your teeth.  Slide the floss down both teeth curving it backwards against the tooth behind the gap and curving it forwards against the tooth in front of the gap. Make sure the floss goes under the gum on both sides.  Maneuver the interdental brushes around the triangle of the space between the teeth. Top of the triangle and down both sides in and out multiple times.
  • Rinse out with water and then use a mouthwash if your dentist or hygienist has recommended it.
  • Smile!

Good luck with mindful brushing and selfcare. Your teeth and body will love you!

Please remember, as we head towards the end of the year and, dare we say Christmas, we do book up very quickly.  For bookings in the next few months, start scheduling now.  Don’t forget your dental benefits limits for this year finish on 31st December for most funds.  Make the most of those benefits. 

See you in the clinic!  The Victoria Park Dental Care team.

PS:  check out our socials (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for top tips for teeth, mouth and gums and dental family snaps!  Maybe even the latest video on YouTube. 

Wahoo! it’s dental health week

Posted on by adminvpdc in general health

The year has been moving so fast and before we know it, Dental Health Week is here again!  So, from 7th – 13th August we are asking everyone to check out the connections of your Mind, Body and Mouth. It is a bit like that skeleton song “Dem bones”. 

Some of you will already be aware of how clenching and grinding your teeth is connected to your facial muscles, which are connected to your neck and head muscles requiring treatment by a nightguard and/or daytime awareness and some physiotherapy as well to help retrain the muscles.  It can lead to fracturing teeth, nerve death and increased looseness of teeth.  More often than not clenching and grinding is a habit built up from a reaction to stress.  It can also come from chewing gum regularly.  We had a great time on our team day learning from physiotherapists from Thryve Physio Plus about jaw joints and facial muscles and posture. Great start to the day with some pilates moves and cork exercises for our facial muscles. Ask your dentist or hygienist about those when you come in!

Our ladies will be aware that pregnancy and menstruation really upsets your hormone balance in your gums resulting in inflammation and bleeding and the need for extra special cleaning, flossing and sometimes mouthwash to assist.  This also can happen with people with diabetes and heart disease, and without a regular visit to your hygienist and dentist, can result in loss of bone and loss of teeth.  We shouldn’t expect to lose teeth as we age!

Eating disorders and uncontrolled reflux can cause erosion and loss of the enamel tooth surface. The erosion has a different pattern depending on the cause.  As we lose enamel the teeth become darker because the inner part of the tooth shines through. Treatments can range from nightly tooth mousse or other remineralization agents to assist in strengthening the tooth surface to full crowns on every tooth. 

Smoking and vaping are injurious not just to your lungs but also to your gums and mouth tissues.  The chemicals in both are carcinogens that can create tongue and mouth cancers.  Smoking and vaping can cause gum disease that can lead to loss of gum tissue, bone height and teeth.

Your hygienist and dentist will be checking your teeth, mouth and gums to see if an underlying health condition is causing issues with them.  Please let us know if there are any changes in your medications or medical history.  We may also suggest a visit to your GP to check up on something. 

On a lighter note, we hope you enjoyed attending the Illuminate Festival last month.  So many awesome light installations to view and interact with.  Our city has amazing festivals! Also did you know that the Victoria Park Social Club diagonally across the road has all you can eat Pizza nights on Thursday nights from 4pm! Check their website for details. https://www.vpsclub.com.au/dineandbar

See you in the clinic!  The Victoria Park Dental Care team.

PS:  check out our socials (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for top tips for teeth, mouth and gums and dental family snaps!  Maybe even the latest video on YouTube.