Tag: oral-hygiene

Unravelling Floss: Which one is right for you?

Posted on by adminvpdc in dental care

Most people when they think of dental floss, they think of running a piece of string in between their teeth to remove food and plaque their toothbrush can’t reach. But what you may not realise is that there are many different types of floss that service multiple purposes. So, with so many choices, it is crucial to find the most suitable choice for your specific needs.

Dental Floss

This is the quintessential type of floss that most people think of. Otherwise known as dental tape, dental string, or ribbon; it comes in a variety of types: natural, waxed, unwaxed, superfloss, flavoured, which could be used by everyone who has teeth. Deciding which type suits you comes down to personal preference, but in the clinic, we prefer a waxed and mint flavoured dental floss.

Floss Picks

These are an easier alternative to traditional dental floss and are best for children and older people who lack dexterity. They may not be as thorough as dental floss, but a good alternative.

Orthodontic Flosser

These are very similar to a floss pick, however one side is thin and flat so that it can move seamlessly between the teeth and braces.

Interproximal Brush

This device has a stiff brush that can be poked in between the teeth to clean them. These are very useful if the gaps between the teeth are larger due to recession or gum disease.

Water Flosser

This device uses a stream of water to clean plaque, food and bacteria from between the teeth and along the gum line. It can be very useful in cleaning hard to reach areas, or where there are very tight spaces between teeth. For those who have difficulties using their hands, the water flosser is an ideal alternative to traditional floss, which can be difficult to maneuver and work with.

These are only the most common dental floss types on the market. We have barely scratched the surface, but these should give you an idea of the best choices that we recommend. Whether you are searching for the perfect dental floss, wanting to incorporate a water flosser or wishing to complement dental floss with an interdental brush, there is no shortage of options! And if you are unsure on what to pick, come see us in the clinic for your check-up– our team is ready to help you make the right choice.

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. 

S-milestones -Dental Health week Kids

Posted on by adminvpdc in children

Dental Health Week is here!

This year, Dental Health Week shines a spotlight on the importance of children’s oral health milestones — and on educating parents and caregivers about how to support their children in reaching every “S-milestone.” See the video here. https://youtu.be/HxIRGci-tmg

Did You Know?

Even in Australia, tooth decay in children is alarmingly common:

  • 1 in 3 children aged 5–6 has decay in their baby teeth
  • 1 in 4 children aged 6–16 has decay in their adult teeth

For many of these children, this means a lifetime of ongoing dental treatment.

There is a common myth that tooth decay in baby teeth is not a big deal because they will eventually fall out. However, losing baby teeth too early can cause problems. It can lead to space loss with the adjacent teeth drifting into the empty space and later to complex orthodontic problems such as crowding.

What Causes Decay?

Tooth decay is mainly caused by sugars in our diet. These sugars feed the bacteria in our mouths, which produce acid as a by-product. Over time, that acid wears away the tooth surface, eventually causing “holes.”

That is why it is crucial to:

  • Eat healthy foods at regular intervals
  • Avoid frequent snacking
  • Clean teeth thoroughly every day

As parents and caregivers, we play a key role in helping kids make smart food choices and keeping their meal and snack times structured.

How to Protect Your Child’s Smile

The best way to care for children’s teeth is to:

  • Brush twice a day – morning and night
  • Use fluoride toothpaste from 18 months of age
  • Clean between the teeth daily (once the teeth start to touch)

Our team is here to support your family with regular check-ups and early detection of dental issues. Let’s work together to build strong, healthy smiles from the very start! You may be eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefit Scheme. We bulk bill patients who are eligible. Make an appointment today!

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. 

Chocolate – is it good for your teeth

Posted on by adminvpdc in dental care

Chocolate – Is it good for your teeth and health?  As much as we would love to say it is good for your teeth, especially at Easter, we have to say it isn’t! 

There are multiple variety of chocolate and chocolate products with varying degrees of sugar, hard additives such as nuts, extra had additives such as praline and sticky additives like toffee and nougat. 

Dark chocolate usually has less sugar and more cocoa solids, than milk or white chocolate but it varies depending on the brand.  Milk chocolate contains cocoa solids and more sugar, while white chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk and is generally the sweetest chocolate.  In a 100gm serving of chocolate you will find the following amount of sugar. 

🍫 Dark Chocolate (70–85% cocoa) → 10–30g of sugar
🍫 Milk Chocolate → 40–50g of sugar
🍫 White Chocolate → 50–60g of sugar

Sugars are food to the decay causing bacteria in your mouth which leads to an acidic environment next to the enamel (often in between the teeth), and then this causes the enamel to leak calcium and phosphates. If this calcium and phosphate are not replaced from the saliva then a hole will develop.  The ions will not be replaced if the acid environment persists through lack of cleaning on all surfaces of the tooth or if the saliva flow is low or not good quality.

On top of this is the sticky insides of some chocolates that tend to linger over surfaces of the teeth.  Thinking of toffees or nougat or cream fillings that make their way into the nooks and crannies of teeth. Sigh!  These often spend time on teeth creating a longer acidic environment that these bacteria love.  And then there is the hard or extra hard additives.  For all our patients, who have fillings or crowns these are the chocolates that will break teeth around fillings or porcelain!  Best treat these with care. Plus, a tip – please don’t put chocolate in the fridge and then try to bite into it.  It will break teeth!

“Everything in moderation” is a wonderful saying and we would love to follow that advice with chocolate of any kind.  The Haigh’s store is on Greenhill Road, Menz Fruchocs are available, Charlesworth Nuts are available too, and we do like to support South Australian business after all!  Dr Stone is a Haigh’s dark chocolate fan.  However, we do need to follow our scope of practice and remind all of the need for good oral hygiene regardless of your own chocolate preferences.  Flossing, interproximal brushes such as piksters, and brushing with a fluoride toothpaste will help strengthen your enamel, reducing the harm done by chocolate.  Regular dental and hygiene visits with regular dental xrays will also help us to fix something small or introduce a new oral care regime to assist you to keep your teeth as long as possible.

We wish you a wonderful Easter break with family and friends.

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.  Our last team training day on Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice will be up there.

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 know if you have mouth cancer?

Posted on by adminvpdc in dental care

So why do we look under your tongue and around your cheeks, lips and soft tissues of your mouth?  Oral cancers are a very rare form of cancer, but they are quite debilitating.  They occur much more frequently in people who smoke and the same will apply with vapes.  Smoking increases your risk of oral cancer by about 75%.  The chemical compounds in vapes are just as much of an issue as cigarette/cigar smoke or betel nut chewing.  More research is required though to confirm our suspicions about vaping.  Even for people who don’t smoke or vape or chew these products can develop oral cancer. 

Oral cancers can occur commonly on the lips and are often related to sun exposure. Care in the sun will reduce the likelihood of these occurring.  We all know the jingle – Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide!  We should also probably add Sip to hydrate as well to keep your lips moisture content up as added protection.  And that sip should be water!

Tongue cancers are difficult to see and that is why we pull your tongue around while looking at it.  Cancers in the floor of your mouth and on your cheeks are easier to spot.  In all soft tissue cancers of the mouth we are looking for red parts and white parts that shouldn’t be there.  But how can you tell as your tongue has lots of red and white bits?  For us it will look different from the normal red and white bits. 

If we have any concerns we will refer you to an oral surgeon, or oral medicine specialist.  We will take an intraoral photo of the site and send that photo and any other xrays direct to the specialist.  Often this referral happens very quickly as oral cancers are notorious for being fast growing.  You might not leave the clinic with an appointment for the specialist but once they have the emailed referral and photos they will contact you straight away.  We will also send you to see these specialists if you have an ulcer that is not healing as fast as it should. 

In most cases the specialist will have a consultation with you, have a look, do a biopsy and it all turns out that the lesion is not an oral cancer.  Wahoo!  That is a great result!  If it is oral cancer then you will see both the specialist and probably an oncologist to determine the best course of treatment.

So how do you reduce your risk of soft tissue oral cancers?

  • Regular dental visits for a comprehensive examination of your teeth, lips, mouth and gums.
  • Stop smoking or vaping or chewing tobacco or tobacco like products
  • Healthy diet
  • Good oral health care – brushing and flossing
  • Limit amount of alcohol you drink
  • Practice safe oral sex

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.