Patients often complain of ‘bleeding gums’ when they present for routine dental treatment. While there are a number of uncommon reasons for this problem, by far the most obvious cause is inflammation due to plaque and or calculus (tartar). Patients sometimes induce bleeding when brushing, and feel they need to reduce the frequency of brushing as they feel the oral hygiene measure is the problem. In fact, leaving plaque deposits alone will only lead to more inflammation and more bleeding! Everyone should be brushing thoroughly at least twice daily. Regular examinations and scaling are vital to maintain the health of your gums. Don’t ignore bleeding gums- address the underlying cause and the problem will resolve. We are available to help manage and guide you should bleeding gums or tartar be a concern.

We will be closed for the AFL grand final public holiday this Friday the 27th of September 2019.

We still have a select number of appointments available for today, Thursday the 26^th of September if you need an appointment before the long weekend! Call us on 03 5134 1311.

We will re-open on Monday the 30^th of September at 8:30am.

School holidays are around the corner, in fact commence Monday!

School holidays are the perfect time to book your children in for a general dental check-up. Some children will be eligible for Medicare’s Child Dental Benefit Schedule. The Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers a broad range of basic dental services.

You can call our dental surgery in Morwell on (03) 5134 1311 to see if your child is eligible.

A significant number of patients suffer from dry mouth (xerostomia). While there are many causes of dry mouth, we often see patients suffering dry mouth as a direct consequence of prescription medication. Dry mouth can put you at far greater risk of tooth decay amongst other things. In instances where prescription medication cannot be altered, it is essential patients follow several steps to maintain oral health. Keeping sugars to an absolute minimum via both food and drink is vital. Good hydration via regular sips of plain water is also important. There are several products that may also assist that we stock at the surgery, including tooth mousse, dry mouth gel and xylimelts, together with a fluoride containing toothpaste that may have a higher amount of fluoride content than regular toothpastes. Your dentist is the best person to advise you on the use of these products. It stands to reason regular examinations focused on prevention is essential.

Many patients have asked what type of bristle stiffness is best in a toothbrush. While some patients feel a stiffer brush may clear better, a stiffer brush is also likely to result in tooth loss near the gum margin over time. Loose plaque is easy to remove. Therefore, a soft bristled brush is always recommended. A stiffer brush will not remove tartar as some patients may suggest- the removal of tartar is the domain of the dentist.

In conclusion, we advise a soft bristled brush used a minimum of twice a day with fluoride containing toothpaste.

It’s Dental Health Week, the Australian Dental Association are urging people to be cautious with at home bleaching and charcoal toothpaste. You can read an article here:

You can contact our practice on (03) 5134 1311 to discuss safe options for teeth whitening.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-05/dentists-warn-of-dangers-of-diy-teeth-whitening/11381948?fbclid=IwAR2lEmLHHo7l5PYJ2nAw5zXEqbZweINR3HLc1UAU2e6DXODTFVAFqUJd0iI

Eating healthy foods has an obvious impact on your general and dental health. You should always focus on minimising exposure to food and drink containing fermentable carbohydrates (simple sugars) that microbes can use to churn into acid that leads to tooth decay over time. Minimising between meal snacks is also impacted in this regard.

Plain water is beneficial at any time. Avoid carbonated beverages, minimise exposure to fruit juice and other drinks that have added sugar. Fruit (in moderation), vegetables, nuts (preferably soft!) and seeds and dairy (such as cheese) are the best general food choice for healthy teeth.

School holidays are the prefect time to book your children in for a general dental check-up. Some children will be eligible for Medicare’s Child Dental Benefit Schedule. The Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers a broad range of basic dental services.

You can call our friendly staff on (03) 5134 1311 to see if your child is eligible.

Most winter sports are associated with physical contact- some quite excessive. Of late we have seen a number of trauma patients who have not been wearing mouthguards while engaging in contact sport. The results can sometime be devastating.

A customised well fitted mouthguard is an essential prerequisite for anyone involved in any contact sport. If you’re not wearing a mouthguard, or if you have an old poorly fitting one, now is the time to make an appointment to have a customised mouthguard constructed.  Don’t wait until you suffer major dental trauma to think about prevention!

Call our Morwell practice to make an appointment today on (03) 5134 1311

Tooth grinding, or bruxism, is a condition we are seeing more of these days. Left untreated, patients risk tooth fractures, tension headaches, muscular joint dysfunction, sensitivity, not to mention the poor aesthetic of badly worn teeth.

Prevention is better than cure! If diagnosed correctly, we generally recommend the construction of a splint which is a customised device made of a special composite resin that is worn at night, or at times during the daytime to protect the teeth and muscles/ joints from the damaging effects of grinding.

You can call our practice on (03) 5134 1311 to book an appointment with Dr Caprara.