Painless dental restorations

Winter may be the coldest season on the Australian calendar, but it also comes with opportunities for exploring various foods and outdoor activities. As enjoyable as this season sounds, it is essential to be concerned about your dental well-being. The cold season can be particularly harsh on the teeth, and if you aren't careful, you can suffer discomfort and sensitivity issues. The last thing you would want is numerous visits to the dentist throughout the winter.

Getting orthodontic treatment as an adult is a chance to finally get the smile you've always wanted; to straighten your teeth, correct your bite, and give your confidence a big boost. At least, that's the end goal. Before you get there, you're going to have to put up with some form of braces while your teeth are realigned. As an adult, it's natural to feel more self-conscious about this than younger brace-wearers do.

Proper oral hygiene can mean fewer cavities and less risk of gum disease and other serious oral conditions that could lead to tooth loss; you will also have fresher breath when you care for your teeth properly, and less risk of teeth becoming discoloured over time. However, note a few mistakes that many people make that can actually hurt their teeth and gums, and then discuss your oral care routine with your dentist as needed

Painful, potentially dangerous oral health issues such as an abscess, a severe toothache, or a dislodged tooth, are usually classed as dental emergencies. In this situation, it is always best to try to get to an emergency dentist as soon as possible. However, the steps you take in the run-up to your appointment could have a huge impact not only on how distressing this experience is but also on whether or not you lose a tooth.

If you pop a peppermint sweet into your mouth in order to deal with bad breath, then you could be making the problem worse. Although sweet smelling foods can cover up the problem of bad breath for a while, they may actually augment the root cause of the issue. This is because most forms of halitosis are caused by microscopic organisms in the mouth. These are foul smelling bacteria which, if they build up in sufficient quantities, become noticeable to other people.

Though it may sound hard to believe, it is possible to sprain a tooth. Just as an awkward fall can sprain an ankle, an unexpectedly hard item of food or even a clash of heads during a sports game can sprain a tooth. But how is that possible? Teeth Have Ligaments Too Like the joints of your body, your teeth are anchored by ligaments known as periodontal ligaments. Composed mostly of water, these ligaments hold your teeth in place while at the same time allowing them enough flexibility for you to comfortably chew.

Each year, in the US, more than 5 million teeth are knocked out of their sockets, according to the AAE (American Association of Endodontists). Sport is one of the biggest causes of avulsed teeth, and often occurs because players don't wear the appropriate protection, for example, a mouth guard. However, many of these injuries occur in cities where dental practices are abundant. If you lose a tooth while camping or climbing a mountain, it is highly unlikely that you will have access to a dental practice.

Few people – if any – really look forward to a visit to the dentist; as activities go, it's pretty far from settling down with a good book or having afternoon tea. But despite that, most people just get on with it – after all, it's usually unlikely that anything unpleasant will happen, and the appointment will be over with quickly, leaving you to enjoy the rest of your day.