February 2018

Caring for your teeth is as important as caring for your body. So when a dental emergency happens, your local dentist should be the first one you should call. In these cases, acting fast can mean saving precious seconds that could mean between saving and losing your teeth.

So how do you know which injuries need emergency? Find out below:

• Knocked out tooth – When your tooth completely falls off, it can still be saved and re-implanted back in its place. You just have to go to your dentist immediately with the tooth, making sure not to touch the root and remove any tissue that may be attached to it. If you can’t place it back in the socket, it’s better to put it in a small clean container with a cup of milk.
• Loose tooth – You can very gently put the tooth back in place or bite down to keep it from moving before going to the dentist. A splint will then be placed on each adjacent teeth to stabilize the loose tooth.
• Chipped tooth – While a chipped tooth doesn’t hurt, it pays to give your dentist a quick visit so as to prevent the teeth from chipping more as you bite or chew. Your dentist may smooth a minor chip or use tooth coloured restoration to repair it.

• Fractured or cracked tooth – A fractured tooth is a serious dental emergency because it involves damage to the inside of the tooth. This is common in contact sports and accidents, where facial trauma is typical. If the soft tissue within the tooth is damaged, a root canal may need to be performed. Otherwise, you may only need a dental crown.
• Other dental emergencies – Other conditions that need immediate dental attention to save a tooth is an emergency. This can include severe pain, continuous bleeding, and severe infection.

Many of these dental emergencies can be prevented with regular visits to your dentist. Schedule an appointment with your Sunshine Coast dentist today!

While taking care of your teeth and gums is a must at any age, elderly people need special dental care. This is because seniors have a higher risk for many dental issues that can have complicated effects on their overall health and quality of life.

This is why it’s highly important that elderly dental health also be given enough attention.

Importance of Good Elderly Dental Health

The importance of good dental health in the elderly can’t be stressed enough. This is because poor oral health in seniors can increase their risk for serious conditions such as diabetes and a variety of heart diseases.

• Managing and even reversing gum disease. A lifestyle of oral neglect can cause plaque, tartar, and even infection to develop. This means gingivitis or gum disease can cause you to lose teeth later in life. With the right treatment and care from your trusted dentist, you can actually reverse gingivitis—and maybe even save your teeth.
• Those with Type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk for having gum disease, thrush, and dry mouth. Dry mouth, which can also be caused by medication, can cause tooth decay, infection, and eventual tooth loss.

• Preventing heart disease. Maintaining good oral health throughout your life is powerful in fighting heart attack, stroke, and many other heart conditions. Aside from cholesterol levels, the presence of gum disease and cavities can also predict if you have heart disease.
• Increased risk for pneumonia. Breathing in the bacterial droplets from your mouth to your lungs can cause you to be more likely to develop pneumonia and lung infection.

The conditions of the elderly, such as aching joints due to arthritis or being too immobile to go to the dentist regularly, can make maintaining good elderly dental health difficult to fulfil. However, it’s not too late. Our dentists at Caloundra can take care of your dental needs and prepare you for whatever treatment you may need.