May 2018

Let’s face it. Not everyone practices impeccable oral hygiene or sees their local dentist regularly. And those that already have tooth problems but continue to neglect dental health are more likely to be wearing dentures sooner or later.

So do you think you may be one of those people? Here are 8 red flags to look out for to see if you may need to wear dentures.

• Frequent and severe tooth aches that are left untreated
• You don’t see your dentist twice a year for cleaning and examinations
• Your gums are always bleeding, swollen, red, and tender
• You already lost one or more teeth to periodontal disease

• Difficulty chewing certain food, which is a sign of tooth damage, decay, or gum disease
• Gaps between your tooth are getting wider due to loose or moving teeth
• You have indigestion because you don’t chew properly due to tooth problems
• You’re embarrassed to smile

Having one or two of these signs apply to you doesn’t mean you’re definitely headed for a dentured life. By knowing these signs, you can actually prevent tooth loss and eventually dentures. You can prevent your dental problems from getting worse, which can mean even more drastic—and costlier—treatments.

These warning signs can serve as a wakeup call for you to visit your dentist, be proactive about dental treatments, and start practicing good oral hygiene.

So go ahead and visit your friendly Sunshine Coast dentists, Battery Hill Dental, today.

Airway issues and sleep breathing problems are difficult to diagnose. Primarily, this is because you don’t know you have a problem until someone in your house tells you they can’t sleep from all your snoring. But do you know that if you have airway issues, your dentist is in the best position to assess and diagnose it?

Finding a trained local dentist to identify airway issues can help save you from other related health issues.

Airway Issues Your Dentist Can Diagnose

Sleep apnoea, mouth breathing, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) can be identified by your local Sunshine Coast dentist. This is because all these disorders affect how you speak, eat, and breathe. TMJ, in particular, is caused by dental issues such as under bite or over bite, jaw or oral cavity deformation, missing teeth, or unbalanced teeth development. The dental chair is the best place for these to be identified, because your dentist is the one who routinely sees inside your mouth.

What Your Dentist is on the Lookout For

Whether it’s your regular trained dentist or a paediatric dentist, they can both assess your oral health. They can look out for conditions that may affect your sleep apnoea and other airway issues, such as:

• Bruxism or teeth grinding
• Mouth breathing
• TMJ

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Periodontal disease
• Paediatric orthodontics that affect breathing in children

Your dentist can work with your physicians as well as sleep specialists to help treat your airway and breathing issues.

Contact us at Battery Hill Dental to schedule a consultation today.