Sucking a dummy or fingers is thought to be a normal act in young children. However, many parents are unaware of the negative effects of dummies on their child’s mouth and teeth.

Dentists advise that parents only let their child use a dummy with caution, as the shape of a child’s mouth and teeth can be negatively affected if sucking continues to school age, after the adult teeth appear. These changes can then become long-lasting, and teeth may be pushed forward so that the bottom and top front teeth don’t meet properly.

Another serious concern for many dentists is that rapid tooth decay may occur if dummies are dipped in sugary substances such as jam, honey, fruit juice or condensed milk. Furthermore, dummies may be a source of bacterial infection if they are shared by other children or picked up from the floor.

The risk of tooth decay in the child’s mouth can be increased if you suck your child’s dummy, thereby transferring bacteria from your mouth to the child’s. If parents do choose to give their child a dummy, it is important to follow good hygiene, and to make sure dummies are in good condition and meet safety guidelines.

Besides incorrectly positioned teeth and tooth decay, extended use of a dummy can lead to many other mouth and dental problems. For example, dummy-use may cause your child to breathe through their mouth rather than their nose, leading to long-term problems such as dribbling. Furthermore, a child’s speech development may be impaired, as they may have fewer opportunities to use sounds to communicate, and may therefore not learn the full range of tongue and mouth movements needed for forming all speech sounds.

Parents should give children the opportunity to cease their dummy use (wean) spontaneously. Sudden parent-initiated weaning from the dummy is not recommended, as it can lead to other negative habits such as finger sucking. Parents should persist gently but firmly. The first few days will be the most difficult and it may take several tries before the habit is fully broken.

Studies show that thumb suckers have greater difficulty breaking the habit than dummy suckers. An advantage of the dummy over finger sucking is that the dummy can be removed when the child falls asleep. This allows the child to learn to sleep without needing to suck a dummy or thumb.

While dummy sucking is not a major problem for dental care in the very early years, it should be stopped before permanent teeth appear in the mouth. Parents should contact their local dentist for further advice.

When it comes to choosing a dentist, it’s important to choose the best. The best dentists provide their patients with unique services that all dentists should provide, but usually don’t.

Besides the routine treatments of examination, cleaning, polishing and other minor services, there are many more high-level procedures that good dentists should provide to their patients.

For example, dentists should routinely cancer screen patients, as well as charting all of their existing and required dental restorations. All the information should be recorded in an efficient customer management system, used to accurately manage and follow patient improvement. This will ensure that any abnormal changes, indicating possible malignant growths or other problems, do not go unnoticed. If these symptoms are caught early, illness can usually be prevented.

All patients require instructions on oral hygiene technique that are specific to their circumstances. For example, the amount of toothpaste needed when brushing teeth is not the same for all people. Children should only use a pea-sized amount, whereas adults will need approximately twice this amount. Smokers, coffee and tea drinkers should regularly use whitening toothpaste to ensure that temporary teeth stains from these substances do not become permanent. Furthermore, both adults and children should floss daily. A good dentist will advise patients on how to maintain healthy teeth.

Patients should also receive customized diet counseling. This includes advice on how to avoid foods that are cariogenic, causing tooth decay and cavities. Examples include candy, soft drinks, cakes, and other acidic foods. After consuming these foods, the surface of the tooth (enamel) can become soft and permeable, attracting bacteria, decay and worse. It is important not to brush the teeth at this point, as the tooth surface can be brushed away. Instead, the mouth should be rinsed with water to remove the excess sugar and bacteria, and then brushed about thirty minutes later.

A good dentist will insist on regular check ups for young children, so that a lifetime of problems can be prevented before they start. It is also advisable for children to brush their own teeth, with adult help, from about three years of age, in order to develop good tooth-brushing skills. Parents should try to discourage any thumb sucking habits, as these may lead to orthodontic problems later in life.

The best dentists will be committed to ensuring your teeth remain as good as they are now, or even better. We all know that prevention is better than cure, and there is no area where this is truer than with your own teeth!

By :  Dr. Haddon Suttner, Sydney Dentist ]]> http://bondibeachdental.com.au/blog/?feed=rss2&p=49 0 http://bondibeachdental.com.au/blog/?p=41 http://bondibeachdental.com.au/blog/?p=41#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:04:43 +0000 Alas http://bondibeachdental.com.au/blog/?p=41 My brother got married last year, and just the other day, we were browsing through his wedding photos. The great thing about wedding photos is that they make you happy, because almost every person in the album is grinning back at you with huge toothy smiles! Except for one person. In every photo, my cousin Samantha always keeps her mouth closed. The result is almost laughable attempt to smile with pursed lips, which looks more like a grimace, or even a frown, than anything resembling a smile.

I remember the photographer shouting at everyone, “Say cheese!”, “Big smiles!”, “Show us your pearly whites!” But in every photo, Samantha is not smiling. Why doesn’t she smile?

Well, you see, she smokes. She drinks coffee and soda. As a result, her teeth are not exactly what you would call white. Perhaps a sort of off-white, or cream-color. Or possibly even yellow. That’s why she doesn’t show her teeth in photos.

Of course, she won’t admit that it’s because of the tobacco, or the coffee, or the soda. She says “It’s hereditary, my parents had yellow teeth!” Yes, Samantha, but they also smoked and drank coffee. And besides, times have changed.

In the past few years, amazing technological leaps have been made in the area of cosmetic dentistry. In fact cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry is fast becoming one of the biggest areas within the dental field. As treatments improve and become more affordable, more and more people are coming to cosmetic dentists for beautiful teeth.

Not only can cosmetic dentist whiten teeth, but they can also create dental implants to fill in gaps from missing teeth, and crowns to even out teeth levels. Cosmetic and implants dentists can skillfully blend science and art, and “sculpt” a more attractive, pleasing smile for you!

So, Samantha, a few tips. Firstly, stop smoking, stop drinking coffee and soda. Secondly, arrange an appointment to see your local cosmetic dentist. The procedure takes less than thirty minutes. And finally, start using teeth-whitening toothpaste twice a day. Follow these simple steps and you’ll have whiter teeth in no time at all.

Then, at the next family event, you’ll be able to smile when the photographer shouts, “Show us your pearly whites!”

By :  Dr. Haddon Suttner, Sydney Dentist

Dr. Haddon Suttner is a highly motivated Dentist Bondi Sydney. In Bondi dentists aren’t legally required to pursue continuing education, but Dr. Haddon Suttner pursues courses studying the latest techniques, on a monthly basis. Bondi Beach Dental uses the latest technology and user friendly methods, to facilitate our patients best treatment outcomes.

Dr Suttner strives to provide quality services in a gentle and caring environment. He is the dentist Bondi people trust more than any one else.

Few Words about Bondi History

“Bondi” or “Boondi” is an aboriginal word. Meaning of this word is “water breaking over rocks” or “noise of water breaking over rocks.”  Between 1855 and 1877 Bondi beach was made available for public, and people of Bondi were allowed to use it as picnic spot or pleasure resort. Around that time bus services was started between Sydney and Bondi village. In 1933, government started bus service to Bondi junction. Tram service was started in Bondi about 1929. Bondi tram service ended somewhere in 1958.

Home Based Tooth Whitening

There are people who like to try different things at home for tooth whitening. It is very similar as people try self-medication, without consulting any doctor. You can imagine how self tooth whitening can result, keeping in mind self-medication.

• Home based teeth whitening methods need extra ordinary care. As the person applying tooth whitening method is not professional and experienced, so chances of accidental damages are more.
• Home based teeth whitening techniques are time taking and boring. These tooth whitening methods can take upto few weeks, really !
• For such a long period, regular daily treatment is required. If you miss one or more days, then whole process is disturbed. So it really needs too much care, regularity and dedication to apply home based tooth whitening methods.
• The only benifit of home based tooth whitening methods is Low Cost. You can save your money if you use home based tooth whitening methods.

Tooth Whitening at Dentist

The work is done better by a person who is trained and specialised for the work. You cannot get a good photograph from a dentist, unless he has developed his skills in photography too. Similarly you should not try to do a job of dentist by yourself.

The major difference between home and dentist tooth whitening treatments is professional skill and experience.

• You just get the teeth whitening kit and start applying it. On the other hand dentist first examine your teeth. Find if any cavities are there. If cavities are found then he will fill them up.
  Dentist will never start tooth whitening process unless he makes sure that your teeth are perfectly ready for any tooth whitening application.
• For more security, dentist normally apply some gel on your gums to protect them.
• Another important factor is time. If you are busy and cannot spare 1 or 2 hours daily, for few weeks then tooth whitening from dentist is the best choice. It normally takes only one visit of about 1 hour to get your teeth white and bright.

If you want to get teeth whitening treatment now, get details from here Tooth Whitening. If you want to book a visit then click here Sydney Dentist

I met many people who wants to get white teeth and perfect smile like Julia Roberts. People wonder how these Movie Stars have perfect white teeth. Teeth whitening was something magic few years ago. Now i can see a lot of people with white teeth and a bright smile, just because of teeth whitening treatment is now available everywhre.

Tooth Whitening is now popular in cities and towns around the globe. People use tooth whitening to improve their beauty and confidence. Anyone with yellow teeth is hesitant in facing people, and specially laughing with open mouth. If you have white teeth then you can enjoy full smile.

Tooth whitening was considered a difficult and time taking thing some years ago. Now tooth whitening is as easy as having a cup of coffee, wondered… but it is true. Tooth whitening is just a 30 minute process.

You can get tooth whitening treatment from any reliable dentist. It will take about 30 minutes to 1 hour time. And after 1 hour you will have Movie Star like white teeth. And you can smile with open mouth.

If you want to get tooth whitening treatment now, get details from here Tooth Whitening. If you want to book a visit then click here Sydney Dentist