Dental plaque, or dental biofilm as more recently named is a soft and sticky mass of bacteria that builds up on the teeth. The longer the plaque biofilm sits on the teeth, the more ‘nasty’ it becomes. Sugars in your diet become consumed by the bacteria in your plaque, which then makes the plaque become acidic. This acidic plaque will then start to demineralise the tooths enamel which can lead to tooth decay. Bacteria in plaque can also sit underneath the gums and cause gingivitis and gum disease.
 
Dental plaque starts to harden after 24 hours, turning into calculus. Calculus is difficult to remove at home with your toothbrush or floss because it is a harder substance than plaque. 
 
How to prevent plaque biofilm build-up:
 

• Brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time with a soft bristled tooth brush or electric tooth brush. Pay particular attention to where your gums meet the teeth as this is where a lot of plaque can accumulate. Your dentist or hygienist will help you by showing you the correct technique for toothbrushing.
• Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• Clean in between your teeth every day with interdental brushes or floss. Your dentist or hygienist can also help you by showing you the correct technique for this if you are unsure; and can help you find the right sized interdental brush for your needs.
• See your dentist or hygienist regularly for your 6 monthly professional cleaning.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit your intake of sugary foods and drinks.

 
If you have any questions or concerns in regards to your mouth or oral health, feel free to give us a call on 08 9321 6928, we are always happy to help!

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​Generally speaking, it is recommended that you visit your dentist/hygienist every 6 months for a general dental examination and scale and clean appointment. However, we are all individuals which means our individual requirements as a dental patient differ from person to person so some people may require more or less frequent visits.
 
Here’s what’s involved in a general 6 month check and clean appointment:
 

• Checking for any signs of tooth decay
• X-rays may be taken to help determine if there is any tooth decay in between the teeth or underneath any existing fillings
• Answering any concerns that you may have about your mouth
• Oral cancer screening and checking the oral cavity for any unusual lesions
• Checking your TMJ function
• Checking for any signs of wear, cracks or erosion of the teeth
• Checking your gum health for any signs of gingivitis or gum disease
• Cleaning of the teeth to remove biofilm, calculus and stains
• Oral health education and advice

 
Some people are more prone to gingivitis and gum disease and this can be due to many factors such as genetics, oral hygiene levels, smoking and diabetes, to name a few. Therefore, for some, we may recommend more frequent visits to the dentist than the usual ‘6 monthly visits’ to conduct more frequent scale and clean appointments to help to maintain healthy gums.
 
Other people, who have excellent oral hygiene levels through excellent brushing and flossing techniques and excellent gum health with low tooth decay risks may require less frequent scale and clean appointments. Your dentist will be able to determine what frequency is right for you and your oral health.
 
If you have any questions or concerns in regards to your mouth or oral health, feel free to give us a call on 08 9321 6928, we are always happy to help!

To work out how to remove stains from the teeth, we must first determine whether they come from the inside or the outer surface of the tooth.
 
Intrinsic tooth staining comes from the inside surface of the tooth called the dentine, which sits underneath the enamel. Over time, dentine can become darker/more yellow in colour. Dentine can also be stained by medications such as tetracycline.
 
Extrinsic tooth stains sit on the external surface of the tooth, the enamel. Generally speaking, food and drinks that are dark in colour can stain the enamel of the teeth.
 
Extrinsic stains on the teeth can be removed by seeing your dentist or hygienist every 6 months for a scale and clean appointment. A scale and clean involves removing plaque, calculus and stains from the teeth. After this process, if you are still unhappy with the colour of your teeth and would like them to be whiter, teeth whitening may be an option. Refer to our blog post ‘ISO-Snacking… what will stain your teeth during these times of increased snacking!’ to see which foods and drinks can be offenders when it comes to extrinsic tooth stains.
 
Intrinsic stains are a little more difficult to remove. They cannot be removed via mechanical cleaning; and require a chemical intervention. Teeth whitening can whiten teeth that are stained intrinsically. Teeth whitening can be performed in a couple of different ways:

• In-chair whitening:
  • This involves a 60 - 90 minute appointment where a tooth whitening solution is applied to your teeth in a very careful manner to ensure that none of the solution comes in to contact with the gums. Your gums will be covered and protected by an adhesive gel that covers the gums and is removed once the whitening is complete. This procedure should only be provided by a qualified dental professional.
• Take-home whitening:
  • This form of whitening involves a similar whitening solution that is involved in the in-chair whitening however, the active ingredient (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) it is in a much lower concentration. You will be supplied with specially formed trays to place the whitening solution into. You then wear the trays once per day for approximately 7 days (this duration may differ slightly dependant on the solution type and brand). This form of tooth whitening is a more gradual process than the in-chair whitening.

 
Before commencing any form of tooth whitening we recommend you speak to one of our dental professionals to determine if it would be a suitable option for you. 

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