FAQs

At Bentleigh Dental on McKinnon we are committed to providing the very best dental health care for all our patients.

We strongly believe that the basis of dental health is the optimal health of your periodontal tissues (gums and bone). Prevention of dental problems is fundamental to our practice and this is why our patients have comprehensive continuing care with a Dental Hygienist.

A Dental Hygienist is a tertiary qualified dental professional, specifically trained in the detection, prevention and treatment of gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. The maintenance of healthy gums and bone is crucial in ensuring that you keep your teeth.

At Bentleigh Dental on McKinnon we are proud to offer the services of our Dental Hygienists; Ms Heidi Lui,  Ms Shellie Morris, Ms Laura Nixon, Ms Lisa Nguyen.

Heide, Shellie, Laura and Lisa look forward to customising an oral hygiene programme for you, helping to ensure your dental health for years to come.

Our Dentists refer a patient to the Hygienist knowing that it will result in an improvement in their level of oral health. This is due to the longer appointments with the Hygienist, their skill at cleaning teeth and their motivational oral hygiene instruction.

Hygienists work collaboratively with the dentist, providing an extra layer of care, enabling them to give important feedback to the dentists on your oral health. We believe it is important that you undergo an examination with your dentist at least once every 12 months. We tailor your appointment regime to suit your individual needs.

No. A hygiene visit will cost the same as seeing the dentist for clean.

However in a hygiene appointment, which is almost twice as long as a dentist clean, you will receive extra services that are not charged. These include a full periodontal charting. If you claim with a health fund you may actually receive a higher rebate from your hygiene appointment!

Your mouth is continuously changing and to prevent any deterioration you must have ongoing care to maintain oral health and hygiene.
Your Dental Hygienist, under the direction of your Dentist, may undertake the following range of treatments:

• a medical history review
• periodontal assessment and charting
• removal of plaque and calculus (tartar) from your teeth and underneath the gum line
• education of effective home care techniques to maintain healthy teeth and gums
• dental radiographs
• dietary analysis and advice on nutrition and its relationship to oral health
• the application of fluoride and desensitising agents
• product recommendations
• tooth whitening
• fissure sealants
• saliva pH testing
• dental impressions
• oral cancer screening
• temporomandibular joint (TMJ) assessment

As your Hygienist will explain, caring for your oral hygiene between visits is essential.

Prevention is better than any cure and the prevention of dental disease can be easily assisted with the aid of certain oral health products available from Bentleigh Dental on McKinnon. Your Hygienist may make recommendations for your care and provide instructions on their proper use.

It is important to start cleaning your child’s teeth as soon as they erupt into their mouth.

In an infant’s mouth you can use either a baby sized tooth brush or a soft cloth to wipe over their teeth. You should not use tooth paste until the child can reliably spit out. This may not be until they are between 2 and 3 years old. During the in-between stage, where you child is able to spit out some, but not all of their toothpaste, it is recommended that you simply dip a couple of bristles into half-strength-fluoride children’s toothpaste. This very small amount of toothpaste will give the child the sensation of a foaming toothpaste, as well as the taste. Importantly it will also protect their teeth with a fluoride application. Once your child is able to consistently spit out their toothpaste you can place half pea sized amount of junior toothpaste onto their brush. Always encourage them to spit it all out.

We recommend that parents clean their children’s teeth up to around ten years of age. Children aged older than six should be encouraged to brush independently, this should then be followed by a helping parental hand. We suggest that it should take around two minutes to brush a young child’s mouth. As more adult teeth erupt, this time lengthens to two and half minutes. The preferred technique involves a gentle circular motion, that touches on the gums. The only area where we encourage scrubbing is on the chewing surfaces.

There are several reasons that we do not want children to swallow toothpaste. The most common side effect that a child who swallows their toothpaste could experience is fluorosis. Fluorosis manifests as white or brown spots in the enamel of a tooth. These develop if the tooth is exposed to excess fluoride during development. These marks are permanent and in some instances the enamel can be so weakened it leads to cavities. It is also important to know that excess fluoride consumption can be toxic. If a small child was to eat an entire tube of adult-strength toothpaste it could be lethal. It is always a good idea to store your toothpastes out of reach of small children.

It is generally accepted that children should visit the dentist by the age of two and half. Not all children of this age will co-operate, however it is important to introduce them to the dental environment. If you are concerned about a dental issue with an infant, then please make an appointment regardless of their age.

A typical visit for a child will be fun. We encourage them to sit in the dental chair and go for a ride! We explain everything to them in simple terms that they can relate to. There are no unwelcome surprises. If a child does not want to co-operate, then we do not force the issue. We consider it so important that they have positive associations with the dentist.

In a typical child’s exam, we will count their teeth, examine them for cavities, assess the child’s oral hygiene and bite (occlusion) and check for any oral abnormalities. We will then discuss with the child and the parent any information that is relevant, including oral hygiene, diet, future orthodontic requirements and habits, such as dummies and thumb sucking.

Many people dismiss the importance of baby teeth. Aside from helping children to eat, these teeth perform some important functions. Some of these include:

• Allowing for proper speech development
• Importantly they act as space maintainers for the developing permanent teeth. If baby teeth are prematurely lost it can result in crowding of the adult teeth. This may require extractions and/or orthodontic treatment to rectify as the child grows
• Baby teeth have an important role in teaching children how to look after and maintain their teeth, setting them up for a lifetime of good dental habits and health
• Children can be very self-conscious regarding aesthetic concerns. If a child has missing or damaged teeth it can lead to a lack of self-esteem and confidence

We participate in the Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS) and will only charge the rebatable fee for examinations, cleans, fissure sealants and x-rays.

For more extensive treatment, such as fillings or extractions, there may (but not always) be a small out of pocket fee. The dentist will let you know with absolute clarity if this is the case.

You will receive a notification from Medicare if your child is eligible. We would appreciate you bringing a copy of this notice to your child’s appointment. Medicare has stringent rules around the administration of the CDBS and as such at every appointment, for each child, we require a new declaration form to be filled in by the parent or guardian. Our receptionists will help you with this process. Please advise them if your child is using the CDBS when you are booking your appointment and when you arrive for the appointment.

In all instances you will be required to pay for the treatment at the end of the appointment. You will be instantly issued with a receipt that you send/take to Medicare. It will contain their unique item numbers that allow you to claim your rebate. As mentioned above this will normally mean you receive a full refund.

The amount of the rebate applicable will depend on the level of your health cover.

Should you require an estimate of your rebate, we will happily provide you with the item numbers so that you can contact your fund directly.

At Bentleigh Dental on McKinnon we tailor our recall program to suit the individual.

We routinely arrange appointments for patients that are at intervals of 3, 4, 6, 9 or 12 months. However, the majority of people return every six months. This allows us to closely monitor and maintain their oral health.

Wisdom teeth do not necessarily need to be extracted. It is possible for them to erupt into your mouth and become normal functioning teeth. The average age range for their eruption into your mouth is 16-21 years old.

Not everybody develops four wisdom teeth. It is possible that none, one, two or three may develop.

If a wisdom tooth is impeded from erupting, either by the tooth in front of it or by bone, it is classed as impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth may be pain free, or it may cause a number of problems. These problems can include

Pain and recurrent infection of the gum tissues

This is called pericorinitis and tends to happen when food gets caught in the gum flap over the partially erupted wisdom tooth.

Damage to the neighbouring teeth

When this occurs it can be very difficult or impossible to fix. In these instances it may be necessary to have both teeth extracted.

Periodontal gum and bone loss in the area

This can mean that support for the wisdom tooth and its adjacent tooth can be compromised and potentially lead to tooth loss.

Cysts

Sometimes an unerupted or partially erupted wisdom tooth can be related to cysts. This is an uncommon complication.

It is advisable to have your wisdom teeth investigated around the age of eighteen. This can allow the dentist to identify any potential complications and advise you on the best course of treatment. It is often suggested that wisdom teeth be extracted before the roots have a chance to fully form. This can reduce the potential likelihood of nerve damage during extraction. It is generally accepted that younger people have easier extractions, due to the more pliant nature of their bone.

If you have retained, unerupted wisdom teeth, we would advise you to have them monitored with an OPG x-ray approximately every three years. This allows us to check for damage to neighbouring structures and ensure the absence of any pathology.

You will not leave the surgery until bleeding has stopped. The gauze pack you have in your mouth as you leave the surgery should remain in place for half an hour. Spare gauze packs will be provided in case bleeding recommences. If your socket starts to bleed again, you must leave a pack in for half an hour while biting down firmly.

In the week after an extraction is is advisable to follow these guidelines.

• Do not rinse your mouth or drink through a straw for 24 hours. If you do this you may accidentally knock out the blood clot. This causes extreme pain.
• Do not exercise, smoke or drink alcohol for at least 24 hours. These activities increase the risk of a dry socket occurring.
• You may require some post extraction pain medication. The level of pain medication you will require will depend upon the degree of difficulty of the extraction and your pain threshold. The dentist will guide you in this regard. The ideal time to take a pain reliever is as the numbness begins to wear off. This means the medicine has time to work before the feeling fully returns to the area.
• It is better not to eat or drink until the numbness has completely disappeared. After this eat soft foods on the other side of your mouth.
• The day after the extraction you may gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Do this three or four times a day for one week.

If for some reason the blood clot is lost from the extraction site, a “dry socket” may develop. This refers to inflammation in the bone and usually presents as pain, and may be accompanied by an unpleasant odour or taste that develops 1-2 days after the extraction. If you suspect this please contact the practice. If a dry socket occurs the level of pain experienced can be significant

Keep your mouthguard in the case provided when not in use. Store it dry.

Heat can distort your mouthguard. Do not rinse it under hot water or store in hot places.

Routine cleaning involves rinsing your mouthguard after use in cool soapy water or brushing it gently with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Rinse and dry it well.

Do not use alcohol based cleaners, mouth rinses or soaks.

To remove built up stains you may soak your mouthguard in a solution of vinegar (1/4) and water (3/4) for 12 hours. Then brush and dry the mouthguard well.

Always wear your mouthguard at training too. Remember mouthguards only protect your teeth if you wear them!

We find that patients commonly ask us if they should have their silver (amalgam) fillings replaced. Our answer depends on the reasons behind the request. We will always listen to your questions and concerns before providing you with all the information you need to make an informed treatment decision.

Understandably aesthetics is a key reason for many people requesting replacement of their silver fillings. In these instances we will generally be able to supply you with a treatment plan to achieve the desired result.

People are also concerned about the safety of their silver fillings. Current research indicates that dental amalgam is still safe to use intra orally. Replacing fillings that are sound can create problems that otherwise may not have occurred. These can include damage to the remaining tooth structure and sensitivity or pain.

There are a number of reasons why a filling may need to be replaced. This can include new decay, breakage or aesthetics. In most instances it will be possible to replace the defective restoration with a tooth coloured filling.

The NHMRC working Party report states that “… general public and environmental health principles dictates that where possible exposure to mercury from dental amalgams be reduced where a safe practical alternative exists. This becomes more prudent in special populations, including children, women in pregnancy and persons with existing kidney disease.”

For those patients requiring the removal of previous amalgam restorations, it is possible to reduce their exposure to the mercury by placing rubber dam over the treated teeth.

The best foods and drinks are those that do not contain sugar or acid. Water is the best drink. Snacks that have minimal detrimental effects on the teeth include vegetables such as carrots, celery, beans, cucumber and capsicum. Other foods such as rice crackers, pop corn, potato chips, nuts and bread are acceptable.

Sadly fruit and milk contain natural sugars that are metabolised by the bacteria to cause acid. Excessive consumption of these between meals is likely to lead to tooth decay.

Any foods that contain sugar or are acidic will potentially cause tooth decay. This is irrespective of whether it is natural sugars, such as in fruit or milk, or processed sugars.

Whenever any food or drink containing sugar is ingested, the always present oral bacteria, turn the sugar into acid. This acid demineralises the teeth, causing tooth decay.

A key factor in tooth decay is the frequency of the sugar exposure. For example, if you ate an entire block of chocolate in five minutes it would be bad for your teeth only that one time. However, if you divided the block into seven portions and ate them at seven different times, it would cause seven distinct acid exposures and therefore increase your likelihood of decay.

Any carbonated beverage, including diet soft drink or soda water, will cause damage to your teeth. These drinks, while not containing sugar, are acidic. This acid erodes and demineralises teeth.

After you’ve eaten or drunk something sugary or acidic, rinse your mouth out with plain water. And wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth to reduce the risk of enamel erosion.