Glen Waverley Celebrates
Dental Health Week

Dental Health Week (Aug 6-12), is the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) annual oral health promotion. EK Dental Surgery enthusiastically supports Dental Health Week as it is a week specifically set aside to focus on why oral health is so important.

Oral health is related to ALL health – it can affect more than just your teeth – it can also lead to infection, inflammation, and cardiovascular and other systemic diseases. This means that proper oral health care technique is a key part of your total health.

While we were taught about proper oral health care when we were kids, as we have grown up some of our habits may have slipped.

It is our chance to readdress those habits that may have weakened by sharing four critical pieces of advice for oral health.

What are the four pieces of advice? The ADA’s key messages are simple:

• Brush teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste
• Clean between teeth once a day (with floss or interdental brushes)
• Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake
• Regularly visit the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment.

Let’s examine each of these points from the EK Dental Surgery viewpoint.

Brush teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste

Many of us don’t think much about how we brush our teeth. We’ve done it so many times. But as EK Dental Surgery can tell you, how you brush your teeth is extremely important to maintaining oral health, and incorrect brushing can erode the enamel from your teeth and cause your gums to recede.

Here are the proper steps for brushing your teeth:

• Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day.
• Adults only need a pea sized dab of
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a flexible neck and small head.
• Clean your teeth systematically, holding the toothbrush at the gum line at a 45 degree angle.
• Don’t press too hard – too much pressure can damage gums & tooth enamel.

Choose the proper toothpaste

Choose toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride makes teeth more resistant to attacks from sugar and acid. Fluoride can also remineralise enamel, which fights decay. Your Glen Waverley dentist can recommend a type of toothpaste best suited to you.

Generally speaking, don’t use toothpaste on children below 18 months of age. Children from 18 months to six years, can use a small dab of low fluoride toothpaste. Until the age of eight, adults should supervise children to make sure they don’t swallow any toothpaste.

Clean in-between teeth once a day (with floss or interdental brushes)

A surprising amount of tooth-surface is between teeth, unseen and difficult to access. This is why flossing should be a regular part of your oral care routine and not a special event.

Here’s how to floss according to the ADA:

1. Wind approximately 45 cm of floss around your middle fingers and grip it tightly between your thumbs and index fingers.
2. Keeping the thumb and index close together, gently guide the floss between the teeth, taking care not to cut or damage your gums with too-sudden movement. You should use a side-to-side motion to ensure the sides of both teeth are cleaned equally.
3. To clean the tooth where it meets the gums, curl the floss and insert it gently under the gum.

If you find this technique difficult, consider using a floss threader or floss pick to do the job. Other options include oral irrigators, interdental tips, and interdental cleaners.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask us at EK Dental Surgery!

Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake

Our eating habits play a significant role in tooth decay, which is a diet-related disease. A good diet also supports general dental health. Here are the ADA suggestions on diet:

• Limit sugar intake.
• Fluoridated tap water is best.
• Inspect the ingredients of food products for hidden sugars.
• Choose teeth friendly foods such as cheese, nuts and vegetables.
• Avoid snacking and grazing.

Learn more about sugar and your oral health here:

1. 8 Ways Sugar Can Damage Your Health
2. The 5 Most Sugary and Unhealthy Drinks You Should Avoid
3. Tooth Decay Prevention: Reduce Sugar and Save Your Teeth

Regularly visit the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment

The ADA and EK Dental Surgery are agreed on this – regular dental visits are a vital part of your overall oral health!

To help our community during Dental Health Week and beyond, EK Dental Surgery offers the following promotions (some terms apply):

• Special Offer For New Patients. Pay No Gap for Exam, Scale and Clean, and Fluoride Treatment for Medibank, Bupa and HCF.
• Child Dental Benefit Schedule. Bulk bill for Commonwealth Child Dental Benefit Scheme for up to $1,000.
• Same Day Emergency. Same day dental emergency appointment

Reasons To Smile At EK Dental Surgery!

EK Dental Surgery offers a wide variety of preventative and cosmetic dental procedures for children, seniors, and everyone in between! At EK Dental we can help you achieve tip-top dental health and a movie-star smile!

Call (03) 9887 8787 or visit us at 230 Springvale Road in Glen Waverley.