Like many areas of the body, your mouth is teeming with bacteria – most of them harmless. Normally the body’s natural defence and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, can keep these bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.

Sam is our dental hygienist at Jacaranda Family Dental, and Adam’s wife. She prides herself on her gentleness and thoroughness and can give you the best advice on cleaning and flossing techniques to ensure your at-home oral care routine is the best it can be.

Our professional cleaning treatments at Jacaranda Family Dental utilise advanced ultrasonic equipment to remove hard deposits of tartar or calculus from the teeth, and as with all our treatments, your comfort is our top priority.

Whilst some bacteria produce acid that causes tooth decay, there are other bacteria that can attack the gum and supporting bone around our teeth. These bacteria create plaque that eventually goes hard and is very difficult to remove at home. If you have ever noticed that your gums appear red or swollen, or bleed easily when you brush or floss, you may have periodontal (gum) disease.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common causes for tooth loss in Australian adults, but the good news that if diagnosed early enough it can be treated.

At Jacaranda Family Dental, we can arrange time at your regular check up to remove the plaque and tartar from both above and below the gum line of all your teeth.

What we eat is just as important to the health of our teeth and gums as it is for the rest of our body. Each time we eat or drink sugary or starchy foods, the bacteria in our mouth use them to produce acid, which attacks tooth enamel and causes decay. What you might not realise is that it is not so much the amount of sugar and starch that you eat, but the how often during the day you eat it (ie snacking.

Snacking throughout the day provides a constant food supply for bacteria to continue to produce tooth-damaging acid. Dietary advice provided at Jacaranda Family Dental includes discussion around reducing snacking, or choosing healthy alternatives such as cheese, nuts or fruit/vegetables you can reduce your risk of tooth decay.