How vitamin deficiency affects your oral health.
Dr Tatiana Luebke of SMILEFOCUS reveals how vitamin deficiencies can affect your smile.
Don’t be surprised if at your next dental visit you’re not just getting advice on good dental hygiene, but also about a healthy diet. This isn’t because your dentist wants to compare recipes, but because good health directly correlates to good dental health. 
Dr Tatiana Luebke B.D.S. (Bristol) Receive facial aesthetic treatments as part of your routine dental treatment
Dr Myles Holt of SMILEFOCUS explains how facial aesthetic treatments add a new dimension to dentistry and your overall appearance.
When you consider how much time a Dentist spends assessing and working with the appearance of your teeth and face plus their experience in providing safe, accurate and comfortable injections in this area, it’s only logical they are well qualified to provide these particular services. And the best part is these treatments can be done during routine dental appointments and take only minutes to complete – ideal for busy individuals who don’t have the luxury of time. And since the results are temporary and require enhancements approximately every six months, you can do this in conjunction with your routine dental check-up. Facial aesthetics treatments are a natural complement to cosmetic dentistry and when done concurrently, will not only restore your smile but also create a more youthful looking you.
Dr. Myles Holt is from Melbourne, Australia and has more than 10 years of international experience spanning Australia, UK, Europe and the Middle East. His passion and expertise lies in Cosmetic Dentistry and Facial Aesthetic procedures.
Is your snoring causing serious health problems?
Dr Elaine Ng of SMILEFOCUS explains what obstructive sleep apnoea is and how it can prevent you – and your loved one – from getting a good night’s rest.
It’s common to snore when you’re extremely tired or had one too many glasses of red wine. However, chronic snoring can be a sign of a more serious health problem such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In Greek apnoea means “without breath”, this condition causes you to stop breathing for short intervals – 10 seconds or longer – throughout the night. This can happen between 20 to 30 times or more every hour, all night long. When you stop breathing, the oxygen levels in your blood drop and the carbon dioxide levels rise. 
Dr. Elaine Ng TMJ syndrome explained & treatment options
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome is a cycle of pain, muscle spasms and joint imbalance at the point where your jaw meets the skull and often causes chronic facial pain. The temporomandibular joint allows you to chew and speak and is one of the most complex joints in your body.Cushioning these two bones is a thin disc of cartilage. So when there’s an imbalance in the bones, muscles and cartilage it can result in a myriad of symptoms including headaches, neck and ear aches, difficulty in opening or closing the jaw, a clicking or a popping in the joint, a dull aching pain around the ear that spreads into the face and tender or painful jaw muscles. Other symptoms to look out for are teeth clenching and grinding – both a cause and a symptom – numbness in your fingers and toes, vertigo and undiagnosable tooth pain. Any problem that prevents this complex system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones from properly working together may result in a painful TMJ disorder.
Several conditions can be related to TMJ disorders. They can be quite varied and often difficult to pinpoint, but in general it’s the muscles or joint of your jaw that are affected – usually involving the joint, ligaments and muscles used for chewing and grinding food. TMJ syndrom is usually caused by grinding or clenching your teeth, a bad bite caused by missing teeth or badly aligned teeth, a blow to the joint, the onset of arthritis, an injury to the muscles allowing the joints to move and stress, particularly emotional stress. TMJ affects women of childbearing age and older men and women.
Your dentist can identify the source of the pain with an exam and an x-ray and will advise on the best way to treat your TMJ problem. Treatment options may include crowning teeth, filling the gaps, adjusting the bite or even moving your teeth with orthodontic treatment to restore balance and harmony to the joint. You can also ease TMJ symptoms by making some lifestyle changes such as engaging in stress reducing exercises, taking muscle relaxants or wearing a splint, which is a plastic mouthpiece to prevent teeth clenching and grinding.
D.D.S (Iowa)
Dr Jon Ryder is a restorative dentist and also an Adjunct Professor for Restorative Dentistry at the University of Iowa. A fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, his expertise includes full mouth rehabilitation, implant surgery and prosthodontics, periodontal surgery and oral pathology.
Five ways to ensure you enjoy your next visit to the dentist
Dr Patricia Hancock of SMILEFOCUS offers tips for overcoming a fear of the dentist. The most effective way to overcome your fear is to find a good dentist. One who is patient, genuinely caring, communicates well and has your best interests at heart, especially when recommending treatments without any added pressure. A good dentist will also be able to educate you on the progress dentistry has seen over the years. Less intimidating modern techniques and technology ensures most treatments today are virtually pain-free, including injections! A good dentist is someone you’d recommend to others just like you would a good movie
Patricia Hancock
Oral cancer and ways to detect & treat it
Dr Myles Holt of SMILEFOCUS gives an in-depth explanation of oral cancer and ways to detect and help prevent the disease.
It’s common knowledge regular visits to your dentist are important in maintaining good oral health. However, did you know part of a routine dental examination involves your dentist screening for signs of oral cancer? • A sore in the mouth which bleeds easily or does not heal
Dr Myles Holt How diabetes can affect your teeth and gums
Dr Brendan Gin of SMILEFOCUS explains how diabetes can harm your teeth and gums, and prescribes methods of treatment for maintenance.
Your mouth naturally contains many types of bacteria. When these interact with starch and sugar in the food and beverages you consume, a sticky film known as plaque forms on your teeth. The acid in plaque attacks the hard, outer surface of your teeth (enamel), encouraging cavities. A diabetic has high glucose levels in the saliva allowing the bacteria in plaque to thrive, causing repeated acid attacks and wearing away teeth.
Be sure to tell your dentist if you have diabetes and do your best to keep your blood glucose level under control. You should also brush and floss your teeth daily and visit your dentist every six months to monitor your oral health and prevent gum disease and other diabetes-related complications.
It’s best to visit your dentist when your blood sugar level is in a normal range, especially if you’re scheduled for more extensive treatment. If your blood sugar level is not under control, postpone any non-emergency dental procedures. Remember to eat before your dental appointment and take your usual medication. Alert your dentist if you have any infections and if you’re having a procedure done that might leave your mouth sore, choose soft or liquid foods to alleviate the pain and control your blood sugar levels.
As a diabetic, keep your dentist informed of any changes in your condition and any medication you’re taking. Diabetes related dental infections can be painful and disrupt normal eating patterns. Managing diabetes is a lifelong commitment which requires proper dental care, so work together with your dentist to ensure good oral hygiene and your efforts will be rewarded with a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
Is diabetes affecting your dental health? Check for…
• Red, tender and swollen gums
• Gums that bleed when you brush them – even when they’re not sore
• Gum shrinking away from your teeth so your teeth look longer
• Pus around your teeth when you press on the gum
• A continual bad taste in your mouth
• Loose teeth
• A change in the way your top and bottom teeth touch
Dr Brendan Gin B.D.Sc. (Melbourne) Dr Brendan Gin, from
Pain-free root canal treatment
Dr Leroy McCully of SMILEFOCUS explains how new techniques allow for pain-free root canal treatment.
Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime and with modern treatment methods this is often possible – despite damage or decay. Advances in Root Canal Treatment (RCT) are a great example. A tooth with an infected nerve once had to be extracted, but it can now be saved through root canal (endodontic) treatment. Any fears of pain are more myth and hyperbole than fact. Not only is having RCT infinitely better than enduring the pain of not having it, but today’s RCT is virtually pain-free! RCT involves the removal of the tooth’s pulp – a small, thread-like tissue important for tooth development in childhood, but redundant in adulthood. An infected pulp causes pressure and pain, occasionally resulting in facial swelling. Sometimes, the deterioration of the pulp happens so gradually little pain is felt. Bacteria eventually destroys the pulp, causing the bone surrounding the tooth to become seriously infected.
RCT may be required if you’ve experienced a physical blow to a tooth, have irritation from deep decay or a very large filling, need to rectify bacterial leakage of an old filling or crown, or are suffering from severe gum disease.
With the help of a surgical microscope – capable of detecting the finest details in a tooth’s structure – an Endodontist removes the tooth’s pulp, replacing it with materials to promote healing and seal off the root canal from the underlying jawbone. Due to natural tissue inflammation, the tooth may feel sensitive for the first few days following treatment, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure. But any discomfort can be controlled with over-the-counter pain medication and you’ll likely be able to resume normal activities the following day.
As a treated tooth is more fragile, it may be necessary to have a crown fitted for added protection. In the meantime, minimise any chewing until the crown or a permanent filling is in place, to avoid contamination and the tooth breaking.
Providing good oral hygiene is observed at home – and you maintain regular visits to your dentist – a treated and restored tooth can last a lifetime, so you can continue to smile with confidence.
Why you should visit your dentist regularly
Dr Amanda Wong of SMILEFOCUS explains why procrastinating about a visit to the dentist could result in you spending more – in health, time and money.
When you feel everything is going well with your teeth, it’s very common to want to postpone regular dental visits. Even after experiencing a broken tooth or filling, some people don’t visit a dentist until they begin to feel pain.
But pain doesn’t indicate it’s time to visit the dentist, it means the problem has reached an advanced stage and your visit is overdue. If you start experiencing marked cold sensitivity, pain on biting, or even an ache which starts on its own, it may mean a tooth’s nerve could be involved. It’s common for a cavity to be as deep as the nerve of the tooth or below the gum line, without you experiencing any discomfort. Unfortunately, such situations often can’t be fixed with a simple tooth filling. They require more advanced treatments, such as gum surgery or root canal treatment – the removal of the affected nerve.
Gum problems such as gingivitis and periodontal disease are typically also almost painless. You can lose the support from your gums and bones without ever experiencing pain, resulting in tooth loss. In fact, periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss amongst people over 30 years of age.
Regular dental visits, which include annual x-rays, are often all that’s needed to prevent teeth and gum problems, or to catch problems in their earliest stages. So if you’ve recently noticed an increase in sensitivity, achiness, or a broken tooth or filling, seek a professional evaluation immediately. Timeliness may reduce the scope of the treatment needed to restore your smile. And if it’s been more than six to 12 months since your last dental checkup and routine cleaning, it’s also time for a visit.
And there’s no need to be nervous. Advances in modern dentistry have ensured checkups, professional cleaning and treatments are virtually pain-free. Regular visits prevent inconvenient and painful emergencies and are the only way to ensure your teeth look and feel great and remain in good condition for a long time to come. There are also a variety of pain-free, minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures now available, to ensure you are ever-ready to flash a great looking smile.
Dr Amanda Wong B.D.S. (Adelaide)
Dr Amanda Wong practises general dentistry and while she enjoys treating the whole family, she has a special gift for working with children. Amanda is also known for her Aussie-style good sense of humour and her patience.
What you must know in a dental emergency
the trauma.
Severe pain, even when unaccompanied by visible symptoms, may also indicate an emergency. For example, root canal infections have no visible symptoms, but the pain can be excruciating and shouldn’t be ignored. The first rule in any emergency is to stay calm. This is the most important way to help your child, family member and yourself.
Dr Tatiana Luebke practiced for more than 10 years in
