Working from home, schooling from home and keeping on top of daily routines is a big ask for all parents at the moment. If you need help keeping your child’s dental health in check, we’ve got you covered! Track and reward your child’s daily brushing with this handy printable Teeth Brushing Chart. Reward with a healthy snack or online activity – maybe not chocolate!
Download Your Teeth Brushing Chart!
We’re all spending much more time at home and cooking during isolation. But don’t forget to think about your family’s teeth when making healthy food choices. These are our top foods for strong teeth.
Saliva contains enzymes that buffer the acids present in food and clean bits of food out of the teeth.
Water helps wash away food debris and maintain saliva levels. Saliva helps against tooth decay because it contains proteins and minerals that counteract enamel eating acids.
Banana bread has been popular in Australian households for decades but all the extra time at home has made this favourite the internet’s most searched recipe during this period.
Dry
1.5 x cups self raising Flour (sifted)
1 x cup Coconut
1 x cup Brown Sugar* (firmly packed)
1 x tsp Bicarb
Wet
1 x 270ml Tin Coconut Cream (small tin)
2 x Eggs (lightly whisked)
2 or 3 x bananas (mashed)
1 x tsp Vanilla
For something a little bit different you can add in a few extras depending on what you have left in the fridge or pantry. For example, blueberries, raspberries, pear etc., even white chocolate bits. If you do add in any extras, you’ll only need to use two bananas depending on the banana size.
Happy baking!
* Please note that as this recipe does contain sugar, we recommend that in line with keeping your teeth and gums healthy, to brush your teeth after eating this delicious banana bread. If it’s not possible to brush your teeth immediately after eating, rinsing your mouth with water will help until you can make it to your next brushing.
Sometimes dental emergencies can’t wait. Feeling dental pain and realising a visit to the dentist is necessary, may be first time you have experienced an emergency dental appointment. This can be a stressful experience for all involved. But knowing what to expect at your visit can alleviate some worry.
We are open and available for emergency dental treatment for you and your family. If you are experiencing dental pain and need an appointment, please call your local clinic or book on our online forms.
nib Dental remains committed to caring for the health and well-being of our patients in our local communities. We have had to make some changes as a result of the impact of COVID-19. On advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), we are deferring non-essential dental treatment at this time. But nib Dental remains available for emergency care.
What is nib Dental doing to ensure patients and staff are safe during Covid-19?
We have introduced additional measures at this time. Patients are being asked to report and not attend nib Dental if they have any of the following symptoms;
We have implemented additional cleaning and hygiene protocols:
When you visit nib Dental, you can have peace of mind knowing that significant health precautions are being taken to ensure your safety.
If you are experiencing dental pain, or any structural damage to your teeth, you should see your dentist sooner rather than later. Examples of issues that may require an emergency dental appointment include:
While you organise your appointment with us you can follow some basic care for your dental emergency.
Firstly, contact your local nib Dental Care Centre. During this call you will be asked a series of questions to determine what type of appointment suits your needs. These questions could include how severe your pain, illness, or injuries are. Once you have answered these screening questions it will be determined if you require an urgent same day emergency dental appointment or if we are able to schedule your emergency dental treatment for a later date.
When you arrive at your emergency appointment you will need with speak to reception who will ask the same screening questions that you were asked previously over the phone. Our staff ask these screening questions a second time to assist determining if there have been any significant changes to your circumstances.
The primary aim of an emergency dental appointment is to reduce or remove any discomfort you may be experiencing. During the appointment it is our priority to find the cause of pain, rather than focusing on routine dental procedures so you may find that subsequent appointment may be scheduled to follow up on your emergency procedure as well as further additional routine procedures.
Lowering your risk of requiring emergency dental work doesn’t guarantee that it won’t happen to you. By their very nature dental emergencies are unpredictable and can happen at any time. However, to mitigate the risk, here are some basic steps to keep your teeth in top shape:
The cost of your emergency dental appointment will vary depending upon your individual dental needs. Your dentist will discuss the expected costs with you at the time of your appointment.
If you or a family member are in dental pain or in need of an emergency dentist, contact your local nib Dental Care Centre for an urgent care appointment.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risk. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Australia is a sports loving nation with both children and adults participating in a variety of sports each year. Sport has so many health benefits especially for the physical and social development of children. With nearly 60%[1] of children being involved in regular physical activity at least once a week, it’s important for parents to have an understanding of how to avoid any dental injuries during sport with the best protective equipment. It can be very distressing if you are the parent of a child involved in a sporting incident that results in emergency medical or dental treatment.
Dental injuries resulting from sporting activities can be painful, expensive to treat or may require an ongoing dental treatment plan. Injuries can range from split lips, cracked or chipped teeth to more extensive injuries such as knocked out teeth and broken jaws.
Only a third of children aged 5-17 years wear a mouthguard([2]) while playing organised sports. A mouthguard will save teeth, protect jaws and is certainly the best investment for peace of mind.
What is a mouthguard?
A mouthguard is a protective, flexible shield worn in your mouth to prevent dental injuries during contact or collision sports and other activities that may cause impact to your face and mouth areas. The thickness of the mouthguard varies and is determined by the type of sport played and the level of physical contact that is expected.
What kind of mouthguards are available?
There are three kinds of mouthguards available to choose from;
Customised mouthguards are custom made to fit your teeth and mouth snugly They are made by your dentist who takes an impression of your teeth, to create a customized mould from which the mouth guard is made. As the mouth guard is customised to you, it’s thickness will be matched to the sport being played, whilst the colours can be chosen to match your team colours. Custom fitting allows your dentist to accurately assess your mouth and provide you with the most comfortable and best fitting mouthguard that will not fall out during impact. A customized mouthguard is the best option to prevent expensive dental injuries as a result of not wearing or wearing a poorly fitting mouthguard.([3])
Stock mouthguards are available for purchase from a sports store or chemist. They are a ‘one size fits all’ device and so does not snugly fit to the shape of your mouth, may be loose or uncomfortable to wear during sports and has the risk of falling out during an impact.
Boil and Bite mouthguards are also available over the counter at a sports store or chemist. These are ‘self-fitted’ by heating the mouthguard in hot water to soften and then biting into the mouthguard so it takes the shape of the mouth and teeth. They fit a little better than the stock mouthguards but are not a tight fit. They also have the same disadvantages as the stock mouthguards.
Caring for your mouthguard
It is important to look after your mouthguard keeping it clean from use to use. After using your mouthguard, rinse it with soap and warm water and allow to air-dry. Occasionally use a denture cleaning solution or Miltons solution to disinfect it and store in a container with good ventilation to prevent bacteria growth.
What else can a mouthguard assist with?
In addition to protection from sports injuries, mouthguards can also assist with teeth grinding and snoring. In consultation with a medical practioner or dentist, a diagnosis of teeth grinding or sleep apnea could result in a having to wear a special type of mouthguard to assist with the treatment of this diagnosis.
Book in today for a customised mouthguard fitting
[1] AusPlay Data – https://www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/knowledge_base/sport_participation/community_participation/sport_participation_in_australia
[2] The Importance of a mouthguard when playing sport- https://orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/importance-mouthguard-playing-sport/
[3] The Importance of a mouthguard when playing sport- https://www.ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Teens-12-17/Mouthguards
