We have all heard of the phrase: “getting long in the tooth”. We use it when talking about horses and humans. They say you can tell a horse’s age by looking at their teeth. While we could probably say the same about humans, I hope that as people become more educated about their oral health […]

Most of my clients are educated 25-45 year olds, employed in some of our top companies and doing pretty well in life. They have visited most of the world’s countries, often tracking through some less travelled terrains, explored all the wonders of the world, yet, it seems the world’s only remaining mysteries are all in one place: their own mouths!

Wisdom teeth are probably the most misunderstood teeth in dentistry.People either assume that pain-free is problem-free, therefore their wisdom teeth should be left alone, or that all wisdom teeth should come out. Both opinions are wrong, most of the time.

In the blogs so far, I have written a lot about the complex nature of dental diseases and the many different factors which can cause or be associated with these diseases.This article series summarizes some ways in which medical conditions affect our dental health.

I am boggled by the statistics of prescribed antibiotics use in Australia. I feel that a lot of it is not the public’s fault, but also the fault of their health professionals, who may find the use of antibiotics as the quickest way to ‘treat’ their patients. I know that this can also be tempting in a dental emergency, where dentists or medical GPs may not be able to accurately diagnose or haven’t got enough time to treat the affected tooth or gums. This article summarises the dangers of antibiotic overuse and misuse and gives some tips on how we can all help protect our community from the ‘superbug’ attacks.

If you don’t know what to make of the recent media reports linking dental xray exposure to meningioma tumours in the US population, read this communication document from the Australian Dental Association, recently circulated to all of us, dentists. It is business as usual for the Australian dental profession, as long as high ethical and quality standards are observed. Keep calm and carry on:)

We all know we can do most things online. These days I opt for online shopping, online socializing, online information gathering, online bill payment….Well, now you can even have a dental check up online! You must be thinking I have lost my mind… As I discussed in my articles so far, dental diseases are largely […]

Fees at your dentist are much like the prices in your supermarket, at the hairdresser, at your local cafe. Just like you budget for your groceries, power bills, entertainment, you can also budget for your dental care. The best way to do this is to stop thinking of dental expenses as ‘unknown’, ‘unexpected’ or ‘miscellaneous’ […]

Most health funds will allow new members to claim immediately on preventative care items. Even though this sounds great and often comes with other ‘sweeteners’ in the highly competitive market, consider shopping around for a health fund which suits your dental condition, to avoid getting ‘stuck’ in a fund and then ‘adapting’ your dental condition to suit their rebates!

We are now getting to the exciting part where it becomes a lot clearer how almost everyone can afford best quality dental care for their whole family without worrying about the financial implications. If you have followed our advice thus far, you would have: 1. Understood and accepted that the business of private dentistry is […]

Knowing what we know about the cost of dental treatment should be an incentive enough for us to avoid any need for treatment. However, teeth and mouth are a part of the rest of our bodies and are usually the first organ to show signs of deteriorating health, unhealthy habits and unsustainable lifestyle. On the […]

Even if high quality dental care seems completely out of reach, there is hope. There are things you can implement in your daily life which can help you afford best quality dental care, whilst ensuring that you minimise any need for extensive treatment. You don’t need to ‘shop around’ for the cheapest dentist or wait until a painful problem appears, to seek advice or treatment. In this series of articles, we will give you some advice on how to take responsibility for your family’s dental care while keeping your bills and your dental problems at a minimum, which almost anyone can afford.