1 - 2021 - Dr. Johannes Yap - Cosmetic Dentist Innaloo WA, 6018

Month: January 2021

Oral Hygiene Tips for Adults

Written by Smile Docs on 26 January 2021. Posted in gum disease.

Most people in their forties or fifties feel pretty good about their oral health, since they’ve brushed and flossed throughout their adult years. What could there be to worry about?

As we age, our teeth and gums change, our lifestyles may have impacted our health. There may be new challenges to maintaining that healthy smile.

There are two oral health problems to be aware of:

Periodontal disease.
Sleep apnoea.

Periodontal Disease

According to the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, about 20% of Ozzies are diagnosed with gingivitis, which is a precursor to gum disease if left untreated.

The study found that the prevalence of periodontitis in adults grew the older one got:

25% of adults aged 35-54
44% of adults aged 55-74
61% of adults aged 75+

Bacteria that accumulates in dental plaque, which is the sticky film that adheres to teeth, is the underlying cause of both gingivitis and periodontitis. Plaque accumulates usually due to poor dental hygiene such as lack of brushing and flossing, which increases the risk of both conditions.

With modern advances in dental treatment, gingivitis can be treated and fully cured. Once gum disease progresses beyond gingivitis, it can no longer be completely fixed, only treated and managed to prevent it from getting any worse.

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms of gingivitis, be sure to schedule an appointment with Dr. Yap as soon as possible:

Swollen and/or puffy gums.
Gums that bleed easily.
Receding gums.

Sleep Apnoea

Snoring and interrupted sleep can be a major annoyance to yourself and whoever is sleeping next to you. While you may not think of snoring being a dental issue, our highly trained and experienced dental team can help alleviate symptoms of this disorder with a sleep apnoea mouth guard.

Sleep apnoea is a serious medical condition that can interrupt a person’s breathing throughout the night. Some of the usual symptoms include:

Loud snoring.
Insomnia.
Being tired during the day.
Headaches and sore throat when waking up.

Sleep apnoea is very dangerous as your body is starved of oxygen while you are sleeping. There are a number of factors that increase your risk of having sleep apnoea. Two of the major factors include:

Over the age of 40.
Overweight.

If you believe you may be suffering from sleep apnoea, schedule an appointment with Dr. Yap. We’ll have you attend a sleep study, and then create a custom mouth guard for you that will prevent your airway from being obstructed, allowing you to get a good night’s sleep.

Reducing the Risks

Here are a few oral health habits that will help reduce the chances of oral health issues:.

Come in for a check and clean every six months, which helps to prevent plaque and tartar buildup, protecting against cavities and gum disease.
Have a periodontal evaluation each year as part of your regular check and clean appointment. If we see any signs of gum disease / gingivitis, we can treat it early before it progresses to periodontitis.

When you call our friendly office, we’ll find an appointment time that is convenient for you. During your appointment, we’ll perform a thorough cleaning of your teeth and a comprehensive examination of your teeth and gums. We look forward to seeing you, and for you to enjoy a healthy wonderful smile for years to come!

Dental Emergency – Bleeding from the mouth

Written by Smile Docs on 15 January 2021. Posted in emergency dental service.

Having a dental emergency? Most dental emergencies are nowhere near the severity of other medical emergencies.

In most cases, it’s the potential of extreme pain that is the issue, not health. You should still call your dentist right away.

In this article, we’ll address the issue of what to do if you are bleeding from inside of your mouth.

Causes of Bleeding in Your Mouth

If you’re seeing blood on the floss or after you brush your teeth then it is likely that you have gum disease or gingivitis. But if you’re spontaneously seeing blood in your saliva then it could be due to an advanced stage of cancer or a very advanced stage of gum disease.
If you’ve had an extraction and you’re bleeding and it won’t stop, you need immediate care.

What to Do

Bleeding from your gums and around your teeth could be a major issue that needs to be addressed. While the bleeding may stop, the underlying issue still needs to be taken care of. Left untreated, it could have the potential for serious health issues down the road. Here are some tips:

If you’re seeing blood on your floss, see Dr. Yap and get treated for possible gum disease. The sooner, the better. Blood on your toothbrush or floss is not normal and indicates that you may have gum disease. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss worldwide. Book an appointment within the month if possible.
If you’re bleeding after a procedure, go back right away to the dentist who did the surgery. It is not normal for the bleeding to continue the night after your procedure. Use pressure from gauze or clean tissues to stop the bleeding by biting on the area firmly. Keep your head elevated. Just like you keep your hand elevated if it’s injured, you want to do the same with your mouth. Keep your mouth above your heart at all times—especially during sleep.
In the mean time you can use warm salt water rinses (mix 2 table spoons of salt per cup) and use that to rinse OR you can rinse out using Savacol mouthwash. If you choose to use the Savacol we recommend you do so for only a week at a time, it has been known to cause some reversible discolouration and possibly alteration in taste.
You may need antibiotics for bad gum infections as a result of gum disease and bleeding gums.

With most dental emergencies, severe pain may be a factor. If you can’t manage the pain without painkillers you might consider Panadol and/or ibuprofen – but only if you have no previous allergies or medications that can interact with these painkillers. You can check with your doctor and pharmacy but these two painkillers are the most commonly used to curb dental pain. Codeine or tramadol can be added in extreme cases but you will need a prescription for this.

We are living in a unique time where we are all isolated from one another. The last thing we want our patients to do is live with pain or infection during this time. This is why we are one of the few dental clinics that has remained open to service dental emergencies. We know what to do and how to handle a dental emergency. If you have a dental emergency, please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to give you guidance and support.

How to Get to the Odin House Dental Surgery Dental Clinic

Dr. Johannes Yap is a general and cosmetic dentist who works at a local dental clinic in Innaloo, which is a suburb north west of Perth. The dental office is conveniently located near the intersection of Scarborough Beach Rd/State Route 75 and Odin Rd/State Route 64, and is close by the local suburbs of Stirling, Scarborough, Karrinyup, Osbourne Park, Yokine, Floreat, Subiaco, Wembley and Inglewood as well as local attractions such as Jackadder Lake Reserve and Stirling Civic Gardens.