4 - 2021 - Dr. Johannes Yap - Cosmetic Dentist Innaloo WA, 6018

Month: April 2021

The Benefits of Sports Mouth Guard Protection

Written by Smile Docs on 30 April 2021. Posted in kids dental.

Do your little ones happily spend every Saturday morning playing their favourite sports? That’s great news! Team sports build communication skills, and regular exercise contributes to a child’s overall health and well-being.

But if your kids play sports that get a little rough and tumble from time to time, they’re likely to take the odd knock to the mouth and teeth. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering if your kids could benefit from a sports mouth guard, and whether mouth guards are worth the investment.

Dr. Yap has the best interests of the health, well-being and protection of your family. In this article, Dr. Yap goes over the benefits of these inexpensive and easy to use protective guards.

Why Mouthguards are Necessary, Even in Kids’ Sports

Mouth guards protect the top row of teeth and help prevent oral injuries, which can include broken teeth, cuts to the lips, and other damage. Because children’s mouths, jaw, teeth and gums aren’t fully developed, even small impacts can cause big damage.

It is for this reason that most dentists agree that mouth guards should be considered an essential piece of safety equipment in all team sports, but especially for high-contact sports such as rugby, soccer, basketball and others.

Mouth guards aren’t just for team sports either. If you’ve got a daring skateboarder or roller derby hopeful on your hands, they also need protection.

The Benefits of Sports Mouth Guards

A few reasons why a mouth guard is an ideal companion for any child participating in sports include:

They prevent bruising and accidental cuts.
Well-made sports mouth guards reduce the risk of damage from the child’s upper teeth impacting on the lower teeth or lip(s).
Mouth guards cushion the teeth and protect against dislocations, tooth fractures, and even a completely knocked out tooth.

What if my Kid Won’t Wear a Mouth Guard for Sports?

Sports mouth guards are proven to be effective at reducing the risk of injury, but they’re only useful when they’re actually worn. They can’t protect a child’s teeth from the bottom of a sports bag, after all!

Many parents struggle to get their active kids to don a mouth guard. Most often, that’s because the mouth guard is improperly fitted and uncomfortable.

If you really want to protect your child’s growing mouth, jaw, and teeth, a generic guard won’t cut it. Instead, we suggest investing in a high-quality mouth guard custom fitted for your child’s mouth.

Dr. Yap has helped countless kids get the protection they need with custom-fitted sports mouth guards. Even if your child has braces, Dr. Yap and the rest of the team have the know-how needed to safeguard both the child’s teeth and these expensive dental appliances!

Get in touch today to find out how we can fit your mini athletes with a proper sports mouth guard.

Dental Emergency - Treating a Gum or Tooth Abscess

Dental Emergency – gum or tooth abscess

Written by Smile Docs on 1 April 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 have an abscess around your teeth or gums.

Why is an Abscess a Problem?

A gum abscess looks like a yellow, red, clear, or whitish pimple on the gum.
It could mean the tooth is infected or the gum is infected, meaning you need a root canal or an extraction. In some cases, antibiotics and an x-ray will be needed.
If the cause is gum disease then this could lead to permanent gum recession, but the sooner you get to it, the less likely that will happen.

What to Do

An abscess can lead to facial swelling and potentially severe complications. It likely will not get better by itself. Here are some tips:

You need to be seen immediately. Talk to your dentist over the phone, you may require antibiotics first.
Do not pop the gum abscess like a pimple.
Make an appointment with Dr. Yap for the next day.
Keep brushing and flossing that area as usual.
Don’t put this off too long. A dentist will tell you that abscesses can lead to facial swelling and potentially severe systemic complications, always at the worst possible time.

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 GP 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.