 WHY X-RAYS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR DENTAL EXAMINATION Radio graph examination of the mouth and teeth is important in the diagnosis and management of many dental conditions. Radio graphs (X-Rays) are used to detect problems that may not be seen during your routine dental examination before signs and symptoms occur. Examples of such dental conditions can include cysts, infection, tooth decay, tartar under the gums and bone loss from gum disease. It is important to detect problems early as this can lead to less invasive treatment option or better sill aid in the PREVENTION of dental disease. How many radio graphs and how often they are taken depends on a patients individual risk of developing dental disease. Age, dental history, general health, symptoms and results from clinical observations help determine your individual risk. It is important for new patients to our practice to have radio graphs to aid thorough examination and diagnosis to establish a baseline to assess further risk and determine the frequency of further radio graphs. Modern dental practices have greatly reduced risks associated with radiation exposure. Our equipment complies with Australian standards and our dentists and hygienists at Courtney Dental follow guidelines to minimize radiation exposure, including the use of the digital imaging equipment.   At Courtney Dental we really need to work on practicing what we preach because we are well known to enjoy a treat or 2. Dental plaque is a sticky invisible film containing thousands of bacteria which grows on teeth in areas we miss when brushing and flossing. Tooth decay is caused by acid in that dental plaque. Plaque acid attacks the teeth every single time we eat food containing sugar. If you eat 3 meals a day your teeth will suffer 3 acid attacks. For every time you snack in between meals the number of acid attacks increase. This is why dental health professionals recommend keeping snacks to a minimum, especially the sugary snacks. Not only does increased frequency of sugary snacks increase your risk of tooth decay, the stickiness of sugary snacks also increases the risk. Sugary food that sticks to the teeth takes longer to clear from the mouth, increasing the length of time the acid attacks occurs for.  Tips for healthy eating and drinking
- Avoid giving your child any sweet drinks (Fruit juice, soft drinks, cordial) in baby bottles or feeder cups. Baby bottles should be used for expressed breast milk, infant formula or water. - Encourage your child to drink from a cup aged 6-12 months - Avoid putting your child to sleep with a bottle or feeder cup - Limit your child's sugar intake to meal times - Provide healthy snacks between meals (Fruit and vegetables, cheese, low sugar yogurt, bread) and limit snacks to twice a day - If your child needs regular medication ask your doctor or pharmacist about sugar free alternatives  So what does a Dental Hygienist do all day? (Other then have tea breaks). Ruth and Nic are the Dental Hygienists at Courtney Dental and work alongside Dr Craig, Dr Dave and Dr Maddi to inspect and clean our patient’s teeth and gums.
 At Courtney Dental, we welcome new patients at every stage of life. If you haven't been to see a dentist for years, please don't put it off any longer.
 If you haven't already taken your child or children to the dentist, then the right time to take them is now.
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