No-one would ignore their scheduled car servicing for an extended period of time knowing that eventually their motor will blow up and the cost will be astronomical.
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This routine maintenance is not only important to vehicles - but even more important for something that can’t easily be replaced. Your teeth.
Preventative dentistry is about establishing a regular checkup and dealing with any small problems that arise before they become painful, expensive and affect overall health and wellbeing.
At The Dental Surgery at Newstead, Launceston, Dr Rohan Sully sees every day the difference between those patients who look after their teeth routinely and those who don’t.
And it’s those who don’t who pay the price.
Dr Sully has spent four years as a dentist with the Air Force and now in his fifth year in the profession has moved from Queensland to Tasmania to join a private, locally owned practice."
People wonder why they hit their 30s and 40s and start having problems with their teeth, and it often comes back to the fact that they haven’t been vigilant with check-ups and cleaning for a long time.
“People wonder why they hit their 30s and 40s and start having problems with their teeth, and it often comes back to the fact that they haven’t been vigilant with check-ups and cleaning for a long time,” Dr Sully said.
“What I find most disappointing is that children who have had their parents taking them to a dentist regularly right through their school years grow up and leave home and don’t follow through.
“Life gets busy as they find independence and they often forget brushing, flossing and checkups.
“By the time they’re in their 30s and 40s there can be significant restorative work required, sometimes teeth need to be taken out and then the patient is put in a difficult situation of having to decide just how much money they’re prepared to spend to get back what they have lost.
“Complex restorative options, although very good these days, is never quite as good as someone's actual teeth.”
Dr Sully recommends that everyone should:
- Brush for 2-3 minutes twice a day and floss every night before bed.
- Use fluoride toothpaste
- Watch their diet: avoid soft drink, energy drinks, lollies and other high sugar food and drinks in general. Avoid acidic drinks/supplements like lemon water and wine and ascorbic acid tablets (vitamin C).
- See your dentist regularly, some people need six-monthly visits, others only once a year.
- See your GP regularly because whole body health can affect the health of your teeth, particularly medical conditions such as diabetes, reflux and sleep apnea.
- Remember that bleeding gums are not normal. Healthy gums are pink and firm and should not bleed when brushed.
