Did you know the health of your gums can affect your diabetes and blood sugar control? Periodontal disease (gum disease) can have a major effect on your diabetes control, increasing the risk of diabetic complications. This is because periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation process, an infection that your body is constantly battling. People with…

SHOULD WE BE WORRIED? Oral cancer is the 15th most common cancer in the world. In New Zealand the incidence is between 3.3-6.8 per 100,000 people. So yes, it is something that we see. SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR If you have any changes in your gum tissues or lips that have been present for…

Missing out on ice-cream? Then it is time to look at ways to combat sensitive teeth. SHORT OR LONG PAIN? Teeth can be sensitive when hot, cold, sweet or touch travels to the nerve inside the tooth giving it a painful feeling. It is usually a short sharp sensation. If the pain persists it is…

1. DOES IT WORK? It sure does! Some teeth whiten better than others depending on their original shade. Teeth that are a yellower shade work better than teeth that are a bit grey coloured. It will not whiten fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, dentures. Sometimes these may need to be replaced to match your new white…

Mention wisdom teeth and everyone will have a story to tell. But is it really as bad as their stories, or might they be talking it up a fraction for dramatics? OLD STORIES Traditionally wisdom teeth extraction was known to be painful. Techniques are now very different. Today’s procedure will be quite different from traditional…

With people seeking more natural ways of obtaining health, oil pulling has become increasingly popular. Oil pulling is an ancient method dating back to Ayurvedic medicine some 3000 years ago. Studies designed to test the benefits have been small with limited numbers of participants. However these small studies have indicated there may be benefits with…

Teething time is when your baby’s teeth begin cutting through the gums. Usually this starts with the lower bottom front teeth. Teething generally occurs from around 5 months to about 2 and a half years. Symptoms of teething Some babies experience no pain or symptoms when teething and others can feel quite uncomfortable. Symptoms may…

Wisdom teeth often start erupting (growing into the mouth) – and causing problems – in the late teens early twenties. However, realistically, they can present themselves at any stage of our lives. Some of the lucky ones have their wisdom teeth erupt with no problems and frequently don’t even know they are there. Even luckier…

Bad breath – all you wanted to know but didn’t like to ask. Think you have bad breath? Been told you have bad breath? Bad breath is a real confidence breaker. Let’s have a look at some of the causes and ways to overcome them. HALITOSIS The first thing that springs to everyone’s mind is…

Standing in your local Tauranga supermarket looking at the huge array of toothpastes wondering which to buy can seem like a frustrating exercise. So let’s simplify this. Flavour Buy the flavour you like. If you don’t like the taste you will be less likely to brush for the recommend 2 minutes. This should be a…