• A better bite

    12 March 2007 . Posted by Cameron in Smile Stories

    Errol Wolf came to us for a routine check-up. He mentioned in passing that he’d been suffering from bad headaches and migraines, which had been gaining in frequency and severity. He couldn’t fly or drive long distances without getting a migraine. Some could last three days.

    Errol was at a loss as to the cause of the headaches and what to do about them. He had his eyes tested – negative. He noticed that eating certain foods or missing meals could aggravate the problem. So he eliminated the problem foods from his diet and made sure never to miss meals. But the headaches persisted. He consulted various medical and healthcare practitioners – to no avail. And, to make matters worse, painkillers had little effect.

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    I really felt for Errol – he was clearly in a lot of discomfort – and I was confident Neuromuscular Dentistry could help him. I explained what it was all about. He may have thought it sounded strange but I think he was ready to give anything a go.

    So we examined Errol’s teeth, bite and jaw. We determined his ideal bite and jaw position, then prepared an orthotic to adjust his bite. We hoped to see a result in two to three months. We would continue to adjust the orthotic every two weeks as Errol’s bite improved.

    Errol kept a headache diary to monitor our progress. Before we commenced treatment, he was suffering 30 headaches a month. After a month of treatment, the number of migraines he suffered were reduced by 90 per cent.

  • A natural smile for life

    A natural smile for life

    14 February 2007 . Posted by Cameron in Smile Stories

    Maintaining good oral health isn’t just about having a nice smile and staying out of the dentist’s chair. Healthy teeth and gums are also essential for eating the wide variety of foods our bodies need and our tastebuds enjoy.

    In fact, researchers estimate that people who retain their natural teeth live an average of up to 10 years longer because of better nutrition and therefore better health. Poor oral health and hygiene can lead to problems ranging from communication difficulties to debilitating diseases. But with the right care, both at your dentist’s and at home, you can look forward to keeping your natural smile for life.

    Maureen Balgue is living, smiling proof. Maureen is one of our many long-term patients. She’s fit and healthy and won’t mind me saying that, in 72 years, she’s lost only one tooth – a considerable achievement.

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    There’s no reason anyone needs to put up with dentures, now or in the future. Regular visits to your dentist and dental hygienist, combined with carefully following a customised home-care plan prepared for you by your hygienist, will help you maintain your natural smile for life.

    But if you do lose a tooth or part of a tooth, whether through an accident,
    deterioration or disease, there are many solutions for filling the gap. Crowns, bridges and dental implants, for instance, are vastly superior to
    dentures in appearance, performance and ease of care.

    Whatever your age, there are particular aspects of your oral health that
    should be closely monitored and managed. Of particular concern for
    seniors are dental cavities (especially on the root surfaces), gum disease
    (the single leading cause of adult tooth loss), oral disease/oral cancer,
    dental stomatitis (irritation of the tissue under a denture), dry mouth, tooth
    erosion and tooth sensitivity (resulting from worn enamel or receding
    gum tissue).

    Whatever your age, I think we can all take a page from Maureen’s book.

    “What’s important to me,” Maureen says, “is good nutrition, exercise and
    having fun with family and friends. How sad to think ‘I wish I’d looked after
    my teeth...’ Prevention is better than cure.”

    Couldn’t have said it better myself.