The Water Flosser by Waterpik® is an alternative to regular string floss. It’s effective in improving gum health and reducing bad breath.

Just follow the gumline with the tip and shoot a continuous stream of water between the teeth for about 3 seconds.

Refreshing, simple, effective. What more can you ask for?

The latest diet buzz is about talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres.

She tried the sugar cleanse diet for 3 weeks and she looks great.

Too much sugar causes tooth decay, weight gain and premature aging by zapping the collagen in the face.

Don’t be a slave to sugar. Make a little go a long way or bin it, I say.

Kids need rules. I need rules. Everyone needs rules. Rules help keep things under control. They’re easy to stick to and you don’t waste time making up excuses.

For example, one of my rules is, “I don’t eat snacks”.

Frequent snacking is one of the high risk factors for dental decay, particularly if the snacks are sipped, sucked, sweet or sticky.

So my rule is, “I don’t eat snacks”. Full stop. End of sentence. End of story.

Contact us, your Townsville dentist and hygienists for more tips and tricks to prevent dental decay.

One of my best friends mentioned to me recently that her front teeth are starting to get sensitive; not painful, just a bit touchy.

It turns out that she’s switched from red wine to white wine because it’s less staining and is also sipping a lot of fruit tea.

Oops! Even fruit teas have acid and white wine is more acidic than red wine which can slowly weaken tooth enamel just like soft drink. 

It increases sensitivity but also destroys the natural texture and colour of the teeth.

Did I tell you that I adore electric toothbrushes? Well I do. They do a fabulous job of making your teeth squeaky clean and bright.

Here’s another tip: an electric toothbrush is also a great way to plump up your lips naturally.

First apply lip balm for 5 minutes. Next use the soft brush head to buff away dead cells and plump up the skin then moisturize with more balm.

Do it before bed and sweet dreams.

From miniature green apples to happy braces, we went all out when we decorated cupcakes in the Smile kitchen recently.

They were polished off quick smart – so if you weren't lucky enough to have a taste – you'll just have to trust us when we tell you they were DELICIOUS!

This week Nancy and Fletch took some time to check out the new Water Flosser. It makes it easy to care for braces, maintain healthier gums and reduce plaque.

But look who dropped in on them unexpectedly.

Monica and Carly sure were lucky that this Water Flosser (and its steady jet of water) was still in the box!

I hate to say it but I see it all the time – kids who make it through adolescence with no decay only to get cavities when they go off to university.

It’s the dreaded uni diet.

They graze day and night on heaps of snack foods, soft drinks, sports drinks and coffee with sugar while socializing, sporting and studying.

Mums and dads, beware. Keep an eye on what your uni student is eating and drinking.

I’m sure my patients all think that I’ve got shares in the companies that sell electric toothbrushes.

I don’t but as a dental hygienist, I’m a huge fan of electric toothbrushes.

If used on one tooth surface at a time, concentrating on the grooves and hard-to-reach areas of the teeth and gumlines, they do an almost perfect job of brushing plaque germs away.

So brush smart, not hard, for noticeably cleaner and whiter teeth.