What can I do about my stained teeth?

Stained teeth can be embarrassing, making people feel too awkward to smile or even talk to others. In this article, we’ll tell you about what causes teeth staining and what you can do about it.

What causes stained teeth?

Stained teeth are most often acquired by drinking coffee, tea, wine, and smoking. If a food or drink stains your clothing its more than likely it can stain your teeth.

However, food and drink isn’t always the culprit. Sometimes stains are caused by conditions we have little control over like aging and damaged enamel. Also, certain medications can stain your teeth from the inside out when the teeth are forming. So can underlying medical or dental conditions.

What can I do about it?

If you have stained teeth, take heart. Lots of people begin to address minimal staining at home and get excellent results using dentist prescribed home bleaching or regularly brushing with fluoride toothpastes.

How your dentist can help.


Unfortunately, self-medicating to remove severe stains is not successful with the aid of do-it-yourself methods, especially if staining is caused by medications or medical conditions. The good news is that modern dentistry can offer a wide variety of options to bring out the best in your teeth regardless of the cause.


Your dentist will first recommend a thorough tooth cleaning if you haven’t had one recently. Depending on the severity of stains this may involve several visits. When cleaning alone isn’t enough to restore your teeth to their former glory your dentist can recommend a treatment plan to give you back your sparkly whites (even if they weren’t exactly Hollywood-white in the first place.)


Correcting stained teeth at the dentist’s office may be as simple as taking two visits  – preliminary tooth shades, and impressions to fabricate the Dentist prescribed custom made bleach trays. Then coming back to fit the trays and having Dr Jest demonstrate the simple procedure for their use over seven to ten nights. We do also offer a complimentary visit to make sure you are happy with the shade change at the end of that time.

Dr Jest only recommends home whitening treatment using these trays as it is way more successful than in surgery bleaching using a light to activate the bleaching gel. The reason for this is that the gel has to penetrate into the enamel and dentine to achieve it’s effect and this can only happen properly if it is allowed to sit on the tooth for a prolonged time. Gels in bleach trays are active for about six hours which is more than enough to achieve this goal.


Another option is the application of dental veneers where a thin layer of dental material is custom molded over your real teeth. Veneers are a good choice for those who never had naturally white teeth or when stains are caused by medications or dental conditions. Veneers can even correct any imperfections in your teeth like gaps or chips in addition to covering up stains.


Still frowning over your stained teeth?


Knowing which treatment option best corrects your teeth begins with making an appointment with your dentist. Call us today so can know what options are currently available to get you smiling again.

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Oral health – Tips and techniques for looking after your teeth between dental visits

Who doesn’t love the feeling of a clean mouth right after visiting the dentist’s office? But we can’t visit the dentist every day for a professional cleaning – which means, of course, that we must practice oral health at home to keep that feeling of freshness every day. So, what can we do to look after our teeth between visits to the dentist?

Here are five tips for practising better oral health at home:

  1. Brush your teeth twice a day – be sure to use fluoride toothpaste.
  2. Remind yourself to use a proper brushing technique – Think about how you brush your teeth by checking and watching what you do in the bathroom mirror. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your brushing time by holding the bristles against your teeth, then tilting them at a 45-degree angle to point up into your gums. Don’t brush hard or side to side. Move the bristles in a circular motion as you clean all surfaces of your teeth and gums. Don’t forget to brush the top of your tongue, as bacteria live there too.
  3. Replace your toothbrush regularly – they should be replaced every three months – once the bristles are worn past a certain point they don’t clean as thoroughly and can also damage gums. If the brush bristles splay out like a toilet brush you are probably brushing too hard or with the wrong technique – check number 3 again!
  4. Don’t forget to floss, flossing once per day is recommended to clean the areas of our teeth and gum line that a toothbrush simply can’t reach. Be sure to ask your dental team about the best flossing method to use and be sure to let your dentist know if your gums bleed or you experience pain while flossing. Martin advises flossing at night before brushing, this gets rid of the plaque between the teeth and allows the fluoride toothpaste to get to those hard to reach interdental areas and promote enamel healing. Flossing at night means 8 hours of minimum plaque on your teeth, isn’t that great.
  5. Avoid sugary foods and beverages, as bathing your mouth in sugar throughout the day leaves your teeth and gums at the mercy of acid producing plaque which love regular sugary snacks! Lowering the number of sugary drinks you consume throughout the day by replacing them with water will do both your mouth and your health in general a favour!

Good oral health means far more than a white smile and pleasant breath
Our oral health affects the rest of our body, so being focused on keeping teeth and gums free of food and plaque benefits us long after we’ve visited the dentist’s office.

As you can see from the points above, it doesn’t take much time or effort to practice good oral health at home – so there’s no excuse not to!

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COVID-19 Update from Dr Martin Jest Dental Surgery and Lodgehill Health

Dear patients,

COVID-19 has been a very difficult time for all of us. Many of you were forced to wait for dental care, and we deeply appreciate your understanding while we kept our practice closed to help control the spread of the coronavirus.

Most of you are probably aware that we are back to full work hours and are seeing all patients once again.

Your health and well-being continue to be our highest priority, and we are ONLY opening because we have carefully planned and revised our practice procedures to greatly minimize the risk of infection for our patients and our team members. Our own families are also patients here, so you can be assured that we’ll be taking care of you just as well as we’ll be taking care of them.

For your peace of mind, the measures we will be taking to provide a safe dental treatment experience include, but are not limited to, the following:

Upon Your Arrival at the practice
 ● Patients will be screened BEFORE entering the practice and temperatures will be checked on entry. Any patients showing signs of a fever or other symptoms of illness will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
● ONLY patients and guardians be allowed entry into the practice. We ask that a second parent and other family members wait outside whenever possible.
● Patients are asked to wait in their cars or outside the practice until their scheduled appointment time. We will call you when we are ready to take you into the clinic room.
● The waiting area chairs have been reduced in number and will be spaced apart to allow for social distancing.
● We will ask that you continue to practice social distancing measures in common areas of the practice, including the front desk.
● The front door handles are cleaned between each patient entry. Internal doors will be regularly disinfected and handled by staff only.
● There will be no physical contact with patients with the exception of treatment.

During Treatment
 ● All treatment rooms will be disinfected before each patient is seated, and public areas, including restrooms, will be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day.
● Our team will STRICTLY follow guidelines set forth by the Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, Occupational Health Services Australia, and Australian Dental Association in regards to personal protective equipment (PPE), practice disinfection and sterilization of reusable instruments.
● During patient care, goggles or protective glasses will be worn by staff and disinfected between patients.
● All surfaces that came in contact with the patient will be wiped with disinfectant including the patient chair and the accessory chair where the patient placed their personal items.

Checking Out After Your Appointment
 ● After every transaction, the checkout desk and will be wiped with a disinfectant.
● We prefer financial transactions using electronic means and not cash wherever possible. We ask patients to swipe their own health fund cards through the eftpos terminal and that you “hover” your cards over the terminal so no contact is made.
● For staff and patient protection we have fitted a “sneeze screen” on the front desk to help minimize aerosol spread of infection. Transactions will be undertaken through a slot under the screen.

We are proceeding with an abundance of caution, but we want you to feel as confident as we do that any visit you make to our practice will be a safe one.

We also realize that many of you have been impacted financially during this outbreak, and we are offering some solutions to keep dental care affordable for you and your family.

To discuss these payment options, schedule an appointment, or ask us any questions you may have about your next visit, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 07 3359 1996

We look forward to seeing you soon!
Dr Martin Jest and Staff

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Queensland Government Dental restrictions now back to Level 1

Good news – as of Monday 11th May we are back down to level 1 Dental treatment restrictions. Which means that we are treating all patients who do not have clinical risk factors of COVID-19 or have been in association with infected people. What does this mean to our patients? We will continue to treat […]

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Why does my jaw ache?

There are a number of possible causes of an aching jaw. Until the
problem causing the pain is corrected, jaw ache can cause make it difficult to
chew or drink. Severe jaw pain can even cause headaches and can be a symptom of
a bad infection or even heart problems.

Is an aching jaw serious?

Not all jaw ache is a symptom of a serious condition. It can be
caused by innocuous activities like excessive gum chewing or jaw clenching
resulting from stress. This results in simple exhaustion of the jaw muscles and
are easily correctable once diagnosed by
a health care professional.

Sometimes the sources of jaw ache are not always so easy to pin
down. They can be neurological, muscular, or pathological (caused by an
infection). A visit to the dentist can determine if achy jaws are caused by a
breakdown in oral health. Then they can usually be easily corrected by a
dentist or an oral surgeon.

What’s causing the ache?

The most common cause of dental-related jaw pain is the existence of cavities, which can be corrected with a simple filling. Pay attention to the pain and act quickly however, as pain is an indication the hole may be quite large.

Tooth abscesses are a bit more serious as an internal infection in
the tooth can migrate to the jaw bone causing the jaw to ache. A speedy visit
to the dentist is required where a  root
canal therapy or extraction may be required. Although we prefer not, a course
of antibiotics  may be prescribed by your
dentist if it is necessary to clear up the infection. Just remember however
antibiotics from a health care provider are never the solution alone as your
dentist has to remove the cause of the infection.

Gum disease can also affect the jaw area making your jaws ache
with a periodontal (around the tooth) abcess or loose tooth.

Teeth grinding causes jaw pain and you may not even be aware you
are doing this while you sleep. Your dentist can mold a dental guard, so teeth
aren’t worn by constant grinding and recommend stress release techniques so you don’t experience jaw pain from tension.

Misalignment of teeth due to over and under-bites or missing teeth
can also cause pain. This can be corrected by orthodontics (braces), dental
appliances, or dental implants.

The eruption of wisdom teeth is a very common cause of jaw ache
and something many people suffer from. Wisdom teeth can partly erupt and impact,
creating infection and pain in the jaw bone. Your dentist can remedy this
all-too-common problem by removing your wisdom teeth.

When it’s not your teeth

Some causes of jaw ache are not dental-related even though the pain is experienced in the jaw area. Like pain from earaches or sinus infections, or heart pain on exercise. Once your oral health professional has ruled out dental-related causes for the pain they may suggest you see your general practitioner or a neurologist for further treatment.

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Should I be worried about my amalgam fillings?

amalgam

In today’s Internet age, with a seemingly infinite amount of information available, it sometimes seems harder than ever to find a definitive answer to even a simple question. Health-related matters are often the most widely covered subjects, which makes sifting through the various sources and opinions even more difficult. A perfect example of this is the controversy over the safety of amalgam fillings, used by dentists worldwide for more than one hundred and ninety years. The purpose of this article is to briefly discuss why the controversy exists and to provide some facts from authoritative sources.

Amalgam Overview
Amalgam fillings are composed of a powdered alloy, consisting primarily of:

  • Silver
  • Tin
  • Copper

This mixture is added to liquid mercury to bind the alloy particles together and form the amalgam, which is where the controversy begins. Ingesting mercury can cause health problems.

The Controversy
Opponents of mercury-based amalgam fillings suggest that the mercury can leach from the filling into the body, causing mercury poisoning. Thanks to the Internet, the controversy has spread quickly and become a concern for many people. Dentists often receive requests to remove the fillings and replace them with another material. Though dentists often comply with their patients’ wishes, most dentists agree that the fillings pose no harm and removal is unnecessary. 

Current Research and Opinion
Extensive research by governments and universities has revealed no negative effects caused by mercury amalgam. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires dentists to warn patients, but only due to possible allergic reactions and not possible mercury poisoning, The FDA considers fillings safe for anyone age six and older. The Australian Dental Association’s official stance on amalgam fillings is: 
“Dental amalgam has been used as a dental restorative material for more than 150 years. It has proved to be a durable, safe and effective material which has been the subject of extensive research over this time”. And “There is no evidence to support an association between the presence of amalgam restorations and chronic degenerative diseases, kidney disease, autoimmune disease, cognitive function, adverse pregnancy outcomes or any non-specific symptoms.”
https://www.ada.org.au/Dental-Professionals/Policies/Dental-Practice/6-18-Safety-of-Dental-Amalgam/ADAPolicies_6-18_SafetyofDentalAmalgam_V1.aspx

Why Use Other Materials?
People often wonder why some dentists don’t use amalgam if they consider it safe. The simple answer is that other better materials are now available, such as white fillings.

Conclusion
As it currently stands, there’s no indication that amalgam fillings pose any health risk. The material is strong and long-lasting, making it a good choice for many people. More and more dentists are moving away from the material, but usually not from fear of its toxicity, rather because modern materials offer other benefits, particularly cosmetic ones.

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Why 6-monthly dental check-ups are so important

dental checkup

It’s that time of the year again – seeing your dentist. You may not want to go, and may even consider cancelling the appointment, but don’t! Your dentist holds one of the keys to your overall health, both in the short- and long-term. If you remain undecided, here are four key reasons why your dental check-up is so important for your health:

They can address plaque, tartar, and cavities.
Even if you brush and floss diligently, plaque and tartar can still build up in your mouth. Regular cleanings help remove them before they lead to permanent gum damage. And a cleaning will cost less than filling a cavity. However, if your dentist does detect the start of any cavities, they can fill them before they get larger and cost more.

They can detect oral cancer and other issues under the skin.
Did you know that your dentist is trained in detecting many types of cancers such as oral cancer? Detecting cancer early is crucial in getting treatment and beating it. If not diagnosed in time, oral cancer can spread quickly, but if caught early enough, the prognosis can be very good. And what’s more, you may not recognize or even experience any obvious symptoms, but your dentist can, either visually or through X-rays. So make that dental check-up!

They can address gum disease.
Cavities aren’t the only thing that plaque and tartar can cause – gum disease is another serious issue. When your gums get swollen and infected due to plaque and tartar buildup, the infection – known as gingivitis – can seriously affect your gums and cause them to erode. This happens when gingivitis develops into full blown periodontal disease.
With regular checkups, your dentist can detect and address the early stages of gum disease to keep your gums and teeth as healthy as possible.

Discourage bad habits
Your part in dental care isn’t just about brushing and flossing. Anything that you put in your mouth has the potential to cause damage. We all know about sugary foods and drinks, but there’s more than that. Drinking coffee, tea, acidic beverages and alcohol; chewing gum; grinding your teeth; chewing ice; and smoking cigarettes and marijuana can all affect your dental health.
Your dentist can tell you exactly what the consequences of these actions are, and offer advice about the ways you can stop or at least decrease these habits. We are here to help not to make you feel guilty.

Additional Text
Make that call! If you think that missing an appointment is not that big of an issue, you would be wrong. Your dentist can find issues that not only affect your mouth but can also help detect other issues in your body that affect your dental health. Make that appointment today, and your overall health – not just your teeth – will thank you.

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Dr Martin Jest Dental Surgery COVID-19 Pandemic news update 27/03/2020

COVID-19 Update: Dr Martin Jest Dental surgery open for emergencies only to minimise risks to staff and to do our bit in preventing cross infection in the community

Emergency Dental Treatment only

Heeding advice from the Australian Dental Association Queensland Branch we are now keeping open only for emergency dental treatment. We are also undertaking a few minor procedures that are aerosol free.

The problem of aerosols

Many dental procedures generate an aerosol. An aerosol is a spray of water that picks up potential virus particles in the mouth and lifts them into the air right where the dentist and dental nurse work. This means that if we have a patient with COVID-19 who is shedding virus particles they are very likely to be lifted into the air and possibly inhaled by myself or my staff (even though we use surgical facemasks) and also contaminate the surgery surfaces.

The chance of cross contamination between patients is slim because of our Infection Control policies which include barrier wrapping, sterilization of equipment, use of disposables and disinfection of surfaces between patients. We also social distance, screen for health before allowing entrance to the surgery building and regularly disinfect surfaces, doorhandles etc.

We are acting early for all our good

At this stage in the Pandemic we are acting early and not risking cross infection, consequently we will be treating emergency patients only from 27/3/2002 and even then, minimise aerosol production by using different dental techniques – use of a dental dam, and even then minimising aerosol production.

If you have any questions please ask. We are only a phone call away.

Do you have an emergency?

If you have a dental emergency we will triage and treat you if appropriate, after checking your general health status and making sure you don’t have a fever, cough, or any of the other COVID-19 symptoms. We will be here to help if we possibly can under our infection control management plan. Keep well, wash those hands and social distance to stay safe in these troubling times.

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COVID-19 Is it still okay to come to the dentist?

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No Gap Check-Up Or 50% Off Usual Fees For Kids

Let the kids tag along! 

We would be honored to be your family dentist. With our ethos of gentle care, you can trust that we will strive to make your child’s dental visits as pleasant and positive as possible. 

Book in your child’s first visit with us together with your appointment and pay no gap on their visit (for those with private health cover) or 50% off usual fees (for those without private health cover/not covered by the Child Dental Benefit Scheme). 

Call us today at (07) 3359 1996 or book a consultation below to start creating good dental habits. 

Terms and Conditions 

  • The offer is for a child’s check-up and clean with fluoride (value up to $171). 
  • If you have private health cover, please check with your health fund if your child is eligible for benefits for this treatment. 
  • We bulk bill eligible children on the Child Dental Benefit Scheme. Please let us know if you’d like for us to check your child’s eligibility when you make your appointment. 
  • The offer is applicable only to children who are new patients. Adults may be new or existing patients but must be the guardian of the child. 
  • The child’s appointment must be booked together with the adult’s appointment. The appointments must be on the same day. 
  • To redeem this offer, patients must mention the promotion when booking their appointments. 
  • Promotional offers are subject to appointment availability. 
  • This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with other offers. 
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