top of page

Oral Health Festival 2024

Welcome to our webpage for OH! Fest 2024, your comprehensive resource for all things related to maintaining a healthy and vibrant smile. Whether you're seeking guidance on proper oral hygiene practices, information about common dental issues, or tips for enhancing your overall dental wellness, our website is designed to be your go-to source.

​

​

Choose a topic you'd like to learn more about...

Oral Health

What is Oral Health?

“Oral health is multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort and disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity).”

  - FDI (World Dental Federation)

image_edited_edited.jpg
image.png

Why is it important?

Oral Health affects...

  • Ability to eat

  • Speech

  • Aesthetics

Oral health is a part of overall health!

Burden of Oral Diseases in Australia

11.3 million Australians are affected by oral diseases

32% of Australians have untreated tooth decay

10% have gum disease

Dental Diseases

Tooth Decay

What is Tooth Decay?

Dental caries, widely known as tooth decay or cavities is the MOST prevalent non-communicable disease on a global scale!

image.png
image.png

Tooth decay occurs in stages..

image.png

Cause of Tooth Decay

  • Sugary foods such as candies, lollies and chocolate are only part of the problem…

  • Inadequate oral hygiene and plaque retention also contribute to the progression of tooth decay. 

  • The mouth is home to many different bacteria 

    • The mouth has excellent conditions for many bacteria to live in! 

      • Warm 

      • Moist 

      • Rich in Nutrients for bacteria to feed on 

      • Has various potential Sites for growth 

What is Plaque?

  • Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth.

  • Plaque begins forming on teeth surface immediately after brushing your teeth.

  • If it is not removed adequately during brushing, it grows thicker over time.

  • The thickening of plaque and increase in number of cariogenic bacteria plays a key role in the progression of tooth decay.

  • Bacteria in the mouth metabolises sugar, transforming it into acid which demineralises and weakens the tooth structure, thus causing tooth decay.

image.png
image.png

Diet and Tooth Decay

  • Form of Sugar

    • ​Sticky sugary food is worse than a sugary liquid.

    • This is because sticky food stick to the tooth, providing more time for the bacteria to break down the sugar into acid.

  • Frequency of sugar consumption

    • After consuming sugary food, the acidic environment gradually neutralises over time.

    • Frequent sugar consumption reduces the time available for neutralisation to take place.

    • Teeth exposed to acidic environments for long periods of time are at an increased risk of tooth decay.

Tooth Erosion

  • Tooth erosion results in translucent teeth

    • Tooth erosion is the loss of tooth structure caused by exposure to acids that are not from oral bacteria.

      • As the surface layer of teeth gets dissolved by acid, teeth become thinner, allowing light to pass through, giving a translucent appearance.

  • What causes tooth erosion?

    • Acidic food and drinks

    • Carbonated drinks (eg. Pepsi, Sprite)

    • Citrus fruits (eg. lemon)

    • Sour food (eg. vinegar)

    • Gastric reflux

image.png

  • Toothbrushing after exposure to highly acidic substances

    • Highly acidic substances soften the surface of teeth. Immediate toothbrushing after acid exposure can further damage softened teeth 

    • To avoid this, rinse mouth with water or alkaline solution to increase mouth pH an wait for some time before brushing teeth.

Gum Disease

Periodontium and Gum Disease

Anatomy of the Gum

Periodontal Ligament

  • Fibrous tissue attaching the tooth to surrounding bone. 
  • Supports and anchors tooth in their sockets.

Alveolar Bone

  • Structural support for the tooth in the jawbone

Gums (Gingivae)

  • Protection of underlying bone by providing a seal around the tooth.

  • A barrier against harmful substances in mouth.

image.png

What is Gum Disease?

  • Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease typically refer to inflammatory diseases that affect the periodontium and alveolar bone.

  • It typically begins with the inflammation of the gums, a condition known as gingivitis. If left untreated, it can progress to a more severe form called periodontitis.

Cause of Gum Disease

How does gum disease occur?

  • Plaque acts as a breeding ground for bacterua, allowing bacteria to multiply and release toxins and byproducts within the plaque.

  • This irritates the gum, eventually causing inflammation in the gums.

  • Dental plaque can also harden over time to become calculus

Gingivitis

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is an inflammatory response of the gums without the destruction of the supporting tissues.

  • Plaque-induced gingivitis is the most common form of gingivitis

​

Signs of Gingivitis

  • Redness of gums

  • Swelling of gums

  • Gum sensitivity