Worongary Dental Surgery Providing Gentle Dental Care.

Our Dentists

At Worongary Dental we have a genuine passion for providing quality gentle dentistry and this service has created many loyal patients.

Dr Gail Dennis
Dr Gail Dennis is the principal dentist of Worongary Dental. She completed her training in Brisbane and commenced practicing on the Gold Coast in 1993. She was working previously at Tweed Heads and Mudgeeraba.

Staff and Services

Our Dental Team

Our friendly, caring and professional team include our female dentist, Dr Gail Dennis, our practice manger, Denise and dental assistants, Magda and Claire. All our staff have extensive experience in the dental field and will attend to all your concerns and queries.

Cancellations

We appreciate a minimum of 24 hours notice for any appointment cancellations, allowing another patient the appointment that was set aside for you. Short notice of cancellation will result in a cancellation fee being charged to your account.

Payment

Payment for treatment is made at the completion of your appointment.
For your convenience we offer the following payment options:

Cash
Cheque
Master Card
Visa
Eftpos
Direct health fund claims are processed on site via Hicaps.

Information Centre

To help you better understand dentistry and dental procedures, the staff at Worongary Dental Surgery have produced this information centre.
Should there be something that you need explained feel free to ask Dr Dennis or Dr Ioana Bogdan on your next visit.

General Dentistry

Research has shown that almost everybody has a 95% chance of experiencing some tooth decay. When tooth decay does occur, it is highly important to remove the decay, clean the tooth and repair the tooth with some type of restoration. In addition, lost or missing teeth need to be replaced to protect your overall oral health.

In this section, we will look at the various restorations we can use to protect and restore decayed or missing teeth.

General Treatments Research has shown that almost everybody has a 95% chance of experiencing some tooth decay. When tooth decay does occur, it is highly important to remove the decay, clean the tooth and repair the tooth with some type of restoration. In addition, lost or missing teeth need to be replaced to protect your overall oral health.
In this section, we will look at the various restorations we can use to protect and restore decayed or missing teeth.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your appearance. A beautiful, bright, healthy smile can increase self confidence and overall life satisfaction.

Many regular dental treatments can be cosmetic. Modern tooth-colored fillings are virtually invisible when compared to traditional silver fillings. Tooth-colored crowns or caps can be placed instead of gold or silver. In this section, we will look at some of the best treatments we can use to greatly improve your smile and the way you feel about yourself.

Children’s Dentistry

Baby’s First Teeth:

Your child’s first or milk teeth usually start to push through their gums at around 6 months of age. Some babies suffer from sore and tender gums while teething. Gently massaging their gums with a clean finger or the use of a teething ring may be helpful. By the time your child is 3 years old, their full set of 20 baby teeth have usually emerged.

Caring For Your Child’s Teeth:

Children younger than 18 months should have their teeth cleaned with a soft toothbrush, but with NO toothpaste. For children between the age of 18 months and 6 years a children’s fluoride toothpaste should be used under adult supervision. Children should spit out and not swallow the toothpaste. They should not rinse out afterwards. It is important to help with brushing up to the age of 6, as children do not have the manual dexterity to brush correctly by themselves. It is also advisable to encourage brushing morning and evening. Floss your child’s teeth as soon as the spaces close between the teeth.

Fluoride supplements in the form of drops or tablets are not recommended.

Dental Caries (Tooth Decay):

Holes can form in your child’s teeth as soon as they appear. This could result in causing your child pain and damage to their erupting adult teeth. One serious form of decay is “bottle caries” which can occur in infants when they are allowed to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice or sweetened liquids.

If you must give a baby a bottle at bedtime it should only contain water.

To reduce the risk of dental decay in your child’s teeth it is important to limit sugary snacks and sweet drinks. If eaten, sweet treats should be limited to meal times only. Select foods from the five food groups for a balanced diet when a snack is needed.

Preventative Procedures:

A fissure sealant is a plastic material applied to the chewing surfaces of newly erupted permanent back teeth where decay is common. Pits and fissures are grooves in the chewing surfaces of the teeth that are difficult to keep clean. The sealant protects the teeth by covering these fissures and keeping out plaque and food.

A professional fluoride application may be recommended for your child if they are at a risk of developing dental caries.

Dental Visits:

Regular dental checkups are important to maintain a healthy smile. It is advised that your child visits the dentist from an early age (approximately 12 months old) to monitor your child’s dental health and development.

Women’s Dental Health

Good oral hygiene is important for dental health. It is especially important for women because of hormonal changes throughout their life which can increase the risk of tooth and gum disease.
Hormones can have fluctuating levels during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, breast feeding and menopause resulting in swelling and changes to the gums. The pill and hormone replacement therapy can also play a role in the health of a woman’s mouth.

Prevention of tooth and gum disease

Attention to oral hygiene is very important for women because tender, bleeding gums aggravated by changes in hormone levels are more likely to harbour bacteria. This can contribute to plaque formation (plaque is a common cause of tooth decay and gum disease).
If oral hygiene is poor, plaque can eventually harden into calculus (tartar). If left untreated this can lead to infection and inflammation of the tissues supporting the teeth. This can cause serious damage to gums and the bone that support the teeth. In severe cases teeth may loosen and need to be extracted.

To reduce plaque build-up on teeth:

Brush 2 – 3 times daily and floss once per day.
Choose healthy food. High-sugar foods (especially sticky lollies, dried fruits/sticky muesli bars, cakes and biscuits) promote the growth of plaque-forming bacteria. After eating high-sugar or starchy foods, brush your teeth.

Avoid snacking, which increases the rate of plaque development. Regular meals are healthier for your teeth.
Drink mainly water and milk. Avoid adding sugar to coffee and tea; if you do, rinse afterwards with water.
Chew sugarless gum after eating to help stimulate saliva and reduce the risk of plaque.
Have regular 6 monthly check-ups by your dentist.

Pregnancy

Many women experience bleeding gums during their pregnancy (pregnancy gingivitis). This is due to the surge in female hormones and typically is worse during the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy. Careful attention to dental hygiene is important in this time and more frequent visits to the dentist may be required for professional cleaning.

Most dental treatment can be carried out with safety during pregnancy. In general, elective treatment is best performed in the second trimester (ie the fourth, fifth and sixth months) of pregnancy.

If dental x-rays are necessary for assessment or diagnosis of infection or trauma, or for treatment of these conditions, there is no reason, on radiation protection grounds, to defer them. A lead apron is used during any x-ray procedures.

Puberty and Menstruation

Due to the surge of female hormones at puberty and during menstruation, women may develop swollen, tender gums at different times of the month. The gums become sensitive to irritants, such as toothpastes or cold drinks. Ulcers or cold-sore lesions are more likely to occur.

Menopause

With the onset of menopause and the gradual decline in female hormone levels, women may notice new dental problems developing. Pain in the mouth and burning sensations, dry mouth, or a bad taste can all occur around this time of a women’s life. Gums may become sore and sensitive. These symptoms can all be relieved by continuing good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist.

The Contraceptive Pill

The Pill contains levels of hormones which can lead to swollen and sensitive gums. Symptoms are more likely to occur in women who have been using The Pill for many years. Unlike menstruation gingivitis, the symptoms may not necessarily occur just before a period but may be noticeable during the entire month while The Pill is being taken.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Women who commence HRT at menopause may notice an increase in bleeding, swelling and redness of the gums. This is due to the hormones in the HRT medication.

Bad Breath

Bad breath (called halitosis) can afflict women just before a period. Bad breath may be due to hormonal fluctuations, which lead to changes in the saliva and an increase in bacteria in the mouth. Bad breath can also be due to poor oral hygiene, gum disease, chronic sinus problems, and lung or stomach diseases.

To help alleviate bad breath:

Brush teeth, gums and tongue regularly
Floss daily
Tongue cleaning using your toothbrush or a tongue scraper
Drink plenty of water
Limit the intake of coffee and alcohol
Chew sugar-free gum, especially if your mouth is dry
Brush after eating or drinking milk products, fish and meat
Quit smoking

Medical Conditions That Affect Oral Health

Burning Mouth Syndrome affects many women in their postmenopausal years. This syndrome causes chronic pain and a burning sensation in the mouth. It may also lead to a dry mouth, increased thirst, altered taste sensation, changes in eating habits, irritability and depression. Symptoms can be eased by using sugar-free gum and drinking water frequently.

Osteoporosis is common in women, especially in postmenopausal women. Some drug therapies used to improve bone strength such as the bisphosphonates can increase the likelihood of osteonecrosis (a very painful dry socket). All women taking bisphosphonates should inform their dentist and extractions should be avoided. Prior to the commencement of this drug therapy, a dental check-up is advised to eliminate caries and establish healthy gums. After commencing bisphosphonate therapy, regular dental check-ups are advised to maintain oral health, avoid extractions and ensure dentures are fitting well.

Cleaning and Prevention

Prevention is always better than treatment. By actively preventing disease and decay through regular home care, professional dental cleanings and regular exams, you will maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

In addition, effective prevention can help you avoid costly treatments in the future to remove decay, restore teeth and treat gum disease. Regular prevention is truly your best investment.

Location Map & Directions

Worongary Dental Surgery is located at Suite 36 Worongary Town Centre, Worongary.

Directions from the South on the M1 Motorway

Take the Mudgeeraba Road Exit (Exit 77) .
Turn left at the roundabout.
Turn right at the traffic lights and then take the first turn right into Worongary Town Centre.
Our Surgery is directly in front of you when you enter the car park.
We are located above the Worongary Medical Centre

Directions from the North on the M1 Motorway

Take the Gooding Drive Exit (Exit 77)
Turn right at the roundabout and cross over the M1 Motorway
Go straight through the next roundabout.
Turn right at the traffic lights and then take the first turn right into Worongary Town Centre.
Our Surgery is directly in front of you when you enter the car park.
We are located above the Worongary Medical Centre.

Directions from the East

Drive along Gooding Drive
Turn right at the roundabout and cross over the M1 Motorway
Go straight through the next roundabout.
Turn right at the traffic lights and then take the first turn right into Worongary Town Centre.
Our Surgery is directly in front of you when you enter the car park.
We are located above the Worongary Medical Centre.

Directions from the West

Drive along Mudgeeraba Road. Go straight ahead at the traffic lights
Turn the first right into Worongary Town Centre.
Our Surgery is directly in front of you when you enter the car park.
We are located above the Worongary Medical Centre.

Contact Details

Address
Suite 36 Worongary Town Centre
1 Mudgeeraba Road
Worongary Q 4213

Phone & Fax Numbers

Ph (07) 5522 8200
Fax (07) 5522 8300

Opening Hours

Mon 9am to 7pm
Tues 8am to 5pm
Wed 9am to 2pm
Thurs 9am to 5pm
Fri 9am to 5pm
Sat by appointment

Email Address
worongarydental@bigpond.com