Oral Health

Evidence-based guides to bleeding gums, gum disease and bad breath — written from the clinical research, reviewed against what LACALUT® has learnt treating gums since 1925.

Best mouthwash for gingivitis in Australia — LACALUT AKTIV gum mouthwash

Best Mouthwash for Gingivitis in Australia (2026)

on Aug 25 2026
A dentist-informed comparison of the best gingivitis mouthwashes in Australia — how chlorhexidine strength decides between short-term treatment and safe daily gum care.
Woman wincing at cold ice cream with sensitive teeth

Sensitive Teeth: Why They Hurt and How to Stop It

on Aug 24 2026
Sensitive teeth come down to one thing — exposed dentine. Here's what triggers the jolt, how to tell it from something more serious, and the proven way to seal the nerve and stop the pain.
How To Tell If You Have Bad Breath (You Cannot Smell Your Own)

How To Tell If You Have Bad Breath (You Cannot Smell Your Own)

on Aug 21 2026
You cannot smell your own breath - olfactory adaptation means your receptors stop reporting a constant odour within minutes, and your brain edits it out entirely. Here are the self-tests that actually work, honestly rated, and why cupping your hands and breathing into them does NOT.
Whitening toothpaste — LACALUT WHITE & REPAIR, enamel-safe

Best Whitening Toothpaste in Australia: The Enamel-Safe Guide

on Aug 19 2026
Whitening toothpaste lifts surface stains — but not all of them do it safely. Here's how whitening really works, whether it wears down enamel, and how to choose an enamel-safe, remineralising formula in Australia.
Tonsil Stones: The Bad Breath Cause Nobody Talks About

Tonsil Stones: The Bad Breath Cause Nobody Talks About

on Aug 18 2026
Some people brush, floss and scrape their tongue perfectly and still have foul breath — and the reason is often tonsil stones, calcified pellets of bacteria hidden in the crypts of the tonsils. Here is what they are, how to check for them safely, what you must NOT do, and when to see a doctor.
Bad Breath That Won't Go Away: When To See A Dentist

Bad Breath That Won't Go Away: When To See A Dentist

on Aug 15 2026
Bad breath that survives twice-daily brushing, daily flossing and daily tongue cleaning is NOT a hygiene failure - it is a symptom, and the most common cause by far is periodontal (gum) disease. Here is every real cause of persistent bad breath, the stomach myth that costs people years, and exactly what to say when you book the dentist.
Tongue Scraping: Does It Actually Work?

Tongue Scraping: Does It Actually Work?

on Aug 12 2026
Tongue scraping works — it measurably reduces the volatile sulphur compounds that ARE the smell of bad breath. But almost everybody cleans the tip and front of the tongue, which is nearly clean already, and never reaches the back, where the odour-producing bacteria actually live. Here is the evidence and the correct technique.
Best Toothpaste For Bad Breath In Australia (2026)

Best Toothpaste For Bad Breath In Australia (2026)

on Aug 09 2026
Bad breath is caused by volatile sulphur compounds released by anaerobic bacteria on the back of your tongue and between your teeth — so a minty toothpaste masks the problem while a zinc or antibacterial formula actually targets it. Here is every bad breath toothpaste mechanism rated honestly, plus the three things no toothpaste can fix.
Can Sensitive Teeth Be Fixed Permanently?

Can Sensitive Teeth Be Fixed Permanently?

on Aug 06 2026
The honest answer is a split: the symptom can usually be controlled, often completely, but whether it is fixed permanently depends entirely on the cause. A cracked tooth, decay or a failing filling can be permanently repaired. Gum recession cannot be reversed, so that sensitivity is managed rather than cured.
Sensitive Teeth After A Dental Clean: Is That Normal?

Sensitive Teeth After A Dental Clean: Is That Normal?

on Aug 03 2026
Sensitive teeth after a scale and clean is normal, expected and temporary - the hardened tartar that was removed had been insulating your exposed root surfaces, and your gums were already inflamed before you sat down. Here is why it happens, how long it lasts, what helps, and the small number of symptoms that genuinely mean go back.
Why Cold Water Hurts Your Teeth

Why Cold Water Hurts Your Teeth

on Jul 31 2026
Cold water triggers a sharp jolt because exposed dentine carries the signal straight to your nerve. But how long the pain lasts after the cold is gone tells you everything: seconds means manageable sensitivity, while lingering, throbbing or heat-triggered pain means the nerve is dying and needs a dentist this week.
Acid Erosion: The Tooth Damage You Cannot Undo

Acid Erosion: The Tooth Damage You Cannot Undo

on Jul 28 2026
Acid erosion is the permanent loss of enamel to acid - no bacteria, pure chemistry, and it does NOT grow back. Here is why frequency beats volume, why sugar-free soft drinks still erode teeth, and why brushing straight after acid makes it worse.
Best Toothpaste For Sensitive Teeth In Australia (2026)

Best Toothpaste For Sensitive Teeth In Australia (2026)

on Jul 25 2026
There are only two mechanisms that reduce tooth sensitivity: nerve desensitisers like potassium nitrate, and tubule occluders like stannous fluoride. Here is how each one works, what the evidence honestly says, and the pain that no toothpaste will ever fix.
Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Stains: Which One Do You Have?

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Stains: Which One Do You Have?

on Jul 22 2026
Extrinsic stains sit on the surface of your enamel and a whitening toothpaste and a professional clean will lift them. Intrinsic colour is built into the tooth — from ageing, tetracycline, fluorosis or a dead nerve — and no toothpaste will touch it. Here is how to tell which one you have before you spend a cent.
Charcoal Toothpaste: The Honest Verdict

Charcoal Toothpaste: The Honest Verdict

on Jul 19 2026
Charcoal toothpaste does NOT bleach your teeth - it abrades them, scrubbing off surface stain and enamel with it, and enamel never grows back. Published dental reviews found the whitening, detox and antibacterial claims unsupported, and many charcoal pastes drop fluoride entirely.
Whitening Toothpaste: What It Can And Cannot Do

Whitening Toothpaste: What It Can And Cannot Do

on Jul 16 2026
Whitening toothpaste works on one thing only: extrinsic stain sitting on the surface of your enamel. It does NOT bleach your teeth or change their intrinsic colour - and the three mechanisms it uses (abrasion, chemical stain dissolution and blue covarine optics) are not equally safe.
Can You Remineralise Your Teeth? What Actually Rebuilds Enamel

Can You Remineralise Your Teeth? What Actually Rebuilds Enamel

on Jul 14 2026
Enamel does NOT grow back — it has no living cells, so once it is physically gone it is gone forever. But enamel loses and regains mineral every day, and you can tip that balance: you can re-harden softened enamel and reverse an early white-spot lesion, even though you can never remineralise a cavity.
Does Teeth Whitening Damage Enamel?

Does Teeth Whitening Damage Enamel?

on Jul 13 2026
Peroxide bleaching does not dissolve, strip or thin enamel - the fear is largely misplaced. What actually destroys enamel is abrasion (charcoal and high-RDA scrub pastes) and acid, and that damage is permanent.
Why Your Gums Bleed Even Though You Brush Twice A Day

Why Your Gums Bleed Even Though You Brush Twice A Day

on Jul 12 2026
If your gums bleed even though you brush twice a day, frequency is not the variable that is failing you. A toothbrush reaches only about 60% of each tooth surface, and plaque hardens into calculus within 24-72 hours - after which no amount of brushing removes it. Here is what actually stops the bleeding, and when it stops being a shopping problem.
Gum Disease And Pregnancy Outcomes: What The Research Shows

Gum Disease And Pregnancy Outcomes: What The Research Shows

on Jul 11 2026
Observational studies repeatedly link maternal gum disease to preterm birth, low birth weight and pre-eclampsia — but randomised trials of periodontal treatment during pregnancy have generally NOT reduced those outcomes, and Cochrane rates the evidence low-quality. Here is the honest state of the research, and the one thing that genuinely matters: dental care during pregnancy is safe, and avoiding it is the real mistake.