Oral cancer screening: what Perth dentists are looking for
What a mouth-cancer check in a Perth dental chair actually involves — soft tissues, risk factors, what happens if something is referred, and why a screen is not a diagnosis.
Priya Nair
Health reporter
Priya reports on family dentistry, fluoride policy and the public system. She focuses on what parents, carers and older readers can do with the information in front of them.
Articles by Priya
After a tooth extraction in Perth: the first forty-eight hours
How to protect the clot after an extraction in Perth — dry socket risk, smoking, food, FIFO rosters, when to call back, and pain relief in general terms.
Root canal versus extraction: a Perth patient's decision guide
How Perth patients weigh a root canal against taking the tooth out — success rates, crowns, replacements, 2025–26 fee ranges as estimates, and what “saving the tooth” actually buys.
Dental anxiety and sedation options in Perth
How Perth practices handle dental fear — tell-show-do, control in the chair, relative analgesia, oral sedation referrals and hospital general anaesthetic, without promising a painless miracle.
Veneers, bonding or whitening: choosing a cosmetic path in Perth
Porcelain versus composite, what irreversible prep actually means, how bonding and bleaching differ, and why a smile makeover is not a substitute for gum health.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule in Western Australia, without the brochure language
Who CDBS covers in WA, what the two-year cap usually buys, how it sits beside school dental and extras, and how to check a remaining balance before you book.
A child's first dentist visit in Perth
Why the first visit is by the first birthday or first tooth, what actually happens in the chair, how school dental and CDBS fit, and how to make dentistry ordinary rather than a threat.
Fluoride, Perth tap water and children's teeth
What WA tap water actually contains, how much toothpaste a child needs, and why bottled water and anti-fluoride Facebook threads are poor substitutes for a public health fact sheet.