Friday, 25 August 2017

When baby teeth come in and fall out

An interesting article by Colgate talks about the first baby tooth to fall out.
It says that it is a milestone that's just as important as the first tooth to come in. Knowing which baby teeth fall out first can help you and your child prepare for this memorable event.

Order of Tooth Loss
According to BabyCenter, a baby's teeth will typically fall out in the same order they arrived. That means the front teeth will probably be the first to go, typically followed by the next two either side, and so on. These baby teeth will fall out between the ages of six and twelve years. The pattern can be more easily seen in an eruption chart, such as this one from the American Dental Association's Mouth Healthy site.
That adorable baby smile, with two white nubs poking out of the top gum, will soon be replaced with a gap-toothed grin, clearing the way for the eventual arrival of adult teeth. Up until the age of 12 or 13, your child will have both permanent and baby teeth, leading to the typical mismatched smile of this age.


Helping Your Child Cope With Tooth Loss
Losing a tooth can be both exciting and scary for your child. However he feels, be sure to answer any questions he has, and follow his lead on how big a deal to make about it. Some kids prefer not to make a fuss about that first loose tooth. Others might like to celebrate the impending event and look forward to a visit from the tooth fairy. Still others may need some reassurance.
Whatever approach you take to your child's first tooth loss, don't ever interfere with its progress. According to the Center for Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, you shouldn't force a tooth out. They will fall out when they are ready too. However, if your child is experiencing extreme discomfort, bleeding or premature breakage, see your pediatric dentist as soon as possible.
Keeping Baby Teeth Healthy
Losing baby teeth from decay or damage might not seem like a big deal, but premature tooth loss can have serious side effects in the long term. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, tooth decay in babies can lead to infections in the sinuses, the ears or even the brain. Other examples of problems include the following:

  • Damage to permanent teeth
  • Difficulty eating
  • Difficulty learning to talk

Regular oral hygiene is just as important for your child as it is for you. Developing good habits early will make it more likely that your kids are able to take care of their permanent teeth when they get older. My First Colgate products are specially formulated for their needs and will help them take on responsibility for their own oral hygiene.
Losing a first tooth is a big deal for your child. No matter which baby teeth fall out first, make the process fun and easy, and keep those teeth healthy by establishing good hygiene habits early.



Thursday, 17 August 2017

Diet and Nutrition

Everything you eat and drink can have a major effect on the health of your teeth and gums, particularly whether you develop tooth decay, a diet related disease which is caused when the sugars in the food and drinks you eat are taken up by bacteria; these in turn produce the acids that can attack the outer layer of tooth enamel.





To ensure that your diet doesn't negatively affect your teeth, there's a few key things to keep in mind:

Drink lots of water 

It’s calorie free, there are no ingredient labels to stress over, and it’s almost free! Even better, tap water in most areas of Australia contains fluoride, one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to help prevent tooth decay. If you choose water over anything else, and regularly sip it throughout the day, you're going a long way to making real difference to the health of your teeth.


Limit snacking between meals 

A key component in helping to prevent decay is saliva which helps your teeth recover from these attacks by neutralising the acids. Its good work, however, can be undone if you snack frequently between meals, which means your teeth don't get a break from the acid attacks that occur when you eat.  Also, limit sugary treats to meal times, rather than between meals.

Watch what you eat 

It is not just the obvious sweet foods and drinks such as lollies and soft drinks that can cause decay. Frequent snacking on foods with hidden sugars like biscuits, crackers, cereals, chips and even dried fruit (these foods break down into sugars in the mouth) can cause acid attacks on your tooth enamel.

Gum anyone? 

Chewing sugar-free gum (and that’s the crucial qualifier, it must be sugar-free!) may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you’re thinking about good dietary habits that benefit your teeth. But studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating can prompt your mouth to produce more saliva, which helps neutralise decay-causing acid attacks.




source: https://www.ada.org.au/Dental-Health-Week/Home

Flossing

It's Dental Health Week 2017 and at Woollahra Dental we are making it a Dental Health Month!

If you’re relying solely on brushing to keep your teeth clean, you’re missing nearly half the surface area of your teeth which, not surprisingly, lies between them. For that reason alone,  flossing should be an essential part of your oral care routine and never an optional extra.



By using floss to remove the plaque from between your teeth, you’re helping to prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and halitosis (otherwise known as “bad breath”), a considerable amount of upside for just a couple of minutes effort each day.

A part of your routine
It’s always best to floss when you’re not in a rush or when you’re too tired to do it well. If you find you're exhausted at the end of the day, then it's a good idea to floss first thing in the morning or after lunch. Alternatively, if you like to go to bed with a clean mouth then floss before your nightly brush. If you have kids, they should begin flossing, with your help up until about age 8, as soon as they have two teeth in contact.

How to floss
Your dentist is the most qualified person to instruct you on flossing correctly but there are some basic tips you can follow:

Tip 1. Wind approximately 45 cm of floss around your middle fingers and grip it tightly between your thumbs and index fingers.

Tip 2. Keeping the thumb and forefingers close together, gently guide the floss between the teeth, taking care not to cut or damage your gums with abrupt movement. You should use a side-to-side motion to ensure the sides of both teeth are cleaned equally.

Tip 3. To clean the “neck” of the tooth, which is the point where it meets the gums, curl the floss and insert it gently under the gum.

If sticking your fingers into your mouth with a cord of thin filaments strung between them isn’t your idea of fun, then consider using either a less invasive floss threader (a nylon loop through which you thread the floss) or floss pick (the floss is held taut between two prongs on a handle) to do the job.

 And finally, your dentist might also recommend using other items such as bottle brush-shaped interdental cleaners, if you have large gaps between your teeth, or interdental tips (flexible rubber tips) and irrigators (electrically-powered water-pumping devices) to compliment your flossing regimen.







source: https://www.ada.org.au/Dental-Health-Week/Home

Wednesday, 16 August 2017

HOW TO EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE - What is somatotype?

Find more about Dr. Anthony Ancell and Orthopostural Dentistry.

Many people think that “body type” just describes the way someone looks. In fact, your body type can also provide information about how you respond to food intake and about your hormonal and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) characteristics.


Physique characteristics can thus be linked to metabolic differences between individuals. Once someone establishes their body type, they can then adjust nutrient intake to maximize body composition and health related goals.

There are three general categories of body types (somatotypes): ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Very few people fall perfectly into one of the three categories. People are often a mix of characteristics. Additionally, years of training and good nutrition can change the outward appearance of one’s body.

For instance, a bodybuilder might be mistaken for a “natural” mesomorph when in fact, s/he is really an endomorph who’s trained and dieted hard; or an ectomorph who’s spent years guzzling protein shakes and doing the power lifts.

An ectomorph who’s gained a little weight around the middle from a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition might assume they’re more endomorphic.

However, most people can find their general tendencies in one of the three groups.There are 3 different body types, but most of us are a combination of these three
.

ECTOMORPH

An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.

TYPICAL TRAITS OF AN ECTOMORPH:

Small “delicate” frame and bone structure
Classic “hardgainer”
Flat chest
Small shoulders
Thin
Lean muscle mass
Finds it hard to gain weight
Fast metabolism

Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto’s need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them. Cardio is and absolute no no! Keep trainings under 45 min, max 4 days a week.

MESOMORPH

A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.

TYPICAL TRAITS ON A MESOMORPH:

Athletic
Generally hard body
Well defined muscles
Rectangular shaped body
Strong
Gains muscle easily
Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs
The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake.

ENDOMORPH

The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat.

TYPICAL TRAITS OF AN ENDOMORPH:

Soft and round body
Gains muscle and fat very easily
Is generally short
"Stocky" build
Round physique
Finds it hard to lose fat
Slow metabolism
Muscles not so well defined

When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Usually supplements may not be needed as long as the person has a high protein intake in their diet.
One final point I want to mention is that no matter what your body type you can build a big, ripped, muscular physique. Even the skinniest of guys can bulk up. Yes, it’s harder but if you’re willing to put in the hard work it can be done. And even an extreme endomorph can still get lean. For him it will be much much harder to maintain a fit body, but nothing is impossible if you are willing to reach your goal.

Dr. Anthony Ancell can help you find more ways to find the best diet and lifestyle components to improve your health and achieve an optimal body balance. Call us on 02 9363 5690 or book online



www.woollahradental.com 


Sources: http://tophealthnews.net/ http://wilderdom.com/

Sunday, 13 August 2017

Can you regrow your gums?

Whither it be from hormonal changes, medications, illnesses, family history, bad baits such as smoking or simply a poor oral hygiene routine; gum disease is prevalent among many people. It starts off as inflammation or some bleeding around the gum line, known as gingivitis. At this stage the gums are easily irritated and can start to recede. If left untreated it can turn into periodontal disease which is when the “inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form pockets”, as stated in WebMD.


There are some natural methods that may help regrow gums if noticed at a very early stage. Providing gums time to heal is very important. This can be done by switching to an electric tooth brush with a soft head. The electric toothbrush provides a more controlled motion for effectively removing plaque, unlike using a manual toothbrush which is very abrasive on the gum line. Also flossing in between meals will help as it aides in removing substances that bacteria can grow on in the gum line.

Increasing the consumption of Vitamin C will promote regeneration and minimize inflammation. Vitamin C can be found naturally in foods such as kiwi’s, oranges, strawberries, asparagus and broccoli. There is also another natural technique called oil pulling that Dr Ancell can tell you about at your next appointment.

The loss of gum around you teeth is not only an aesthetic concern but is a health concern.  If you’re worried about your gums you should contact Woollahra Dental Practice to schedule an appointment with the knowledgeable hygienists. The team will advise you on the best treatment options to repair your gums.