27 ways yo survive using Dental Floss

We always talk about the importance of floss and the action of flossing your teeth. When our patients visit us  we get a variety of versions about why they haven't flossed. A very common one is the fact that there is no dental floss in the household or it's not handy.

We've collected a list of how dental floss can be very useful for SURVIVAL so it would be a good idea to have it handy:

1. Make a Lean-To – Use floss to make a lean-to with a tarp or blanket. Just thread the floss through the holes of the tarp or the corners of the emergency blanket.

2. As Lashings – If you need a larger shelter, use your dental floss to lash branches together so you can build one. If you already have a shelter, use floss to make it a little sturdier.

3. Make an Alarm – Tie a few tin or aluminum cans and lids to a length of the floss and string it across the perimeter of your camp or outside your home. Because the floss is difficult to see, intruders will sound your hobo alarm.

4. Make a Tripwire – String the floss nice and tight around some trees. Anybody who comes traipsing into your area is going to fall on their face before they can reach you. The thin floss will blend in, especially if there is snow on the ground.

5. As Restraints – It isn’t pleasant to think about, but if you have to restrain somebody, several strands of floss around their wrists should do it.

6. As a Clothesline – String a line of floss between two trees and use it as a makeshift clothesline for your socks. Dry feet are important. The floss is probably not going to be strong enough to hold your jeans, but it can certainly hold your unmentionables and some shirts.

7. Mend Clothing – Floss is strong enough to mend shirts, pants, and even shoes. If you can, store some unwaxed floss just for this purpose.

8. As a Shoelace – If your shoelaces break, thread dental floss and use that instead. It’s not perfect, but it should be strong enough to keep your shoes on your feet.

9. Secure Hair and Clothes – You don’t want your hair or clothing to get caught on something if you’re hiking through the woods. Use floss as a hair tie or to secure loose clothing.

10. As a Dummy Cord – Tie important things to your clothes or backpack so you don’t accidentally drop and lose them. Things like compasses, knives, tools, etc.

11. Make a rope – Braiding several strands of dental floss together will create a strong rope you can use to pull gear, hang heavy items and any other purpose that requires something a little stronger than floss.

12. Whip a Rope – If you already have a rope, you can use this method to keep it from unraveling. Here’s a tutorial.

13. As Straps for Trash Bags – If you want to keep your feet and lower legs dry while traveling through wet, marshy, or snowy areas, wrap garbage bags around your legs and secure them with floss.

14. Make a Snare – Learn how to make traps and snares that will catch small game for you to eat. The floss is sturdy enough to hold on to most small to medium-size critters you may snare.

15. Make a Spear – Use the dental floss to tightly wrap your knife to a branch so you can fashion a spear for hunting or self-defense.

16. Make a bow – If you braid together several strands of floss it could work as a replacement string for your bow.

17. Make a Fishing Pole – If you don’t have a fishing pole, you can make a quick one out of floss and a branch. Just fashion a hook and tie it to the end of the line, and you’ll be ready to go fishing.

18. Make a Fishing Net – This is much more complicated, but if you know how, you can use dental floss to do it. Here are some illustrated instructions.

19. Hang Up Your Food – It’s important to keep food out of reach of pests, possums and rodents. The floss can be tied around a bag and then tied around a tree branch. Suspending your food off the ground will keep it from getting wet from dew on the ground as well.

20. Cut Food – If you don’t have a knife, you can wrap dental floss around a hunk of meat or even a large piece of fruit and pull it tight. The floss is fine enough that it can cut through meat and other food, making it easier for you to divvy up.

21. As Tinder – Since waxed dental floss burns easily, you can use it to get a fire going. A better method is to use it to tie bundles of kindling together.

22. Start a Fire – If you need to make a bow drill to start a fire, you could use floss as your cordage to spin the stick back and forth.

23. Fix Your Glasses – Run a piece of floss through the area where the screw should have been or use the floss to lash together a broken nose piece. You can also tie floss around the ear pieces to carry around your neck so you don’t lose them.

24. As Stitches – If you get cut and need to close the wound, dental floss can be used to sew your skin back together.

25. Support Climbing Plants – If you have plants such as peas, tomatoes, or anything that climbs, you can use floss to tie the vines to supports. Just don’t tie them too tight.

26. Tie Down a Trunk – If you have too many supplies in your car’s trunk for it to close, try tying it down with dental floss. A dozen loops will do the job.

27. As it was intended! and Prevent Heart Disease – Sure, this one is pretty obvious, but keeping your teeth in good shape is going to be tough when there are no dentists. Take care of them now so you don’t have a dental emergency. Flossing is probably the most important thing you can do for your teeth.

www.woollahradental.com

What is the Right Way to Floss?

Proper flossing removes  plaque  and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot easily reach — under the gumline and between your teeth. Because plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, daily flossing is highly recommended.

To receive maximum benefits from flossing, use the following proper technique:

• Starting with about 18 inches of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with
• Holding the floss tautly between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth
• Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gumline. Never snap or force the floss, as this may cut or bruise delicate gum tissue
• Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth
• To remove the floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth

What Type of Floss Should I Use?

There are two types of floss from which to choose:

• Nylon (or multifilament) floss
• PTFE (monofilament) floss

Nylon floss is available waxed and unwaxed, and in a variety of flavors. Because this type of floss is composed of many strands of nylon, it may sometimes tear or shred, especially between teeth with tight contact points.

While more expensive, single filament (PTFE) floss slides easily between teeth, even those with tight spaces between teeth, and is virtually shred-resistant. When used properly, both types of floss are excellent at removing plaque and debris.

Use about 30cm of floss, leaving two or three cm to work with.

Gently follow the curves of your teeth.

Be sure to clean beneath the gumline, but avoid snapping the floss on the gums

Call us on  02 9363 5690 and book in to see our Dental Hygienist




Refernces: www.colgate.com

THE IMPACT OF NUTRITION ON YOUR HEALTH

Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

THE IMPACT OF NUTRITION ON YOUR HEALTH 

Unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity epidemic in Australia: 2 in 3 adults (63.8%) are are overweight or obese and approximately 25% of children and adolescents  are obese.¹  Even for people at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness and even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from these health problems.

The risk factors for adult chronic diseases, like hypertension and type 2 diabetes, are increasingly seen in younger ages, often a result of unhealthy eating habits and increased weight gain. Dietary habits established in childhood often carry into adulthood, so teaching children how to eat healthy at a young age will help them stay healthy throughout their life.

The link between good nutrition and healthy weight, reduced chronic disease risk, and overall health is too important to ignore. By taking steps to eat healthy, you'll be on your way to getting the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, active, and strong. As with physical activity, making small changes in your diet can go a long way, and it's easier than you think!

Now that you know the benefits, it's time to start eating healthy: contact us and let us help you achieve a great health. We have a panel of practitioners ready to work with you.  Call us on 02 9363 5690 in Australia or +6122 9363 5690 overseas.

Send us an email and we'll book you in for a consultation with a practitioner who will approach your health with a holistic view.

¹ Authoritative information and statistics to promote better health and wellbeing http://www.aihw.gov.au/overweight-and-obesity/ 

Is your Enamel at Risk of Erosion?

Experiencing tooth sensitivity, noticing discolouration or small chips/cracks around your teeth is a possible sign your tooth enamel has eroded. There are several ways tooth enamel may be put at risk of erosion.

The most common ways include:
1) Clenching/grinding your teeth.
2) Brushing your teeth too hard.
3) Plaque build-up.
4) Acid reflux.

The team at Woollahra Dental Practice can help by protecting your teeth from future erosion caused by clenching/grinding your teeth (known as bruxism). They can create a perfectly fitting mouth guard/splint. This guard will create a safety barrier between your teeth that can be worn night or day depending on your current bruxism pattern.

If you have abrasions in your enamel (little lines or rough edges across your teeth) as a result of brushing too hard or as a result of plaque build-up, one of Woollahra Dental Practice’s Hygienists can help. They will take the time to show you a new brushing technique.  They will also demonstrate and explain how using an Electric Tooth Brush removes more plaque and is more effective than manual brushing.

Dr Tony Ancell, who has a holistic approach to dentistry, can look at the potential causes of acid reflux erosion to teeth. Studies have shown sleep apnoea to be a predominate cause of acid reflux erosion.  He will provide you with an at home sleep study and a sleep appliance, such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), which has been shown to help reduce acid reflux occurring at night-time.

However, if a preventative approach isn’t possible then an active restoration approach will be necessary to restore your teeth. Depending on the size and area of enamel that has eroded a simple filling could do just the trick. Alternatively, restorations such as lengthening, crowns or veneers may be required to fully cover and protect the tooth from further erosion. Teeth that are left untreated put the tooth’s root at risk and may require root canal therapy.

Give Woollahra Dental Practice a call today on 02 9363 5690 to schedule an appointment with one of their friendly, helpful team members. Loss of enamel doesn’t have to mean the loss of your beautiful smile.

Circular Breathing on Didgeridoo

Juan from Colombia, playing the didgeridoo to introduce the

Ortho Postural Course from Dr. Anyhony Ancell

www.woollahradental.com 

Circular breathing is a wind instrument technique that allows the player to sustain a tone for an extended period of time. This is accomplished by storing air in the mouth (inflating the cheeks) and using this reservoir of air to inhale through the nose while air is still coming out the mouth. People always ask me if it is difficult to do circular breathing on didgeridoo and I usually reply that it is just a slight variation on normal breathing. Circular breathing is key to didgeridoo playing because it allows for the continuous drone to remain unbroken, forming a strong foundation for the complete sound. Learning to circular breathe is like going to the gym in that you are working to develop muscle tone, flexibility and control. While it may seem challenging, practice of the following exercises you will give you an understanding of how the mechanics work and how to successfully master the art. Some people find it easier to learn circular breathing by playing the didgerdioo but you do not need an instrument to practice these exercises.

1. Breathe through your nose with inflated cheeks

Fill your cheeks with air so they are puffed out and hold your lips tight so no air escapes. Inhale and exhale naturally through the nose, keeping the cheeks filled with air the whole time. Inhale slowly. Exhale slowly. This first step serves to establish independence between your breath and the air in stored in your mouth reservoir.

2. Spit water

Fill your mouth with water so that your cheeks are bulging out. Gently squeeze your cheeks and bring your jaw up as if biting so the water streams out. Maintaining a constant stream, inhale and exhale naturally through your nose. Your goal is to have an uninterrupted flow of water coming out of your mouth as you breathe. This exercise can be practiced each time you step into the shower.

3. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth with inflated cheeks

Start with your cheeks inflated and mouth closed. Inhale through the nose, keeping your lips sealed and your cheeks inflated. Then exhale through your mouth, keeping your cheeks just as full. On your next inhale, seal your lips again. Continue with this cycle maintaining inflated cheeks throughout.

4. Inhale through the nose while squeezing air out of your mouth

This is the first stage in what will become a full breath cycle. Start with your cheeks inflated. At the same moment you begin to inhale through the nose, squeeze the air out of your mouth by bringing your jaw up and tightening your cheek muscles. You should strive for a strong but quiet inhale through the nose. With some practice you should be able to synchronize the flow of air coming in your nose and the flow of air going out your mouth. Practice this until you get good at it.

5. Add the “HA”

Start with exercise 4. After you simultaneously inhale through the nose and squeeze air out your mouth, make a strong exhale from the lungs by saying “HA”. This out-breath should come from deep in your core so be sure that your diaphram is engaged and abdominal muscles are tightening to push the air out. This exhale should also push air back into your cheeks.

6. Find the rhythm

Once you have combined steps 4 and 5, repeat them over and over again until you start to feel the groove. Make the repetition as musical as you can. The goal is to get air constantly coming out of your mouth with no gap between the inhale and exhale. With practice you will be able to blend the air flow from the two sources (mouth and lungs) into one rhythmic cycle, the circular breath.

After you have mastered step 6 and completed the cycle, you’ve done it! It is time to pick up a didge and put your new circular breathing skills in action.

Ready for further training on circular breathing? Want to see how to put all the pieces together? Sign up below for a free video class on circular breathing exercises you can try at home.

source: www.didjshop.com

From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here's how to take care of your children's teeth.

Woollahra Dental, would like to share an article from the UK based 'NHS choices' about the importance of taking care of your children's teeth. 

A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay free:   

• Start brushing your baby's teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around six months, but it can be earlier or later). It's important to use a fluoride paste as this helps prevent and control tooth decay. 

• All children can use family toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride as long as you supervise brushing until the age of seven and make sure they don't eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

• Children under the age of six who don't have tooth decay can use a lower-strength toothpaste if you prefer, but make sure it contains at least 1,000ppm fluoride. Check the toothpaste packet for this information or ask your dentist.

• Below the age of three years, children should use just a smear of toothpaste.

• Children aged between three and six years should use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste. Check the toothpaste packet for this information or ask your dentist.   

• Brush your child's teeth for about two minutes twice a day: once just before bedtime and at least one other time during the day.

• Encourage them to spit out excess toothpaste but not to rinse with lots of water. Rinsing with water after tooth brushing will wash away the fluoride and reduce its benefits.

• Supervise tooth brushing until your child is seven or eight years old, either by brushing their teeth yourself or, if they brush their own teeth, by watching how they do it. From the age of seven or eight they should be able to brush their own teeth, but it's still a good idea to watch them now and again to make sure they brush properly and for about two minutes.

Making sure they brush properly

• Guide your child's hand so they can feel the correct movement.

• Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.

• Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about two minutes.

• Don't let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.

Taking your child to the dentist

• Take your child to the dentist when the first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can help prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look is useful practice for when they could benefit from future preventative care. 

• When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

• Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist. 

Contact us today and book a regular dental check up.

Ultimate Guide to Good Posture at Work [Infographic]

Find more information about the importance of your posture
visit our website

source: Wellbeing Infographics

How Posture affects your spine

Find more information about the importance of your posture in our website

www.woollahradental.com

source:visual.ly

Are you anxious about visiting a dentist?

We help a large group of patients with anxiety about dental treatments at our practice. We provide a calm environment and friendly service. All procedures are explained prior to the treatment. We also allocate extra time for those patients that experience nervousness.

We offer various technologies to help you feel as comfortable as possible during your visits with us.

These include Local anaesthetic, Happy Gas (Nitrous Oxide), Sleep Dentistry (I.V Sedation) and Rubber Dam.

Local Anaesthetic

We offer a range of Local Anaesthetic to suite different individuals depending on the complexity of your medical history or the number of medication you are currently taking. Also we offer long or shorter acting anaesthetic to stop you from experiencing numbness for hour after your treatment.

Happy Gas

Happy/ Laughing gas can be offer at the beginning of treatment to help you relax and calm your mood.
It is absolutely safe and the effect stops with a few deep breath of fresh air. The gas exits the body within 12-24 hours.

Rubber Dam

A dental dam is used when putting fillings into teeth or during Root Canal Therapy. They are thin squares of latex rubber. Silicone versions are available for those with latex allergies. Rubber Dam allows you to relax without having water rushing to the back of your throat during treatment while a plastic block keeps your mouth open allowing you to relax.

I.V sedation

I.V Sedation also known as Sleep Dentistry is a good way to tackle complex and lengthy treatments for anxious patients. We offer Sleep dentistry as an option to all our patients who are aged 12 years and over.

If you would like to know more about sleep dentistry or find out how we can accommodate your needs please call us on 02 9363 5690.

www.woollahradental.com

Holistic Orthodontics

When a person’s teeth or jaw structures do not function properly, the body compensates in order to survive. However this leads to many other potential problems such as increase risk of injury to jaws and teeth, chronic head aches, sore jaws, malocclusion (bad bite) and excessive and premature wear of your teeth.

• Orthodontic treatment addresses many of these issues and aids in treatment of;
• Tempromandibular joints (Jaw joints) dysfunction.
• Chronic head/ neck pain.
• Improves intraoral volume to ease breathing and tongue posture.
• Reconstructing the bite.
• Improves aesthetics of your smile.

Orthodontic treatment can be achieved through many different ways to suite your lifestyle. Please feel free to Ask Dr. Ancell any questions that you may have if you think you experience any of above.

www.woollahradental.com.au

Concerned about what’s in your water supply? Is your water filter really working?

If you care about water quality you know that a bad taste or bad smell can ruin the pleasure of drinking. If your water tastes “weird” or smells “chemically” then there is clearly reason for concern. However, not every water pollutant can be tasted or smelled. Some dangerous forms of bacteria and many common pesticides cannot be detected without lab analysis. Not knowing if your water supply is safe can cost you more than just anxiety, and investing in bottled water or water purification can be expensive and unnecessary. Water samples can determine if filtration is necessary or effective.

The young and elderly, immune compromised, or pregnant should be especially cautious.

Through precise lab analysis scientists can make the invisible – visible. User-friendly reports will indicate if additional filtration is recommended or if your existing filtration system is sufficient, providing peace-of-mind and clear direction for maintaining good water quality.

At Woollahra Dental we can help you identify if the quantity of water you are consuming is enough for your body type and also if the quality of your drinking water agrees with your body and your well-being. Book a consultation with Tony Ancell calling our practice on  02 9363 5690 or email us.

What you lack can cause cavities!

Eating habits and every day diet play a huge role in oral health care. Food and drinks that are high in sugar have been linked time and time again to being the culprit of plaque build-up and tooth decay. The Australian Dental Association states, “The bacteria in plaque use sugars in food and drinks to produce acid. This acid dissolves the tooth’s strengthening minerals (calcium and phosphate) from the tooth surface thereby increasing the risk of cavities”.  According to Better Health Victoria, foods that are acidic (citrus fruits, wines) can weaken enamel and make them prone to decay.

Obviously, minimizing the consumption of sugary and or acidic foods, along with regular daily brushing and flossing teeth will help prevent cavities from forming……but that may not be enough.

Turns out there are 3 things lacking in most modern day diets that are linked to cavities forming, according to research by Dr Weston Price and other dental pioneers.

Natural News published Dr Price’s research stating what actually causes tooth decay is:
• Not enough minerals in the diet.
• Not enough fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
• Nutrients not being readily bioavailable, and the intestinal system not properly absorbing them. The presence of phytic acid largely influences this factor.

Phytic acid impairs the absorption of calcium, iron and zinc. “Over a period of time, if your diet lacks vitamins and minerals from a poor diet and/or contains high levels of phytates (from grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes), the blood chemistry and the ratio of calcium and phosphorous become out of balance, which results in minerals being pulled from bones, causing tooth and bone loss.”

Woollahra Dental Practice has a holistic approach to dentistry and understands the importance of diet on your oral health care.  For further information on how you can minimize your risk of cavities call 02 9363 5690 to schedule a consultation with Dr Tony Ancell.

Source: Natural News

Is Whitening Safe?

Whitening

Is whitening safe?

If done correctly, Whitening is one of the safest procedures in dentistry. Extensive research has indicated that whitening under a supervision of a dentist is safe. However Tooth whitening is not recommended for children under 13 years of age or pregnant or lactating women.

What results should I expect?

In office whitening can whiten teeth from six to ten shades lighter. The results can be surprising for most patients who choose this technique.
At home whitening provides results that are typically two to four shades whiter than the starting shade.

How long does the result last?

It depends on your dietary habits. Frequently drinking coffee, tea, red wine or smoking can reduce the whiteness of the teeth quicker. Also consuming colourful spices in your food can have similar effect.

However by following the post whitening care instructions you can ensure that your teeth stay brighter than ever before. A home top up kit is provided to you at the end of your In Office Whitening session to use as a touch up from time to time.

Is there side effects?

Some patient can experience temporary sensitivity to the cold temperature between 1-4 days after in office whitening.

In Office Whitening

In office whitening can take up to 70 minutes. It is effective and fast and is tailored for people with a busy lifestyle. This technique provides patients with fastest results possible.

The procedure is safe and has minimal discomfort. It consists of initial preparation to isolate the soft tissue and lips. Whitening gel solution is then applied by the clinician to cover the teeth and activated by light to start the procedure.

A home whitening kit is given to the patient at the end of this appointment if they wish to touch up from time to time.

What Whitening system do we use?

We use PHILIPS Zoom! Whitening for our in office sessions. This system has been proven to provide one of the best results Australia wide and Philips Zoom at-home whitening products have two mild desensitizing agents, potassium nitrate and Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP), to minimize tooth sensitivity.

How does the whitening work?

Whitening gel contains Hydrogen peroxide solution which is activated with our special light. As the Hydrogen Peroxide gel is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentin, bleaching coloured substances while the structure of the tooth is completely unchanged.

At Home Whitening

This technique gives more gradual and provides result slower. It is great for people who are already experiencing slight sensitivity. The procedure consists of two 15 minutes appointments.

The clinician takes an impression of the teeth at the initial appointment. The technician will then prepare a unique set of trays that fits only your teeth according to the impressions.

At your second appointment the trays will be fitted and adjusted accordingly. You will receive instruction on how to use the material. Whitening gel and all the necessary instructions and material is provided at this appointment.

Contact Woollahra Dental and find more about whitening your teeth today!