Did you know that Chippendale Green’s sculptural centrepiece, the Halo, is a salute to the site’s brewery heritage? The halo tips and spins in reaction to the wind, reminiscent of that off-balance tipsy feeling alcohol produces. How brilliant! What’s not brilliant? A toothache. So here are Dr. Loan’s top tips for balancing your dental health with the rest of your life:
1. Re-think what you drink. Tooth enamel and dentine dissolve in a pH less than 5.5 (the lower the number the more acidic), but carbonated drinks have a pH of around 2.4! Does your morning ritual involve apple cider vinegar? Can’t kick your soda water habit? Addicted to energy drinks? Follow the link below to shed some light on how damaging these acids really are! Pro Tip: Use a straw and bypass the teeth entirely while still reaping all the good gastrointestinal benefits of hot lemon water.
2. If you are prone to decay, you must be thinking to yourself “what can I do to break the cycle? How come every time I go to the dentist, I need a filling?” – often the foods and drinks that dissolve or decay our teeth are marketed as healthy really aren’t! Become food label savvy, and dramatically reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Beginner Tip: swap out cereal or muesli bars for breakfast for something like boiled eggs. Click the link below to discover more, like how Crunchy Nut Cornflakes are about a third sugar!
3. Take a good hard look in the mirror – get up close and personal with your teeth. Get good at knowing what dental plaque looks like and what it feels like. Hint: it’s usually white and forms rapidly after brushing and meals.
4. Scrape your tongue after tooth brushing and instantly feel a million dollars. Bonus: food tastes better!
5. Embrace the floss. It’s just a piece of string, and yet is the simplest way to remove food, plaque and bacteria from between your teeth. For extra points check out Piksters aka interdental brushes.
6. If your teeth are looking short, worn or chipped on the edges, chances are you clench or grind your teeth. While we don’t fully understand why we “brux”, this is probably about as common as adult acne breakouts or tummy ulcers! Take some time at night to wind down before bed, get into a good hygiene routine, this includes body, teeth and mind! Pro Tip: write down 5 things you did that day and 5 things you will do the next day – this may dramatically help reduce stress on a subconscious level. Dr. Loan also recommends a night splint to space your jaw joints and protect and preserve your teeth from unnecessary wear.
As always, you can catch us on 02 6153 3134 or Book Online.
For further reading, check these links:
1. http://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/JADA_The%20pH%20of%20beverages%20in%20the%20United%20States
2. http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2015/05/04/worst-10-unhealthy-cereals
3. https://centralparkdentist.com.au/remedial-jaw-exercises-for-sore-joints