SHOW OFF YOUR PEARLY WHITES!
Brush up on your oral health knowledge
Findings from the Australian Dental Association have revealed that one in three Australian adults experience untreated tooth decay, and more than 20 per cent have experienced a toothache in the past 12 months. Many oral health problems are preventable, so get friendly with your toothbrush and these tips from ADA.
MANUAL VERSUS POWERED
Your teeth won’t know the difference between using a manual versus a powered toothbrush. All that matters is you’re doing the brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste (a pea-sized amount is enough). If you’re unsure which one is best to use, your dentist can advise you.
CHOOSE A SOFTIE
How well your teeth are cleaned is determined by your brushing technique, not how firm your brush is. Always pick a soft-bristled brush, as medium or firm bristles could damage your enamel and gums.
DON’T FORGET YOUR TONGUE
Your tongue is home to as many bacteria as your teeth. So while you’re cleaning your toothy pegs, give the surface of your tongue a good scrub, too.
FLOSSING ORDER
Whether you floss then brush, or the other way around, it’s a personal preference. Doing both when it comes to brushing time ensures your teeth and gums are thoroughly cleaned.
SAFE STORAGE
After rinsing your toothbrush with tap water, the best way to store it is upright and somewhere it can air dry. Don’t cover it or store in it a closed container – it’ll be more likely to grow unwanted bacteria on it.
REPLACE REGULARLY
A new toothbrush is 95 per cent more effective at removing plaque compared to a three-month-old brush. You should replace your toothbrush every three months, or earlier if the bristles are splayed. If you need to replace it more often, you might be brushing too hard.
Recent research by adult incontinence brand Always Discreet found one in three Australian women have experienced bladder leakage, yet 41 per cent have never confided in anyone about it. Find out why it happens and how you can manage it.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Dr Ginni Mansberg explains that there are two main types of bladder leakage, which is where some urine comes out when you don’t intend for it to.
“Stress incontinence is when a weak pelvic floor allows wee to escape from the bladder when extra stress is placed on the pelvic floor – think sneezing, coughing, star jumps and skipping,” says Dr Mansberg. “Urge incontinence is an overactive bladder that can discharge some or all of its contents at the most random times for no obvious reason.”
She explains that for the latter you might g frequently q y feel the need to go g to the toilet, often through the night. Most women experience a combination of the two types of bladder leakage, which is called mixed incontinence.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Some people are born with weak pelvic floor muscles, which can cause stress incontinence. Other health issues like constipation or carrying too much body fat can increase the likelihood of experiencing bladder leakage.
As for urge incontinence, drinks like alcohol, coffee or fizzy drinks can make it worse. The way we’re built also makes the condition more likely to occur in women than men. “We have a ‘design flaw’ in that we have a very short urethra with a small distance from bladder exit: it’s a nice, easy to navigate, straight line,” Dr Mansberg notes.
“Men have a ‘kink’ in their urethra, which helps hold urine in. Plus, many of us have babies, making our pelvic floors weaker naturally.”
CCAN IT BE HELPED?
When W you feel comfortable talking to t a doctor about it, they may suggest lifestyle l changes, physiotherapies, medications, m and in some cases surgical s options that can make it more m manageable.
“For stress incontinence, women s should feel reassured that a supervised p physiotherapy course is successful, w with cure rates of close to 60 per cent in 1 12 months,” Dr Mansberg recommends. ““Losing as little as seven to eight kilos c can reduce incontinence by 47 per c cent, and cutting out alcohol, coffee a and fizzy drinks can also help.”