Sydney Holistic Dental Centre News & Blog

A beautiful smile says much more about your health than how it looks. The beauty in a smile is not just about appearance. There is a different type of beauty in a healthy mouth too. Let’s explore the 3 aspects to a beautiful healthy smile.

Colour
This means of both the teeth and the gums.

Teeth discolour as we get older but this can be made far worse because of foods we consume, particularly coffee and red wine. Tobacco is will also dramatically discolour teeth and affect the health and appearance of the gums.

Decay and discoloured fillings also need to be addressed and reflect on the health of individual teeth

Gum health is another part of a beautiful smile. Healthy gums should appear pink and firm. Inflamed gums are red, puffy and bleed easily when you brush and floss your teeth. Inflamed gums(chronic inflammation) and more advanced gum infection, which like decay, may never cause pain, has been linked to a whole range of health issues from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer.

Chronic inflammation is a challenge to our general health.

Regular home care and visits to the dentist or hygienist will ensure health of the teeth and gums.

Whitening, be it at home or in the dental office, is a simple and often effective way of improving colour.

Shape
The shape of teeth is an important part of a beautiful smile. Teeth or fillings that are broken are more susceptible to decay, infection and discolouration.

Teeth that are excessively worn, prematurely age the smile. Worn teeth are often reflecting a nighttime grinding habit. Research now links night grinding with breathing problems during sleep. So worn teeth may be a clue that the person is not getting a good night’s sleep, may have sleep disordered breathing, and is often linked to tension headaches or neckaches.

To improve shape of teeth bonded composite resins, porcelain veneers or crowns may be the best option. Replacing missing teeth with removable denture, bridgework or implants also makes a huge difference to appearance and function.

Occlusal splints or night guards, when correctly designed and adjusted should; protect teeth from wear, balance out jaw joints and muscles of the head and neck, as well as improve airway, breathing and energy.

Alignment
As humans we evolved to have 32 teeth. If the upper and lower jaws are too narrow to fit the teeth, this may also reflect that the rest of the lower half of the face (nasal and oral cavity) is too narrow as well. The mouth dramatically influences the shape of the nasal cavity and that can affect breathing patterns.

Over 90% of people in our society have some form of crowding, either requiring wisdom teeth (3rd molars) removed or just have teeth that are crooked or crowded to varying degrees.

When aligning teeth it is also an opportunity to think about improving the airway and breathing (nasal breathing is far healthier than mouth breathing), quality of sleep, as well as the function of the jaw joints, which should be balanced and comfortable.

This can be done with removable orthodontic plates, metal or ceramic orthodontic braces, invisalign, or a combination of them all.

A beautiful smile is also a healthy one. There is much too be gained by exploring some of the issues

Time Overview
8.15 am Registration with arrival coffee and tea
Exhibition open for viewing
8.45 Seminar starts – Introduction by Dr Ron Ehrlich
9 to 11 Nora Gedgaudas- Lessons from the past – what evolution intended
Fats and Sugars – truth and fiction Taming the Carb Craving Monster
Fats, cholesterol , should Meat be on the Menu? Why grass-fed animal foods are good for people – meat and fat, eggs and wild fish connection
11 to 11.30 Morning tea
11.30 to 12 Bruce Ward – why grass-fed animal foods are is good for the environent
12 to 1 Nora Gedgaudas – gluten and inflammation – more on cholesterol and fat. Weight management
1 to 2 Primal Lunch
2 to 2.30 Costa Georgiadis – Produce not Product – why you should care about where your food comes from and how it is produced.
2.30 to 3.30 Nora Gedgaudas – Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety and Your Diet
3.30 to 4 Afternoon tea
4pm to 5.30 Nora Gedgaudas -Primal Exercise and lifestyle lessons for the Modern World
Putting in all Together – question time with Nora & Dr Ron
5.30pm Seminar Close

Note: this series of seminars is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches, and techniques which will be described are meant to supplement, and not to be a substitute for, professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional.

Sleeping Well -A good night’s sleep is the most important part of our day. So many positive things flow from it and affects every aspect of our mental and physical wellbeing.
Here are our five Top Tips for Sleeping Well.
1. Prioritise
Understanding what a good night’s sleep is and how it affects our mental and
physical wellbeing in SO many ways is the first thing. What is a good night’s sleep?
What is so important about it?
2. Routine
Whether we are talking about a new born, child or adult of any age, a good routine of
preparing for sleep is important. Sleep is about winding down, rebuilding and
recovering from the day and preparing for the next one.
3. Foods & Fluids
Not eating for 2 hours before bed and not loading up on sugars and carbs or too
heavy a meal. Elevates blood sugar levels, causes our minds to be over active and
heavy meals makes it difficult to digest food. Reflux, indigestion and heartburn also
cause problems if we eat too close to going to bed. Too much fluids (apart from the
obvious one of alcohol), 1-2 hours before bed means we are more likely to have our
sleep cycle interrupted by having to get up to go to the toilet in the middle of the
night.
4. Noise
Be aware of both electronic and audible noise. Answering emails, watching TV,
having electronic equipment in the room all excites our brains… so avoid this before
bed. Spend some time calming down instead.
Another thing to consider is noise from our partner. Snoring is really a big issue even
though it is often dismissed as a joke. Talk to your dentist about an appliance that
can be worn to stop snoring.
5. Breathing
When we sleep & breathe our bodies need to be well oxygenated. Sleep disordered
breathing is a big problem from newborns to adults of every age. Snoring is only one
manifestation of the problem.
In adults sleep disordered breathing causes tiredness, depression, weight gain,
stress-related health problems, lower immune system, headaches, tooth grinding,
and a huge range of health issues.
In children it affects behaviour, causing hyperactivity, learning problems, lower IQ,
and compromises growth and development.
How to breathe: • Breath through your nose
• Slowly (8-12/min)
• Use your diaphragm
• Try practicing at night with a tape
• Assess why your teeth are crowded