What Does Fluoride Do?

Fluoride is probably an ingredient in your toothpaste or mouthwash. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral often found in drinking water and certain foods. It protects teeth in two ways:
1. By aiding your tooth enamel to be produced in a more decay-resistant form.
2. By protecting the enamel from being attacked by acid from bacteria in your mouth.

These bacteria are made even more potent when there is sugar in your diet. Bacteria love sugar. The resulting acid attacks your enamel and can cause tooth decay. Fluoride is available in several forms:
• Fluoride treatments during a visit to the dentist.
• Over-the-counter and prescription toothpastes and rinses.
• Supplements prescribed by a dentist or medical doctor.

If you drink bottled water or have a higher risk of tooth decay, you may not be getting enough fluoride in your diet.

For all your dental needs call Riaz Dental on 6862 1261 or www.riazdental.com.au

Men Need Healthy And Strong Hearts

Heart disease is responsible for nearly 13% of deaths in Australian men.

The theme of this year’s Men’s Health Week is keeping boys and men healthy focusing on what males of any age can do to minimise their risk of developing heart problems later in life.

Over 30% of men in Australia have high cholesterol and almost 75% are overweight or obese. One-quarter of males have high to severe blood pressure levels. The good news is that walking is a great way for men to reduce these risk factors. Steps to take to reduce the risk of developing heart disease:

• Get a heart health check. A new Medicare- funded heart health check is available to all Australians.
• Be more active more often – aim for at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
• Eat a heart-healthy diet of food low in saturated and trans fats, salt and added sugar, and rich in wholegrains, fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fats.
• Quit smoking. Smoking is one of the major risk factors for heart disease, not to mention a host of other health problems.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms, also known as bacteria and yeasts. Many people often think of bacteria and other live microorganisms as harmful, however many help our bodies function correctly. For example, they help us digest food, destroy disease-causing microorganisms and produce vitamins.

What are the benefits of taking a probiotic? The growing evidence for probiotics suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses by eating probiotic foods or taking a supplement.

Not all probiotics are the same and different strains have many different effects. For example, what may help for gut health may not be beneficial for someone with eczema.

While there is still a lot unknown about probiotics, research has shown benefits in the treatment and prevention of many conditions.

These conditions include:
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Diarrhea; infectious or antibiotic induced There has also been proven benefits in other parts of the body. For example, they have helped with:
• Skin conditions, like eczema
• Urinary and vaginal health
• Preventing allergies and colds
Probiotics have a range of benefits in the treatment and prevention of these conditions; however, they are also very useful when taking antibiotics! When taking antibiotics, your good bacteria is also affected and can throw your body out of whack. Taking a probiotic while sick can help replace those good bacteria, making you feel better quicker!

Come and have a chat to our lovely staff to see which probiotics may be beneficial to your health!

Is it a cold or is it the flu?

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illness but are actually caused by different viruses. The common cold is usually milder than the flu and is characterised by a stuffy or runny nose. The flu is more severe and will last much longer than a cold. The symptoms of the flu include a fever, fatigue and aches and pains.

How do I treat or prevent a cold?

The first signs of a cold include a sore throat and a runny nose, followed by sneezing and coughing. Cold prevention is a mixture of washing your hands and simply avoiding sick people. Some vitamins can also help keep your immune system healthy.

Unfortunately, there is no easy fix for the common cold. Individual symptoms needs to be treated. This means that what is right for one person, may not be right for another.

Depending on your medications and existing medical conditions you may be better off with a simple nasal spray and cough mixture, or you may need something a little stronger.

How do I treat or prevent the flu?

The best prevention for the flu is to get vaccinated and to avoid people who have been diagnosed with the flu.

Once you have the flu it is extremely important to rest and stay hydrated. If caught early the flu can be treated effectively. Go and see your doctor if you think you have the flu. There are a range of medications that can help with the symptoms and make you feel a little better.

Feel better this winter with Parkes Pharmacy!

There are many risks associated with children playing contact sport such as soccer, cricket, rugby, kickboxing, basketball or netball. The biggest risk with contact sports? The contact.

Your child can receive a blow to the head, an elbow to the chin, or a knee to the cheek. A mouth guard is an essential piece of safety equipment to help protect their teeth, mouth and jaw.

Without mouth protection we see a variety of injuries in our practice: cut lips, chipped or cracked teeth, tongue damage, jaw injury, knocked out teeth, brain concussion and TMJ issues.

Unprotected, these injuries can require extensive restorative dentistry that can take years to complete. With a mouth guard, these are often preventable. That makes a mouth guard an inexpensive form of insurance.

Contact Riaz Dental on 6862 1261 or visit www.riazdental.com.au for your dental needs.

Are You Brushing Long Enough?

Kids are not the only ones who sometimes don’t brush long enough. Adults are guilty too. Maybe you brush your teeth for a few seconds in the shower or do a quick swipe before heading to work or bed.

Brushing for about two minutes each time is essential as you need to reach all of the areas in your mouth to help prevent cavities.

According to some research brushing for at least two minutes was associated with a reduction in plaque. By brushing for two minutes, you’re covering all the tooth territory in your mouth.

Consider setting a timer on your phone or use an old-fashioned hourglass timer. Encourage kids to brush longer by offering them stickers or other tooth-friendly rewards.

You also want to be sure your toothbrush is up to the task! If the bristles are frayed, it’s time to get a new one—usually every few months.

For all your dental needs, call Riaz Dental on 6862 1261.

 

Helping Australians For 70 Years

As Australian Hearing is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, it has set a challenge to spread the word on the importance of annual hearing checks with a target of 70,000 checks in one year.

It is a big challenge, but Australian Hearing currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most hearing checks performed in a single day, a whopping 712!

Over the next 12 months the Australian Hearing team will visit as many bowling clubs as possible to offer members the opportunity to have a hearing check-up and discuss ways to help you stay connected.

For those who already have hearing aids, they will help you maintain your connection with the latest hearing technology. To ensure that you keep hearing the sounds (and the people) you love, they will provide complimentary clean and check service as part of the visit!

Please feel free to bring along your partner or any other family or friends.

Call 1800 881 950 to make an appointment at your local centre. To learn more, go to www. hearing.com.au. See the Australian Hearing advertisement on this page for Parkes dates.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Australia. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women (excluding melanoma). Survival rates are continuing to improve in Australia, however it is still very important to be aware of your breasts and any changes.

Breast cancer was once believed to only affect women. This is a myth. Each year it is estimated that approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Men often have a higher mortality rate than women due to lack of awareness among men and the fact that they are less likely to assume the lump may be cancer and often delay seeking treatment.

Identifying and seeking treatment for any breast changes early provides the best chance of surviving the disease. To check your breast, you don’t need to be an expert or to use any special techniques.

Changes to look out for:

· a new lump or lumpiness, especially if it’s only in one breast

· a change in the size or shape of your breast

· a change to the nipple, such as crusting, ulcer, redness or inversion

· a nipple discharge that occurs without squeezing

· a change in the skin of your breast such as redness or dimpling

· an unusual pain that doesn’t go away.

Parkes Pharmacy is supporting October Breast Awareness Month with a change in our paper bags to PINK and will be holding a PINK Breast Cancer fundraising cake stall on Wednesday, 24th October. Please come along and support this great cause.

 

 

Injuries to the lower back are one of the most common golf related problems. The incidence of lower back pain in the male golfer is between 25% to 36% and 22% to 27 % in the female golfer. It has been reported to account for up to 52% of all injuries in recreational golfers and 24% of injuries in professional golfers. The injury mechanism of nearly half of all lower back injuries in golf is due to the swing.

The modern golf swing has been shown to produce large forces on the lower back which change directions rapidly during the swing. Because golf is played in a slightly forward flexed position, along with the asymmetrical, rotational nature of the swing, the forces the joints in the lower back are subject to are quite high. The compression force on the spine during the swing has been shown to be up to eight times body weight.

So.. what can you do to prevent getting back pain when you play?

Maintenance of good mobility in the hips and thoracic and lumbar spine is important. This may require a regular exercise programme at home along with a good warm up before you play whilst using proper technique when lifting your bag and bending through the knees when retrieving the ball.

If you already have lower back pain consider slowing your back swing down. Make sure your weight properly shifts to your back foot and your hips rotate during the back swing. Also, avoid placing your feet too far apart during the address phase as this limits hip rotation later in the swing and increases stresses on the lower back.

For the fitness of you.

Linda Reilly