Who needs a holiday?
It's pretty easy to recognise when you need
to take a break, rest and look after yourself.
Self care is important to maintaining our overall health
and it's basically when we do things with
the intention of enhancing energy, restoring health and reducing stress.
But what do holidays and oral health have to do with each other?
I'm Dr. Grant and welcome to Episode #4 of
So here's the issue -
What are the things that you do every day
to look after yourself?
To look after your physical and mental health?
Whether you're sweating at the gym,
stretching it out at yoga,
jogging along the kedron brook
or taking the dog for a walk,
you recognise the benefits of regular exercise
for your physical health.
Your mental health may benefit from these activities too,
but you might also need to chill out.
You might watch your favourite TV show every week,
take the kids to the park,
or read a book before going to bed,
some people even meditate.
And sometimes you just need a break from everything.
You need a holiday.
You recognise the importance of self-care.
But what does all of this have to do with dentistry?
I see a society that's rightly obsessed with health and wellbeing,
BUT for some reason,
we turn a blind eye to our oral health.
Here are some eye-opening statistics for you:
It saddens me that so many people are suffering
from oral health diseases,
almost all of which are completely preventable.
What's worse is that only about half of Australian adults
brush their teeth twice a day,
and only half of the population have
visited the dentist for a check up in the last 12 months.
The problem is, when it comes to our oral health, it's easy to adopt the mindset of
Your oral health isn’t just limited to your teeth and gums,
it actually affects your physical and mental health as well.
Poor oral health has been linked to increased risks
of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, obesity and oral cancers.
And then there's the obvious.
Without teeth, you can't smile properly.
You can't chew your food which means you miss out on proper nutrition.
You won't be able to talk properly because you can't pronounce certain words.
You can prematurely age, looking older than you really are
because your cheeks sink in.
And if you suffer from constant toothaches,
you're always in pain and that can affect
your mood, sleep, work and the relationships around you.
Unlike sharks, we don't have replaceable teeth.
We only get one set of adult teeth and that's why it's
so important to look after them.
No tooth replacement is the same as a real tooth
in exactly the same way that no prosthetic
limb or joint replacement is the same as the original.
So, where to from here?
You take care of yourself in so many ways
because you recognise the benefits
and now that you are aware of the issues with poor oral health,
I hope you can recognise the benefits of good oral health.
Brushing your teeth thoroughly with good technique
should take 2 minutes.
Flossing, again, with good technique should take around 1-2 minutes.
So, 2 minutes in the morning to brush your teeth,
and I'll round up and call it 5 minutes
at night to brush and floss.
To help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, it takes
And of course, visiting your dentist for a thorough checkup and clean
every 6 to 12 months
will help you to ensure that everything stays healthy.
That's all it takes - around two hours or less at the dentist every year.
You are worth it.
Your oral health, your teeth and gums, your overall health
are worth it.
Choose your oral health and choose to use 7 minutes,
whether it's while you're watching your favourite TV show or not,
to look after yourself, every day.
It'll serve you well in the long run.
If you've found this video helpful today,
please like it and subscribe to our channel
because the more people we can reach,
the more teeth we can save.