Tag Archives: looking after

11 Top Tips for Looking after Your Children’s Teeth

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keeping children entertained on car journeysOur children’s health is extremely important to us and we all want to ensure that their teeth and gums stay healthy. Children’s dental hygiene can be confusing and with children developing new teeth at a rapid rate, it can be a tricky to determine the best hygiene solutions for them. There are lots of simple things you can adopt into your child’s everyday routine that will make a big difference to their oral health, putting them in good stead for the future. Here, Sameer Patel, Clinical Director at award-winning, highly specialist dental and orthodontics practice, elleven (www.ellevendental.com), offers his top tips on how to look after your children’s teeth…

Brushing- Brushing teeth removes stains, plaque and bacteria on the teeth and gums, plus toothpaste that contains fluoride will help keep the enamel in the teeth strong. Make sure your children brush their teeth twice a day and change their toothbrush at least every two to three months. When teaching your children how to brush their teeth, try showing them in front of a mirror so they can see the areas they are brushing and the technique used. Your child should be brushing in a circular motion cleaning the gum and the tooth. Be careful not to use the brush too hard to ensure you don’t wear away the gum.

Flossing- Many parents are unsure as to when a child should start flossing their teeth but the answer is simple. As soon as two of your children’s teeth touch they should begin flossing. Make sure that you practice the flossing technique with them to ensure effective plaque removal, going deep in between the teeth until they reach the gum and moving the floss either side of the tooth several times to dislodge any plaque.

Eat their way to healthy teeth– Dairy products are great for keeping the enamel in teeth strong. Enamel is very similar to bone and can be kept strong with calcium found in dairy so make sure they drink plenty of milk and eat lots of yoghurt to strengthen teeth from a young age.

Regular check-ups– Take your child to the dentist when they’re as young as possible and at least once by the time they’re two. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can help to prevent decay and identify any health problems at an early stage.

Water– This is the best drink possible for your children as it is pure and also helps wash away any bacteria from their mouth. Steer clear of fizzy drinks as these are full of sugar ad are harmful to teeth enamel. Also be aware of fruit juice as although you think it may be a healthy option for your children, it is full of sugar which in the long term will cause tooth decay.

Sugar– Everyone knows that sugar is bad for teeth but did you know that there is lots of hidden sugar in foods that are considered to be healthy? You may be surprised to hear that bread contains a lot of sugar as do yoghurts and ready meals. Always read the label on food packaging and look for alternatives with less sugar.

‘H’ for Hygiene – Regular hygienist appointments will help to maintain healthy teeth and gums. The hygienist will be able to give your children’s teeth a thorough clean, something of which they cannot achieve by brushing and flossing alone.

Healthy Snacks- When considering giving your child a snack you need to ensure that it is healthy and low in sugar. Try giving them plain popcorn as a snack as not only is it naturally low in fat, if eaten after a meal it can be very beneficial. The texture of the popcorn acts as natural toothbrush removing some of the harmful bacteria your child may have eaten during their meal.

Thumb sucking- Thumb sucking is very common habit for children but as their permanent teeth develop, sucking their thumb will cause the teeth to be pushed outwards, resulting in them needing to have orthodontic work. Try to encourage your children to stop as young as possible.

Milk before bed– You may be surprised but drinking milk before bed time is very bad for teeth. Although milk is great for growing bones and teeth, the sugars in milk will cause tooth decay as your child sleeps. The reason behind this is that your saliva glands stop working when you are asleep, resulting in your child saliva not able to break down the bacteria in their mouth.

Straighten up their smile- Did you know that straighter teeth are easier to keep clean reducing the risk of long term gum disease and dental decay? Not only is straighter teeth important for your child’s self-esteem, having straight teeth are also easier to clean and can will reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. With the latest technology, your child now has several different brace options from lingual, invisalign and the traditional Damon braces.

 

 

Tips for Watch and Jewellery Care for Surf and Sea Holidays

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anouska jewelleryWhether you’re planning to hit the beaches in the UK or abroad this year for some sun and sea, be sure to take care of your watches and jewellery.

WatchShop.com, provides tips on buying a watch for sea holidays as well as taking care of it and precious jewellery you may take as well.

“As you leave for holiday, be sure your hotel has a safe or in-room safe for any jewellery you may want to leave behind before heading to the beach” suggests Terry Markham of WatchShop.com. “This is especially important for high value items or even those that hold sentimental value.”

1. When choosing a watch to take to the beach, be prepared for it to be used, and used well. Make sure it is durable and tough enough to handle what you plan to do with it.

2. Sun and salt is a bad combo for anything except a tan, so choose a watch that might not fade, coloured watches can fade or can change colour slightly. This adds character in some minds, but not all, so be mindful when you buy it.

3. When buying or taking a watch you already own to water-related destination, be sure they are either water proof when submerged or at least water resistant.

4. If you’re planning to swim a lot or dive, be sure you choose a watch that is water proof to at least 5 bar (marked 50m) or higher.

Terry Markham of WatchShop.com says, “A watch can look good, but if it is full of water and doesn’t work, it is just a fancy bracelet”.

Caring for your watch and jewellery at the beach

· If you do swim with your watch, ensure the crown is pushed in fully, screwed down if the watch has this function. Don’t try to use the chronograph while the watch is wet as water can get into the pusher mechanism and enter the watch.

· If your watch does get soaked in the sea, wash it off with clean water, as prolonged exposure to sea water can damage cases and bracelets, and can affect gaskets and seals making the watch lose its water resistance.

· Try to keep all watches and jewellery out of direct sun, especially leaving on a hot surface such as a table for hours on end. Watch dials end up being faded and warp from the heat, and oils within the watch may dry up and stop lubricating delicate components.

· Try to keep leather straps dry, and keep out of water. Leather straps can cause sweat to permeate the strap leaving it salty and horrid, and water will eventually weaken the leather.

· Make sure your watch and bracelets are loose when worn in hot countries to allow the skin to breathe. This will help reduce skin rashes caused by heat.

· Don’t wear your watch or jewellery while applying sunscreen. On watches it can penetrate any leather straps and make them feel very uncomfortable, as well as discolouring stones on the case. Chemicals can also impact on the water resistance.

· If you have had the battery changed in your watch changed recently, make sure the watch is resealed to the correct pressure rating, so it performs best when you need it to.

· Make sure you don’t damage the watch when diving or doing any other high impact sports. This can lead to the watch performing terribly.