HAPPY HALLOWEEN- trick or treat?

Australians are now consuming more sugar than ever before and the problem won’t be settling soon, especially with kids from all over the world trick or treating this Halloween. 

The World Health Organization recommends a daily sugar consumption equal to five per cent of daily caloric intake (25g or six teaspoons per day) but Australians consume much more. In 2011-12 the Australian Health survey revealed that Australians consumed 60 grams of sugar per day, or 14 full teaspoons. This is not good for our health, or especially our smile.

Sugar and its effect on tooth decay

Sugar is one of the primary causes of tooth decay in Australia and the world.

This is because cavity causing bacteria are fuelled primarily from sugars including sucrose (table sugar), glucose, fructose, lactose and cooked starches.

If these bacteria’s are allowed to thrive in the mouth they eventually bore all the way through teeth enamel into the deeper layers of the teeth causing tooth decay.

What are the symptoms of tooth decay?

Tooth decay usually doesn’t cause symptoms until you have a cavity or an infected tooth. When this happens, you may have:

  • A toothache
  • Swelling in your gums near a sore tooth
  • Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
  • White, gray, brown, or black spots on your teeth

How is tooth decay diagnosed?

To diagnose tooth decay, your dentist will firstly ask you questions about your past dental and medical problems and care. He will then:

Doctors and physical therapists say they often see patients during the early part of the year with injuries—some of them serious—stemming from New Year’s resolutions. Not only can such injuries lead to expensive medical bills, they may also waste cash shelled out for fitness gear and gym memberships.

  • Check your teeth, using a pointed tool and a small mirror.
  • Take X-rays of your teeth and mouth to find tooth decay that can’t be seen with the eyes.

Why are X-rays helpful in diagnosing tooth decay?

Eighty percent of tooth decay occurs between the teeth, therefore a visual exam alone isn’t enough to detect possibly cavities. Imaging modalities such as OPG, Lat Ceph or a Cone Beam CTs can also show what’s under a tooth crown, and these are used to examine the tooth root, the jaw and other supporting structures.

“People tend to get super excited when they make their resolutions,” said Dr. Derek Ochiai, an orthopaedic surgeon in Arlington, Va. “But going from zero to 60 in a workout regimen can set you up for a lot of problems.”

Injuries from exercise and exercise equipment sent 459,978 people to the emergency room in 2012, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Why would you have a CT BMD?

The most common reason to be referred to have a CT BMD Scan is to diagnose osteopenia or osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a common, treatable condition which increases in likelihood with age.

The other reasons why your doctor may have referred you for a BMD scan include:

  • You may have a medical condition that could weaken your bones
  • If you’ve had a fracture due to a small injury or fall
  • If you’re losing height

If you have a referral for a CT BMD and wish to make a booking please contact us here or give us a call on 1300 339 729 to speak to our friendly reception team.

The most common over-training injuries often relate to common foot and ankle tendinopathies which present with an insidious onset of pain over the affected tendon that worsens with sustained activity. Pain is usually described as dull at rest, and sharp with the aggravating activity.

The principle underlying CT BMD is that normal calcified bone will absorb more x-rays than surrounding tissue so that the CT density measurement can be used to measure total bone mass within a sample of tissue.The data is used to measure an important risk factor and determine the necessity, choice and efficacy of therapy.

Back to Sugar Consumption

Some confectioneries such as cakes and muffins reach 81% sugar content. Candies are even worse containing up to 93% sugar. Even foods we typically think of as healthy can be sources of sugar such as breakfast cereals and sauces.

By becoming more aware of our sugar intake we can help control not only tooth decay, but other serious health risks including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

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