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My very stylish week in Copenhagen

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Copenhagen fashion

An image from The Weekly's fashion shoot in Copenhagen.

Flicking through the May issue ofThe Weekly, you might notice some rather spectacular scenery in our coat special.

We aren’t in the habit of flying to Europe to shoot fashion stories, but when ECCO offered me a press trip to Denmark for Copenhagen Fashion Week, it was an opportunity too good to refuse.

So back in February, I packed up suitcases full of the best Australian fashion and flew to Denmark for a week of fun, fashion and bitterly cold weather.

For everyone who has wondered what life as a fashion editor is like, I kept this little diary of my trip just for you — enjoy!

Walking in Style

The trip started with a bang, I was invited to interview the head designer for ECCO ladies shoes, Niki, the night I arrived.

It was great to get an insight into the company and its Danish history but even more fascinating to speak to a fourth generation shoe maker, who has worked at his craft for 17 years — more than half of his life.

Niki started working for ECCO when he was 16. He began as a patternmaker and has risen through the ranks.

He told me about his passion for Scandinavian design and assured me I would be captivated by the designs that he was preparing to show at the ECCO Walk In Style Awards the following night.

The Walk in Style Awards were amazing. The fashion shows were broken up into three categories with a 1960s mod vibe, including a bold colour-blocking story and earthy back-to-nature theme.

Crown Princess Mary with the ECCO Walk In Style award winner Hadassah De Boer.

There was a great performance by Denmark’s own Lady Gaga, a popstar named Aura, and a wonderful energy.

Marlene Birger

At the By Marlene Birger (BMB) show it was all about luxe fabrics. Marlene’s winter collection included a long fluid silk gown with metallic hardware, lurex knits, a textured metallic houndstooth skirt, jacquard prints, camel coats, electric blues and sexy black lace.

The five keys looks that stood out were elegant, ladylike, sophisticated styles that are fit for royalty and us mere mortals too.

There was even a black version of the stunning white BMB tuxedo Princess Mary wore to the Walk in Style Awards.

These pieces are all on my wish list, and a selection is stocked locally at Christiansen Copenhagen.

Fashion, jewels and grunge

The team at Georg Jensen invited me to their Copenhagen headquarters where local pret-a-porter label YDE was on show.

As I arrived I was ushered inside as they were worried an Australian girl should not be out in the snow — it was -6 degrees!

Once inside and toasty warm, I watched the artisans and silversmiths working away in a glass studio as the elite Danish crowd — actresses, models, magazine editors — milled around waiting for the show to start.

On the catwalk, YDE designs shared the spotlight with George Jensen jewels, with all the models wearing pieces from both brands.

Models on the catwalk at the YDE show.

Later that night I went to Christiania — a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents in downtown Copenhagen — to see Rutzou.

Christiania is like nowhere I’ve ever been and there’s a lot to take in — a mix of dark independence, art and mystery.

The show was in a graffiti-covered shed — a very rustic and grungy setting that sharply contrasted with the collection shown.

Rutzou is all about femininity, beautiful prints and fluid silhouettes constructed in an artfully tailored manor — and a favourite of Princess Mary.

A crown fit for a princess

I was invited to the Ole Lynggaard flagship boutique to see the latest collection and images from the campaign featuring Danish beauty Helena Christiansen.

Ole and his daughter Charlotte are the brand’s designers, while son Simon is the CEO and I have not met a nicer family.

They are all so passionate about their craft, their Danish heritage and Scandinavian design.

Charlotte told me about one of their most stunning creations, a beautiful bespoke tiara made of gum leaves, semi-precious stones and pave diamond clusters.

It took over 400 hours to construct and was made for an exhibition celebrating Ole’s work as a jeweller.

When the piece was finished, the Lynggaard’s were shocked to be approached by the Danish Palace and asked if Mary could wear the piece.

They agreed and Mary wore the piece to an event, and now frequently wears Ole Lynggaard jewels.

The tiara Ole Lynggaard hand-crafted for Princess Mary, and Mary wearing the piece.

Work and play

The rest of my time I spent sight-seeing in the below zero temperature. I went on a cruise around the canals, saw the famous Little Mermaid statue, looked at the castles, walked the streets and fit in a spot of shopping!

I also spent a lot of time furiously preparing for a fashion shoot. On my second-last day I joined a team of Danish photographers, hairdressers and make-up artists to shoot a beautiful coat spread for the May issue ofThe Weekly.

It was such a fun day — even though it was -8 degrees — but we quickly forgot about the cold and just had an amazing time.

Behind-the-scenes at The Weekly’s Copenhagen fashion shoot.

Keep an eye out for the shoot in the May issue ofThe Weeklyso you can see for yourself how beautiful Copenhagen really is.

Thank you to ECCO for inviting me on this trip, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and cannot wait to go back!

Some of the best Scandinavian brands are now available in Australia. Here’s how to get your hands on some Scandi-style:

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William and Kate’s first year of wedded bliss

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One year ago, blushing bride Kate Middleton walked up the aisle at London’s Westminster Abbey, completing her transformation from commoner to Duchess.

It has been a whirlwind first year of marriage for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, including tours to Canada and the US and dozens of official engagements in the UK.

But that doesn’t mean they haven’t had time for romance – these pictures prove that no matter where they go, William and Catherine only have eyes for each other.

Which is your favourite picture of the young couple?

The couple broke protocol during their Canadian tour last year, hugging in public.

William and Catherine exchange a loving look in Yellowknife.

The duchess lovingly touches William’s stomach in Canada last year.

William helps his wife into her new jumper at Blachford Lake in Canada last year.

Catherine looks adoringly at William at a tree-planting ceremony in Ottawa last year.

William looks in awe of his wife in LA last year.

The couple whisper to each other at a citizenship ceremony in Ottawa.

William couldn’t keep his hands off his wife as they visited a charity in December.

William shoots an admiring glance at Catherine on the red carpet in December.

The couple share a joke in the rain on Prince Edward Island in 2011.

The couple at a charity gala in November.

The couple share a joke at a concert in December.

William and Catherine were very tactile when they visited Copenhagen last November.

Catherine tries not to laugh at William on the red carpet in January.

Catherine found William’s joke very amusing in LA last year.

William guides his wife through the crowd in Yellowknife, Canada, last July.

William and Catherine chatting as they strolled along the beach in Canada.

The couple exchange another loving glance on Prince Edward Island in 2011.

Catherine reaches for William’s arm in Ottawa.

Catherine turns to look for William in Ottawa last July.

The couple attended a concert to celebrate Canada Day, but only had eyes for each other.

William gazes at his new wife with obvious admiration in Montreal.

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The changing role of nannas

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The changing role of nannas

Image: Getty, posed by models

When you think of nannas, knitting and bingo come to mind, but this certainly isn’t all nannas of the 21st century are doing.

Grandmother and co-author of new book New Age Nannas Susan Moore says what it means to be a grandmother in Australia is changing and women are embracing it.

“I don’t remember much about my grandparents, but they certainly didn’t drive cars,” she said.

“Nowadays nannas are very mobile and they are very active.”

Susan and her good friend of 36 years Doreen Rosenthal, both academics, decided to co-write a book about being a nanna in the 21st century after they started chatting about being grandmothers themselves.

The pair had discovered that there weren’t many books about actually being a grandmother and decided to conduct research on Australian grandmothers for their own book, which is made up of a combination of advice and real life stories.

Together, they surveyed more than 1000 Australian women on how they felt about being a grandmother, finding some surprising results and very interesting women.

“It is different for different women, but while women are retiring later and working longer their daughters are also having children later too and some of those things balance out,” Susan said.

“Lots of women think I’ll work full time until I have my first grandchild and then I’ll take a couple of days a week off – it is just about balance.

“But most are very happy to do a day or two of child care and different women at different stages of health can do different things, some were doing the school pick-up, while some do 40 hours a week child care and love it.”

Many of the grandmothers surveyed said that although they enjoyed playing the grandparent role, they also required time for themselves, their work and the things they love doing.

After receiving surveys back from more than 1000 women and interviewing 24, Susan and Doreen say there was certainly a common theme amongst Australian grandmothers.

“For many becoming a grandmother made them remember what is important in life. They said ‘I’ve been bogged down at work and I’ve been worried about a few wrinkles and now when I see these young children I am seeing hope for the future and for the new generation,” Susan said.

“Some of us have changed and we are living longer and healthier lives and a lot of grandmothers are still working at least part time.”

Their research also found that many women initially didn’t like the idea of becoming a grandmother.

“Quite a number of the woman said when ‘I first found out I was going to be a grandmother I really wasn’t sure, I thought ‘oh I’m too young to be a grandmother – I’m not ready for this’,” she said.

Susan put this reaction down to the fact that women are living longer and retiring later. But even though women’s lives and lifestyles have changed, Susan says we still welcome being a grandmother with open arms.

“Virtually without exception when it happened they were so excited and full of love and raw emotions and then paradoxically I think a number of women said ‘I thought it was going to make me feel older, but it actually has made me feel younger’,” she said.

Susan said the aim of their study was simple – to reflect Aussie grandmothers back to themselves.

“One of the major goals was to reflect Aussie grandmothers back to themselves in a way so that they could read the book and think yes that’s how I feel about it or think, no I’m not quite like that,” she said.

“We wanted to, I guess, describe Aussie grandmothers in their diversity and richness.”

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Book Review: ‘Secrets of the Tides’ by Hannah Richell

A cracking, taut prologue in which a traumatised young woman launches herself off a London bridge to be lost to the murky depths of the Thames sets the pace and tone for this highly accomplished novel.
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Great read: Secrets of the Tides

Secrets of the Tides, by Hannah Richell, Hachette Australia, $29.99.

A cracking, taut prologue in which a traumatised young woman launches herself off a London bridge to be lost to the murky depths of the Thames sets the pace and tone for this highly accomplished debut novel.

Who is she, why is she in such a state of despair and is she beyond saving? These are just a few of an intriguingly woven web of questions that make up the patchwork plot of this emotional modern-day family thriller.

Time ebbs and flows as we dart between present, near past and long past trying to unlock the secrets of one family.

It’s as if the constantly present sea — along the south coast of England — has entered the storyteller’s psyche (which you’ll find it literally has, in a way), although calling the family the Tides is possibly a metaphor too far.

As we gather snapshots of the lives of mother Helen and daughters Dora and Cassie, it’s clear this is a family torn apart by betrayal, guilt and clandestine trysts, which rise to a head on one summer’s day of tragedy.

Yet there’s much more to author Hannah Richell’s writing than a cleverly constructed plot.

Her characters — and by these I mean her female characters for they are by far the strongest — are multi-layered and not necessarily wholly likeable (always a good sign).

Helen struggles with motherhood and, frankly, seems to be doing a pretty shoddy job of it, but emotionally, we understand exactly where she’s coming from.

Second-born Dora ricochets from mother to father to sister like a bruised pinball trapped in her family machine and we long for her to be able to grow and not repeat her mother’s mistakes.

Even Cassie seems crippled emotionally, but why? All does become clear and while smart minds may get there before the big reveal, it doesn’t matter because half the joy is watching our characters free themselves and breathe again.

A definite page-turner with unexpected depths.

About the author

Born in England, Hannah Richell, 37, emigrated here in 2005 after falling in love with Australia’s beauty.

She lives in a little cottage in Sydney with her husband, their two young children and a black-and-white cat called Lennie.

She only started writing when she was at home on maternity leave. “It was one of those distant things I’d only ever dared dream of,” says Hannah, who admits the inspiration for her debut work came from her own journey into motherhood.

Hannah is already working on a second novel.

Hannah Richell is a guest at the Sydney Writer’s Festival.

JOIN THE AWW BOOK CLUB

In 30 words or less, tell us what is great about a book you are reading at the moment. The best critique will win The AWW Cooking School cookbook, valued at $74.95, and be printed in the July issue of The Weekly. Simply visit aww.com.au/bookclub, or email [email protected], or write to The Great Read, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001.

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Kerri-Anne’s TV crisis: ‘I’m not after revenge’

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Kerri-Anne's TV crisis: 'I'm not after revenge'

Kerri-Anne Kennerley.

She’s been on our TV screen longer than any other star in Australia, so it’s easy to imagine that you know everything there is to know about Kerri-Anne Kennerley.

But you only have to delve a little beyond her perma-peppy on-screen persona to discover there are things about the so-called “queen of daytime TV” that most mortals would never guess at.

Like, for example, that she thinks she’s not very bright. That she’s always been dogged by a nagging desire for credibility. Or that she’s a self-confessed adrenaline junkie whose 30 years of live television have left her addicted to the spotlight.

Related: Georgie Gardner’s traumatic childhood

Now starring in Dancing with the Stars and preparing to launch a secret TV project, Kerri-Anne is back on top. But if 2012 marks yet another rebirth for Kerri-Anne, 2011 was her annus horribilis.

Sacked from the Nine Network in November and forced off the morning show she had spent nine years fronting, TV’s original sunshine girl found herself momentarily in career free-fall.

That the news of her impending demise was delivered by a journalist calling to ask how she felt about being replaced was, Kerri-Anne says, a body blow that took no small amount of grace to absorb.

But despite her ignominious dismissal, Kerri-Anne is adamant her decision to join rival Seven Network was not motivated by even the slightest desire for revenge.

“I’m not out for vengeance. Not in the slightest,” she tells the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. “I think it was Matisse who once said you shouldn’t carry around hatred and revenge, because it’s a poison in your body. And it’s so true.”

And so the Seven Network pounced with an offer Kerri-Anne couldn’t refuse. If she would agree to sliding into sequins every Sunday night (something she was fine with) and offer up her lack of dance skills for the nation’s amusement (something she was less fine with), they would give her a prime-time gig, a show she will only describe now as “an overseas format [Seven] bought from a production company”.

“Truth be known, I didn’t even really want to do Dancing With The Stars and I initially said no,” says Kerri-Anne. “But Seven really wanted me to do it and they dangled the carrot of another show in front of me and I got suckered in.”

As much as Kerri-Anne’s story is one of achievement, it’s also a tale of survival. How she has prevailed in an industry renowned for its fickle nature is a lesson in old-school showbiz doggedness.

Since the age of 13, when she pestered former kids’ TV personality Uncle Jim Iliffe until he relented and made her co-presenter of his afternoon show on Queensland telly, Kerri-Anne has hardly been a day out of work.

“I’ve never really spent time analysing how I survived, I was too busy surviving,” she says. “I guess I was always nervous I would never work again, which is a powerful motivator.

“I grew up in a middle class family with a strong work ethic. I am sure people think I have had a charmed life, but I haven’t. I’ve really had to apply myself.”

Related: Rebecca Gibney – Why I’ll never diet again

Like many women of her generation who left school at 15, Kerri-Anne is convinced she’s not smart.

“I’m not a very bright person,” she says. “I don’t learn very quickly. I have street smarts and I am a plodder. Those are the cold hard facts of my life.

“I honestly think one of the reasons I have survived is because I am not that bright. As a result, I’ve always been prepared to just put my head down and put the work in. Plus, I really don’t have seriously high expectations.”

Read more of this story and see our photo shoot with Kerri-Anne in the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Your say: Do you have any words of encouragement for Kerri-Anne as she moves into the next phase of her career?

Subscribe to 12 issues of AWW for only $64.95 (save 22%) for your chance to win a trip of a lifetime for two to Tahiti & Los Angeles, valued at $26,000.

Video: Celebrating Kerri-Anne’s nine years on Nine

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Miranda Kerr: I can’t imagine life without mum

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Three model mums: Miranda Kerr, her mother and grandmother

Miranda Kerr, her mother Therese and grandmother Ann.

Three generations of Kerr women talk to Bryce Corbett, who discovers how tragedy taught them the importance of having a mum.

Mother’s Day is especially poignant in the Kerr household. Not least because two generations of the women whose gene pool gave the world Miranda Kerr lost their mothers when they were only very young.

Talk now to Miranda’s mum, Therese, or Miranda’s grandmother, Ann, and they will both speak of the day they lost their mother in matter-of-fact terms.

In pictures: Miranda Kerr – Australia’s sexiest supermodel

“She went into hospital and never came out,” recalls Ann, 75. “Mum was 32 and I was 13 years old. We waved her goodbye in the taxi that took her to hospital and that was the last we saw of her.

“My father went grey overnight. He never remarried. He always said he loved my mother too much.”

For Therese, who was 17 years old and pregnant with Miranda when her mother unexpectedly passed away, the memory of that day is similarly vivid.

“Mum woke up one morning with pains in her chest, was admitted to hospital and never came out,” Therese remembers. “I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. And the saddest thing for me is that she never got to meet my children. I would give anything for that. She would have been so proud of them.”

There are no tears from either Kerr matriarch as they relate their sad story, yet barely a day goes by that Ann and Therese don’t think about their mums.

But time is a healer and the Kerr women of Gunnedah, in country NSW, are nothing if not stoic, all products of good country breeding.

Observing Ann and Therese now as they pose with Miranda for The Weekly’s cameras, it’s obvious that they form a close-knit family.

Although the rigours of full-time supermodelling mean Miranda has to divide most of her time between homes in Los Angeles and New York, she still speaks to or texts her mother at least once a day.

“I learned at a very early age that family is more important than anything,” says Therese. “Ann has been like a mum to me.”

Adds Ann: “We know what it is like to lose your mother at a young age. It created a bond between us. It makes you realise how important it is in your life to be able to say that one little word: Mum.”

In pictures: Sweet tweets – Celebrity family photos

It’s a source of no small amount of pride for Miranda, too, that she was born of such hardy stock.

“Mum and Nan are two of the strongest women I know and they are a great source of strength in my life,” she says.

“I am so very close to my mum. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I think you can only ever fully appreciate how devastating losing your mum would be when you actually go through that experience yourself.”

Read more of this story in the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Your say: What does your mum mean to you?

Subscribe to 12 issues of AWW for only $64.95 (save 22%) for your chance to win a trip of a lifetime for two to Tahiti & Los Angeles, valued at $26,000.

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Lyndey Milan: I’ll never get over my son’s death

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Lyndey Milan: I'll never get over my son's death

Lyndey Milan and her late son Blair.

TV cook Lyndey Milan’s son Blair died suddenly from cancer on April 17 last year. He was just 29 years old. Here, Lyndey reveals how his death has torn a hole in her life.

As Blair’s mother, people might expect me to say that he was special, but he truly was.

For Blair, everything was an experience to be savoured. He didn’t just have a birthday. He had the “Month of Blair”, which usually included at least three parties for his friends and relatives, and a weekend away.

Related: I love my son’s cleft palate

It’s a tradition that started when he was just one and his friends estimate that, during his 29 years, he managed to celebrate 87 birthdays. Blair always said he wanted to live a full and happy life and, in so many ways, he did.

Blair was an actor and a bloody fine one. He studied Theatre/Media at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, NSW. He graduated with distinction, at the top of his year.

Like all actors, he worked as a waiter and waited for his big break to come along. Self-assured and confident, everyone knew him as the life of the party, the handsome boy at the centre of everything, underlining it all with his personal motto: good times.

He made a conscious choice to be happy every day of his life. He’d call me and I’d say, “I’m stressed and I have to do this and I have to do that …” Blair would just say, “Okay, Mum, just stop. Let’s start again — what’s good about today?”

That’s the way he lived his life, finding the good things and being the best he could: the best actor, the best waiter, the best friend, the best son.

I have so many memories that I could share with you, but the one that stands out is of the fun that Blair, his younger sister, Lucy, and I had taking singing lessons just before my 50th birthday.

Lucy, always close to her brother, is a beautiful singer. Blair and I were real dorks, loud and over the top.

It was hilarious. We sang ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from Titanic. I sang it again to him as he lay in his hospital bed before he died, hoping that he could hear me.

A child’s death is a shattering experience. It all happened in a matter of days. Blair hadn’t been feeling well and then, while I was overseas, he collapsed and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, all on the same morning.

I immediately flew back from Sicily on the longest flight of my life. I arrived on Saturday morning. Though Blair was medically unconscious and I couldn’t speak to him, I’m thankful that I made it back to be by his side.

He was on dialysis, a breathing machine and chemotherapy. Even then, we hoped he would pull through. His doctor told us that if he survived the weekend, then he’d get through it.

He was in the best place, with the best care. Yet during the night, his heartbeat got weaker and weaker and, finally, at 1am on Sunday, he died.

Just as nothing prepares you for becoming a parent, nothing prepares you for the death of a child.

Lucy was still in transit from London. I had to tell my daughter by phone that her beloved brother was dead, even though that was a fact I could barely grasp.

Even as I said the words, I didn’t accept that it could be true. Even now, a year later, I find it hard to believe that he is really dead.

He was so vibrant, so alive and such a positive being. How could that spirit vanish so suddenly? How could he be gone?

My loss will always be with me, I know, but I need to get on with my life and do the best I can. That won’t always be easy, but Blair would expect nothing less.

Related: Kathy Lette – My son has Asperger’s

Lyndey & Blair’s Taste of Greece by Lyndey and Blair Milan, published by Hardie Grant, $39.95, is available in bookstores.

Read more of Lyndey’s heartbreaking story in the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Your say: Do you know what it feels like to lose a child? Share with us below

Subscribe to 12 issues of AWW for only $64.95 (save 22%) for your chance to win a trip of a lifetime for two to Tahiti & Los Angeles, valued at $26,000.

Video: Lyndey Milan discusses the death of her son Blair

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The real-life Russian Barbie doll, Valeria Lukyanova

A 21-year-old girl has become the most searched person on the Russian internet thanks to her striking resemblance to a Barbie doll.
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Valeria Lukyanova

A 21-year-old girl has become the most searched person on the Russian internet thanks to her striking resemblance to a Barbie doll.

With her long blonde hair, impossibly small waist and enormous breasts, Valeria Lukyanova is about as close to a living Barbie as a real person can get.

She became an internet sensation in her native Russia after she posted thousands of photos of herself dressed up like the doll, complete with exaggerated make-up, opaque contact lenses and skimpy clothes.

‘Living dolls’ like 15-year-old Venus Angelic have become very popular online in recent months.

Valeria Lukyanova wears opaque contact lenses to get the ‘doll’ look.

Valeria imitating her idol.

Valeria shows off her tiny waist.

Valeria denies having plastic surgery, but sports a suspiciously full chest.

Valeria hails from Russia.

Valeria has very Barbie-like proportions.

Valeria has been dressing as Barbie for years.

Valeria’s body looks identical to Barbie’s.

Valeria out and about in Russia.

Valeria on the beach.

Valeria’s face looks almost plastic.

Valeria insists her hair is 100 percent her own.

Valeria is just 21 years old.

Valeria has Barbie’s long thin legs.

Valeria has thousands of fans around the world.

She never leaves home without her make-up.

Valeria’s house is pink like Barbie’s dream house.

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Unbelievable celebrity pre-nups

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They spend millions on their weddings and aren’t afraid to show how loved-up they are, but how much dough are these celebrity couples earning from each other?

Tom Cruise and Kate Holmes

Katie Holmes receives a whopping $3 million for every year she is married to Tom Cruise up to 11 years – after that, she could receive half of his fortune.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Keith Urban gets around $640,000 for every year he is married to Nicole Kidman, unless the former addict starts using drugs again, in which case he gets nothing.

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake

The newly engaged couple have arranged that Jessica will get at least $500 000 if Justin ever cheats on her under a “fidelity clause”.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

Catherine Zeta-Jones will receive $5 million if Michael Douglas cheats on her, which is no surprise as Douglas’ first marriage was destroyed by his sex addiction.

Zeta-Jones, who also makes $2.8 million for every year of marriage, says pre-nups are “brilliant”.

Beyonce and Jay-Z

Jay-Z would have had to pay Beyonce $10 million if the marriage ended after two years. After that, Beyonce would receive $1 million for each year they remained married for up to 15 years.

Baby Blue Ivy has already made Beyonce $5million richer according to their pre-nup, as Jay also promised to pay her that amount for each child she bears for him for her loss of income during pregnancy and child-rearing years.

Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo

Tony Romo received the helpful suggestion that, should he propose to Jessica Simpson, he should include a “porker clause” in their pre-nup requiring her to pay him $500,000 if she topped 61.5 kilos.

Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen

Denise Richards was guaranteed $4 million if known cheater Charlie Sheen ever strayed during their marriage, which he allegedly did.

Khloe Kardashian Odom and Lamar Odom

The reality stars’ unbelievable pre-nup included Khloe receiving a $5,000 monthly shopping budget and a $1,000 monthly beauty budget.

She also gained season courtside Lakers tickets for her whole family, asked for $500,000 for each year they’re married, $25, 000 a month in support, their house (if they separate), and a new car at the end of every lease cycle.

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Six things everyone should know about dental care

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Six things everyone should know about dental care

No one relishes the prospect of a visit to the dentist and the potential risk factors of bad oral hygiene are scary, so why do so many Australians neglect to properly look after their teeth?

A study by the Australian Dental Association in conjunction with Oral-B found that while most Australians (87 percent) believe oral health is very important, only 30 percent think they are doing all they can to protect the health of their teeth.

As well as the more well-known problems associated with bad oral health, such as tooth loss and gum disease, other serious illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and pregnancy complications have also been linked to poor dental care.

With rising costs of living and the expense of a visit to the dentist, it is estimated that 60 percent of Australians put-off a visit to the dentist for financial reasons.

Dentist Stephen Blatchford recommends taking a preventative approach to oral health to help minimise the risk of having serious and potentially costly dental work down the track.

The aim of oral care is to remove food debris and the invisible layer of plaque that is a collection of some 150 different kinds of bacteria that grow on our teeth, tongue and gums. The by-product of this bacteria is acidic — it weakens tooth enamel and can lead to bad breath.

If not kept in check, these germs grow exponentially and the plaque can lead to painful and unsightly gingivitis (or gum disease) which is “the body’s inflammatory immune system reaction against the plaque.” explains Dr. Ralf Adam, Head of Clinical Operations at Oral-B.

1. Quality toothbrush

“The difference between a good and a bad brush is its ability for inter-dental brushing,” Principal Scientist for Oral-B Dr Eva Kaiser said.

Dentists usually recommend a soft bristle brush to help minimise the risk of damaging the gums or teeth. Replace your toothbrush or brush head every 2-3 months. If you leave it much longer, the brush will not be as effective at cleaning your teeth.

2. Brushing technique

Using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, gradually work around all the surfaces of your teeth, front and back. Remember don’t be too rough — it takes very little pressure to remove food and bacteria whereas too much pressure can harm the gums and tooth enamel, creating problems like receding gums.

If you use an electric toothbrush there is no need for you to scrub — just gently hold the brush against the surface of your teeth, systematically moving it from tooth to tooth.

Make sure you include the area where the tooth meets the gum as this is where plaque builds up.

An independent healthcare study in 2011¹ found that electronic toothbrushes with a rotating-oscillating head are, in the short term (four to twelve week period), the most effective at removing plaque.

3. Duration of brushing

“Imagine your mouth is split into four areas: top left, bottom left, top right and bottom right,” instructs Kaiser.

“Each quadrant should be brushed for 30 seconds and the inside, outside and biting surfaces should be cleaned. In total you should spend at least 2 minutes cleaning your teeth twice a day — after breakfast and before you go to bed.”

Kaiser recommends the Oral-B Triumph 5000 electronic toothbrush, adding “its wireless display provides while-you-brush feedback so that you can make sure you are spending enough time on each section of your mouth.”

4. Flossing

Dentist Dr Stella Karakasi, from Word of Mouth Dentistry, stresses the importance of using dental floss daily to remove plaque and food debris from in-between your teeth.

Flossing is essential to good oral health and it is a step that many people overlook.

5. Food and drinks

Be wary of what you eat and drink between brushing as sugary snacks and high acid soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juices encourage the growth of plaque.

“Poor diet is one of the major contributors to tooth erosion, with soft drink and fruit juice being very significant,” Australian Medical Association President, Dr Steve Hambleton says.

“Sugary foods, such as sweets and lollies, fruit snack bars, sugary soft drinks and juices, all contribute to dental decay as sugar feeds the destructive bacteria in the mouth, which then puts acid on teeth.”

If these beverages are consumed, follow with a glass of water. Never brush your teeth straight after an acidic drink like orange juice as you risk stripping your teeth’s surface enamel, which once removed will not grow back.

6. The dentist is your friend

Visit your dentist regularly (make an appointment at least every 12 months), rather than waiting for a problem to occur and take their advice on board. If they recommend flossing or a different type of toothbrush, then do it — they have your best interests in mind.

¹ 1 October 18, 2011 — The Cochrane Collaboration update

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