The investment around this alternative asset has caught the attention of older investors as the ATO’s SMSF numbers attest, reassured by the entry into the market of established asset managers such as Blackrock and Fidelity.
Labor failed to get its legislation to tax the earnings on SMSF portfolios exceeding $3 million pass the Senate in the previous Parliament. With the Greens likely to support this Bill, it is now set to become law, and advisers are scrambling to devise strategies for their clients.
Good oral health: Prevention is better than the cure
It’s a staggering statistic – 40 per cent of people over age 75 have no teeth, says Angie Lang (pictured), a dentist with more than 20 years’ experience and founder of SmileSip, an innovative oral health drink.
“What people don’t appreciate is that somebody doesn’t reach 75 and suddenly lose their teeth. It’s a long history of not getting appropriate preventative dental care. And it’s not just an issue of having no teeth; it’s all the associated medical issues.
“Lack of nutrition is a prime example. They can’t chew the foods they need for good nutritional support, such as meats and vegetables. So, their diet becomes predominantly softer foods, high in carbohydrates, high in sugars, which in turn can lead to diabetes and their ability to deal with infection and inflammation.
“Even if they still have their teeth, they can get gum disease that can lead to infection. If you see blood after brushing your teeth, that’s an infection that can get into the bloodstream, and that can be the cause of heart attack or stroke.”
Lang says the tragedy of poor dental health is that it’s completely preventable, requiring a dental visit every six months for a full clean.
It explains why the Australian Dental Association (ADA) wants the Federal Government to fund a Seniors Dental Benefits Schedule for holders of Commonwealth seniors’ health cards, pensioner concession cards and health care cards who are 65 years or older, arguing the cost to the budget will be met in the long term by reducing hospital visits.
ADA research has found 16,000 seniors were admitted to hospital for urgent treatment of painful dental issues in 2022-23 — a figure expected to rise to 22,630 by 2027-28.
Lang argues that dentistry needs to have a health awareness program in the same way that there is for health issues such as bowel, prostrate and breast cancers. “We just don’t have the same public awareness about dental health, of stressing the importance of having regular checks.
“There’s still a huge disconnect in the communication between medical and dental practitioners. If there were greater alignment between the two professions, I think it would not only assist strengthen the validation for government funding, but would help improve health outcomes for patients.
“What we need is general practitioners asking their patients when they’re having their annual check-ups, ‘have you seen your dentist’?”
Leaving aside the issue of cost, Lang says there’s an element of guilt in people neglecting to see their dentist.
“They know the reason they’re in the dental chair is because they’ve neglected their routine oral care. If they brush twice a day, floss every day and visit the dentist every six months, they wouldn’t be in that chair in a lot of pain.
“What I say to patients is that we’re going to change that cycle, we’re going to start doing preventative care. It’s a mindset shift with people needing to realise that there doesn’t have to be shame associated with visiting the dentist.
The consistent theme underpinning Lang’s approach to dentistry is one word – prevention. Which is why she’s developed SmileSip after repeatedly witnessing the harmful effects of sugary and acidic drinks on her patients’ teeth.
“Dietary sugars and acids from drinks are significant culprits behind dental decay and enamel erosion,” says Lang, so she collaborated with commercial laboratories, food scientists and researchers to create SwirlIt – it evolved into SmileSip – a beverage designed to be safe for teeth while providing oral health benefits.
SmileSip reduces plaque adhesion and dryness, is pH neutral to aid remineralisation and includes green tea powder and antioxidants for additional health benefits.
“What we’ve developed is a drink that prevents cavities and gum diseases while being tasty. It’ especially good in an aged-care setting because they get extremely dry mouths due to all the medications they’re on, but this beverage allows them to better taste their food,” she says.
