Archive for the ‘health’ Category

13

The Secrets That Hide In Your Teeth

In a previous blog, we explored what a smile can do, what they show about ourselves, and how it affects people in our immediate environment (Try smiling at a frowning person, you’ll see that he will not be able to keep that frown for long).

close teeth gap

Your teeth hold a chock full of information and reveal a lot about who you are and the way you live. In forensics alone, teeth can be used to identify people. But did you also know that teeth can reveal details about what’s going on in other places in your body? The actual state of your teeth is just as important as, say, keeping them straight or fixing your gaps using intraoral appliances or teeth bands.
1.  Periodontal disease (the category to which gingivitis and periodontitis belong) can possibly cause type 2 diabetes – this, according to studies from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Among the theories on their correlation state that oral inflammation causes inflammation in other parts of the body which can affect the way your body processes sugar.

 

2. Studies by experts in the field have revealed that not brushing your teeth twice a day increases one’s risk of heart disease, or stroke. How? It is possible for the bacteria in the mouth to find their way into our bloodstream which can thicken the arteries that may lead to a heart attack. On the other hand, the buildup of fatty plaques inside vessels can break off, find its way into the brain and lead to a stroke.

3. More cavities can mean obesity. Kids who have more cavities are clearly eating too much carbohydrates and sweets which can affect their weight as they are growing up. Similar patterns apply to adults. Your dentist can figure this out because carbohydrates and sugars are fermented by the bacteria in your mouth and turns them into acids that corrode the layers of your teeth, providing more openings for deeper penetration by these bacteria. As for weight gain, we know the complications that arise from obesity (of course, being underweight isn’t a good option either, so eat healthy and stay within your ideal weight).


5

The Secrets Behind Smiles

Nov
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by Kristenne Snelson

A beautiful smile can do a lot of things. We all first smiled as early as when we were born. According to experts, smiling may have been a primal instinct in animals, specifically, a response to fear. It has been dated back to 30 million years ago, when apes showed their teeth to show enemies that they were not dangerous. Most human babies smile for the first time in their sleep, and learn to smile and laugh in as early as four to six weeks.

The smile, however seemingly simple, holds complexities as that of any other sub topic in science and psychology. At its simplest, it reveals actual feelings (e.g. a Duchenne smile, or a genuine smile of happiness as opposed to a fake one), it can forge friendships, and lightens the mood – both your own and of those around you regardless of whether or not they are strangers. Smiling has so many psychological and emotional benefits that we tend to miss out on. We even think it’s a built-in quick fix.

That being said, here’s a short list of fun facts about our smiles and what they can do.

  1. Facial expressions, including smiles, can reveal if a person is lying.
  2. In many cases, wearing a genuine smile is better than wearing makeup. According to Orbit Complete, their study reveals that 69% of the people prefer looking at others who smile than those wearing makeup.
  3. A lustful character was among the many beliefs surrounding a gap-toothed smile. Another was that if one had teeth gap, this was a sign of good omen.
  4. A smile is contagious, and it’s perhaps one of the few things we’d like to contract from others.
  5. Women smile more than men do.
  6. Even a forced smile brightens your mood, which makes your body instantly release endorphins and serotonin. The former blocks your perception of pain, while the latter elevates your mood. The amounts released are similar to that of consuming chocolate.
  7. A happy smile is universally understood by all humans.
  8. The study of laughter and smiling, and their effects on the human body is called “gelotology.”
  9. Children smile way more than adults do. While 30% of adults smile at least 20 times a day, kids do it at a whopping 400 times a day.
  10. Smiling (even a forced one) gives you confidence and control. This works in, say, an interview or when speaking to a group of people. Or maybe meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time. After smiling, refer to no. 4 of this list and watch it happen.

Looking at the facts, the old adage does hold true: Smile, and the whole world smiles with you.

 

30

Tricks to Remember When Eating Treats

Oct
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by Kristenne Snelson

Trick or Treat! Hallow’s Eve is almost here, by far the “sweetest” holiday of the year for obvious reasons. While trick-or-treating traces its history back to several sources including the Celtic custom Samhain, or the European practice of going door to door asking for cakes in return for prayers for souls on All Souls’ Day, some things have remained the same all through these centuries: the door-to-door visits and a bagful of sweet stuff.

With that being the case, you and the kids in your household may have more than your teeth can take. These sugar-laded treats may just be little devils in disguise – talk about trick-or-treating.

The bacteria in our mouths interact with sugars in that they turn it into lactic acid; logically, a lot of sugar means a lot of acid later on. Acid wears away the tooth enamel (which is the outermost layer of the tooth), allowing for the acids to attack deeper layers. This is what causes tooth decay.

Among the most loved types of candies these days are the sour ones – just like those squiggly little colored worms rolled in sugar and bursting with fruit flavors. But, according to the Minnesota Dental Association, these are among the most dangerous for the teeth because not only are they high in sugar, but they are also more acidic than other candies; in fact, so acidic that an acid attack can last only about 20 minutes.

To alleviate the effect of these little devils on the teeth, consider the following after eating sweets:

-          Neutralize the acids by swishing your mouth with water, drinking milk or consuming cheese. Do this right after eating candies, but wait at least thirty minutes to an hour before you brush your teeth because brushing your teeth immediately after consuming candies (or eating anything, in general) speeds up the effect of acid on the enamel.

 

-          Avoid sucking or chewing sweet stuff for extended periods. This exposes your teeth to a higher risk of tooth decay.

 

-          When drinking sweet drinks, best to drink from a straw to lessen exposure of teeth to acid.

 

-           If you’re using dental bands, retainers, and others, be mindful of how much you consume and the way you consume them, because these candies could potentially render your intraoral appliances ineffective.

25

Homemade Recipes for Better Teeth

Let’s get cooking! But what we’re going to do isn’t for dinner; it’s actually for the teeth. Fact is, there are many things in the kitchen that we can actually use to improve dental health. Not comfortable with using kitchen ingredients? Look at it this way: it’s just like using orthofill bands for your teeth gap instead of braces.

Among the ingredients that we will use for our homemade products are peppermint oil, tea tree oil and baking soda. Peppermint and tea tree oil are known to have properties that help improve and maintain dental health. Tea tree oil is known to help reduce gingivitis. Peppermint, on the other hand, has antiseptic property keeping your teeth and gums germ-free and your breath smelling good.

Baking soda, one of the main ingredients of many natural dental health products, is used to deodorize and cleanse the mouth. In additions, it helps to whiten teeth.

Other than the benefits that one gets from these natural ingredients, there’s some money to be saved from utilizing things that are already available in your kitchen.

 

1.    DIY Mouthwash

 

½ cup water

2 tsps baking soda

2 drops of tea tree oil

2 drops of peppermint essential oil

 

To make your natural mouthwash, all you have to do is mix the ingredients in a jar and use as you would your ordinary mouthwash.

 

2.     Homemade Toothpaste

 

½ cup baking soda

A dash of salt

¼ cup hydrogen peroxide

1 drop peppermint oil

Optional: a bit of Stevia to sweeten

 

Mix everything in a bowl until you achieve desired consistency. Add more hydrogen peroxide if you need to. Store in an air-tight container afterwards.

 

3.     The third is really easy: all you have to do is swish water around your mouth. In the absence of your teeth cleaning implements, water is an effective temporary solution to wash out any bacteria in your mouth after a meal.

18

Top 4 Halloween Profession Costumes

Oct
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by Kristenne Snelson

Trick or treat! Halloween is fast approaching. A lot of people have started decorating their houses with scary stuff and preparing for a Halloween party. Prepare your candies or sweets if you don’t want to be tricked. Be watchful of your dental health such as teeth gap, toothache and other teeth issues to have a ready, dazzling smile during the party.

What is the best outfit for this upcoming Halloween? Listed below are cool stuff that you may consider when choosing a Halloween profession costume:

Janitor

Zombie Janitor

A janitor outfit is very easy to create. You can use your old navy blue work pants and long sleeves. Put some red color mess on it. To complete the entire look, carry a mop or push brooms with you.

Nurse

Nurse Zombie

A nurse zombie is very popular in different American movies. You have to wear white nurse dress and cap. Pair it with white high – heels shoes and nurse’s medicine bag. Put a mess on your dress and you are all done.

Security Guard

Guard Zombie

A security guard costume is simple yet very scary. Gossip about guards dying at night during their shift abound, and you can use this as an inspiration for your costume. In order for you to accomplish your guard zombie costume, you can borrow old guard uniforms from someone you know. To make it more realistic, tear your upper garment and put blood inside the slit. To complete your guard costume, bring a flash light with you.

Butcher

Butcher Zombie

Here is another simple yet scary costume for Halloween: the neighborhood zombie Butcher. Your costume can be anything. You can have any white upper garment [long sleeves or sleeveless] paired with navy blue pants. You can use animal blood or any blood – like material that you have and mess – up your clothes. For a better look, carry a big knife with you.

You can use everything you see outside and inside your room to create an elegant yet priceless costume for Halloween. You can maximize whatever you already have by using your old unused blouse and pants, making fun of your hair or even the gap between your teeth. You just have to be resourceful. Be open – minded! Use your imagination and create an outstanding Halloween outfit.

Make - up Zombie

“If you can’t make the best costume, play with your make – up!”

3

Tooth Loss and Smoking

Aug
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by Kristenne Snelson


When you buy a pack of cigarette, there is a warning on its packaging that says “cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.” It is true as continuous smoking can lead to various diseases like respiratory, heart and kidney problems. This can also lead to tooth loss in the long run. Having a complete set of healthy teeth is important as this is what people see when you talk to them or when you smile at them. If you have gap on your teeth, this can be easily fixed by Orthofill. But if you lose your teeth, this would require a more expensive treatment from the dentist. Plus, of course, it would be so much better if you don’t have to go through this.

If you are a chain smoker, this statistics may change your smoking habit or may even make you give it up. According to the Academy of General Dentistry or AGD, those who started smoking from the age of 18 could lose around 4 to 5 teeth. The average tooth loss is higher than men than on women. However, both genders surely wouldn’t want to experience this, especially if it can be prevented. According to the studies made by AGD, men who smoke a pack of cigarette per day can lose an average of 2.9 teeth every 10 years. On the other hand, women who smoke a pack of cigarette per day can lose an average of 1.5 teeth every 10 years.

The good news is the percentage of losing teeth decreases for those who quit smoking. However, this is still relatively higher than those people who never smoked at all. Now that you know that you’re not just at risk of getting various kinds of diseases when smoking but you’re also at risk of losing your teeth early, you may want to think again if you want to continue smoking or at least lessen the number of cigarettes that you smoke per day.

2

TMD Causes and Symptoms

Aug
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by Kristenne Snelson


Yes, it’s really exciting to take a huge bite of that mouth watering hoagie or that giant cheeseburger. It’s also fun at times to chew on ice and candies. Opening the shell of a peanut is easier when you do it with your teeth. However, all of these are not actually good for your oral health. Biting or chewing hard foods can chip or break your teeth. If this happens, you would need to go to the dentist for treatment that can cost several dollars. That’s unless you want to live with broken or damaged teeth. A space between teeth can be fixed quickly without spending much as gap bands are available at a low cost. But a damaged tooth caused by biting hard foods is a different story.

Biting huge size of foods can also cause or worsen temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ). This is characterized by chronic pain and inflammation on the temporomandibular joint. Aside from biting huge size of food, this can also be caused by exaggerated opening of mouth when yawning or sneezing. Other causes also include loss of bite height, trauma from accidents, damaged crowns, jaw thrusting, unconscious clenching and grinding of teeth and lack of overbite. Some of the symptoms of TMD are difficulty when chewing or biting, clicking sound when opening or closing the mouth, jaw pain and difficulties opening and closing mouth.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s best to go to your dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment. Also, a simple way to prevent this from happening or from getting worse is to bite only what you can chew. If you think that the food is too big for you to take and it would require opening your mouth really wide, cut it down into smaller parts instead. The taste would still be the same anyway plus you lower the risk of getting TMD.

1

Get Treatments from a Dental Spa

Aug
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by Kristenne Snelson


Visiting the dentist at least twice a year is recommended to ensure good oral and dental health. This prevents various kinds of problems including tooth loss, discoloration of teeth and more. However, not all people go to a dental clinic because of their fear. Some are afraid of the treatments that the dentist may administer on them. These treatments intend to fix oral and dental issues. But because of this fear, they become worse as they are not treated or people try to fix them on their own by trying different methods at home.

There are natural and over the counter remedies that can actually help some oral and dental problems. For instance, a medium gap on teeth can be closed within a month with the use of gap bands. However, not all products and methods are safe and effective. To make sure that the teeth problem will be treated properly, it is best to go to the dentist for diagnosis and treatment. Those who fear going to a dental clinic have another option to have their dental problems treated. Instead of visiting a regular dental clinic, they may try going to a dental spa instead.

A dental spa is a place that offers professional dental service from a licensed dentist but also offers spa services, which is not available on ordinary clinics. This will make people feel more relaxed and comfortable forgetting about their fear. Each dental spa varies on the spa services that it offers. However, most of them have massage dental chair, aromatherapy, heated blanket, hand lotion and massage, as well as facials. People go to spa to pamper themselves and relax. They know that it is something that they will enjoy and that would make them feel good. These positive feelings will eliminate the anxiety of those who are scared to go to the dentist so they can get the appropriate dental treatment they need.

19

Preventing Teeth from Falling Off

Jul
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by Kristenne Snelson


Oral bands are used to close the gaps between teeth and keep the whole set intact and strong. When there are spaces between the teeth, support is weakened and there is the tendency for each one to fall off if the problem is not immediately corrected. The better way however to retain the teeth in place is by observing suitable oral care.

On the average, people lose three or more or even all of their teeth when they reach 60. In the absence of correct oral care, this is not a surprising statement because teeth can only stay and last good when a person exercises at least the standard maintenance. The number one cause of tooth loss is tooth decay and unfortunately, although most people are aware of ways to avoid having dental problems, they just do not care enough. Laziness is one of the main reasons why they fail to exercise the prescribed teeth care. How dismal it is to realize that indeed, many people out there cannot even think of brushing their teeth before going to bed! With food staying in the teeth for hours over night, bacteria will grow and destroy the teeth in no time.

Another aspect in oral health that is commonly neglected is gum care. Remember that the teeth are attached to the gums much like a tree is fastened to its roots. If the gums are unhealthy, it also follows that the teeth will lose strength. Gingivitis is the most common oral sickness that needs to be attended to if you want to preserve your teeth until you grow old. As a person matures, he loses much of the calcium nourishment that is stored in the body through the years. With lack of calcium, the gums may start to develop disorders and the teeth are directly affected.

Healthy gums, compact and strong teeth and appropriate oral hygiene count a lot in keeping your teeth in place. Hence if you want to grow old with your teeth still intact, take good care of your dental health everyday.

19

Is It Possible to Have Perfect Teeth?

Jul
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by Kristenne Snelson


Is it possible to have perfect teeth? Some may say it is possible while others may believe it is not. The answer actually depends on how much effort a person exerts to achieve perfect oral health.

To have a good set of teeth requires diligence and strict adherence to oral health habits since childhood. It basically starts during infancy and mothers play an important part in this stage. Although the teeth do not grow yet among babies below six months old, oral health care can be started early on by mothers. In between milk feedings, a baby must be given water to wash down milk residues from his mouth. On the other hand, when a baby starts to grow teeth and eats solid foods, the mother must clean his baby teeth periodically by wiping the teeth and gums with wet cotton or cloth.

It is important to prevent decay in baby tooth because when a tooth falls off before permanent growth takes place, the new tooth will no longer be guided to its proper position. This is the reason why many people have crooked teeth. Although you can correct improper teeth alignment through cosmetic dental care, the procedure can be costly and not everyone can afford it.

The ways to attain a perfect set of teeth are simply based on personal practice. With regular brushing, flossing and visits to the dentist, you will have an impeccable oral condition. The use of mouthwash also helps in promoting strong teeth and in preventing cavities from forming. Some people believe that gargles are only for people with foul breath, but this is not true. Oral wash disinfects the mouth and teeth and its sanitizing component stays in the teeth for hours, thus keeping bacteria away.

Everyone can have perfect oral health if they maintain a conscientious attitude in caring for their teeth. Some say you need to have a lot of money to have beautiful and healthy teeth. The truth is, you don’t have to spend tons if you know how to observe proper oral care.