Your teeth are some of the most crucial parts of your body’s amazing ecosystem. Teeth enable you both to talk and eat delicious food and are essential to your wellbeing. Not only this, but your teeth are critical for you your beautiful smile! Taking good care of your teeth is a practice most people have instilled in them from a very young age. However, many people fall back on these essential habits once life gets in the way. Here is a comprehensive guide on taking care of your precious teeth!
What Can Damage My Teeth?
There are the obvious factors that can damage your teeth – lack of brushing and excessive sugar consumption are the key factors we all know well! But what else can damage your teeth?
- Accidents. Of course, having accidents such as car accidents, trips, slips and falls can damage your teeth. Broken teeth are extremely painful and require immediate medical care to repair the damage.
- Sports. If you play a ball sport such as lacrosse, tennis or hockey, or if you play a contact sport, you may be at risk of damaging your teeth. Sports are intense, and if you aren’t careful, you can have your teeth chipped or knocked clean out during a game.
- Smoking. Smoking causes terrible damage to your teeth. Not only is your chance of contracting oral cancer increased significantly by smoking, but smoking also causes your teeth to blacken due to the tar intake from cigarettes.
- Eating tough foods. Foods such as hard cookies, sweets, apples, carrots, and other solid foods can be tough on your teeth. If your teeth are already weakened or damaged, you can break your teeth on these foods. This sounds implausible but is actually very common! If you have crowns or veneers fitted, these are especially sensitive to hard foods.
- Unhealthy gums. Gum disease is prevalent around the world and is due to the gums being ignored as an essential composite of tooth care. Plaque, the hard, brown buildup that occurs on your teeth when you don’t brush or floss enough, can wear away your gum’s protection and let in bacteria. This causes gum disease, also known as gingivitis, and can be painful, as well as cause tooth loss.
- Alcohol. Alcoholic drinks often contain a high sugar percentage which can, as everybody knows, damage your teeth over time. However, alcohol itself also damages the teeth by dehydrating your mouth, causing less saliva flow to the teeth area. Saliva keeps your teeth hydrated and healthy, as well as being an antibacterial essential to prevent disease. If a lot of alcohol is consumed over time, this can increase your chance of bacteria buildup and potential damage. Around 70% of those diagnosed with oral cancer are heavy drinkers; alcohol poses a serious health risk to your oral health.
- Grinding or clenching your teeth. These are habits that are formed over time and are usually done when you are asleep. Grinding your teeth can wear down your teeth over time and cause nerve damage. Clenching your jaw during sleep or absentmindedly while you’re awake can put pressure on your teeth and harm the nerves in your teeth over time!
- Skipping the flossing. Flossing is, let’s face it, not something we all do twice a day. Flossing your teeth is not something your dentist insists on for the sake of it – it’s actually essential for good tooth health. The tiny gaps between your teeth can have plaque buildup and eventually damage your gums and teeth.
Common Signs Of Bad Tooth Health
There are ways to tell if your teeth are suffering from a disease or general poor health. Here’s how to tell if you need to take better care of your teeth!
- Bad breath. Everybody gets bad breath in the morning, or perhaps after multiple coffees during working hours! However, if you have consistent mouth odor, even after brushing, there may be something wrong. Persistent bad breath can be a sign there is a buildup of plaque or other bacteria in your mouth.
- Pain. If one or more of your teeth is causing pain when you chew or talk or constant, chronic pain, you know something is damaged or wrong. It could be a cracked or broken tooth, or an infection in your mouth causing pain.
- Bleeding gums. If your gums begin bleeding often, something is wrong. Sometimes, if people have not flossed regularly, a small amount of blood can be drawn when they begin flossing. This is normal and should stop after a few days. However, if the bleeding is consistent, you may have infected or damaged teeth or gums.
- Browning or blackening teeth. If your teeth are going black or brown, this can be due to many factors. If you smoke, it is likely that the tar you have consumed will contribute to discoloration. Otherwise, generally poor oral hygiene can result in discolored teeth.
Helpful Tips For Taking Good Care Of Your Teeth!
- Taking The Time
Of course, the easiest way to take good care of your teeth is to brush and floss twice a day. Brushing your teeth with a manual or electric toothbrush for two minutes in the morning and evening, and flossing your teeth after each brush, will lay the foundations for great oral health! Some people scrimp and cut corners on the time they take to brush their teeth – this can be damaging to your oral hygiene and health. Take the time to brush properly and you’ll thank yourself later.
- Regular Dental Visits
Visiting the dentist can be expensive, but in the long run, it is a vital investment for your oral health. Even if your teeth seem fine, your dentist can identify problems which you will have missed. Plus, they can recommend treatments, toothpastes and helpful practices which strengthen your teeth further.
- Water Flossing
Water flossers are becoming more and more popular in recent years – and there’s a reason why. Water flossing is a new form of flossing, which uses a hard, thin stream of water spraying directly between your teeth. Think of a power hose – for your teeth. These are environmentally friendly, easy to use, and extremely effective in keeping your teeth and gums spic and span.
- Healthy diet.
Of course, a healthy diet that does not involve heavy drinking or large sugar intake is helpful. Different foods have different effects on your oral health. As a young person, you may feel invincible, assuming your teeth will stay healthy because they feel fine. However as aging sets in, your teeth will demand more attention and require better care. Try to set in good habits to your routine while your teeth are healthy, and you’ll be able to prolong your tooth health for longer.
- Vitamins.
Taking vitamins to supplement your diet is always useful – but many don’t realize that certain vitamins are essential to your teeth. Vitamin C in particular helps to strengthen your teeth and bones; Vitamin D and Calcium are also essential for your teeth to remain strong and healthy for all your life.
- Protecting your teeth.
When playing contact sports, it is important you wear a gum shield, or gum guard. These can be fitted by a dentist, or you can buy a self-moulding guard which you can fit at home. These don’t guarantee 100% safety, but they take impact and can protect your teeth from breakage or cracking in the event of a collision. Gum shields absorb the shock of the contact, and prevent excruciating accidents from occurring.
- Sleep Guards
If you clench or grind your teeth in your sleep, you can ask your dentist about a sleep guard. These are softer versions of a sports gum shield, which protect your teeth when you grind or clench in your sleep. They are soft and malleable and act as a protective layer between your top and bottom teeth, to prevent further damage to the enamel and nerves of your teeth!
What To Do If You’re Worried About Your Oral Health
If you are concerned about symptoms of poor oral health, you should schedule a visit to your dentist. Seeking immediate help is the best course of action, even if you feel like everything is probably fine. It is better to catch a problem early, because there will likely be a less painful and expensive recovery period in this case. Do not leave the problem to rest until the pain is unbearable – seek help early.
Conclusion
In this day and age, it’s easy to become lazy and slack on oral healthcare. However, with technology, availability of treatments and endless information, you will find it easier than ever to shape up your tooth care routine and invest in your oral health – for the present, and for the future.
Believe it or not, a good night’s sleep is vital for your overall health. In fact, some think that it is more important than a good diet and exercise. If you do not get enough sleep then this can have a huge impact on your brain function and hormones, not to mention that it can also cause weight gain too. If you want to sleep better at night, then here are some top tips that will help you to make the most out of your nightly routine.
Increase Bright Light Exposure
Your body has its very own time-keeping clock. It’s known as your circadian rhythm. This affects your hormones, brain and body. It helps you to stay awake during the day and it tells your body when it is time to sleep. Natural sunlight during the day can help you to keep this in check. It also helps to keep you healthy as well. If you have insomnia then bright light exposure can work wonders for your routine, not to mention that it can also help you with your sleep quality overall.
Reduce Blue Light Exposure
As mentioned above, bright light exposure is brilliant for your health, but you need to try and limit your blue light exposure if you want to get the best results. Night-time light exposure is very bad for you, so try and stay away from electronic devices. This includes your phone, so keep this in mind as much as you possibly can.
Don’t Consume Caffeine later in the Day
Caffeine really can offer you a ton of health benefits. That being said, you need to make sure that you aren’t consuming too much of it if you can. If you have too much earlier in the day, then this can keep you up at night and you may even find that you wake up tired. Caffeine can stay in your blood for up to 8 hours, so if you drink large amounts then don’t have any after 4pm. If you want the taste of coffee, then opt for decaffeinated if you can. If you struggle with sleep apnoea or snoring then reducing your caffeine can help, but it’s good to see a sinus doctor as well.
Reduce Irregular Naps
Short power naps can be super beneficial to your body, but if you find yourself napping far too much, then this can adversely affect your sleep far more than you realise. If you sleep during the day, then this will confuse your body’s internal clock and you may even find that your sleep is affected as well. Studies have shown that participants who slept during the day, felt much more tired at night, so it’s vital that you do everything you can to unwind rather than napping if you want to get a good sleeping pattern.
Sleep and Wake at a Consistent Hour
Your body’s rhythm will depend on when you wake up and when you go to bed. If you are consistent then this will really help you with your energy levels during the day. If you are always changing-up your routine then this can leave your body confused, so it’s no surprise that this can wreak havoc on your lifestyle.
Picture by Mateo Vistocco from Unsplash – CC0 Licence
Stress is one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure.
Finding ways to manage stress and anxiety is a necessary part of life for most people. If we don’t, it can lead our bodies to become exhausted, cause mental fatigue, and lead to burnout.
To make stress and anxiety subside, people often turn to pharmaceuticals. However, sometimes prescription drugs can have unpleasant side effects such as drowsiness and nausea. Additionally, they don’t always help your mind and body cope with stress the way you need them to.
Often, when people have tried pharmaceuticals that didn’t work, they look for alternative forms of medicine. For herbal remedies, likened to xo extracts, which can help ease anxiety and stress in your life, there are some suggestions below for you to consider.
Chamomile
Anxious attacks are difficult to control. Your emotions are heightened, and you tend to feel jittery. Chamomile is a comforting and natural solution to help calm these feelings.
According to a medical report called Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Chamomile interacts with receptors in the brain, much like valium.
Lavender
Lavender is celebrated for its relaxing qualities. When you smell lavender, you can almost instantly reduce the stress and tension you’re experiencing.
Lavender oil can be used in various ways. For example, you can massage it into your skin. Or add a few drops to a handkerchief, hold it close to your face, and breathe in its aroma. Alternatively, while running a bath, you can add a few drops of lavender into it.
Valerian
Worrying can lead us to lose sleep at night. When you lose sleep, your ability to cope with the events the following days worsens.
Gaining a full night’s rest is essential to help stress and anxiety subside. To initiate a healthy sleep pattern, think about using valerian as a sleep aid. You can either take it as a supplement or add it to your cup of chamomile tea before bedtime.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a natural remedy that people have used since the middle ages. Yet, many people today aren’t aware that lemon balm can help with anxiety, stress, and difficulty sleeping.
A study published on the NCBI revealed that volunteers who ingested 600g of lemon balm were calmer than the portion of volunteers that didn’t. You can purchase lemon balm in either capsule form or as tea.
Get Active
While what we put in our bodies has a significant impact on your state of mind and body’s ability to relax. Another natural remedy that fights off unwanted tension and anxiety is exercise. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or under pressure, take a walk on your lunch break at work to clear your mind or head cycling with your family to get fit and distract yourself.
We’re often too quick to resort to prescription medicines to fix our bodies’ problems and feelings. When, in fact, natural remedies, such as those above, are much more effective and healthier for us.
Right now, it seems people do a lot of sitting. After all, with the summer heat rising, it’s hard to get outside. Add the COVID 19 closures, and life, well, has simply left people to be at home. Being cooped up doesn’t mean that fitness is tossed to the side. Rather, this is an opportunity to carve out you time, working out some of that excess energy and frustration. If you’re looking to drop a bit over the next month or so, here are five important tips to follow.
1. Establish a Designated Workout Time
Don’t get overwhelmed. Much like the older routine, you’ll need to carve out a schedule. If you previously hit the gym in the morning, then establish a time frame for at home. Set it on your phone with a buzzer going off to remind you. When it rings, get going. Did you take hour long cardio classes? If so, hop online to find some free moves. Keep up with the same allotment. You may feel better checking off that box.
2. Supplement Your Diet
Boost your body’s ability by using vitamins and supplements. If you’re working out, you’ll need to recharge anyway. Focus on getting high levels of omegas, vitamin B and thiamin. Sermorelin studies, furthermore, indicate that this additive might improve your ability to increase muscle and strength while decreasing body mass.
3. Think Green
Vegetables and fruits, particularly leafy foods such as spinach, are high in vitamins and fiber. They fill up the tummy, providing essential nutrients. As a bonus, they are low in calories too, so you can eat more of it. Consider adding salads, veggie plates and homemade juices to your diet. Just avoid adding sugars, dips and too much dressing.
4. Don’t Buy Junk Food
Sweet and salty cravings are intense. Yes, the chocolate chip cookie and chips taste good. However, they aren’t going to satisfy. Filled with grease and chemicals, they could increase your temptation, causing you to gorge on more than you need. The best solution is to leave it at the store. If it’s not in your place, you can default to something else.
5. Hydrate
Sometimes your stomach is growling not because you’re hungry. Instead, it’s simply the acid moving about. Avoid eating, and grab some water instead. 6 glasses of 8 oz cups a day might help you feel satiated longer. Purchase a large container with measurement lines. Carry it with you from room to room. Drink it as you go, refilling it as needed.
Be proactive. Remain dedicated.
Many health food stores are now stocking CBD/THC products such as oils, creams, drops, gummies, and powders. You might be a little bit confused by all the options and how they can benefit you. In general, the properties are the same; however, they differ in content and quality depending on their target usage. Some people like to consume it in different ways as well, for those who want smoke or vapor, you will need to know how to roll a joint without papers. There are many easy ways to do this. Here are some of the wellbeing benefits offered by CBD/THC products.
Helps to Relieve Joint Pain
If you have chronic pains in your elbows, knees, or fingers, it can have a seriously detrimental effect on your wellbeing. It can be hard to do everyday activities nevermind take part in a workout regime. But if we can’t exercise and our movement is restricted, we may not feel very happy or satisfied. CBD/THC influences the pain receptors in our nervous system. It dramatically reduces painful symptoms allowing you to visit friends and do light exercise.
Improves Your Quality of Sleep
There is nothing worse than not being able to sleep at night; insomnia is very common and can seriously impact a person’s life. Not getting enough sleep can mean not performing well at your job or forgetting about important events. There are many solutions to sleep deprivation; some people find that exercising during the day helps, or burning essential oils such as lavender in the bedroom. Other solutions include valerian root and, increasingly, CBD oil.
Supports Your Fitness Routine
It’s a little known fact that CBD/THC products can actively support a fitness routine. It can even help you to build muscles if that’s your aim. It does this in several ways. First of all, the components in the oil relieve any joint pains allowing you to go to the run, walk, or go to the gym when you weren’t able to before. Secondly, because it makes you tired, taking some CBD oil after a workout can help your body recover more quickly. For those who like to train hard, this can be very beneficial.
Reduces Feelings of Stress and Anxiety
Feelings of anxiety and stress are very common. They can range from mild to sometimes disabling fear of speaking in public or even going outside. An anxiety issue can have a severe effect on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes anxiety is predictable; there are certain events and situations you know will cause it. Other times it comes on entirely unexpectedly. At times like this, it’s good to have some CBD oil available. Other products can be good too, such as capsules.
Makes Your Skin Look Younger
CBD/THC products are also excellent for the skin, especially for specific skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. The compound in the oil or cream reduces inflammation and has calming properties that help the skin look and feel younger. Studies have shown that the features in CBD/THC products can slow the process of aging by counteracting the damage caused by free radicals. How’s that for an excellent wellbeing benefit.
It can be all too easy to get yourself wrapped up in habits that are very hard to manage and control. Many people find themselves going from simply enjoying something to having it become a normal part of their daily life, and this can cause some big problems if you’ve chosen the wrong habits. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the work that can go into managing a runaway habit, giving you the chance to start to control this element of your life.
Finding Alternatives
Finding alternatives to your habits can be a challenge, but it can also be a good way to take your mind off these things when you want to have better control over them. For example, if you’ve gotten hooked on cigarettes, using something like an e-cigarette would give you an opportunity to sate your addiction without using unhealthy methods. This sort of approach can be taken with just about any type of habit, but you need to find something that you will enjoy as an alternative if it’s going to work.
Take Away The Ritual
Many habits are built on layers of different types of behavior. The ritual you embark on before you start enjoying your habit can be a big part of the whole thing, making it worth looking for ways to take this out of the equation. For example, if you’re using a substance like cannabis, you’ll probably know exactly how to clean your glass pipe or bong, and this will make it all too easy to get sucked into a routine. Breaking away from the ritual and routine that comes with your habit will always be a good way to overcome it.
Family & Friends Support
Getting help from those closest to you is one of the best ways to tackle a habit. It’s likely that these people have seen how the whole thing has influenced you, and they will want to help you to make positive changes in your life. You can simply as people like this to help you when you have a habit that you can’t control. They will be able to provide emotional support through this process, but you will still need to work extremely hard to shake off the habits that you’re struggling with.
Rehabilitation Support
Going to rehab can seem like an extreme step to take when you’re dealing with a habit. In reality, though, this sort of work can often be essential when someone falls into the wrong habits. There are loads of options on the market, from online rehab schemes that enable you to work towards a better life from your computer to specialized clinics that will be able to guide you through every step of a process like this.
Getting over a habit isn’t as easy as you might expect. Of course, though, with people to help and support you, you should find the whole thing much easier. As time goes on, you will get more and more opportunities to improve your lifestyle without old habits.