Choosing a toothbrushWritten by Tony Forster
Choosing a toothbrush How much thought did you give when selecting your last toothbrush???
- Was it one suggested by your dentist?
- Did you like
 color? - Was it latest advertised gadget?
Here's our recommendations for choosing both a toothbrush and paste that will give you a dazzling smile and fresh tasting mouth.
Toothpaste - Toothpaste and a correct brushing action work together to remove plaque, a harmful film of bacteria that grows on your teeth and can cause decay, gum disease, tooth loss and bad breath if not controlled. Toothpaste that contains fluoride makes entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralisation, this aids in repairing early decay even before damage can be seen. There are also special ingredients in toothpaste that help to clean and polish teeth, helping to remove not only plaque but stains over time. Toothpaste also helps to freshen breath and leaves your mouth and teeth with a clean and smooth feeling.
What type of toothpaste should I use?
Paste or gel, with or without flavorings is very much down to your personal preferences. Most of brand name products will do job, just compare ingredients and make your choice and don't be afraid to change till you find a paste you really like. The most important ingredient in any toothpaste is Fluoride because it works effectively to fight plaque and cavities.
How much should I use?
Most toothpaste ads give impression that you need copious amounts of paste to work, but I guess they have a vested interest?, this simply isn't so. A peanut sized blob is all that should be needed, simply brush your teeth at a 45 degree angle towards gum line and brush front, back and between your teeth and you will find that paste will foam enough to cover all your teeth.
Children up to age of six should however should only be given a very small baby pea sized dab of toothpaste on brush, there are special strength Fluoride toothpastes that are especially made for children under six. In all circumstances always read label and refer to your dental or medical practitioner if in any doubt.
How long should brush for?
Dentists generally recommend that teeth should be brushed for
| | Childhood ObesityWritten by Karen Zastudil
Not long ago, my neighbor took her 6 year old son to his pediatrician for a routine examination. After which she was shocked to learn that twenty pounds he had gained in past year placed him on charts as obese. Her son had always been "stocky", but he had always experienced growth spurts that seemed to keep him within normal ranges of other children his age. Why didn't my neighbor recognize her child was obese? Because, oddly enough, "Obesity tends to be in eye of beholder." Many parents are simply in denial, especially when overweight child is very young. Parents often overlook their child's weight problem by believing it is something they will outgrow. The seriousness of obesity in children has led to many government studies. One such study in 2002 indicated that 15 percent of children between ages of 6 - 19 are dangerously overweight. A more recent study done in January, 2004 indicated that 31 percent of teenage girls and 28 percent of teenage boys are somewhat overweight, but "an additional 15 percent of teenage girls and 14 percent of teenage boys are obese. How is it determined that someone is obese? The numbers here vary by source, but to give you a general range, if a child weighs more than 20 percent above expected weight for their age, height, and body build, they are considered to be obese. As these numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate, we might ask ourselves "what is causing our children to become obese" and "why is it on rise"? There is no one cause for obesity, but several factors stood out as being notably different today than in any other time. Today we live in a "fast food", "convenience food" world, and very few people can say that their eating habits are not affected. Our children live a much more sedentary lifestyle than generations before them. It was also interesting to note biological link between stress and drive to eat. Comfort foods that are readily available seem to calm body's response to chronic stress. "In addition, hormones produced when one is under stress encourage formation of fat cells."
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