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3 Tips to Improve Your Smile’s Appearance

by Posted in Dental Care

Your smile should help you make a winning impression. Show off your best smile with these three simple tips to keep your smile looking great.

1. Wear a Nightguard

Despite all of your best efforts to keep your teeth looking great with attentive oral care and hygiene, you may still be your smile’s worst enemy. Tens of millions of Americans clench and grind their teeth while they sleep. This condition called “bruxism” can cause serious damage to your teeth over time. If your teeth show more signs of chipping or cracking than usually or you’re continually breaking restorative dental work, you may have a problem with bruxism. Wearing a nightguard can help protect your teeth from serious damage.

2. Wear Teeth Aligners

Your teeth can come out of alignment over time, even if you’ve already had orthodontic treatment at some point. In fact, bruxism can cause teeth to shift out of alignment. Wearing teeth aligners is a convenient way to straighten your teeth, and they can also help to safeguard your teeth against damage caused by clenching and grinding. If you need help with clear teeth aligners Miami Beach FL, reach out to a provider who is experienced in this form of orthodontic treatment.

3. Protect Your Lips From the Sun

Almost everyone remembers the importance of wearing sunscreen or sunblock to shield skin against damage from UV rays, but not everyone gives their lips this same necessary level of attention. However, your lips are especially vulnerable to sun damage because they’re continually exposed to UV rays when you’re outdoors. Also, the outer surface of your lips is particularly thin and sensitive. Make it a point to wear lip balm that offers UV protection. It will offer vital protection against drying and cracking, and it is effective in protecting your lips against long term UV ray damage. 

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How To Focus on Health in a Busy World

by Posted in Health Care

Many busy people neglect their own well-being. This is not because they are lazy or don’t care about themselves, but because they feel too rushed to do so. The following are three ways to help you make time to focus on your health in a busy world. 

Prepare Meals Ahead of Time 

Making healthy, freezable meals ahead of time is one way to ensure you have something nutritious handy. Soup is always a good option. You can toss the ingredients in the slow cooker on Sunday morning (or whatever day works best for you) and divide it into single-serve storage containers that evening. Put the servings in your freezer, and you have a healthy meal ready whenever you need it.  

Make Appointments Early 

If you schedule appointments with your primary doctor, general dentist Lafayette LA, or optometrist for the early morning, you are more likely to get in and out quickly. As the day progresses, doctors may run behind, so making an 8 a.m. appointment can really pay off. In addition to booking early appointment times, you can also schedule the appointments weeks — or even months — in advance. This can allow you to request time off from work or make the appointment on a day that you will already have off.   

Try Interval Training

Exercise is often considered the most time-consuming aspect of staying healthy, but it does not have to be that way. Interval training is a form of exercise that alternates short intervals of high-intensity activity with longer intervals of less strenuous exercise. The principles of interval training can be applied to both cardio and strength training. 

The human body is complex, and taking care of it properly can seem daunting. However, with a little planning, you can find the time to take small steps toward a healthier lifestyle.  

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3 Signs of Dementia in Elderly Individuals

by Posted in Aging

As people age, they may develop dementia. Dementia itself is neither an actual disease on its own nor a normal side effect of growing old. It is a blanket term for impairment in cognitive thinking or decision making ability and degeneration of memory. It is usually caused by illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and others. If your elderly loved ones begin displaying signs of dementia, you may need to seek medical help. You may even need to find dementia care Denver if they are no longer able to care for themselves. How can you recognize dementia though? There are certain signs that indicate the possibility of dementia. 

1. Short Term Memory Loss

Forgetting some things is normal for humans. It is rare that anyone possesses a perfect memory. However, if a person with previously decent memory begins frequently forgetting small things they used to remember, something may be wrong. Examples include having trouble keeping track of items like keys, wallets and purses and not remembering everyday tasks like locking the door or paying bills. 

2. Concentration Difficulties

Having difficulty focusing is another worrying sign. So is struggling to complete a concentration heavy task or keep up with a conversation. Constantly losing track of what they were saying is another possible indication that older individuals may have dementia, as is excessive confusion. 

3. Drastic Mood Swings

Something else you should take note of if you suspect possible dementia is sudden changes in mood. If an elderly person is going from cold to hot on the spur of the moment, loving one minute and filled with ire and hate the next, you should be worried. Unexpected explosions or long rants without previous hints of anger from a usually mild tempered person might mean he or she has dementia. 

There are many other signs that may indicate dementia. These are some of the more common ones, and it is important to keep them in mind since they can be easily overlooked. 

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3 Things To Look Out For After a Collision

by Posted in Health Care

After an auto collision, you may drive away from the accident apparently unscathed, but there could be hidden damage to your vehicle that is not immediately obvious to the eye. Here are a few potential problems to look out for after being in an accident. 

1. Framework

Every car has a frame structure, also referred to as a chassis, that supports all the components of your vehicle. While it may not be immediately obvious or even noticeable to the untrained eye, the framework of the car can be damaged during an accident and cause problems down the road. Always have an auto body shop that specializes in collision repair Fort Worth TX double-check for potential damage to your frame. 

2.  Leaking Fluid

There are a number of fluids that keep your car running smoothly, such as brake fluid, coolant, and oil, and collisions can cause cracks or breakage that ultimately forms a leak. Leaks may leave only small and inconspicuous puddles, so be certain to keep an eye on what’s happening under your car, especially if the vehicle is mainly parked outside where leakage can be mistaken for rain runoff or other natural occurrences. 

3. After-the-Fact Damage

Even if a check engine light appears weeks after the collision, promptly take your car to an auto body repair shop to seek the cause of the light. It may take a number of miles for the computer in your car to reset and begin monitoring correctly again. Your battery may also be jostled during even a minor accident and run down much more quickly than it would otherwise. It is worthwhile to have it checked so you don’t end up stranded on the side of the road! 

There may be unseen damage to your car following even the most minor of accidents. It pays to be aware of potential problems with your vehicle post-collision and have an expert give you the A-OK to get rolling and back on the road.