Category: Lifestyle

We all have that one item in our lives we can’t seem to part with. Your toothbrush should not be one of them!

Your toothbrush plays an important role in maintaining good oral hygiene and overall health. This is why you should replace yours at least every three to four months. Studies show that after three months of normal wear and tear, your toothbrush is much less effective at removing plaque from your teeth and gums in comparison to a new toothbrush. When the bristles of a toothbrush become frayed and worn out, they can do more harm than good, especially since it’s more of a struggle to get to all those tricky corners and gaps around your teeth. This is a clear enough sign that your toothbrush needs a change.

It is also important to change your toothbrush after you’ve been sick. Whether it’s the common cold or flu, or if you’ve had a mouth or throat infection, germs can hide in toothbrush bristles, and because of the moist bristles, bacteria and microorganisms can thrive on your toothbrush and may lead to re-infection.

While the bacteria found on your toothbrush are not harmful to you, it is still a good idea to replace your toothbrush, unless stated otherwise. Electric toothbrushes, for instance, don’t need to be replaced as often as traditional toothbrushes. Some electric toothbrushes have very good brush heads that only need to be changed every six months. 

Knowing when to change your toothbrush is doing your oral health a huge favour. Flossing is another. Find out the importance of flossing now.
   
Article by: Kelly Abrahams

We all have that one item in our lives that we just can’t seem to part with. Your toothbrush should not be one of them!

Regular flossing can do more than just keep your smile pretty and healthy.

Many people make a point of brushing their teeth twice a day, but fewer follow the recommendation to floss at least once a day. Regular flossing can do more than just keep your smile pretty and healthy. Read below to find out how adding flossing to your daily routine plays an important role in your oral hygiene and overall health:

Flossing Prevents Tartar Build-Up
Tartar is a hard build-up of plaque that forms around the gum line. Once it’s there, it has to be removed with professional help. Flossing on a regular basis is a powerful tool to help fight this stubborn problem as it allows you to remove the plaque that causes tartar while it’s still in its early sticky, but soft and pliable form. To successfully fight tartar, combine flossing with brushing. Flossing removes build-up around the gums and brushing with a fluoride toothpaste removes plaque, while strengthening the tooth enamel at the same time.

Flossing Helps Prevent Other Diseases
Did you know that tooth and gum disease can have effects that go way beyond tooth discolouration, discomfort or bad breath? Research has shown that the bacteria that flourish in an unhealthy mouth can harm the rest of the body. This can lead to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illnesses and even Alzheimer’s disease. These potentially life-threatening diseases can be avoided by simply improving your oral health. This is more than enough reason to start flossing. Flossing only takes a few minutes every day, and adds little to the cost of toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash.

Flossing Can Save You Money
Professional dental tools and procedures are highly advanced, and can repair even severe medical problems, but ask your dentist what the best tools are for protecting oral health, and the answer you’re most likely to get is a toothbrush and box of floss. Flossing is also cost-efficient. It is cheap and will reduce your medical expenses and dental visits.

Flossing Protects Your Gums
The places where the gums and teeth meet are where flossing plays its major role. Tiny particles of food can get lodged here, and plaque in this area will harden over time to form tartar. Tartar buildup can lead to gingivitis – red, swollen gums that are the first stage of gum disease. If left unchecked, this tartar can spread even deeper below the gum line, causing severe gum disease characterized by severe inflammation and eventual tooth and bone loss. Floss can get into the space between the teeth and gums, removing much of the food and plaque that a toothbrush or mouthwash can’t.

Flossing and Brushing Are More Effective Than Brushing Alone
Brushing your teeth twice a day will go a long way toward maintaining oral health, but you’re not getting optimal cleaning if you’re not flossing daily. A toothbrush works by physically removing plaque from your teeth with its soft bristles, but a toothbrush’s bristles can’t adequately clean between the teeth or under the gums. Flossing, on the other hand, was made to specifically remove plaque from the tight spaces between the teeth and under the gums. Flossing before you brush helps make brushing more effective. With less plaque caught between your teeth, the fluoride in toothpaste can get to more parts of your mouth.

Small and simple, but with huge implications for your long-term health… Who would have thought? Will you become an avid flosser now?

Article by: Kelly Abrahams

Where did those scrub brushes come from? Not the ones in your hands- the ones that are your hands. The ones that are so red, dry, cracked and painful you wouldn’t wish them on your worst enemy.  How did your poor hands get into this mess? To start, there could be many reasons such as the low humidity of autumn and winter dries and irritates your skin. Also, as you age, your body just naturally produces less of the oil that keeps smooth and supple.  Then there are some bad habits such as neglecting to moisturize your hands resulting in dry, chapped hands. It is time to get your hands clapping with joy again with these simple tips.

Don’t go near the water:  The basic plan for dealing with chapped hands is to avoid water at all costs.  Consider water to be just like acid on your hands, because it is the worst influence for chapped hands that we know of. Repeated washing removes the skin’s natural oil layer, which allows moisture within the skin to evaporate and that’s extremely drying.

Go palm up: When you must wash your hands often, ( as us ladies like to do) try to do just the palms. You can wash the palms much more often than the backs of the hands, which have thinner skin and dry out easily.

Use the lotion potion: Instead of using soap, clean your hands with an oil-free skin cleanser. Rub it on the skin, work it into a lather, then wipe it off with a tissue. This is a wonderful way to wash skin without any irritation whatsoever.

Try the bath oil treatment: Taking the no-soap concept one step further we recommend washing your hands with bath oil. They may feel really clean like they might with soap, but they won’t get dried out either.  Another fantastic oil to use for chapped hands is Bio-oil. It helps supplement the skin’s natural oils stripped away by factors such as extreme weather and other drying out hazards your hands have endured.

Get Topical: Use some type of topical emollient every time you wash your hands and at bedtime. Its strength would depend on the severity of your chapping. Lotions are the least moisturising, followed by creams and then ointments.  When using any lotion or cream  apply a double-layer application technique. This simply means putting on a very thin layer and let it soak in for a few minutes. Then apply another thin layer. Two thin ones work much better than one heavy one.

Put your hands in oatmeal: To remove the top layer of dead skin cells from chapped hands, we recommend a weekly sloughing treatment.  Process 1 cup of uncooked, rolled oats in a blender until you have a very fine powder. Place it in a large bowl, then rub your hands in the powder, gently removing dry skin. Rinse with cool water, pat dry, and lavish on hand cream. Wait 2 minutes and apply more cream.

Stay clear from Shampoo: Believe it or not, even shampoo can make your hands feel worse. Either let someone else shampoo your hair or wear plastic gloves.

Use sun sense: The sun is unfortunately a factor which dries and ages hands just as surely as it does the rest of your body. Therefore using a moisturising sunscreen on your hands is a must! Not only will this moisture and keep them looking younger, it will also prevent further chapping. Just stay away from gels and alcohol-based sunscreens because alcohol is drying. Also products containing the active ingredient PABA (p-aminobenzoic acid) can be irritating if you have sensitive skin.

Hire a cook: The juices of raw meat and vegetables- like potatoes, onions, tomatoes, even carrots- are sometimes very toxic to skin, especially if it’s already irritated. So you can either get your man to cook up a storm in the kitchen or the less exciting option- wear tissue-thin plastic gloves when handling food.  You particularly don’t want to squeeze acidic fruits like oranges, lemons or grapefruit with your bare hands. Ouch!

We often forget to take good care of our hands. Read our article on “All Hands On Deck” and learn how to look after your hands further

Chapped lips give a new meaning to the expression “crack a smile”. When your lips are sore, red and peeling, even a little grin can crack them wide open. This is no way to live especially with the summer sun having arrived- you want to smile all day long! So put those lips back in the pink with these tips.

Balm ’em up: The best way to deal with chapped lips is to avoid the dry, cold weather that can cause them in the first place and so, a good skin regimen in winter is advisable. We can also make due with a moisturising lip balm. Since lips don’t hold anything on them very well, reapply it every time you eat or drink anything or wipe your lips.
Use sunscreen: Sad but true, the sun can also fry your lips-any time of the year! Sun damage to the lips can cause dryness and scaliness, the same way sun can damage the rest of your skin. In it’s simpliest form it can harm the lower lip, which takes the brunt of ultraviolet rays. Therefore using a lip balm that contains a sunscreen is also vital.

Wear lippy: In addition to a sunscreen, a creamy lipstick would help soothe lips that rae already chapped. In fact, just wearing lipstick gives some protection and may help prevent chapping in the first place. This is because lipstick is opaque, it filters out all light, including harmful visible light. So get your pouts on ladies!
Soothe and heal: The danger with chapped lips is that they can become infected. To prevent infection, apply an over-the counter antiseptic ointment. Over- the- counter hydrocortisone ointments can also help with chapped lips, but they would not prevent infection. If your lips are severly chapped, you may want to use both. Apply one in the morning and one at night.

B wise: Nutritional deficiencies such as those of B-complex vitamins and iron can play a part in scaling of the lips. So mke sure you’re okay on that front with a multivitamin supplement.

Drink up: Moisturise your lips from the inside out by drinking additional fluids in the winter. A glass of water every few hours will do the wonders, not only for your lips but your entire body! As you age, the ability of your cells to retain moisture decreases, so your dryness problem may actually increase each winter. Another way to help counter wintertime dry lips is to humidify the air in your home and office.

You won’t get by on a lick and a promise: Chapped lips are a dehydration problem. When you lick them, you momentarily apply moisture, which then evaporates and leaves your lips feeling drier than before. Besides, saliva contains digestive enzymes. Granted they’re not very strong, but they don’t do your sore lips any good. What happens when you lick your lips is that you scrape off any oil that might be on them from surrounding areas. Eventually, you end up with a red ring of dermatitis (usually seen on kids but can occur on adults too) around the mouth. So moral of the story do not lick your lips!

Give toothpaste the brush-off: Allergy and sensitivity to flavouring agents in toothpaste, sweets, chewing gum and mouthwash can cause chapped lips in some people. It’s time to stop using toothpaste and try using baking soda instead. You will also be surprised as to how white this makes your teeth. Two great benefits that come with using baking soda so ditch the fluoride!

After reading these useful tips we hope you are able to smile from ear to ear. After all ladies the most beautiful accessory you can wear is your smile!

If you suffer from chapped lips then read this Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour® Cream Lip Protectant Stick review

How to get rid of chapped lips

Chapped lips give a new meaning to the expression “crack a smile”. When your lips are sore, red and peeling, even a little grin can crack them wide open. This is no way to live especially with the summer sun having arrived- you want to smile all day long! So put those lips back in the pink with these tips.

Balm em up: The best way to deal with chapped lips is to avoid the dry, cold weather that can cause them in the first place.But seeing as though we can’t head to the tropics all year round we will have to make due with a moisturising lip balm. Since lips don’t hold anything on them very well, reapply it every time you eat or drink anything or wipe your lips.

Use sunscreen: Sad but true, the sun can also fry your lips-any time of the year! Sun damage to the lips can cause dryness and scaliness, the same way sun can damage the rest of your skin. In it’s simpliest form it can harm the lower lip, which takes the brunt of ultraviolet rays. Therefore using a lip balm that contains a sunscreen is also vital.

Wear lippy: In addition to a sunscreen, a creamy lipstick would help soothe lips that rae already chapped. In fact, just wearing lipstick gives some protection and may help prevent chapping in the first place. This is because lipstick is opaque, it filters out all light, including harmful visible light.  So get your pouts on ladies!

Soothe and heal: The danger with chapped lips is that they can become infected. To prevent infection, apply an over-the counter antiseptic ointment. Over- the- counter hydrocortisone ointments can also help with chapped lips, but they would not prevent infection. If your lips are severly chapped, you may want to use both. Apply one in the morning and one at night.

B wise: Nutritional deficiencies such as those of B-complex vitamins and iron can play a part in scaling of the lips. So mke sure you’re okay on that front with a multivitamin supplement.

Drink up: Moisturise your lips from the inside out by drinking additional fluids in the winter. A glass of water every few hours will do the wonders, not only for your lips but your entire body! As you age, the ability of your cells to retain moisture decreases, so your dryness problem may actually increase each winter. Another way to help counter wintertime dry lips is to humidify the air in your home and office.

You won’t get by on a lick and a promise: Chapped lips are a dehydration problem. When you lick them, you momentarily apply moisture, which then evaporates and leaves your lips feeling drier than before. Besides, saliva contains digestive enzymes. Granted they’re not very strong, but they don’t do your sore lips any good. What happens when you lick your lips is that you scrape off any oil that might be on them from surrounding areas. Eventually, you end up with a red ring of dermatitis (usually seen on kids but can occur on adults too) around the mouth. So moral of the story do not lick your lips!

Give toothpaste the brush-off: Allergy and sensitivity to flavouring agents in toothpaste, sweets, chewing gum and mouthwash can cause chapped lips in some people. It’s time to stop using toothpaste and try using baking soda instead. You will also be surprised as to how white this makes your teeth. Two great benefits that come with using baking soda so ditch the fluoride!

After reading these useful tips we hope you are able to smile from ear to ear. After all ladies the most beautiful accessory you can wear is your smile!

What is that smell??? It couldn’t be your, er, your feet, could it? No, no, of course not. That would be so embarrassing. It must be something else. Perhaps that piece of cheese fell behind the sofa-last month.  Yes, that’s it. Thank goodness that’s settled. Now you won’t have to read these odour-eating tips…. But first, could you maybe put your shoes back  on- and stick around for the following advice?

Wash-OFTEN: It may sound elementary, but you should keep your feet scrupulously clean. Use warm, soapy water and wash your feet as often as need-several times a day if you perspire a lot or notice an odour. Scrub gently with a soft brush, even between your toes, and be sure to dry your feet thoroughly.

Powder your toes: After washing, apply foot powder, cornstarch or anti-fungal spray. Another good method for keeping feet cool and dry is to treat your shoes-sprinkle the insides with talc or cornstarch.

Use an antiperspirant: The key to controlling odour is to use either an antiperspirant or a deodorant right on your feet. You can buy foot deodorants or simply use your underarm brand. Be aware, however, that although deodorants eliminate odour, they don’t stop perspiration. Antiperspirants take care of both problems. If you have active athlete’s foot lesions rather use roll-on products rather than sprays because most spray’s antiperspirant action is lost in the air. Use the product two or three times a day in the beginning, then gradually cut back to once a day.

Change your socks often: The logical approach to excessively sweaty, odoriferous feet is to change socks as frequently as possible-even three or four times a day. And always wear socks made of natural fibres, such as cotton, because they are far more absorbent than synthetic materials.

Show shoe sense: Closed shoes aggravate sweaty feet and set up a perfect environement for bacteria to grow, leading to more odour and more sweat. Choose sandals and open-toed shoes when appropriate, but stay away from runner and plastic shoes, which don’t allow feet to breathe easily. And never wear the same shoes two days in a row. It takes at least 24 hours for shoes to dry out thoroughly.

Try inserts: Some shoe inserts, such as Odor-Eaters, contain charcoal, which absorbs moisture and helps control odour.

Stay cool: The sweat glands in your feet, similar to those in your armpits and palms, respond to emotions. Stress, whether good or bad, can trigger excessive sweating. That, in turn, can increase bacterial activity in your shoes, leading to extra odour. So try not get yourself into a stressful rut!

Watch what you eat: As bizarre as this may sound,when you eat spicy or pungent foods (such as onions, peppers or garlic) the essence of these odours can be excreted through the sweat glands on your feet. So, yes, your feet can end up smelling like your lunch!
Go and get your feet active with these tips and you can be sure to berunning freely with no worry in the world!

For more tips on how to keep your feet looking and feeling beautiful, read our article: Tips for Healthy and Sexy Feet