Some of these reasons are very obvious, yet here I am bringing them up because I think some people have missed the memo on these things. Your teeth and mouth deserve great care, and here’s why.

Good Hygiene

A Guide To Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Out

The number one reason to take care of your teeth is that you want good hygiene. I know, I know, obvious. Yet we have all met someone who clearly does not put a lot of time into taking good care of their teeth. Not only is it a problem that affects people around you due to bad breath, but it can lead to serious problems down the road.

Cavities are a very undesirable condition resulting from a lack of proper dental care. According to grovecitydentalofblackfoot.com, “Cavities are an all-too-common problem, and when your teeth experience this kind of decay, they need to be filled.”

Fillings are not pleasant, avoid them by practicing good oral hygiene.

You Don’t Get Them Back

7 Ways to Help Your Kids Brush Their Teeth

Kids have the benefit of learning how to take care of their teeth on their baby teeth, before losing them and getting their permanent teeth. As adults, we need to be careful of how we take care of our teeth because if they get removed they aren’t coming back.

Sure you can get implants, but it won’t be your actual tooth. Just be wise, it is not a fun thing to get a tooth pulled and then replaced.

Smile Draws Attention

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When people meet each other, and even after, the smile is one of the first things noticed. If it is clean and bright, people take notice. If it is misaligned or dirty, people take notice.

A little effort to whiten, brighten, and maintain your smile will go a long way in helping it be one of your best features.

Mouth Pain

The Many Faces of Dentistry

Mouth pain is a league of its own. It is so bad! Many pains you have on your body can be treated with ice/heat, massage, or drinking water like your mom always told you to do.

Pain in your mouth is usually caused by lack of proper care and can affect the inside of teeth, all the way down to the roots if left alone long enough. That kind of pain can’t be treated with an ice pack, and honestly, ice will probably make it worse. Avoid deep, seemingly unrelievable pain by taking good care of your teeth.

Lack of Care Can Mess You Up

8 Things You Should Know Before Going to the Dentist

As noted in just about every paragraph in this article, the lack of proper oral hygiene can lead to serious problems. In case you missed it: the lack of proper oral hygiene can lead to serious problems!

Problems with your teeth and gums are very preventable. If you brush, floss, and gargle with mouthwash twice daily (and do it with conviction, we aren’t 5 anymore) you can avoid a ton of problems. If you don’t stay vigilant, you can end up in a lot of pain and in need of dental operations which are the worst, second only to the pain that is causing the operation. Take care of your teeth!

Conclusion

Proper oral hygiene can prevent a plethora of issues and discomforts. If you put effort into daily hygiene you will see the results. A healthy happy mouth and a world-class smile. It’s worth it.

The post 5 Reasons to Take Good Care of Your Teeth appeared first on InstantELLA.

1. Start Early

Hate that daily battle? Here’s how and when to brush your toddler’s teeth

The perfect time to have your child learn about brushing teeth is as soon as those baby teeth start coming in. Be gentle and careful, and introduce them to a soft toothbrush that they can munch on. About the age of two is when you’ll want to help them brush their own teeth. It might be a little messy, but that is a small price to pay for good oral health.

2. Make It A Game

Brushing teeth doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Try making a game out of keeping your child’s mouth clean. Use your imagination. Maybe the toothbrush is a train and your kid’s teeth make up the track. Now your kid can choo-choo their teeth clean.

3. Race the Time

3 Great Ideas To Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids

Get a small sand timer for your child to watch while they brush their teeth. Let them flip the timer to start the time and then they can watch the sand flow out while they brush their teeth. This gives them something to do and something else to pay attention to besides the brush in their mouth.

4. Incentives

If you have a child that can be incentivized then you might consider doing some sort of chart where if your child brushes consistently for a whole week straight then they earn something. This could be a toy from a toy chest or if you want to stick with the teeth theme they could earn a new flavor of toothpaste or a cool new toothbrush.

5. Fun Toothbrush/paste

The best toothpaste for kids

Speaking of a cool toothbrush, it might help your child to be interested in brushing their teeth if they like their toothbrush and toothpaste. Having a toothbrush with Paw Patrol on it instead of just a plain blue one can make a huge difference to an obstinant toddler.

6. Never Use Scare Tactics

This isn’t necessarily to help your kid brush their teeth, but it will save you a world of headache at their next pediatric dental appointment. Never tell their children that if they don’t brush their teeth then they’ll have to go to the dentist. This will just make them afraid of their dentist, which won’t be fun to deal with in the long run.  

7. Be A Good Example

Brush your teeth at the same time as your kid. This will help them to see that even big people need to keep their teeth clean. If you aren’t actually ready to brush your teeth for the night, you can always forgo the toothpaste and just act like your brushing your teeth.

Every child is different so what works for one might not work for another. The key is to stay consistent and positive. Compliment them on how good they are at brushing their teeth as you teach them to make good oral hygiene a part of their daily routine.

The post 7 Ways to Help Your Kids Brush Their Teeth appeared first on InstantELLA.

How To Prepare

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• Plan on taking time off of work or school after you have your wisdom teeth out. You’ll need time to recover, and rest helps to speed up the recovery process. Also, keep in mind that getting your teeth pulled can be a painful experience and you’ll probably need some heavy pain killers to get you through the first part of the recovery process. If you have kids at home you might want to set up childcare services so you have time for the rest you need.
• Don’t drive yourself home. Even if you choose to stay awake for your extraction you will still be a little loopy, either from pain or drugs. Plan on having a friend or neighbor give you a ride home.

What To Expect

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According to WebMD, there are three options of anesthesia for the actual surgery.

• Local: Your doctor will numb your mouth and then you’ll be given some sort of gas (nitrous oxide or laughing gas) to help you relax during the surgery.
• IV sedation:The surgeon will numb your mouth and you’ll be given drugs through an IV to make you drowsy. There’s a good chance you’ll sleep through the entire extraction.
• General: You’ll be given drugs to put you to sleep and you’ll be out for the entire procedure. Typically you wake up about an hour or so later.

After Surgery

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• Most likely you’ll have quite a bit of swelling so you’ll want to use an icepack to help keep that to a minimum.
• It typically takes around 3 days for swelling to go down and then it will take a few more weeks for you to completely heal.
• Take the medicine your doctor prescribes to help with pain and swelling management.
• If you’re a little loopy on your pain meds you might want a friend or family member to hold onto your phone for safekeeping so you don’t do anything you’ll regret later.

What To Eat

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A common question is, “What can I eat after surgery?” Washington Periodontics provides a great list of foods to eat after a tooth extraction

• Applesauce
• Avocado
• Baby food
• Baked beans
• Bananas
• Beans (mashed if necessary)
• Biscuits
• Broccoli – steamed, soft
• Broth (not too hot)
• Butternut Squash – cooked, soft
• Eggs (scrambled, soft boiled, egg salad)
• Fish (soft white fish, sole, trout)
• Fruit smoothies/protein shakes
• Hearty soups (cream of asparagus, lentil, minestrone, split pea)
• Ice cream, popsicles, and milkshakes
• Jell-O
• Mashed potatoes
• Oatmeal/cream of wheat
• Pasta (no sauce due to being acidic)
• Pudding/custard
• Soft fruits (banana, papaya, berries, canned peaches or pears)
• Tofu
• Yogurt (soft or frozen)

There really isn’t much to be afraid of. Your teeth will be out before you know it and you’ll be back to your normal everyday activities in no time. Enjoy the time you have to sit on the couch healing and eating ice cream guilt free.

The post A Guide To Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Out appeared first on InstantELLA.

While I do agree that inner beauty is at the top of the necessities list, I also think it is important for women to feel beautiful in their own skin. There is nothing wrong with trying to be your best self and that includes looking your best. Here is a list of a few simple things to help you feel more radiant every day.

Hair

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As a rule of thumb sleeping with wet hair does not make for the easiest styling in the morning. If you need simple then I would suggest showering in the morning and then allowing the blowdryer and a small amount of product to do most of the styling for you.

Eyebrows 

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There is a huge push right now towards thick, perfectly sculpted eyebrows. While all of that is fine and good not all of us have time for that level of artistry in our daily makeup routine. Something simple for most women to do is get their eyebrows shaped at a salon and then keep up the shape by weekly tweezing the hair that grows outside the shaped brow.

Some ladies may prefer to wax their brows. The only problem with that is you have to allow the hair to grow in long enough to wax it off. If you just give yourself 5 minutes in the bathroom each week your brows will always look sharp and ready to go.

Teeth

8 Things You Should Know Before Going to the Dentist

Do you wish your smile was more dazzling? There are a few options for obtaining that glowing grin that you’ve been searching for. Probably the simplest solution would be custom veneers. They help to quickly correct and brighten your smile. Another option, if you feel like being in there for the long haul, would be braces. This way you can have your permanently perfect teeth.

Teeth whitening is also a quick solution you can turn to for a brighter overall look. It only takes a week or so to start seeing noticeable results that will have you smiling at everyone you meet.

Lips

How to get rid of chapped lips: The 10 best chapsticks and lip balms

A simple way to keep your face looking fresh and your smile looking clean are to avoid dry lips. Lip color is fun, but it doesn’t always fit the occasion. If you’re looking to just have a clean put together look than keep your lips moist. Chapstick works great on the go, but an extra shine from moisturizing lip gloss is a huge plus to a radiant smile.

Lashes

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A step that many women skip in their makeup routine is curling their eyelashes. This is usually for 1 of 2 reasons. First, they’ve heard some tragic story about a girl pulling all of her eyelashes out. A good way to avoid doing that would be to only curl your eyelashes when you are sitting on something stable. The second reason is that they just honestly don’t know how.

Curling your eyelashes opens up your eyes and makes your lashes appear thicker and longer. If you’re not sure how to properly curl your lashes then look up one of the many hundreds of tutorials on Youtube. It’s easy. It doesn’t take a lot of time. And it makes a huge difference in how open your eyes appear.

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A woman who feels beautiful in her own skin truly does stand out. Not because of the perfect lipstick or hair, but because her confidence and self-assurance are eye-catching. Do what you need to feel beautiful, and the people around you will be able to tell a noticeable difference.

The post 5 Tips for a More Confident You appeared first on InstantELLA.

Why is that? Why is it so hard for people to stick to their guns and make it more than a month before completely giving up on themselves?

Psychology Today poses the question, “You may think you are interested in changing and you very well may be, but are you ready?”

We tend to jump into huge goals that soon overwhelm us and cause us to give up because we weren’t mentally ready for such drastic changes in our lives.

Get Goals Under Control

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It is also easy to get discouraged when we find that the changes we were hoping for aren’t happening as quickly as we had planned. We set unrealistic goals, like losing five pounds every week, and when we hit February we are frustrated that instead of being 20 pounds thinner, we are only down 10 pounds. We forget to rejoice in our small victories and instead focus on the unrealistic goals that we set and didn’t meet.

We set ourselves up for failure. We aren’t ready for the goals we make, we set goals that are unattainable, and then we fail at our goals and give up. To make matters worse, we don’t learn from our mistakes and we do the same thing to ourselves the next year, repeating the process of high hopes and dashed dreams.

How do we end this cycle of self-sabotage?

How to Make (and Keep) a New Year’s Resolution

We start small. If the goal is to be healthier, then we need to do what healthy people do. Speak to your doctor about safe and attainable changes you can make to your lifestyle. If you need to feel immediate gratification, visit your dentist for a teeth cleaning. Start the new year off with little things that help you feel the difference and set proper goals.

If exercise is an important change to you, but you never go to the gym, let alone leave your house, then it might be necessary to start with a walk around your block. There is nothing wrong with beginning simple, in fact, there is everything right about going that route because you’ll be able to keep up with your changes.

Perhaps you want to eat out less. Your first step could be learning quick, easy meals so when those hunger rumbles start you can still opt for a quick and easy route that is already prepared at your home.

New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be huge to be life-changing. The more manageable they are the more likely you are to succeed. Your new year doesn’t have to start on January first. You can start the new you today with setting simple attainable goals that will keep you moving in the right direction.

The post A New Year, A Healthier You appeared first on InstantELLA.

Change How You Talk About It

Make Choices for the Better

Maybe you really don’t like going to the doctor yourself. Chances are, your child can tell and they might start to be afraid of their own visits because of it. Instead of letting fear get the best of you, try out a different approach.

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When talking about a check-up, whether yours or theirs, speak clearly and calmly. You want your child to feel safe when they arrive at the office, and you can reassure them with a positive attitude. You should also talk about it more routinely in this positive way. Your child can then become more comfortable with the idea of visiting the next time it comes up.

You can also communicate clearly and accurately with the doctors and staff taking care of your child ahead of time. Make sure you know your child’s updated health history and medications so staff can treat your child accurately. If you have complaints or concerns, talk about these without your child present and in an understanding way.

See a Pediatric Professional

Getting Proper Medical Care for Your Family

There are many types of healthcare professionals to choose from, and many of them specialize in certain age groups. If your own providers don’t treat children, find a pediatric or family doctor, or a kid dentist that your child will feel comfortable around.

These practices tend to fill the office with fun toys, exciting pictures and paintings, and staff that are great with children. They might even give rewards to children for being great patients.

Make It a Learning Opportunity

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When you’re talking about any type of doctor’s visit, take the time to explain what happens when you get there (in that positive light we talked about). Encourage your child to ask questions before you go.

The physician or staff members caring for your child are also happy to talk with your child and teach them about what they do. They’ve had practice making it sound less scary, too. By the end, you may end up taking a future doctor home with you.

Use Comforts & Distractions

Ways to Bring Your Family Closer Together

If your child is especially anxious in the healthcare setting, pull together a few items that can help everyone get through the experience with the least amount of pain possible. Your child may have a favorite toy or blanket that can accompany them on the visit. Some dentist offices even offer a television at each chair to keep minds entertained during cleanings.

You can also use things like music and stories to distract your child’s mind from what might be a traumatic experience otherwise.

Offer Treats & Rewards

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Rewards can have an amazing effect on your child’s behavior while at the doctor’s office. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant, but use your best judgment when selecting a treat for your child. It could be literally that: their favorite ice cream or meal that evening, a small toy, a visit to the playground, or a movie they’ve been waiting to see.

While the promise of getting something afterward is effective, don’t use this tactic too often or you might find your child needs bigger rewards to deter their tantrums.

The post 5 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Patient Experience appeared first on InstantELLA.

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A group of dentists compiled this list of things you should know before your next appointment.

Toothaches

What causes a toothache?

If you have a toothache, there could be a number of reasons besides another cavity. Tooth sensitivity, generally due to worn enamel or receding gums, can cause toothaches, but that doesn’t mean you have a cavity. A cracked tooth can also be the cause, and it is possible to have a cracked tooth and not even know it. While tooth sensitivity can be self-diagnosable, if you are not 100 percent sure of the cause of your toothaches, you should see a Dentist DTC. They can diagnose the problem and help you decide on the best treatment plan.

Bleeding Gums

Five Things You Can Do If Your Gums Are Bleeding

Bleeding gums are never a good sign. No matter the cause, if your gums are bleeding every time your brush or floss your teeth, it’s a good idea to bring that up with your dentist. Bleeding gums are a sign of periodontal disease, and your dentist can tell you the best way for you to treat this symptom.

Breath

What Are the Most Common Dental Problems?

Yes, your dentist and the hygienists can all smell the last thing you ate before coming in. So, do them and yourself a courtesy by avoiding heavy odor-causing foods the day of your appointment. The good thing is, even if you do forget about this, most dentists and their staff are kind enough not to point it out and embarrass you. If you have bad breath for another reason, it might be a good idea to ask your dentist about it because it could be a sign of another dental problem.

Good Teeth

6 Brushing Tips to Impress Your Dentist

Good teeth get noticed. Generally speaking, the first thing that most people notice in another person is their eyes, and second is their smile – or their teeth. If your teeth are one of the first things someone notices when they meet you, don’t you want to make a good impression? Take care of your teeth and make that dentist appointment. If you are interested in teeth whitening or have crooked teeth you want fixed, your dentist is there to ask those questions and give your recommendations.

Dream Teeth

4 Things You Definitely Need to Do Before going to the Dentist

While having a good-looking smile is great, just remember that your dream teeth might not be possible. You can’t have a smile like Angelina Jolie if your mouth and face aren’t the same shape and size. Remember there are limitations, but your dentist is there to help you along the way.

Chewing Gum

Chewing Gum Negative Effects and Disadvantages

Chewing gum can be a good thing – so long as it’s a sugar-free option. Chewing gum with xylitol, a low-calorie sweetener, can help protect your teeth from cavities. Not only does the act of chewing the gum produce saliva which helps clear sugars out of your mouth, but the xylitol can actually inhibit the growth of bad, cavity-causing bacteria. Keep a pack of xylitol gum with you when you’re on the go to chew after meals. It’s no replacement for brushing and flossing your teeth, but it certainly helps.

Mouth Piercings

Oral Piercings: What You Should Know

Mouth piercings, especially tongue piercings, can be detrimental to your oral health. The small metal piercing clicking constantly against your teeth can chip them and wear down the enamel, leaving you at a greater risk for tooth decay and other mouth infections. Healthwise, it’s best to keep the piercings elsewhere.

Insurance

Everything You Need To Know About Health And Safety Compliance

For you and your dentist, it is best if you come into the office knowing what your insurance covers – and knowing whether or not that dentist takes your insurance. This isn’t to say that the staff at the office can’t help you figure this out, but before making an appointment, it’s good to know what kind of financial commitment you are getting yourself into. This isn’t to scare you away from making the appointment altogether, but rather to help you prepare so nothing unexpected comes up at your first appointment.

What Are the Most Common Dental Problems?

Another tip regarding finances: many dentist offices will give you a discount if you pay for the appointment in cash on the day of.

The post 8 Things You Should Know Before Going to the Dentist appeared first on InstantELLA.