Jasele Oita's Blog A weblog about everything

Most people are familiar with the concept of porcelain veneers – thin strips of porcelain that are attached to the upper or lower rows of teeth in order to produce a whiter smile and correct problems caused by misalignment. But many people don’t know that porcelain is also used for crowns, and that this procedure can provide a great benefit for people with crooked or worn teeth.

Porcelain crowns provide many functions. If there is damage to a tooth, a porcelain crown can protect against further cracking. Cosmetic dentists also use crowns to provide aesthetic benefits to patients by covering teeth that are permanently misshapen or discolored.

If you are interested in porcelain crowns, it’s important to go to cosmetic dentists you can trust. If you are looking for cosmetic dentists in Toronto or neighboring areas, a great choice is the practice of leading dentists Andrew Charkiw and Armaghan Afsar. They have helped celebrities and average people achieve the perfect smile through the use of porcelain crowns, veneers and other tools.

During winter, driving safely is a concern for everybody. Icy roads are a dangerous hazard, and for those that live in areas of constant snow, it can be a regular concern. Fresh snowfall topped off with a drop in temperature could mean a layer of ice on the roads, which could potentially cause an accident when driving. Here are a few things you can do to stay in control of your car during icy times.

A handy tip to keep in mind is to throw around 25-50lb bags of sand into the trunk of your car. This helps weigh down the car, which gives you better traction. It will also help you from getting stuck in really deep snow. To make it even more effective rotate your tyres all the time.

You might also want to consider getting snow tyres for your car. These are specially designed tyres that have a better grip on icy roads. The recommendation is generally two snow tyres per car however replacing all four tyres with snow tyres is a good precautionary measure. Experts say four snow tyres let a car work in the same way as it would in normal conditions, which is exactly what you would want.

However, you could just stay at home instead of driving during icy weather. This way you can avoid any possible accidents. If you have to go somewhere, try alternative methods of transportation like the bus or even the subway. If the cold weather is bearable, then try walking to closely located destinations!

Many people are often faced with the issue of not having enough time to exercise in their everyday life. While nutritionists agree that fitting 30 minutes of good exercise a couple days per week is the ideal way for you to stay in shape, busy people sometimes do not even have that much time to put aside. Whether it is because of a busy family life or they are workaholics, there are several ways to fit exercise into their hectic schedules.

While many people use their lunch breaks to get away from work and sit down, taking a short walk or attending an fitness class can be a healthy and easy way to fit some exercise into your life.

Depending on how far you live from work, changing your commute from stationary to active can be a convenient and substantially healthier way to get exercise. Drive your car partway to work then ride a bike or walk the rest of the way. If you take a bus or train, walk to a farther stop so you can fit in a little walk before work.

All through the day, you are often faced with small decisions that can increase your activeness very easily. You can effortlessly take the stairs instead of the escalator and depending on the people present, it can actually be quicker.

When the average person comes home from work, they typically convert to a couch potato, but fitting in 30 minutes of good exercise can do wonders for your body and mood.

If one of your reasons why you cannot fit exercise into your life is because of a hectic schedule with your children, use that as an excuse to get active instead. Playing with your children in an active way will allow you to exercise while spending time with your family.

After deciding what time will work best, it is important that you stick with it to see results.

One of the most important things you can do for your self-esteem is to fix your teeth through cosmetic dentistry. Having bad teeth can make a person feel ugly or inferior and fixing the problem can make a person feel confident and ready to take on the world. But there are many cosmetic dentists to choose from and selecting one can seem like an overwhelming task if someone doesn’t have past experience with cosmetic dentistry.

Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions when selecting a cosmetic dentist. Find out important information about their background, such as how long they have been practicing and where they went to school. One of the great things about good cosmetic dental work is that you might not know who has had work done, so it’s a good idea to talk to friends and family about your upcoming procedures. Many times people you might not expect have had cosmetic dental work done and can personally vouch for their dentist.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, hence, the care it needs is also fairly high. The skin consists of several underlying glands which work together to keep your skin looking great. The sebaceous gland produces sebum which maintains the texture of the skin, keeping it moist. For some people however, this gland tends to overwork itself, which means their skin is likely to increase its secretion of sebum. This then leads to what is commonly known as oily skin.

Your facial skin, when oily must be remedied. There are certain measures you can take to control the level of oiliness on your face. One of the best-known strategies is to take time to clean your face regularly and thoroughly. Initially, soap was the recommended product for cleaning your face, but further research indicated that soap dries the skin. This meant that soap also removed sebum including other essential elements on your skin, which would then result in the extreme opposite.

Taking full opportunity of this revelation, healthcare companies went all out to produce a number of products that could be used as the facial wash of choice. There are quite a few products that you could choose from in order to maintain a non-oily face.

If you would rather opt for natural ingredients to combat an oily face, there are a few things you could use straight from your kitchen. Scrub a slice of lemon onto your face regularly – this will help alleviate oily facial skin. Lemon is just one thing you could use, there are many more.
It is recommended that you stick to natural products, it is the wiser choice. If you have oily facial skin that could lead to pimples, which could prove to be a nightmare, try using lavender oil. Adjusting your diet can also prevent oily skin. Avoid consuming too many fatty foods – their high concentration of harmful oils will not only trigger off oily skin, but also lead to a number of other medical ailments.

You can never be sure if bottled water is better than tap water. The first thing to keep in mind is that tap water and bottled water both come from the same source. The only difference is that bottled water is filtered again. However, taste and scientific testing fail to show any differences between the two. The next thing to consider is the use of plastic bottles. Estimations indicate that close to 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to make all those plastic bottles. The energy used to manufacture and transport 89 billion litres of water annually does exhaust fossil fuel reserves quite a bit. Do not fill landfills with plastic bottles. It contains a substance called phthalate which is used to soften plastic.

The convenience of the bottle however is a plus point when it comes to bottled water. Having it in a plastic bottle makes it easy to carry around. Additives to bottled water enhance the properties of the water. Added calcium and magnesium for example aid recovery after sports. Therefore, it is hard to decide between the two. If considering convenience and added properties, then bottled water wins – however, filling a glass or metal bottle with filtered water will ensure that you are drinking the cleanest water in the most environmentally responsible way. It is important to reject consumers’ bottle-buying habit. This will ensure that they are helping the environment while helping to bring in higher quality tap water.

In office you sit at the same desk, use the same keyboard and chair every day. Sometimes you tend to develop a few aches and pains which most of us pass off due to ageing or stress. Once ignored, these pains sometimes worsen over time. Not once does it occur to you that it is perhaps due to the fact that it is uncomfortable for you in office. Tiny changes in office equipment or even the way you sit or type can make a world of a difference.

Ergonomics is a term that has grown in popularity over the years. A dictionary definition of the word says: “The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.” Therefore, ergonomic office equipment will lessen the discomfort you currently feel in office and give you less fatigue.
This furniture gives your body the support it needs throughout the day while relieving stress on various parts of your body. Trying to change your position at desks and keyboards can only worsen the problem.

Proper body movements, correct posture, simple arrangements of the workstation and regular breaks will all help you feel better throughout your day of work. Changing things around will take some effort on your part, but once the proper ‘ergonomic’ office equipment is in place you will feel the difference.

Things to keep in mind:
– Sit up straight, rest gently on the back of the chair, help the back to stay aligned
– Computer screen must be parallel with the head. Slowly turn your head from side to side every 15 to 20 minutes to relax neck muscles.
– Take a walk and stretch every half hour if you are a regular computer user.
– Make sure you have enough room for your legs, to stretch them and relax.
– Do not cradle the phone on your neck while typing.

There are some people who turn to cosmetic dentistry to repair discoloration and other damage to teeth that might have been avoided by changing a few lifestyle habits. There are certain things that we do that can exacerbate the need for bleaching and even porcelain veneers.

Minimize the deeply colored foods and beverages you indulge in. This includes tea, coffee, red wine, and carrots. Citrus and other acidic foods can also erode the enamel on your teeth, making the yellowish core material more visible.

Cosmetic dentists will also tell you that smoking leaves discoloration on your teeth that is hard to remove. The brown deposits that are left are actually absorbed by the tooth, leaving intrinsic stains.

While grinding your teeth in itself doesn’t cause stains, it can make them more prone to discoloration. Micro-fractures can occur through grinding, meaning there are more places for debris and stains to collect.

Being car sick is a horrible feeling, ruining the trip you set out to enjoy. When you start to feel sick, your subconscious brain receives warnings from your eyes and ears, and believes it’s due to poisoning, and makes you feel sick. Vomiting might make you feel better, but your body will continue to attempt to rid itself of this ‘poison’.

A few measures you can take for yourself or your passengers who are susceptible to car sickness include:

– Route – take the less twisty and bumpy roads which often trigger car sickness. Plan your route carefully. Main roads mean a longer way, but also mean a pleasant drive that is faster and in a clean car. Your driving style also counts. The smoother the driving, the further you are away from being car sick.
– Avoid caffeine – this includes energy drinks that contain caffeine as well. Don’t drink it for at least 24 hours prior to the journey. A high intake of caffeine results in headaches which then trigger car sickness. The same applies for children, as well as fizzy drinks.
– Food – avoid heavy, acidic and greasy foods. Try something light an hour or two before the journey. Salad dressings containing vinegar should be avoided as are fruit juices and chocolate.
– Alcohol – avoid alcohol the night before your journey, and on the journey itself. Don’t smoke on the way.
– Sleep – sleep well the night before the journey. Pep yourself up about the trip. Don’t dread it.

When it comes to straightening teeth through cosmetic dentistry, Toronto residents have a number of choices for a more attractive smile. Among teenagers and adults, Invisalign is a popular solution to a crooked smile; however, Invisalign is not for everyone. In serious cases, the patient may require an alternative such as porcelain veneers. Toronto residents who are considering Invisalign should be aware of the following options:

• Traditional orthodontics such as metal or ceramic braces. Sometimes, traditional is best, especially if the patient requires a solution that will cause a lot of tooth movement. Although traditional orthodontics can be uncomfortable and unsightly, what they lose in these areas, they generally make up in cost. Invisalign is about 20% to 50% more expensive than traditional orthodontics.
• Veneers. Patients who are interested in Invisalign can sometimes benefit from veneers instead. Veneers are a very thin ceramic casing applied to the outside of the tooth that results in whiter, straighter, and more closely spaced teeth. Unlike Invisalign, which could take years to close in the gaps in teeth, veneers are a more immediate solution.
• Extraction. In the case of overcrowding, some patients may require a more intensive procedure such as tooth extraction to correct the problem. Invisalign may not be able to treat severely overcrowded or gapped teeth.
• Dental implants. Decaying, diseased, and defective teeth can be replaced by strong, durable prosthetics known as dental implants. For patients with missing teeth or teeth that require replacement, implants may be the best solution to restoring a damaged smile.

Toronto residents can contact dentists Dr. Andrew Charkiw and Dr. Armaghan Afsar of Toronto Smile Makeovers to discuss treatment options and determine the most appropriate course of action for them. For residents of Toronto, teeth whitening, root canal therapy, crowns, dental bonding, gum disease therapy, and other dental services are also offered at Toronto Smile Makeovers.