5 Important Facts Adults Need to Know Before Getting Braces

Adult orthodontia is big business. More 40-something year old parents have finally gotten all their children out of braces and now it?s their turn. Some middle-agers are just now becoming metal mouths because they are at a point in their life when they can finally afford it. Still others opt for the wires because after starting over after a divorce they are finally ready to get that gorgeous straight smile!

If you?re considering taking the plunge yourself, here are a few bits of information you should know before making a decision. There are basically three types of braces moms and dads are opting for: standard metal, clear brackets and invisible. The standard ones are the most cost effective and you can even change the color of your rubber bands like all the hip, cool kids are doing. Clear brackets are a bit larger in size than the metal ones. Depending on your bite you may not have enough room to get the clear ones on your lower teeth, at least not initially. The wires are still metal and you can see the braces on your teeth, they?re just not as noticeable. Drawbacks are they are slightly more expensive than the metal brackets and when it comes time to take them off, it?s takes a bit more effort and is consequently a little more uncomfortable. Lastly there are the invisible braces which go behind your teeth, not on the front like most. It takes a while longer to correct your smile and is the most expensive type.

Speaking of expensive, you should on plan on spending about $4,000 for your braces. Clearly you will find some orthodontists who will do it for less, and some for more. It really depends also on the length and severity of treatment. If you have orthodontia insurance coverage, some plans cover up to 50% of the total costs. Most orthodontists will allow you to make monthly payments. You?ll be required to put a down payment on your new beautiful smile.

One thing you may not hear during your initial consultation, yet other adults who have gone before you will testify to is that when you initially get your braces put on your teeth ? it hurts! It hurts a lot and for along time! With children they tell them it may be a little uncomfortable for two or three days and to take Ibuprophin as needed for pain. That?s not the case with adults, although they may give you the same instructions. Think about it. Children who get braces have their permanent teeth for generally three months or three years. Those big teeth haven?t become too accustomed to hanging out in their current location.

Adults, on the other hand, have had those permanent teeth affixed in their mouth for 20-35 years prior to getting braces. They don?t move as easily or as willingly. One mother shared that she was glad she had left over heavy duty pain meds from her c-section five years prior. She lamented that she felt like an elephant was sitting on her head for 10-days straight. Further, she continued she?d rather go through another 52 hours of labor than to get braces put on again.

This is not to frighten you. It does get much easier and you even forget you have them on. When you get adjustments every eight weeks or so, you?re normally a little tender for 24-36 hours, and aspirin does help. The severe pain is just initially when you first get them on. Ask for pain meds. Do not let them tell you to take a few Tylenol and you?ll be fine in three days. You?re in for a rude awakening if you believe that.

But in no time at all, average 18-24 months you will have a Hollywood smile and it will have all been worth it! Open wide ? who?s next?

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Hand and Nail Care: Do's and Do Not's for Healthy Hands

Having healthy and beautiful hands and nails is not that difficult especially if you know these simple do and don?t tips:

Do?s

# Wear rubber gloves lined with cotton when your hands are in contact with harsh soaps, detergents or chemicals;

# Wear gloves when doing work that might damage the hands or nails, such as gardening or shovelling snow;

# After washing your hands, pat dry and, while moist, use a moisturizer on the hands, cuticles and nails.Chemically enhanced moisturizers that contain urea of lactic acid are even more efficient in binding water to the skin (Uremol, Calmurid, Lachydrin, Lacticare); If your hands must be in and out of water frequently apply a silicone or a similarly based protectant film that sheds water over the hands and nails (Prevex, Atrixo, Barriere Cream); If nails darken despite good cleansing habits, a drop of lemon oil massaged twice weekly into the nail plate may work but must not be overdone or irritation of the surrounding skin and drying of the nail plate may occur;

# Nail polish protects the nail from stains, physical trauma, and acts as a barrier to chemicals. Use it but don`t overuse it or it may stain and dry nails, particularly if nail polish hardeners are used frequently. A base coat will allow your polish to last longer; If your nails are dry, soak them for 10 minutes twice daily in warm water, pat dry and immediately apply one of the chemically enhanced moisturizers that contain urea, lactic acid or glycerin oil;

# Sculpt and shape your nails by filling in one direction with a very fine file. Avoid vigorous up and down or back and forth motions which may tear apart the various layers of the nails. Avoid sharp angles. Attend to small cracks, snags and breaks immediately; Treat yourself to a weekly manicure if possible; it is relaxing and keeps the nails healthy looking and attractive. Do not forget your toenails;

# As they age, the nails thicken, grow more slowly, repair poorly and are susceptible to various skin diseases. Watch for changes and see your dermatologist early enough to treat problems.

Do Not?s

# Avoid digging blindly into a drawer or purse where a sharp object may crack or break the nail or harm the delicate skin around the nail;

# Avoid using the nals to do pick-up tasks. Use the soft ends of the fingers rather that the fragile nail. they will soon chip and break if used this way;

# Avoid gluing on false or molded nails; allergic and painful reactions may occur. ?Mending paper? or tea-bag paper can be used to bridge large cracks;

# Do not reapply nail hardener or polish more often than necessary; these agents can discolor nails and make them brittle if overused. Try to repair your manicure rather than replace it. Avoid chipping and peeling off nail polish;

# Do not bother adding gelatin and calcium supplements to an otherwise well-balanced diet. They have no know positive effects on the nails despite certain claims;

# Do not use too much polish remover. Apply moisturizer after using nail polish remover in order minimize the irritating and drying cation of the acetone;

# Do not grow excessively long nails; they are too prone to breakage; Wrapping nails is laborious and is difficult to do without help. Avoid this technique unless your nails are particularly prone to breaking;

# Do not push back your cuticles too vigorously or you will harm the growing moon of the nail.Push them back only when the skin around the nails is warms and wet and therefore softer and easier to manipulate;

# Avoid applying sharp instruments under the nails. They might break the nail to skin bond;

# Do not ignore nails that separate from beds (it may be due to iron or thyroid deficiency), nails that thicken (it may be fungus infection) or pit (it may be psoriasis. See your doctor. The nail and skin reflect internal well being or disturbance.

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Shampoo Killed my Beautiful Hair

Hair is everybody's crowning glory.

The previous paragraph is the sole reason as to why beauty salons and shampoo companies have become the in thing in the business world. They earn money by caressing vanity, the very grain that is inherent in human nature. They awe us by parading beautiful girls with long, shiny hair. They instill in us the drama, the magic, the beautiful-girl-stories of finding fame and romance by sporting soft and shiny locks.

We buy these hair products. We try these salon treatments. But of course, none that is similar to those shampoo commercials ever happens to us. None ever will. But then we keep buying these products. We keep trying more salon treatments. Until we fail again.

It is sad that we end up forever victims of what we believe as the great solution. We don't know that what we religiously follow at the back of shampoo bottles is not really a beauty secret, but actually a deceitful commercial script to bring more business for shampoo companies. In reality, constant usage of shampoo actually diminishes the strength and the shine of the hair. But because we have so much faith, we never put the blame on these products. Instead, we use more, buy more, hope even firmer that in the long run, we still will achieve the shampoo-model-type-hair.

The rationale for this is simple. Over washing the hair rids the natural oil from the scalp, thereby prodding the latter to produce more oil to compensate. This results dandruff and grease. Also there are residues from hair creams and shampoos that accumulates in the hair, making it more difficult to wash.

In an article by Natalie in stretcher. com, she gave tips on how to maintain a less-costly but healthy hair:

1. When you wash your hair, lather once, not twice (like all shampoo instructions suggest!). Wash your hair and scalp thoroughly, and then rinse. Your hair might not feel squeaky clean, but it will be as clean as with two lathers.

2. When possible, leave your hair without washing an extra day. Try not to wash your hair every day. Your hair will become less oily over time.

3.Brush your hair and scalp every day (your grandmother was right). This will stimulate your scalp, distribute protective oils throughout your hair, and combat dandruff.

4. Unless you've had your hair colored or permed in the last month, do not condition the hair at your scalp. This will discourage greasiness, and it will also save you money!

5. If you want a fresh feeling but don't want to shampoo, just run hot water over your hair in the shower. This will rinse away some of the dirt and even out your hair, so that it will look clean without having to shampoo.

There we go. There are actually more less-costly but more effective fixes that we can think of than depending on instant treatments. It is never wrong to look for easier alternatives, but hey, a beautiful mane is a treasure unworthy of being gambled. Let?s play it slow and sure. Beauty, after all, is not an overnight thing.

Other articles from the same author can be found at: http://www.ion-healthbeauty-4u.info/

Erica Alexia Registered Nurse