A recent analysis of magazines in waiting rooms has highlighted that they may be doing more harm than good by spreading germs amongst visitors.

Magazines in dental waiting rooms are a common occurrence throughout the country, offering patients an opportunity to take their mind of their impending appointment. They can also provide a welcome distraction for parents with children or those just looking to kill time before it’s their turn. A recent analysis of magazines in waiting rooms has highlighted that they may be doing more harm than good by spreading germs amongst visitors. It is believed that magazines should be disposed of and recycled after a week instead of being left on waiting tables for weeks on end.

NHS infection control workers have been handing this advice out to dental practices across the country in order to try and minimize the spread of germs and diseases. They have also been informing practices that if they fail to do so, it could lead to failing inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

Monica Symes, a dental practitioner in Dorset who has been approached by NHS infection control workers finds it difficult to comprehend waiting room magazines can pose any risk to patients. Currently at her practice there are a range of magazines dating all the way back to 2004, as she feels people find the old magazines interesting. Miss Symes was also advised by the control worker from Dorset Primary Care Trust that the Blu-Tack on posters throughout her waiting room posed health risks for patients if it was re-used.

The General Dental Council believes that the Dorset Primary Care Trust was being quite heavy handed through creating such a fuss over the magazines at the dental practice. Dr John Milne, the chairman of the organisation’s general practice committee argued that offering patients the option of looking at magazines in their waiting rooms is a good way to help them relax in an environment that makes some anxious individuals nervous. On the posters note, he pointed out that these posters are there to provide advice on good oral health or offer information about the dental surgery.

The Care Quality Commission has made it clear they have not banned magazines or Blu-Tack from dental waiting rooms. A spokesman discussed that there would only be an issue with these things if they were used to compromise a person using the service – something they feel would be very hard to actually identify.

The Primary Care Trust in Dorset has revealed there are no set rules as to the usage of magazines and Blu-Tack in waiting rooms; however it is important for them to be removed as part of a regular cleaning operation, removing those in poor condition that may be a contamination risk. This advice will be under review and may be reinforced if there are any future community infection outbreaks in a similar way to when magazines were removed from doctors’ waiting rooms during the swine flu outbreak.

Gareth writes on behalf of AXA PPP healthcare offer private dental options and can offer you a dental plan that can be used privately and with NHS dentists

Gum disease is the most common dental health complaint witnessed by dentists. It affects around 70 percent of adults and is the leading reason for tooth loss among American adults. Fortunately, this condition can be totally reversed or cured if you catch it early enough. In the early stages, there are simple things that you can do to restore your gum health. However, if you allow gum disease to settle in and become advanced, then you may have to suffer long-term effects on your dental health.

Identifying The Early Symptoms

The first step to treating gum disease early on and being able to successfully reverse it is to know what the early warning signs are and be on the lookout for them. Some of these symptoms are:

·         Bleeding gums

·         Dark colored gums

·         Pain

·         Swelling

·         Receding gums

·         Pockets of gum tissue around the tooth

·         Loose teeth

·         Bad breath

·         Bad taste in the mouth

If you notice these signs, then you should visit your dentist for professional advice about how to best overcome the condition. In addition, you are likely to have to take the following steps in your daily life in order to restore yourgum health:

Good Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential if you are going to reverse the condition. You need to brush your teeth regularly, at least twice a day, but ideally after each meal.  Using an electric toothbrush with a moving head has also been shown to be more effective at removing the bacteria and plaque that cause gum disease.

In addition to brushing your teeth routinely, you should also be flossing. This step is important because it removes food particles and bacteria that get stuck between the teeth and can cause infection. Using a mouthwash is also important as this step in your oral health routine flushes away any leftover bacteria and leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean. Try to avoid mouthwash products that contain alcohol as it can damage gum tissue health.

Important Lifestyle Changes

There are certain lifestyle changes that may be necessary in order to enjoy a good level of oral health. One of the key lifestyle changes to make is to take a look at your diet and cut out as much sugar and processed food as you can. Instead fill your daily diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure that you drink plenty of water to keep bacteria flushed away and if you are a smoker, then it is most certainly time to quit.

 OraMD is a natural oral health product that can help to prevent or treat gum disease. In addition, the product website offers a four-step oral hygiene program, which will maximize your oral health.

Working indoors all day in an office may not be most people's idea of fun, but on top of that it could possibly make you ugly as well! Combat this early!

Working indoors all day in an office may not be most people’s idea of fun, but on top of that it could possibly be making you ugly! Many contributing factors of the typical office environment have a detrimental effect not only on the way we feel but also on the way we look. Taking steps early on to combat these issues can result in you feeling and looking a whole lot better.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for healthy skin, but chances are if you work indoors you are not getting enough of it. Try taking supplements, or invest in a vitamin D desk lamp. Not only will this help your skin stay looking fresh, but it also significantly helps with other health issues such as SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and other mood-related disorders associated with not getting enough natural light.

Wrinkles

Many aspects of staring at a computer screen all day cause premature ageing in the form of wrinkles. Whether it’s frown lines caused by squinting or the beginnings of a ‘turkey neck’ due to holding your head in an unnatural position to read documents all day, office workers are subject to the early onset of wrinkles. This can be combated by performing regular neck and facial exercises throughout the day to prevent muscles from shortening.

Poor Posture

Sitting in office chairs all day can result in poor posture, with hunched shoulders and curvature of the spine being the main offenders. Consider getting an ergonomics expert to come and give yourself and your co-workers a talk about how to sit correctly to avoid these issues as well as potential long term health risks to your back. If this is not possible, look up correct sitting posture tips on the internet and try to train yourself to sit correctly at all times.

Stress Rash

We all know stress is bad, but did you also know that it can manifest itself as a skin complaint? Some workers in highly stressful jobs report the appearance of skin rashes or dry, flaky patches similar to eczema. Using a good quality skin cream and practicing some relaxation techniques such as meditation can help to prevent this from happening.

Weight Gain

Sitting down all day makes it all too easy to add a few unwanted pounds, especially when you hit the vending machine whenever you need a boost. Try to take regular exercise, both within the workplace to ease tired muscles and outside of working hours. Bring your own lunch to work and supplement it with a range of healthy snacks to keep hunger at bay without heading to the vending machine for crisps or chocolate.

Dry Skin

As well as stress rash, working long hours in an air-conditioned building can lead to dry skin. Keep hand lotion at your desk and stay well hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water and avoiding caffeinated beverages. This will go a long way towards keeping your skin moisturized.

This post was brought to you by Chair Office, suppliers in leading designer office chairs.

Want to give up smoking but finding it hard to kick the habit? Tried before using things available on the market but found none of them to be any us?

Want to give up smoking but finding it hard to kick the habit? Tried before using things available on the market but found none of them to be any us? A new idea has come to light which is creating a bit of a buzz (excuse the pun) among people who find smoking ‘normal’ cigarettes a little hard to give up. These alternatives are good for people who wish to smoke in a place where smoking is prohibited, which is just about everywhere these days and offer a less harmful experience to you and others. If you are not familiar with e-cigarettes, they are cigarettes that deliver nicotine without you actually burning anything.

Delivering the Punch

These new e-cigarettes actually deliver nicotine in a warm water mist that is legal to use indoors in the UK. We even have the red tip on the end to make us believe we are smoking. It also comes in handy to stop those situations when you are in a club and an over-zealous bouncer tries to eject you for smoking. Fun aside; e-cigarettes seem to be a real option for people who want to avoid the damage caused by the multitude of other chemicals in a regular cigarette. Yes, we are still taking in nicotine and that in itself is a toxin, but we are greatly reducing the intake of other harmful substances usually associated smoking.

Something for Fans Star Trek

A few years back, you would have been forgiven if you thought only fans of Star Trek would be considering vaporizing their cigarettes, but it seems they are becoming popular with the mainstream. There are even rum-ours of Star Wars fans using them, but that is just hearsay at the moment. One thing is certain, it’s smoking, but not as we know it. In fact, e-cigarettes have been around a lot longer than most people realise. They were invented in the year 2000 and they we first on sale to the public in 2004 although they did not arrive in the UK until much later.

The Burning Question

The thing everyone wants to know is ‘do they work?’ The answer is yes. They stop people craving nicotine, they stop people smelling like an ashtray and you can use them anywhere. Whether or not you will see the modern equivalent of James Dean or Colin Farrell sporting them is another question, but stranger things happen every day. The problem is that the UK government makes so much money from traditional cigarettes; we need to ask ourselves if we are being patriotic by switching to the safer option?

It is only a matter of time before the tax on an E cigarette catches up with traditional tobacco based cigarettes, so make the most of them while you can.

We all complain about our weight from time to time and usually know when it’s creeping up or we could do with gaining or losing a few pounds. Even if weight is not a particular problem for you, we should still pay attention to it and keep it under control. The stark reality is that with obesity becoming an increasing problem, more people are exposing themselves to all manner of health risks including type 2 diabetes (a condition caused by too much glucose in the blood), heart disease, strokes, asthma and many types of cancer. Other conditions linked to obesity include high, infertility, osteoarthritis - a condition that affects the joints and pain. And then there’s the psychological problems that can develop as a result of being overweight such as feelings of inadequacy and lack of confidence, which if left unaddressed could result in a more serious depression. Being too heavy can cause mobility issues, making it harder to get out and socialize which can become very isolating. All these issues put a strain on relationships with family and friends too. Most people are aware of the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise when it comes to controlling weight, but for many it’s just not that simple. Bariatric surgery such as gastric banding or a gastric balloon can be used to treat people who are morbidly obese and have exhausted other avenues to lose the weight with little or no success.

Gastric Balloon

Sometimes recommended by the NHS and many leading medical practitioners as the non-surgical procedure to combat obesity, a gastric balloon is a procedure where a deflated soft silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach through the mouth rather than having to make an incision in the abdomen. The gastric balloon can usually be passed through your mouth and down into your stomach using an endoscope which is a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera on one end. Once in place the balloon is filled with air or saline solution to decrease the amount of gastric space so patients feel fuller faster after eating and adjust to smaller portion sizes. Gastric balloons can be left in the stomach for up to six months and can achieve an average weight loss of 5–9 BMI. A gastric balloon procedure can be a good solution if you’re too obese to meet the criteria for other types of bariatric surgery, helping you reach the weight needed to have other surgery if deemed necessary.

Gastric Banding

Gastric banding – the procedure where a gastric band is fitted to control weight– is one of the least invasive surgical procedures to be recommended by the NHS.A laparoscopic gastric band equipped with an inflatable silicone rings placed around the top half of the stomach, by adjusting the diameter of the silicone ring, it can reduce food consumption and therefore weight. Gastric banding works by reducing stomach pouch to a smaller size which slows and limits the quantity of food per consumptions that patients feel full quicker. Commitment is required on the part of the patient to sustain weight loss by opting healthier food and limiting portion sizes. Gastric bands make this achievable as they reduce appetite and control the progress of food from the top portion of the stomach to the lower portion where digestion takes place. Gastric banding is design as such a laparoscopic surgery is sufficient enough, and thus the wound is minimum and usually as the consequences, patients have less pain than open surgical procedures, almost unnoticeable scars, a much shorter hospital stay, quick recovery, and is reversible with only another key-hole operation. None of the body organs are permanently modified or removed, stomach will function as usual post the surgery. Gastric bands are made from biocompatible materials, and coexist nicely with patient’s internal organs and inflict no harm to the body.

Take Control of your Weight

Bariatric surgery of any kind is a big decision to make, however, if a weight loss procedure such as gastric banding or a gastric balloon does appear to be the most suitable solution to your obesity problems, it’s reassuring to know that both procedures are reversible and neither makes permanent changes to the body and are clinically proven to be effective. Before deciding on which weight loss surgery route to go down, it is advised that patients need to be fully informed and understand that the aim of both procedures is not temporary weight loss but rather to change the relationship they have with food and pave the way to a new healthy attitude to and for life!

When responding to any incident it is vital that the police are working in conjunction with the ambulance services. First response and time to an incident can mean the difference between life and death. On many occasions police arrive to the scene of an accident first and therefore, it is logical and essential that police vehicles are kitted out with full medical packs and the knowledge to use them. These kits include oxygen, bandages, treatment for burns and neck braces. The Cheshire police are teaming up with the ambulance service to extend the medical packs to include Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). 

A defibrillator is a small, light-weight device that detects the irregular heart rhythms of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation when a sudden cardiac arrest has occurred. The AED will administer a shock, if required, to force the heart to regain its normal rhythm. Early recognition, CPR and defibrillation are the only effective way to treat a sudden cardiac arrest and resuscitate the patient. 

The Cheshire Police have launched the initiative to equip police vehicles with AEDs as most often they are the first to arrive on the scene of an incident to review the situation. The first few minutes are crucial to the survival of a sudden cardiac arrest victim and to wait for an ambulance to arrive could mean they do not receive the urgent treatment they need to survive. Constable Andrew Connor, from the Cheshire Unit, has said “we’re trained to act as medical first responders and all operational police officers in Cheshire know how to use a defibrillator. This equipment adds a whole new dimension to what we are able to do.”

Anyone can use a defibrillator as they give step by step verbal instructions on how to treat the patient and where to place the pads on the patient’s chest. If no irregular heart rhythm is detected then the AED will not administer a shock. However, appropriate medical training may give the user confidence to use the machine competently and effectively, continuing the treatment with chest compressions and rescue breaths.

70% of cardiac arrests happen outside of the hospital environment, with 95% of patients dying before they ever reach the hospital. This is why it is so important to introduce a defibrillator as early as possible, to maximise the potential of survival. With every passing minute without defibrillation the victim loses 10% of their chance of survival. If more police vehicles were equipped with life-saving defibrillators, anyone who has suffered from a cardiac arrest may be treated quicker and lives will be saved.

This article was provided by DefibShop – suppliers of Defibrillator Equipment and Supplies.

Kids of all ages are finding more energy and confidence by working with professional trainers to help them learn to defend themselves with Martial Arts.

Mixed Martial Arts is no longer just a violent curiosity, it is now a very popular sport, and viewers all over the world watch each week to cheer on their favorite fighters. It can be seen on cable, pay-per-view, and sometimes on network television stations.

The first televised version of this sport in the United States took place in 1993. its intention was to test which style of combat was most effective in attracting viewers. Proponents wanted to know if fans would prefer karate, wrestling or boxing, judo, jiu jitsu, Muy Thai or just basic barroom brawling.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has made this sport popular and fans generally speak of it as being ultimate fighting. You can tell who the true fans are because they know every fighters name and what position they hold in the standings.

Here in the United States, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has become the leader in this industry, and fans are gathering around TVs throughout the land just to see who will win the next match. Men are not the only ones that are mixing it up in the rings because women are enjoying the adventure of the fight and the physical fitness that follows.

No longer are we seeing only men enter training facilities to push their bodies to the limit. 

Women are finding this journey too interesting to miss out on. Finding a great training facility is paramount to getting the most out of the experience.

You may be interested in Mixed Martial Arts just like the U.F.C. demonstrates in the ring, but you have to understand that there are a lot of techniques that should be learned in order to be most effective. Submission Wrestling is only one of them. One that many people like to try is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which is part of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation’s sanctioned events.

Even the small fry can get into the action at many training and physical fitness centers because there are classes designed just for them. Children as young as three years of age can get started building their bodies as they learn new techniques.

Many facilities offer women only classes which help them learn while not feeling intimidated by males. It doesn’t really matter if you are interested in training professionally to enter the ring or are just looking for a good system to help you get in shape and stay that way, Mixed Martial Arts training is a great way to go.

Kids of all ages are finding more energy and confidence by working with professional trainers to help them learn to defend themselves and build leaner meaner bodies.

Marty Sanchez is a blogger and MMA student in SW Florida where he studies MMA in Naples, FL.

Working out isn't just for the young and nimble. Here are some tips for the elderly.

As you get older, your body won't work as well; it's just common sense. It's important to keep fit, despite advancing years, and though you won't find yourself sprinting around a Rugby or Football pitch anytime soon, there is a selection of manageable work-out routines that can keep your body active without ever exerting too much pressure.

It's important to remember that if you do start to feel uncomfortable, stop the exercise at once.

Swimming

Swimming is an absolute classic in terms of exercise routines and the most beneficial aspect of it is that it is one of the very best forms of exercise that can be done by just about anyone. It’s so acclaimed due to the fact that it takes effect on the entire body, increasing strength as well as aiding your heart/lungs. It’s vital that older people consider taking this up as it’ll benefit them greatly.

Dancing

The great thing about dancing is that it mixes great exercise routines in a variety of ways, by working on different parts of the body, but also enables older people to engage in vigorous social activities and have fun at the same time. It’s a wonderful cardio exercise that really gets to work on the muscles and allows the individual to go at their own steady pace.

Yoga/Balance

Yoga, like the others, improves an individual’s strength, balance and flexibility. It’s not for everyone considering it requires patience and concentration, but it’s a remarkably stress-free exercise that acts on clearing the body of any tension and frees up the muscles. For those less mobile, there are a variety of yoga exercises, some that include the use of a chair and so there is something for everyone.

Weight-Lifting/Bicep-Curls

To keep active and healthy in later life, it’s vital that our muscles are still in working order and as we get older, they will begin to fluctuate so weight-lifting, in a simple sense, can provide that needed push to keep them as active as possible. This is a simple exercise and doesn't need to involve heavy weights; bicep-curls will keep the muscle/bone strong and healthy.

Chest Stretch

Stretching is another way to keep the body flexible and to help aching joints. A great example of a workable stretch is the chest stretch which involves the entire upper-body. As this can be done sitting down, it’s great for older people. By sitting down with your arms outright and pushing your chest forward until you feel the stretch, this acts as a simple, yet effective, way of keeping fresh.

This guide to working out was written in association with Man and Muscle, the cheapest online supplier of optimum nutrition 100% whey gold standard and many other exercise supplements.

We are all taught from an early age that we need to brush our teeth twice a day, but other than that do you really know how to take care of your teeth? And we mean, REALLY take care of your teeth?

It would be easy to argue no, considering the fact that more and more of us of suffering from plaque, cavities and teeth discoloration. Yet these problems are not always your fault.

Sometimes, teeth discoloration is beyond your control…

So what is causing it?

Sugary foods, wine, coffee, cigarettes… each of these can contribute to the build up of plaque and ultimately teeth discoloration. Yet the real problem actually lies with how well you take care of your teeth.

You see, over the course of the day it is inevitable that your teeth with accumulate food debris. Now, as long as you properly brush this debris away at night you can limit staining and the build up of plaque. However fail to take care of your teeth, and over time your teeth with become damaged and discolored.

How can I prevent it?

You don’t have to let your teeth fall prey to poor hygiene. Below we have highlighted a few tips which can help you to improve the health and appearance of your teeth:

1. Use the right type of tooth brush – most dentists recommend using a softer brush with rounded ends as these will be gentler on your gums and cause fewer scratches.
   
   
2. Brush regularly – now we are not suggesting that you carry a tooth brush with you everywhere or that you brush your teeth every time you eat or drink, but brushing your teeth in the middle of the day (after lunch) – as well as after breakfast and before bedtime – will help to improve the health of your teeth.
   
   
3. Brush properly – the most effective way to brush your teeth is to place the bristles at a 45 degree angle to your gums before moving in small, circular motions – these strokes should be      repeated at least 20 times (3 teeth at a time).
   
   
   Now when it comes to the inside of your teeth, insert the brush vertically and use the heel of the brush to remove any debris.
   
   
   It is generally recommended that you brush for 3-5 minutes.
   
   
4. Create a full routine – your tooth brush will not be able to remove all food debris which is why it is important that you also floss and use inter dental brushes. Mouth washes can also help to wash away debris. Just be careful to not use them too regularly as some can cause damage to your teeth if used too excessively.
   
   
5. Change your tooth brush – you should roughly change your tooth brush every 3 months as by this point your bristles will have flared.

What if my teeth are still stained?

Proper dental hygiene will certainly help to improve the appearance of your teeth, however it won’t remove all staining, especially if you regularly smoke and drink coffee.

Fortunately you no longer have to live with this staining. In fact, it is now possible to afford-ably whiten your teeth without having to spend hundreds of pounds at the dentist: teeth whitening.

Home teeth whitening gels are an incredibly easy way to brighten your smile, as they use the very same Carbamide Peroxide gel used by dentists, to help whiten your teeth by up to 11 shades in a few weeks. The only difference between them is the creators of these gels have chosen to cut out the middleman (your dentist) and sell their teeth whitening gel directly to you.

Some big brand whitening gels have been used by dentists for over 20 years to help whiten teeth; however you can now readily buy it online and safely use it to remove staining, improve your smile and boost your confidence.

How do teeth whitening gels work?

Containing 120ml/cc of 16% Carbamide Peroxide, as this gels enters the pores on your teeth it creates active oxygen which converts colored compounds into colorless compounds. Simply apply this gel to the tooth mould you are supplied with and in 30 minutes, it is possible to notice reduced staining.

Next steps…

Taking care of your teeth can do more than help to improve their appearance. With long term care and attention, you can ensure for a healthier future and make sure your smile remains 100% yours.

So take the time to brush properly and experience the benefits of a healthier, more dazzling smile…

Thank you for reading, my name is Tracy, a dental assistant from London and I have looked into various methods to help educate people not only how to whiten teeth but how to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Do you follow my advice? Did you learn anything new or do you have something to add? Please leave a comment if you do, I would love to hear from you.

There has been a growing debate among st experts about the impact leaving fluoride in your drinking water can have on your teeth. For instance, can it really prevent the build up of cavities? Or can it safely be removed from the filtration process?

Now whilst there have been no conclusive studies between drinking water and cavities. In communities such as Dorval, Que and Dryden where fluoride has been removed from their tap water, they have witnessed a significant increase in the number of cavity cases.

So in some ways you could argue that removing fluoride from drinking water could be bad for your teeth.

But can tap water whiten your teeth? Now that is the real question…

No. Whilst fluoride might be able to reduce cavities and in turn limit the amount of discoloration your teeth experiences; we wouldn't recommend turning to tap water as a means to whiten your teeth, as you are sure to be disappointed.

So how can I whiten my teeth?

If you are looking to turn back the clock and undo the impact of years of staining on your teeth, then there are a number of teeth whitening techniques you can try.

• Teeth whitening gels
  
  
  now you have got 2 choices with teeth whitening gels. You can either go to your dentist, pay £100-£750, get them to create a tooth mould and apply a 16% Carbamide Peroxide gel to your teeth over a series of sessions.
  
  
  Or you can invest in a home teeth whitening kit, access the same 16% Carbamide Peroxide gel formulation and apply this gel to your teeth at a fraction of the cost.
  
  
  I’m confused – why the price difference? There is a little secret that dentists don’t want you to know about. Namely the fact that they get their teeth whitening gels from the very same people who sell home teeth whitening kits to you.
  
  
  And it’s true. It’s the exact same gel. The only difference is you are paying for a dentist to apply it for you. Otherwise you are receiving the exact same treatment.
  
  
  How do teeth whitening gels work? Dr George’s Dental White for instance contains 120ml/cc of 16% Carbamide Peroxide which once it enters the pores on your teeth, creates active oxygen that converts colored compounds into colorless compounds.
  
  
  Essentially ‘bleaching’ your teeth, it is possible to see a difference in your teeth after 30 minutes. However wear Dental White for 30 minutes every day for 2 weeks, and you can help your teeth to become up to 11 shades lighter.
  
  
• Teeth whitening strips
  
  
  these generally contain a much weaker concentration of Carbamide Peroxide, but they have also been known to contain hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide.
  
  
  Compared to teeth whitening gels, teeth whitening strips are designed to be worn on your teeth for a longer period of time (which is why they are usually only 10% or less) and stick directly to your teeth.
  
  
  In terms of effectiveness, teeth whitening strips can be hit and miss depending on how vigilant you are. For instance they have been known to cause streaks on your teeth which can make your teeth look unhealthy and even more discolored.
  
  
• Teeth whitening pens
  
  
  using a similar strength formulation to teeth whitening strips, teeth whitening pens can produce better results as you can apply the pen directly to each tooth. This will allow you to control how much you put on, though you will need to be careful that you apply it evenly.
  
  
• Home Remedies
  
  
  You don’t always have to buy a product in order to whiten your teeth. There are also a few home remedies which you can try that can help to remove staining and lighten your teeth.
  
  
  Give these remedies a try:
  
  
   - Strawberries - turn a strawberry into a mash and apply to your teeth every day (making sure to brush with toothpaste afterwards) is one quick technique for removing staining.                                       

          - Hard wood ash – the idea of rubbing this onto your teeth may not sound very appetising, but 

             hard wood ash contains potassium hydroxide which can remove staining and discoloration. 

         - Baking soda and toothpaste – this can taste quite bitter, but baking soda is great for               

           removing plaque and make them look shiny.         

  

Tara has ditched her days of coffee, smoking and bad teeth care to looking after the one and only set she has.  After her first laser teeth whitening session, Tara made these major changes to her life and hasn't stopped smiling since.

Dubbed cyro-therapy because its needle tip is cooled to -20C; this handheld device - which has been approved for use in the UK – could potentially be the pain relief arthritis sufferers have been looking for.

Inserted a few millimeters under the skin against a nerve, the pen like device is believed to make nerves hibernate thus causing pain signals to be blocked. And if this is true, this spells good news not just for arthritis sufferers but also those faced with regular headaches, facial pain and carpel tunnel syndrome.

How can a pen halt nerve signals?

The success of this pen is mainly due to its sub-zero needle temperature which slows down the rate of complex chemical reactions that conduct signals along your nerves.

By slowing this rate of reaction, this causes your nerves to become quiet and stops these pain signals from being transported.

And in many ways this makes sense…

If our hands easily go numb during cold weather (as the cold causes our blood vessels to shrink), why can’t the cold liquid nitrogen used to chill the tip of this pen not cause the same effect?

Is it safe?

Yes. The device contains sensors that are able to monitor the temperature of your skin, so it remains cold enough to make your nerves hibernate, but isn't so cold that it damages your skin tissues.

Instead this pen can safely by used for 30-45 minutes per session to provide natural pain relief.

Does it last?

How long your nerves hibernate for depends on the severity of your condition, but generally this method of pain relief will be an on-going process where you will have to visit your doctors in order to have it.

In addition, as this pen is still undergoing trials to examine it ability to relieve pain and treat movement disorders; you unfortunately won’t be able to access it until 2013.

Yet this doesn't mean you have to live with arthritic pain…

In fact, there are a number of techniques which can help you to experience natural joint pain relief and give you a better quality of life:

1. Exercise regularly – you may not want to exercise, but the more active you are the less pain and stiffness you’ll experience. Start small by going for walks and going swimming, and as your stamina increases move onto strength training, yoga, cardio and cycling.
   
   
2. Watch your weight – excess weight can make your joints more painful as they’ll be experiencing the extra pressure of this weight. To keep your weight in check, adopt a Mediterranean diet. This contains a healthy balance of carbs, fats and proteins which will keep your metabolism working hard and your cravings at bay.
   
   
3. Consider natural treatments – herbal remedies, massages, physiotherapy and acupuncture can all help to relieve pain and improve mobility. Just make sure that the massages, physiotherapy and acupuncture are performed by qualified specialists and the herbal remedies you try have been clinically tested and proven to help.

Any one of these tips can help you to achieve the mobility, flexibility and pain relief you crave. So if you are looking for alternative ways to treat your pain instead of using anti-inflammatories, why not give these a try?

By watching your weight, exercising regularly and experimenting with natural arthritis pain relief treatments you can take control of your arthritis for good…