STRAIGHTEN YOUR TEETH – without braces!

Would you like to get your teeth into shape?

There are many adults who are unhappy with the arrangement of their teeth and would really like to

straighten them. But what holds them back is the thought of wearing braces and metal wires. Now, there is a system of straightening teeth without braces or wires.

The system, called Invisalign, uses a series of custom-made, transparent, removable aligners that fit over the teeth – like contact lenses for the teeth! Each aligner is worn for 2-3 weeks and is designed to move the

teeth a little at a time. This American technology uses a patented computer system to design and manufacture the clear aligners.

The main advantages of Invisalign are that the aligners are:-

► Clear – people don’t need to know you are straightening your teeth
► Removable – you can eat whatever you want and it is easy to clean your teeth.
► More comfortable – no sharp braces or wires to get used to

Invisalign is suitable for adults who have mild to moderate irregularities of their teeth. It is particularly suitable for those who have had treatment with braces in their teens but experienced some mild relapse. With the

Invisalign Lite package, their teeth could be straight again in as little as 7 months!

If you want to know whether Invisalign treatment is appropriate for your condition, you need to have an orthodontic consultation. At this consultation, your records like X-rays, photographs and moulds of your teeth will be made by the clinic. These records will be sent to the Invisalign Laboratory and in a few weeks, a computerised simulation of how your teeth will move during treatment, and the expected end-result, will be sent to the clinic. Only after the clinic and you have reviewed the treatment results -- and you agree to it -- will the Invisalign aligners be manufactured.

The aligners need to be worn about 20-22 hours a day. i.e. they are only removed for eating and cleaning. Each aligner needs to be worn for a minimum of 2 weeks before changing to the next aligner in the sequence. Patients need to be reviewed by the dentist every 6-8 weeks to ensure that the teeth are moving according to plan. As there are no wires to change or adjust, each appointment is usually much faster – and less painful.

And here’s another benefit: If you want a brighter smile, the aligners can be used with teeth whitening gel so that you get your teeth whitened as you straighten them!

This article was contributed to Tab A Doctor by,

Dr. Asha Karan, Smile Makers Dental Clinic 

10 Morning Mood Boosters

Have you ever noticed that what happens during the morning hours often sets the tone for the rest of the day? When things go smoothly, you tend to feel more relaxed and ready to face whatever the day may bring. However, when things get bumpy before you’ve even managed to get dressed, you’re more likely to remain grumpy until bedtime. While some hassles can’t be avoided, you can make mood-enhancing decisions during the a.m. hours that will set the stage for the next 16 or so. We spoke with the experts and combed the latest research for 10 pick-me-ups that will have your mood rising like the morning sun. Try one (or all!) of them for a happier and healthier you.

1. Pick one “spoil-me” task to do.
When you wake up, give yourself 30 seconds to think of at least one nice thing you can do for yourself that day…and then do it. When Alice Domar, PhD, psychologist and coauthor of Live a Little! Breaking the Rules Won’t Break Your Health, was in Los Angeles for a book tour one winter, she woke up much earlier than usual. But instead of fretting about lost zzz’s, she realized with excitement that she could score some fresh fruit at the nearby farmer’s market, which would’ve been impossible if she were back home in Boston. That impromptu side trip kept her mood lifted throughout the day.

2. Eat a well-balanced meal.
Start your morning with a nutritious mix of complex carbohydrates and proteins that will last you until lunch, such as oatmeal or toast with peanut butter (include a sprinkle of cinnamon, which one study linked to improved mood and alertness, for an extra boost). Other research found that a moderate amount of caffeine (200 mg, or the amount in about two cups of coffee) elevated mood and mental sharpness, so enjoy some joe or black tea with your breakfast.

3. Get some fresh air.
Head out for some “green exercise”—physical activity performed in an outdoor setting—even if you only have a few minutes to spare. Researchers found that people experienced an enhanced mood and higher self-esteem after just five minutes of various types of green exercise, including walking and gardening. The study also found that exercising near water amplified the effects, so if you live near a lake, river or waterfall, even better.

4. Listen to the sounds of nature.
Capture the benefits of the great outdoors, even if you can’t get outside, by listening to recorded nature sounds. In a recent study, participants recovered from a stressful situation more quickly when they listened to a recorded combination of running water and bird sounds. Open your window in the morning so you can hear Mother Nature’s music as you get ready, or invest in an alarm clock that eases you awake with nature sounds.

5. Focus on feeling good.
Right after waking up, Robyn McKay, PhD, a psychologist based in Tempe, Arizona, and founder of the Smart Girl-Modern Goddess coaching program, recommends taking five deep breaths and making the decision to feel good for the day. “Imagine that, even when you encounter frustrations and surprises, you will remember to breathe and respond mindfully—rather than react mindlessly—to your circumstances,” she says. Dr. McKay also suggests that, throughout the day, you “take five deep, intentional breaths and remind yourself of your decision to feel good.”

6. Drink hot chocolate.
A recent study found that sipping a drink containing cocoa flavonols improved participants’ moods and levels of alertness—even as they worked on a series of challenging math problems. So go ahead and savor some hot cocoa made with lowfat or skim milk and dark chocolate. The protein and carbs in the milk will help keep your blood sugar levels stable until lunch, which will help you hold on to your mood momentum.

7. Take a moment to assess yourself.
Don’t jump out of bed right when you open your eyes in the morning. Instead, take five minutes to pay attention to your body and notice if you feel any stiffness, then do some light stretching while breathing deeply, suggests Lynn Louise Wonders, LPC, RPT-S, RYT, a psychotherapist and yoga teacher in Marietta, Georgia. She notes, “Before racing off to the hundred things on the day's to-do list, it can be tremendously beneficial to claim these five minutes to tune in to your body and your breath. You'll find that you are more ‘present’ and better equipped to deal with the busyness of the day ahead.”

8. Envision the negative. 
You’ve probably heard that gratitude is a mood elevator, but here’s a surprising twist to that tactic: Think about a positive event from your life—how you got your dream job or met your ideal partner, for instance—and then imagine what your life would be like if the event hadn’t happened. Though it seems like this would have the opposite effect, it actually improved the mood of one study’s participants more so than simply thinking of the positive event itself.

9. Breathe in some mint. 
Researchers found that sniffing peppermint enhanced mood and attention while also fighting fatigue. Try keeping a bottle of peppermint essential oil or bag of peppermint tea on your nightstand so you can inhale the positive scents right as you wake up. Another happiness helper is chewing gum, which elevated the moods, alertness and attention spans of another study's participants. Pop a piece of peppermint gum after breakfast for a double-duty perk-up.

10. Smile.
There’s one thing you can do just about anywhere: Smile. “Remember,” says Dr. McKay, “smiling is a simple way to change your mood—and the mood of those around you, too.” So spread your good-mood wealth by baring those pearly whites as often as possible in the morning as well as throughout the day.

This article was originally published on WebMD.

Are you losing more hair than you should, and what can you do about it?

There are many reasons why you are losing your hair. The loss can be sudden or you can lose hairs slowly, over a period of time. Normally one can lose up to 100-150 strand of hair a day and this is normal. The hair goes through a hair cycle and after 3-5 years a strand of hair goes into the resting phase and after 3 months this hair is replaced with a new hair. This hair fall is normal.

Unfortunately, the new hair will be shorter and thinner than the preceding cycle and hence after a few years you will notice less hair. This loss follows a pattern - in males there is a receding hairline and thinning at the crown, whereas in females there is thinning at the crown. This type of hair loss is related to age, genes and androgens. The treatment is usually hair tonic or oral medication and sometimes laser hair stimulation.

If you are losing hairs suddenly or the loss is significant (ie more than 150 hairs a day) you may be suffering form another type of hair loss called telogen effluvium, This is commonly seen after childbirth, 3 months after a stressful event, for example, an illness, surgery or psychological stress. This hair loss is often seen after crash dieting too. Although the fall is significant, telogen effluvium is a reversible condition. Once the trigger factors are gone, the hairs will re-grow on it’s own and recover in 3 months after you first notice the fall.

A third reason why you are losing hair could be related to a medical condition such as thyroid disease or anaemia or due to certain drugs including ant cancer drugs. Treatment, would be to remove the cause of the hair fall if possible.

If you are experiencing hair fall and you think it is more than your usual shedding, see a dermatologist who can help you with the diagnosis and the treatment.

This article was contributed to Tab A Doctor by,
Dr Joyce Lim, Dermatologist, Joyce Lim Skin & Laser Clinic