Is Eating Margarine Really Bad For You?

Submitted by: Sue Batty

In day-to-day life we use spreads a lot. They’re an essential part of our everyday eating habits; being melted on toast at breakfast time, spread on our lunchtime sandwiches and even mixed into the occasional indulgent cake and cookies. So it’s important that we make sure that the spread we’re putting in to our bodies so often is as good for us as possible.

We believe that margarine is a healthy choice of spread to make, and this is why:

Healthy margarine is made from plant oils – such as canola, soy, sunflower and many others. These natural oils contain a healthy dollop of the good fats we need to make sure we include in our diets. The word ‘fat’ can often have bad connotations, but not all fats make you gain weight or clog up your arteries. Good Housekeeping – that bastion of all things wholesome says:

“Everyone needs some fat in their diet – as a source of energy, to keep your skin and hair healthy, to make certain hormones, and to help your body absorb certain vitamins (A, D, E and K)."

So we need to make sure we’re taking in the right fats, but what are the wrong fats?

Bad fats are trans fats and saturated fats, these have been linked to heart disease, weight gain and other health problems. Margarine has less saturated fats than butter and all good spreads and margarine brands contain only traces of trans fats, so it’s the perfect choice of spread to keep your heart ticking along happily (always check the label to be sure of the fat content).

As well as the basic ingredients of margarine being a nutritious part of your diet, we even add extra goodness into it for good measure, in the form of vitamin A and vitamin D to make sure your hair, skin, bones and teeth stay strong and well. These have been added to the mix since 1925 and make sure that you and your family are able to get enough of the good stuff your bodies need.

There are loads of recipes that you can try out using margarine and it’s so simple that you can whip up a batch at home in your kitchen just by following five simple steps.

There was a Lifecycle Assessment study done on butter and margarine which analyzed the environmental impact of margarine and butter products sold in key European markets (Germany, France and the UK) throughout the entire product life cycle. In all three countries, margarine products were proven to be more environmentally favourable than butter products:

1. Margarine has less than one third the carbon footprint of butter.

2. Margarine requires about half the land occupation of butter.

3. Margarine products require 2% to 50% less energy use than butter products.

With healthy margarines being made with plant oils as one of its main ingredients so not only is it good for you, it’s good for the environment too.

So there you have it, with all of it’s good fats and vitamins margarine is great to include as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

About the Author: Sue Batty loves margarine and what she doesn’t know about cooking isn’t worth knowing! With chef, teacher, home economist and many more titles to her name, Sue is the woman in the know about all things culinary. She’s always used margarine in her cooking since she began cooking at an early age. For more info on margarine and your health, visit http://www.enjoymargarineeveryday.com/margarine-for-your-health

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What is the Difference Between Plaque, Tartar and Calculus?

Submitted by: Dr. Susan Wells

Bacteria are constantly present in your mouth and plaque is simply a clear sticky substance that is made of bacteria. This film of bacteria is not harmful to your teeth or the health of your gums as long as it is removed daily, and removing it is easily done with good oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing. However, when plague isn’t consistently removed, it will build up and release acids that can cause tooth decay and gum disease.

When plaque builds up in your mouth it can turn into calcified deposits called tartar (also known as calculus), which is very harmful to the health of your mouth, teeth and gums. Tartar is often the culprit behind cavities, gingivitis and tooth loss. And it’s a vicious cycle because the presence of tartar in your mouth creates rough surfaces which provide a perfect environment for more plaque and tartar.

Tartar can build up quickly or slowly over time and it develops both above and below your gum line. People who have less saliva in their mouths are more susceptible to tartar buildup because saliva contains bacteria-killing enzymes that fight against plaque, which is the foundation for tartar.

Once tartar has built up in your mouth, it can only be removed by a dentist, but good oral hygiene will keep plaque to a minimum and thus prevent additional tartar buildup. Plaque begins to build in your mouth within four hours of eating, so brushing after meals is the best defense against it, but a minimum of brushing in the morning and at night will help prevent plaque buildup which in effect prevents tartar.

Plaque is hard to detect because it is a colorless film, but tartar is fairly easy to spot when it is above the gum line because it turns your teeth and gums a yellow or brown color. Regular professional teeth cleaning that is performed in your dentist’s office removes plaque and tartar (calculus) from your teeth and gums.

If your teeth have a build up of tartar, a deep cleaning may be required to bring your teeth and gums back to a healthy condition. Part of the process of deep cleaning includes scaling, which requires a special tool to remove infected deposits of plaque or tartar that may exist below your gum line, behind your teeth or in the area between your teeth. Once the scaling process is complete, your teeth are polished. If tartar build up does exist on your teeth, scaling and polishing help prevent gum disease.

Using tartar control toothpaste, along with brushing, flossing and regular dental visits, can help control tartar, but once it begins to build up, it can only be removed in a dentist’s office with the use of special tools. And ignoring tartar buildup can lead to cavities, gum disease and even tooth loss.

The more you know about plaque and tartar (calculus), the more prepared you can be in preventing and treating it.

About the Author: Dr. Susan Wells DMD has been a warrior dentist practicing dentistry in Warrior, Alabama since 1978. She treats patients for all aspects of general dentistry including preventive dental care oral hygiene instruction and full scale exams and cleanings. To find out more visit her site at http://DrSusanWells.com.

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The Lifespan of a Dental Bridge

The Lifespan of a Dental Bridge
By Gerald McConway

For those who may not know, a dental bridge is a replacement for a lost tooth, and this replacement can help prevent future dental problems once the neighboring teeth begin changing position in order to fill in the gap left by the lost tooth.

A bridge can play a critical role in one's oral healthcare, and if patients put in the time and care required for it, their bridge could last for ten years or possibly even longer. However, the specific number of years a bridge lasts can vary from person to person-specifically, individual diets and oral healthcare routines affect how long its lifespan will be.

Regarding the lifespans of dental bridges, authorities on the subject have differing opinions. The Cleveland Clinic suggests a bridge lasts between five and seven years on average while certain types may last over a decade. Per the University of Rochester Medical Center, a bridge could last well over ten years or even a lifetime with good oral healthcare.

What Causes Dental Bridges to Fail

To fit this device into a into a person's mouth, the teeth adjacent to a gap must be filed down. This prepares those teeth for crowns that will support the bridge, but this process can increase the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay within and around those filed teeth, making root canals much more likely. When supporting teeth fail, this can cause the entire bridge to fail as well.

Preventing Bridge Failures

A few easy ways to help prevent a bridge from failing include avoiding food that could put stress on the bridge as well as implementing a teeth-friendly diet. Specifically, patients should eat more fiber, fruits, and vegetables than they do meat, and they could also benefit from eating fewer starchy and sugary foods since these foods can lead to tooth decay.

As well, avoiding nuts, popcorn, caramel, chewing or hard candy, and other hard or sticky snacks can help prolong a bridge's lifespan. These types of foods could put too much pressure on the bridge during chewing.

Bridge Maintenance

As with general oral healthcare routines, bridge care involves regular brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing, which covers the outside of a bridge. However, food can get trapped underneath the bridge where it's hard to remove, exposing surrounding teeth to decay.

For this issue, dentists often recommend floss threaders for getting under a bridge and removing trapped food particles. As well, it may benefit bridge patients to get a professional bridge cleaning every six months.

With the rising costs of dental care, seniors need to consider senior discount dental plans to avoid health problems that may arise due to poor oral health. For more information, please visit Wellness Dental Plan today.

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Home Teeth Whitening Kits Vs. The Dentist

Submitted by: Derek Rogers

For those who want a brighter smile, it helps to know about the advantages of home teeth whitening kits when compared with a visit to the dentist for the same treatment.

You might be surprised to learn that there are several benefits to whitening your teeth at home using a specialist. You can get professional direct whitening of your teeth at home in four easy sessions, for a fraction of the cost of a whitening session at the dentist.

When you visit a dentist for treatment, there are strong bleaching gel formulas that are used during the whitening process, which will ultimately cost you a fair amount to purchase along with the expense of the dentist's time. There might be several appointments involved to get the teeth whitening results desired too.

The bad thing about some types of these treatments is that they make teeth more sensitive to hot and cold and the enamel layer is compromised so they absorb stains much easier. For this reason, it is possible that treatments will need to be repeated every six months or so.

On the other hand, there are safe home teeth whitening kits you can purchase that contain the same products that 95% of the dentists use, which are less damaging, but come at just a fraction of the cost. When you consider home teeth whitening kits vs. the dentist, there are home teeth whitening kits that contain bleaching ingredients that are almost as strong in whitening power, but they aren't nearly as expensive and you can use the kits in your spare time, in the comfort of your home. Often, the home teeth whitening kits are about the same price as dinner for two and they work as well as the direct whitening treatments you get in the dentist office, but the enamel layer is not as radically affected with most home teeth whitening kits.

It is important to consider that a whiter smile is possible with both options, but when it comes to a home whitening kit against a visit to a dental surgery, many people like the ability to whiten their teeth affordably and conveniently to the level of whiteness they desire. There are many kits that are effective and offer easy to follow instructions. When it comes to the best home teeth whitening kits and their success, they have been tested by many people that offer consumer reviews you can find on the Internet; this allows you to do a little research to put your mind at ease.

In fact, the best thing to do when you are comparing home kits and the dentist, is to research the products and the bleaching gels, but also be sure to look for customer testimonials and reviews to help you find the best products. Laser lights aren't a necessary part of the whitening process for teeth, so home teeth whitening kits are quite effective and so affordable that everyone can have a whiter smile with safe and effective ingredients that cause less damage to the teeth enamel than a drinking a couple glasses of fruit juice a day.

So if you want to be beaming brightly once again, there are plenty of kits that can help you make it happen at a fraction of the cost, with great ease and complete safety.

About the Author: Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For Teeth Whitening Treatment Process he recommends directwhitening.com.

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10 Ways Tame Your Sweet Tooth

Submitted by: Lorraine Matthews Antosiewicz

Consciously or not, the average American consumes 28 teaspoons of added sugars a day – that’s more than 90 pounds of sugar per year. The American Heart Association recommends women limit their added sugar to just 100 calories per day (6 teaspoons) and men to 150 calories a day (9 teaspoons). So, the bottom line is that most of us eat way too much. Read on to learn why this can be a problem and what you can do about it.

What’s the problem with added sugar?

If you eat or drink too much added sugar it can lead to health problems including tooth decay, overweight and obesity, difficulty controlling type 2 diabetes, higher triglyceride levels, and possibly heart disease. In addition, sugar is made up of “empty calories” — calories unaccompanied by fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Too much empty calories can crowd healthier foods from your diet.

What’s the difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar?

Added sugar is the sugar that manufacturers add to processed foods and drinks while they are being made. Sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, energy drinks, and sports drinks are by far the biggest sources of added sugar in the average American’s diet. They account for more than one-third of the added sugar we consume as a nation. Other sources include cookies, cakes, pastries, and similar treats; fruit drinks; ice cream, frozen yogurt and the like; candy; and ready-to-eat cereals. The sugar you add to your food at home is another source of added sugar.

Naturally occurring sugar, on the other hand, is the sugar found in whole, unprocessed foods, such as milk, fruit, vegetables, and some grains. One of the most common natural sugars is fructose, which is found in fruit. Another common natural sugar is lactose, which is found in milk.

How can I figure out how much added sugar I am consuming?

Start by looking at the Nutrition Facts Label (http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/the-basics-of-the-nutrition-facts-panel) on your food or drink package. Keep in mind that food manufacturers do not have to list naturally occurring sugars and added sugars separately on the label. However, at least you can see how much “total sugar” is in each serving. If you divide the number of grams of total sugar by four, that’s how many teaspoons of sugar you are ingesting. For example, if the Nutrition Facts Label says that a food or drink contains 40 grams of sugar per serving, that information tells you that 1 serving contains 10 teaspoons of sugar (equal to 160 calories).

Next, check the ingredient list which lists ingredients in order by amount with the largest amount listed first. Look for the word “sugar” or one of its many sweet aliases (http://blog.fooducate.com/nutrition-101/quick-food-facts/sugar-synonyms/). If one of these ingredients is listed among the first few, the food or drink is likely high in added sugar.

How can I cut down on my consumption of added sugar?

To make it easy, here are 10 simple ways to minimize added sugar in your diet:

• Don’t add it to foods. This is the easiest and most basic way to immediately reduce the amount of sugar you’re eating. Biggest targets: cereal, coffee and tea.

• Skip sugary beverages like soda and sports drinks; and choose water instead.

• Limit your consumption of fruit juice. When you do have it, make sure it’s 100 percent fruit juice — not juice drink that has added sugar. Better yet, have fresh fruit rather than juice.

• Choose breakfast cereals carefully. Scan the ingredient list for unwanted sugar and sugar aliases. Try to choose brands that contain more total fiber grams than total sugar grams. Skip the colorful and frosted brands.

• Go easy on condiments. Salad dressings and ketchup have added sugar. So do syrups, jams, jellies and preserves. Use them sparingly.

• If you eat canned fruit, choose the one packed in water or juice, not syrup.

• Cut way back on processed foods. These are often high in added sugar, as well as sodium and fat.

• Skip the cookies, cake, pies, ice cream and other sweets. Instead, choose naturally sweet fruit for your after-dinner treat.

• Watch out for “fat-free” snacks. Fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free, and most fat-free snacks are loaded with sugar.

• Look for recipes that use less sugar when you are cooking or baking.

About the Author: Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD, is a food and nutrition expert specializing in weight management and digestive health. She is committed to empowering people through education, support, and inspiration to make real changes that lead to optimal health and lasting weight loss. Take her Free Self-Assessment and learn how you can lose 20 lb. - or more. Jump Start your weight loss today! http://njnutritionist.com/freeassessment

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Diabetes, Your Teeth, And Gums

Submitted by: Vivian L. Brennan

Diabetes can lead to many complications, some of them very severe. This means that the effect that diabetes has on your teeth can often be completely overlooked. Diabetics are at a higher risk for periodontal disease (diseases of the mouth) than most people.

Having high blood sugar means that your teeth and gums are at a higher risk, because germs multiply in high-sugar environments. This means that the first step to protecting your teeth is to lower your blood sugar and to maintain a constant blood sugar level. The difficulty is that if you already have some gum disease, it can be another stress that leads to high blood sugar levels. This can be an overwhelming cycle, but luckily you can stop it.

Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It is present when your gums are puffy and red, and your gums can bleed when you brush your teeth or use other dental care. Gum disease, although little more than a painful inconvenience, can progress until you lose your teeth. This makes it even more difficult to maintain a healthy diet needed by diabetics.

The first step to taking care of your oral health is to monitor and control your blood sugar. You will also want to tell your dentist that you have diabetes. Your dentist will be able to help you notice the initial signs of gingivitis, which can be hard to distinguish. Visiting the dentist two times a year is a good idea.

Oral hygiene, like we all know, begins with brushing your teeth regularly, particularly after sweet snacks and desserts. You can also take care of your mouth by watching what you put in your mouth: chewing sugar-free gum can also help reduce your risk of gum disease. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water, to maintain a healthy saliva flow in your mouth. Smoking is a bad habit that, among other diseases, will promote gum disease. Quit smoking immediately, because it has terrible effects on most diabetic complications.

Of course, brushing our teeth is not quite enough. Flossing daily should become part of your routine. Some dentists recommend using a water-pik to clean your teeth as well. Ask your dentist about what would be best for you. Certain mouthwashes are clinically proven to help prevent gingivitis: the simple 10 second act of gargling could save your teeth for the future!

Preventing gum disease is about taking care of yourself now to avoid pain in the future. Gum disease can lead to hyperglycemia, or even acidosis in severe cases. You want to avoid these symptoms, because they will make it even harder for you to control your blood sugar later. Remember: if you maintain a healthy diet, good oral hygiene, and helpful habits, you will save yourself time, money, and pain. You can have and keep the perfect smile!

About the Author: For more information on diabetes, visit The Guide to Diabetes. This site has information on how to prevent many kinds of diabetes-related complications.

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How to Obtain Optimal Health

How to Obtain Optimal Health

You should already know that nutrition is very important to your quality of life. If you want to have a healthy life and lifestyle, you will need to have a healthy diet with proper nutrition. You might hear all the time that your nutrition greatly affects the way you live and your quality of life but have you ever really thought about why? Do you really understand why it is so important?

If you really want to take the steps to live the long life that you deserve and to be as healthy as possible and enjoy those years, than you need to learn all you can about the importance of optimal nutrition. What you eat really affects your body and health.

1. What is optimal nutrition?
2. What nutrients do you need to be healthy?
3. What foods give you these nutrients?

Importance of Optimal Nutrition
Optimal nutrition is very important to your overall health and fitness. Studies have shown that people can actually live longer if they have healthy nutrition. It is proven that there is a link between optimal nutrition and long life and long term health.

If you take a look at society, you will notice an increasingly large number of people that are overweight and obese. You will also see problems such as poor teeth and acne, dry, brittle skin, dry hair and other problems. You will find many people on medications for headache, stomach problems, acid reflux, constipation, heart disease, high blood pressure and more. What may be more alarming than the high amount of medications is the fact that most people receive very little information about what is actually causing their disease or condition. Instead, they get a pill.

What many people never know is that what they are eating (or not eating) can be causing these health problems. You also need to understand that you will have to make changes and adjustments to your intake over the years and stages of your life. Just like toddlers need a different diet from teenagers, you also need to alter your diet as you continue through all of life's stages. Understanding what is best for you through each stage of your life is the best way to remain in optimal health.

Micro and Macronutrients
Many people hear that they need proper nutrition but just what does that mean exactly? What nutrients do you need to be healthy? Optimal nutrition will include a variety of different micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fats that make up the foods you eat.

There is too often a lot of myth surrounding the nutrients, our bodies and how we use these nutrients. This is why it is very important that you get all the facts when planning to change your lifestyle and diet. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and may not even know it. Many overweight individuals may be suffering from malnutrition. Just because you are eating does not mean you are eating the right things.

Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs to be healthy. The specific ones and amounts of each will depend on your body, sex, age and other factors. Every person is different so there is not one set plan that works for everyone. You need to learn what works for you. As you change, grow older, etc. this will change again and you will continue to have to adjust this.

Macronutrients are the carbs, proteins and fats that you get from foods. The amounts of these that you need will vary as well. This is where many myths come in about what you should or should not eat. The facts are that too much of anyone can be bad and not enough can be bad. It's all about finding a balance. This means those "All-Carb" or "No Carb" diets that are so popular on the market are really not the best thing for you.

What you choose to ingest in your body has a big impact on your overall health and your general well-being. People now eat more fast foods and frozen dinners and other quick meals that are not very nutritious at all. Some of these foods even have additives in them that can make them addictive so that you want more and more. People typically eat out of hunger and many of these foods do not work to satisfy your hunger leaving you wanting more or something else. Yet, they still have many calories and fat and other things that your body does not need.

Make the Committment
If you are serious in obtaining optimal health to the best of your ability, then take a look at your lifestyle in general. Are you eating the right foods? Are you exercising? Are you getting plenty of fresh air on a daily basis? Do you have positive relationships? If you find yourself answering "no" to these questions, then make the commitment to change. Talk with your family, friends, or a nutritionist. Check to see if there are support groups in your area related to health and lifestyle changes. Look into joining your local gym. Do your research and then purchase the right nutritional supplements that will help you achieve your goals.

If you at least try to make a change in one area, more are sure to follow! You are now on your way to optimal health.

Author Bio
Monique Hawkins is an Associate with USANA Health Sciences. One of her passions is encouraging and supporting others to obtain optimal health and wellness. Visit her USANA website at www.whyusana.com/mhawkins and her new music box website at www.my-music-box.com

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The Symptoms and Effects of Gum Disease (a.k.a. Periodontal Disease)

Submitted by: Dr. Pandya

Even though we refer to it as “gum disease,” there are actually a variety of types of gingival or periodontal diseases which affect a large percentage of adults at some time in their lives. In fact, research indicates that over 75 percent of people who are over 35 years of age and are living in North America have some form of periodontal disease. Yet, most of these people aren’t aware that they have any issues in their mouths because gum disease is typically absent of any symptoms until it is already doing damage to gum tissue or even to the jawbone.

Periodontal diseases fall into two main categories: Gingivitis and Periodontitis. The first is a very mild form of gum disease and is usually caused by poor oral hygiene habits and can also be halted and any damaged reversed by simply improving those habits. Periodontitis on the other hand, is much more serious and it usually results from untreated gingivitis. The gum diseases that fall under this category are infections that break down and destroy both tissues and bones. And while this kind of destruction is taking place in your mouth, there may be very little if any symptoms of the disease.

The best way to prevent or halt gum disease is to be consistent with your dental checkups, making sure you see a dentist at least once every six months or more if you are prone to dental issues. In the interim, watch for any of the following signs that could indicate that gum disease has taken hold in your mouth:

• An onset of bad breath that won’t go away, even with regular brushing and flossing.
• Gums that have started to be tender and bleed whenever you brush or floss.
• Gums that are red or swollen.
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite or chew.
• Pain in your mouth when you chew your food.
• Teeth that have become sensitive.
• Teeth that have become loose or have gaps between them that didn’t exist before.
• Pus between your gums and your teeth.

If you notice any of these symptoms, get in to see a dentist as soon as possible so that any damage that has taken place can be assessed, treated and stopped. Gum disease, if left unchecked, will not go away and will continue to get worse until it has caused serious damage in your mouth and even to your overall health. Periodontal disease has been documented as a factor in other serious diseases in other parts of the body. In fact studies show that the destructive bacteria that cause gum disease can get into the blood stream and travel to the heart and lungs where it can be a factor in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Gum disease has also been connected with diabetes, and when present in pregnant mothers, has contributed to pre-term, low birth-weight babies. The longer the bacteria that are behind gum disease goes untreated, the more destructive it becomes.

While it can do some nasty damage in your mouth and body, the good news is that gum disease can be prevented and/or stopped. Good daily oral hygiene habits and regular visits to a dentist for checkups and professional dental cleanings are the two strongest tools in the defense against gum disease. And if periodontal disease does get started, there are a variety of methods that a dentist can use to stop the onslaught of the disease and return the mouth to health…but the disease has to be diagnosed in order for that to happen.

Gum disease should be taken seriously since it can have a huge negative impact not only on your oral health but on your overall health as well. When it comes to keeping gum disease at bay, a dentist is your best and strongest ally.

About the Author: Dr. Pandya received his D.D.S. degree in 2001. He then completed additional training in Aesthetic at University of California Los Angeles. He also completed certificate in Boston Implant Institute for surgical implant and reconstructive surgeries. Dr. Pandya

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Ask the Warrior Dentist: Why Would I Need Gum Surgery?

Submitted by: Dr. Susan Wells

Gum surgery is performed by the dentist for a number of reasons, and while some of them are because of a disease inside the gum, other gum surgery procedures are entirely cosmetic in nature and are done to improve the appearance of the mouth or smile. Another kind of gum surgery is referred to as crown lengthening, and it is in a rather unique category. Crown lengthening is performed in cases where the tooth needs to be fixed because it has been broken off, but there is just not enough of the tooth showing above the gum line to facilitate the repair. Since not enough tooth is sticking up to support a repair – for example, to support attaching a new artificial tooth or crown – then the dentist may have to use gum surgery to cut away the gum and reveal more of the tooth.

Gum surgery to create crown lengthening may also be used in situations where a crown, repaired tooth, or dental filling comes loose and falls out to reveal dangerous decay underneath it. In order to properly and securely set a new crown or filling, the dentist needs a solid base – and that can call for removing some of the gum to expose more of the hard, solid tooth foundation. Once gum surgery removes tissue around the tooth – below the visible gum line – then the repair can be successfully completed.

But crown lengthening is sometimes done for looks and appearance only, because people may have more gum showing than they like. The dentist can then cut and scrape away the pink gum tissue using gum surgery. That exposes more of the white part of the tooth, and in some cases it gives the person a nicer looking, more attractive smile. These kinds of procedures – often referred to as gingivoplasty – rework the shape of the gum by cutting or sculpting them to make them look more natural and appealing.

Trimming the gums to remove bacteria is called gingivectomy, and this is often needed when food has gotten trapped between teeth and harbored infectious bacteria. Once the infection begins to attack the gums the dentist may need to use a gingivectomy procedure to open the gums, pull back the gummy tissue, and then excavate the diseased area. After cleaning it and then replacing the gums – which may require stitching – there is a period of healing and then the gums should be returned to their original healthy condition.

Any time there is a diseased area beyond the reach of the dentist; deep down in the gum tissue below the exposed area of the tooth, it may be necessary to perform some type of gum surgery. In almost all types of gum surgery the process is the same. The gum is cut, peeled away to reveal more of the part of the tooth that is normally buried into the gum out of sight, and then the repair or clearing out of infection is done. Once again the gum tissue is replaced – unless trimming is a better alternative for cosmetic reasons, for instance – and after the surgery has time to heal the dentist will reexamine the gums to ensure that they are in good shape with no lingering problems.

About the Author: Dr. Susan Wells DMD has been a warrior dentist practicing dentistry in Warrior, Alabama since 1978. She treats patients for all aspects of general dentistry including preventive dental care oral hygiene instruction and full scale exams and cleanings. To find out more or book an appointment visit her site at http://DrSusanWells.com.

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What Vital Nutrients Is Your Diet Missing?

What Vital Nutrients Is Your Diet Missing?

People today do not eat as well as they did even 30 years ago and many of us are starved for essential nutrients and don't even realize it. With today's fast paced lifestyles, it's more convenient to grab a fast food meal or energy bar then to cook up a balanced meal full of the nutrients our bodies need to work their best.

Our diets are woefully lacking in fruits and vegetables which provide us with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber that help your immune systems fight off illness and disease. And when we do eat fruits and vegetables chances are they are full of pesticides and chemicals. No wonder our health on the whole is declining!

Below are several essential nutrients that are probably missing from your diet. Going for the quick fix and replacing them with supplements won't make up for the synergistic effects of these nutrients found in food and if you want to avoid the harmful effects of pesticides then it's best to go with organic foods when possible.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A gives us healthy eyes as well as helps to maintain the linings of the intestinal, respiratory, and urinary tracts. It also helps keep our skin healthy. To get more vitamin A in your diet, eat darkly-pigmented foods such as spinach, carrots, winter squash, kale, and sweet potato.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is needed in order for our body to create collagen, which is basically the glue that holds our skin, bones and blood vessels together. It also aids in making brain chemicals, neutralizing damage from free radicals, and metabolizing cholesterol. Vitamin C has also been shown to help reduce arthritis, diabetes and heart disease. To add this vitamin to your diet, drink add a glass of orange juice or eat an orange every day. Other foods that contain vitamin C are strawberries, kiwifruit, red bell peppers, cantaloupe, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radicals and protect cells from damage. It plays a key role in the immune system and can even help prevent the common cold as well as lower the risk of Parkinson's disease. Foods high in vitamin E include sunflower kernels, almonds, and sunflower oil especially when used in salad dressings, which helps you get nutrients from the vegetables as well as carry the vitamin E into the bloodstream.

Fiber
Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that is not digested. Whole grains can lower your heart disease risk by 30 percent. It is recommended that you get 14g of fiber for every 1000 calories you eat. To get more fiber in your diet have a 1/2 cup serving of Fiber One cereal and add more beans to your diet. Switch to whole grain bread and eat lots of fruits and vegetables with your meals.

Calcium
Calcium helps us build and maintain healthy teeth and bones. It prevents bone-thinning osteoporosis and also contributes to healthy blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that calcium can reduce the risk of colon cancer. To get enough calcium, drink three glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk a day, or eat eight ounces of fat-free yogurt along with 2-3 ounces of low-fat cheese evert day.

Magnesium and Potassium
Magnesium works together with calcium and along with potassium it is linked to healthy blood pressure. These two nutrients are also though to help protect against osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. To get more magnesium, add a half-cup of bran and cooked spinach each day. For more potassium, eat sweet potatoes, white potatoes, bananas, and white beans.

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes for the A2Z Vitamin And Herbs Guide For Natural Healing where you can find out more about vitamins and herbs as well as natural healing methods.

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