Health and Personal Care Archives

How Lighting Affects a Person’s Mood

Light has more of an effect on your mood than you might initially think. It's actually been shown in study after study that brighter light improves your mood while dimmer lighting (or lack of light altogether) results in a drop-off in mood or even depression. Mood Lighting: Researchers Say It's All in Your Head The intensity of light has such a powerful effect on our moods since light alters our hormones and limbic system, which is the part of the brain that controls emotions.Brain chemicals like melatonin and serotonin are affected by dim lighting. Your brain is essentially gauging the amount of light in the environment minute-to-minute and deciding whether its nearing bedtime - as your brain detects less light, melatonin shoots up and your circadian rhythm gets your body ready for bed by making you tired.This whole process can definitely be a problem if you're in a dimly-lit environment during the morning, or a brightly-lit environment during nighttime. Although you're mo…

Everything You Need to Know About Strokes in the Elderly

Strokes can be frightening; the mere mention can make elderly people apprehensive about how they might be cared for if they suffer one, or even if the stroke will be so severe that they won't be able to recover enough from it to regain their independence. Although not the sole preserve of the over 60s, the risk of having a stroke does double with every decade over the age of 55. However strokes don't need to be the end of the world. A combination of prevention, knowing how to spot the signs, and tips for recovery will all serve to arm you with the knowledge you need to cope with the condition.Strokes are caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain, which occurs when the arteries are blocked. Just as smoking and a diet high in saturated fat can cause heart attacks, that same narrowing and clogging of the arteries elsewhere can cause a stroke. Moderate exercise and a balanced diet will help keep you healthy and reduce the risk, and in combination with keeping your br…

Gingivitis Symptoms and Treatment

There are three main symptoms of gingivitis. The first one of these symptoms is going to be trench mouth. Most of the time, this is going to mean that your gums are bleeding or starting to swell. You might also have some very bad breath and pain in your gums. This means that your gums are going to appear to have a gray color to them. The pointed part of your gums that is in between the teeth will become flat, which is going to accommodate more to the dead tissue inside of the gums.

The second one of these symptoms of gingivitis is the recession of the gums or loose teeth. The longer that you have gingivitis, the more that your gums are going to recede. Therefore, they are no longer going to be able to support the bone structure that you are going to need for your teeth to stay in your mouth. This means that you might end up having to get dentures but they might need to be fitted several times for your mouth. This could also change the…

Getting Your Elderly Loved One to Bathe

When helping to care for an elderly loved one you want to maintain the person's dignity, privacy, and independence while promoting safe and sanitary habits. Many elderly people are reluctant to bathe or shower for a variety of reasons and caretakers should approach this situation carefully. How do you encourage your loved one to bathe or shower more regularly without sounding disrespectful? What is the best method to encourage showering or bathing? What equipment may we need to make showering and bathing safe? Every elderly individual is different and there are a variety of reasons many struggle with regular showering and bathing. We suggest that caretakers: Provide as much privacy as is safely possible. Many elderly people are reluctant to shower because of a lack of privacy.Keep supplies stocked. An elderly loved one may be hesitant to shower or bathe if supplies are running low or are out. Make sure there are plenty of towels, washcloths, soap, and shampoo on hand at all…

Is it Possible to Reverse Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is the number one cause of dental visits. Tooth decay is a major issue because, for many people, there are no signs until a cavity appears in one or more teeth. While a cavity must be filled, and it can not be reversed, there are ways to reverse tooth decay, or prevent the problem from becoming worse and causing more cavities. We've collected five tips that will help you reverse tooth decay.1. Change What You Drink Drinking coffee, sodas, and other sugar-laden beverages are bad for the teeth. The acid in coffee can breakdown the protective coating on teeth, and sugar-based drinks combine with plaque to create a film over the tooth that will wear away at the enamel and cause cavities. Dentists suggest sticking to water for beverages. When you aren't drinking water, consider using a straw. A straw will help the liquid bypass the surface of the teeth, where it does the most damage.2. Check with Your Primary Care DoctorSpeaking to your primary care doctor abou…

Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Dental Hygiene

When it comes to teaching kids about dental hygiene, the most innovative methods are the most effective. Considering kids have shorter attention spans, the content should be interesting, engaging, and most of all, fun. To help you along the way, the following information explains a few fun and creative ways to teach kids about dental hygiene.Dental Trivial PursuitSince most children are competitive, you can create various games designed to reward them for their knowledge of dental hygiene. One great format to use is the Trivial Pursuit format. You can even use the trivia questions found on the ADA website. As a result, your child will be engaged, entertained, and learn about dental history at the same time.Write a SmileAnother great way to make learning about dental hygiene fun is to create an essay or poetry contest. You can pitch themes such as, "The brighter my smile,....." or "I love my smile because...." Using creative prompts will get the kid's minds jogging and…

5 Benefits of Flossing Your Teeth

The most common question your dentist will ask you is, “Have you been flossing regularly?” For many patients, the answer will be yes, but not everyone follows recommendations to floss at least once a day.What the latter group does not realize is that flossing plays a vital role in your dental health. Toothbrushes are great and get the outer surfaces as well as the tops of your teeth and gums, but floss gets into all of those hard to reach areas almost all toothbrushes cannot access. Using mouthwash can help to kill additional plaque that forms, but it cannot remove food bits and tartar that cling on to your teeth the way that floss does. Taking care of your teeth can give you much more than a great smile. Flossing on a regular basis can also help to lower or eliminate your chances of much more serious diseases. Here are 5 benefits of flossing:1. Flossing Prevents Tartar BuildupAnyone who has ever been to the dentist dreads that awful scraping sound on their te…

How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth?

Brushing your teeth is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent plaque buildup, cavities and gum problems. While some people are more prone to tooth problems than others, everyone must brush regularly to avoid tooth decay, and costly dental procedures. While everyone seems fully aware that tooth brushing is a necessary part of the daily routine, the number of people who are unaware of how often to brush, how much to brush, and exactly how to effectively brush teeth is staggering. We've collected some information that should help to clear up the ever important question of "how often should I brush my teeth?"How Often Should You Brush?Most dentists agree that teeth should be brushed at least twice a day. Morning, after you've had breakfast, and evening after your dinner, is generally considered acceptable. While twice a day is a general recommendation, most dental professionals agree that you should brush your teeth three times a day if possible, or after each …

5 Worst Foods for Your Teeth

If prevention is the best medicine, then why not do your best in attempting to prevent cavities, plaque, and tooth enamel loss? Well, if you really want to continue eating sugary or acidic foods, then you certainly can brush your teeth 2-3 times per day with that special enamel strengthening toothpaste that is out now. Or you can even use Oral B electronic toothbrushes such as Vitality, Black, or Deep Sweep.Maybe you already do all of the above anyhow, along with not eating sugary and acidic foods that destroy your teeth from the inside out. Either way, if you want great teeth, it's vital that you floss every day, use mouthwash, and brush with the right kind of toothpaste according to your particular needs at the moment.If you really want white teeth because you are conducting some extra grooming on yourself this month, use whitening toothpaste and mouthwash.If you are attempting to get rid of extra plaque, then you may decide to floss twice a day instead of just once. …

Osteoporosis in Older Adults

Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease that results in a loss of bone mass. This loss of bone mass could dramatically increase the chances that an older adult suffers a bone fracture.In fact, the International Osteoporosis Foundation recently found that nearly ten million osteoporosis sufferers suffer a bone fracture every year. In addition, one-third of women aged fifty and over will experience a fracture brought about by osteoporosis.Hip, forearm and spinal fractures are especially common in older adults who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.Symptoms of Osteoporosis In the early stages of osteoporosis, the condition is more felt than readily seen. That said, elderly patients suffering from moderate to severe osteoporosis might suffer from back pain or fractures in the back's vertebrae.An elderly person with advanced osteoporosis might also have a noticeable stoop or reduction in height through progressive bone loss, spinal fracture, and decades of living w…