Teeth whitening has become increasingly popular throughout the years, with more and more people purchasing over the counter products and getting costly procedures done at their dental offices. But just how safe is bleaching your teeth? At the start of my college years I joined the bleaching craze. I bought a huge box of white strips and eagerly came home and placed one on the top and bottom rows of my teeth. Within just a few days I could tell a difference with my teeth color. I was thrilled that it was working and I didn’t just waste $35. But then, something happened. If I was chewing food that was either real warm or cold, my teeth would ache. Eating ice cream or other cold treats were out of the questions. Even taking drinks from a water bottle or cup became a painful process, and I had to start drinking everything out of a straw because the pain was too bad on my teeth. I had suffered from sensitive teeth in the past, but this was an extreme pain that was making the small task of eating or drinking nearly impossible. After researching my problem on the internet, I scheduled an appointment with my dentist to see what was going on. Turns out, the white strips were slowly stripping my teeth of their enamel, causing intense sensitivity. I had to immediately stop use of the strips and after time the sensitivity disappeared and my mouth felt back to normal. That was four years ago. A few months back I bought a different type of tooth whitener; this was a gel that I placed over my teeth with a q-tip and let sit for five minutes once a day. This process took longer to turn my teeth a whiter color, but I have experienced no pain or sensitivity, just better looking teeth. So what are the differences with teeth whiteners and how can you be sure you are getting a safe product? I found an article on Yahoo! Health that helped answer some of my questions, and the answers made me less confident in my daily whitening routine. Research has shown that using an at home whitening procedure for 2 weeks at a time once or twice a year should have no long term effects, but those chances decrease if you use a whitener daily. Also safe: a one time visit to the dentist for a whitening procedure, or a dentist prescribed whitening tray worn at a night a few weeks out of the year. The dangers of tooth whitening are more than just pain and sensitivity, but can include gum irritation, bluish enamel, uneven whiteness, and can even lead to needing a root canal. This can occur if the bleach seeps into a crack in the teeth or an unfilled cavity. So what is the safest method for whitening your teeth? The American Society for Dental Aesthetics states they are only comfortable recommending a custom fit whitening tray from a dentist. The tray will help keep the bleach from spreading on the gums and other tissue in the mouth, decreasing any harmful effects. If you do want to try an at home treatment to save money, check with your dentist first. There might be a cavity that needs taken care of before you start bleaching, or other dangers lurking in your mouth that your dentist would recommend against doing a teeth whitening kit. Source: Laurel Naversen Geraghty, Prevention
The death of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been ruled a suicide. People.com reports that an official inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court in London on Wednesday reports that McQueen was killed by hanging himself in his wardrobe closet at his Mayfair apartment. A suicide note was found next to him.
One question that often arises in the cold winter weather is the safety of running in the frigid temperatures. I noticed that when I run outside or even just walk outside when the temperature dips below freezing that my lungs start to almost burn and it can become pretty painful. But a post on FitnessMagazine.com can bring relief to runners- there is no danger when running outdoors. The burning sensation may be irritable, but is simply because the air you are breathing in is colder than the air in your lungs. The lungs begin to work to try to make that air coming in warmer, which can cause rapid water loss, therefore making you feel that burn. While there is no danger, you can try to wear a scarf around your nose and mouth to sidestep any irritation.
Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are making it official! Richie, 28, announced her engagement to the Good Charlotte rocker on The Late Show with David Letterman on Monday. The wedding is expected to be held this summer. Richie and Madden began dating in December 2006 and have two children together- Harlow, 2, and Sparrow, 5 months.
As I was reading the February issue of my favorite magazine- Cosmopolitan of course- I started reading the article ‘These Healthy Foods Can Make You Fat.’ I figured I would see the usual culprits such as salad loaded with dressing and croutons, but I was really surprised to see all that made the list. Here were the biggest surprises for me: 1. Dried Fruit. What? Fruit is always good for you..or I guess not. Dried fruit is not as good for you as fresh fruit because it has been dehydrated and is much denser. The example that was given was that fresh grapes have 60 calories, while dried raisins pack 460 calories! Big difference. 2. Sushi Rolls. I’m always hearing about the sushi diets and other crazy seafood tricks celebrities are doing to stay in shape, but sushi rolls will not help thin your waistline. Sure there are veggies and seaweed that are healthy, but many of the rolls are filled with cream cheese or mayo that is definitely unhealthy. Most sushi rolls can have up to 600 calories- and that’s before the soy sauce! 3. Wraps. Cosmo said that most wraps unrolled can reach up to 1 foot across- a fact that made my mouth drop! That is a whole lot of tortilla shell! No matter what healthy foods you put into the wrap, there is no denying that 1 foot of tortilla is not healthy- and add in the mayo or dressing- most wraps reach up 300 calories. What were the other “healthy” offenders? • Granola • Bran Muffins • Half-and-half • Bottled Teas • Veggie Burgers • Rice Cakes • Juice • Diet Microwave Meals • Salads • Tofu Check out this month’s Cosmo for the full article and other healthy tips!
Q: Why did you decide you wanted to be a writer? A: I couldn't think of anything else I was competent at! Q: Where do you find the inspiration for your novels? A: Usually, there's a bit of real life mixed in with the fiction. I'm from New York, but I find a lot of my inspiration in my new hometown-Los Angeles. There's so much to write about here. I really is crazy here. For instance, we live on a cul de sac in the valley, and right on the hill above us is a house that was used in porn movies. So, we'd be sitting outside listening to moaning. It was very surreal. Q: I just started reading Pieces of Happily Ever After. Where did the idea for that story come from? A: This woman--Vera Moder--who lived a few blocks from us was dumped by her husband for another woman--Julia Roberts. She was all over the tabloids. Her husband, Danny, eventually married Julia . I wanted Vera to do a nonfiction book with me. But when she wouldn't, I decided to fictionalize it. Imagine going through a break-up and having it very public? And imagine having to read about your partner's romance in the tabloids? I thouht it was a great jumping off point for a novel about a lot of other stuff--mothers and daughters, aging, love, romance, etc. Q: Is there a typical day for you? A: I wish I had a typical day. I wish I could say I get up at 5 a.m. and write until noon. But I don't. I write when I can. I write when my kids are at school, or at night, or right now as they play outside. I usually don't move until I have to because I know that at any moment, someone's going to cry or fight or be hungry. Q: What is your favorite part about writing? When it just flows and I'm in that zone where I'm totally lost in the story. Q: You have been a correspondent for PEOPLE and US Weekly. What did you take away from those experiences? A: When I first started working for People, I thought it would be a joke--just something easy to do for a whle. Was I wrong. It was the hardest job. Being a reporter for People, I learned to pay attention to detail and to think fast. I learned that you really can never have enough details for a story and you've got to constantly be coming up with creative ways to draw a subject out. What were some of the favorite stories you worked on? A: Even though I covered mostly the celebrity beat, my favorite stories were always the human interest type--like the girl who awakened from a coma after months and months, or the veternarian who spent weekends on Seattle's Skid Row taking care of the homeless' pets. Q: If you hadn’t been a writer, what do you think would be your career? A: I have no idea. Q: Are you currently working on any future novels? Sure. I have some things in the works, but right now I'm ghostwriting a book. Q: What would be your advice to aspiring writers? Never give up. Listen to the voice in your head instead of what other tell you. Q: What is or do you think would be your favorite place to travel? I used to be a travel writer, so I love traveling. Anywhere. I love European cities like Paris, St. Petersburg, Dubrovnik, Prague, Florence, Rome. But I also loved a trip I took a while back throughout Alaska. I went to Tahiti on my honeymoon, which was just incredible. And I love road trips through northern California.
Adele Parks was born and raised in northeast England and attended Leicester University to study English Language and Literature. After moving to Italy and teaching English, Parks moved back to the UK and began a career in advertising. After living life on the fast track (and moving to Botswana for a few years in between) Parks went on to write her first novel- Playing Away- which became the debut best seller of the millennium. Since being published, Parks has gone on to publish eight more novels- all of which have become best sellers. Her titles are: Playing Away, Game Over, Larger Than Life, The Other Woman’s Shoes, Still Thinking Of You and Husbands, Young Wives' Tales, Tell Me Something and Love Lies. Adele Parks currently lives in Guildford with her husband and son.
