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The Truth About Dental Implants

There are three (not serious) main questions, when you understand that you need a dental implant procedure:

1. How much dental implant cost?

2. What are main dental implant prices?

3. Can I get free dental implant? Actually, dentures implant procedure is one of the most expensive things you can do at dentists office.

In the past, dentists would try to keep or replace teeth with treatments such as root canals, bridges, and fixed or removable dentures. Unfortunately, a significant number of root canal treated teeth fail, bridges require that healthy adjacent teeth be cut down and removable dentures can often be unstable and require the use of sticky adhesives. Dental implants are a solution to these problems, and many of the concerns associated with natural teeth are eliminated, including dental decay.

A Single-Tooth Implant

Single-tooth implants can be used in people who are missing one or more teeth. An tooth implant is surgically placed in an opening that is made by your dentist in the jawbone. After the implant integrates (attaches) to your bone, it acts as a new “root” for the crown that will be replacing your missing tooth. A crown (cap), which is made to look like a natural tooth, is attached to the implant and fills the space left in the mouth by the missing tooth.

For this procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw, and the bone has to be strong enough to hold and support the tooth implant. If there is not enough bone, be may need to be added with a procedure called bone augmentation. In addition, natural teeth and supporting tissues near where the implant will be placed must be in good health.

There are plenty of reasons to replace a missing tooth. A gap between your teeth, if obvious when you smile or speak, is a cosmetic concern.

Depending on their location, some missing teeth may affect your speech. A missing molar might not be noticeable when you talk or smile, but its absence can affect chewing.

When a tooth is missing, the biting force on the remaining teeth begins to change. As the bite changes to compensate for the lost tooth, there is a risk of extra pressure on and discomfort in the jaw joints. If a missing tooth is not replaced, the surrounding teeth can shift. Harmful plaque and tartar can collect in new hard-to-reach places created by the shifting teeth. Over time, this may lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease.

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is one option for replacing a tooth. Implants are manufactured devices that are placed surgically in the upper or lower jaw, where they function as anchors for replacement teeth. Implants are made of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the human body.

An implant-restored tooth consists of several parts.

  • The implant, which is made of titanium, is placed in the upper or lower jawbone.
  • The abutment can be made of titanium, gold or porcelain. It is attached to the implant with a screw. This part connects the implant to the crown.
  • The restoration (the part that looks like a tooth) is a crown, usually made of porcelain fused to a metal alloy (PFM), but also could be an all-metal or all-porcelain crown. The crown is attached either to the abutment or directly to the implant. It can be screwed or cemented onto the abutment. If the crown is screwed to the abutment, the screw hole will be covered with restorative material such as tooth-colored filling material (composite).

An implant looks and feels like a natural tooth. It fits securely when you chew and speak. A single-tooth implant is a free-standing unit and does not involve treatment to the adjacent teeth. With a dental implant, the surrounding teeth can remain untouched if they are healthy, and their strength and integrity may be maintained. The implant can stabilize your bite and help prevent problems with the jaw.

What Happens During the Tooth Implant Procedure?

Treatment generally is a three-part process that takes several months. Your dentist may provide the treatment, or you may be referred to a specialist – such as a periodontist, a prosthodontistor an oral and maxillofacial surgeon – for all or part of the treatment.

In the first step, the dentist surgically places the implant in the jaw, with the top of the implant slightly above the top of the bone. A screw is inserted into the implant to prevent gum tissue and other debris from entering.

The gum then is secured over the implant, where it will remain covered for approximately three to six months while the implant fuses with the bone, a process called “Osseo integration. “There may be some swelling and/or tenderness for a few days after the surgery, so pain medication usually is prescribed to alleviate the discomfort. A diet of soft foods, cold foods and warm soup often is recommended during the healing process.

In the second step, the implant is uncovered and the dentist attaches an extension, called a “post,” to the implant. The gum tissue is allowed to heal around the post. Once healing is complete, the implant and post will serve as the foundation for the new tooth.

In the final step, the dentist makes a custom artificial tooth, called a “dental crown,” of a size, shape, color and fit that will blend with the other teeth. Once completed, the crown is attached to the implant post.

And now, maybe most important part.

We’ll try to answer if dental implants are good choice for you.

  • If you are missing a tooth, or teeth you could be an ideal candidate for implants, especially if your smile reveals missing teeth!
  • If you are uncomfortable with the way your dentures fit. Loose dentures can cause sore gums because of friction or food trapped under the bridgework.
  • Loose teeth from gum disease may need support.
  • Dental implants can give you a new base to support new teeth to function and feel like natural teeth.

In these instances, dental implants can help.

Success and failure rates for dental implant procedure.

Dental implant success is related to operator skill, quality and quantity of the bone available at the site, and also to the patient’s oral hygiene. Various studies have found the 5 year success rate of implants to be between 75-95%. Patients who smoke experience significantly poorer success rates.

Failure of a dental implant is usually related to failure to osseointegrate correctly. A dental implant is considered to be a failure if it is lost, mobile or shows peri-implant bone loss of greater than one mm in the first year after implanting and greater than 0.2mm a year after that.

Dental implants are not susceptible to dental caries but they can develop a periodontal condition called peri-implantitis where correct oral hygiene routines have not been followed. Risk of failure is increased in smokers. For this reason implants are frequently placed only after a patient has stopped smoking as the treatment is very expensive. More rarely, an implant may fail because of poor positioning at the time of surgery, or may be overloaded initially causing failure to integrate.

Does it very hurt to have dental implants placed?

The actual procedure to surgically place a dental implant is done under local anesthesia and is generally not at all painful. When the anesthesia wears off about three or four hours later, you might expect some discomfort. The level of discomfort is quite different from patient to patient, but most patients do not have significant problems.

In cases where there is prolonged pain, you should see your dentist right away. Prolonged pain is not a good sign with dental implants and although it does not always mean failure, the cause of the pain should be determined as soon as possible. If an implant is not properly integrating into the adjacent bone or if an infection develops, the implant may have to be removed.

What are the alternatives to implants?

The alternatives to implants are dentures or bridges. On the other hand, you may choose to simply accept the space where a tooth is missing.

A denture usually includes a metal and/or plastic base carrying plastic or porcelain artificial teeth. It is a removable replacement for a few missing teeth (partial denture) or a whole set of teeth (complete dentures). Dentures are very common but they can become loose, making it difficult to eat and speak. One or more implants can be fitted to help support and retain a denture.

A bridge consists of artificial teeth cemented onto adjacent natural teeth. If a fixed bridge were to be used, your dentist would cut down the adjacent teeth (the second molar and the second bicuspid) and fit a three unit fixed bridge over those two teeth.

The missing tooth would be called a pontic and it would be effectively replaced by the three unit bridge. If your dentist were to use an implant with a crown on it, he would place an implant in the site of the original first molar. He could do this immediately or at some date after the first molar was removed. There is no time limit here. The implant will take about 3 months to connect with the bone and then at that time, your dentist can construct a single crown on the implant to replace the missing first molar.

The cost of each one of these procedures varies from office to office, but a three unit fixed bridge costs about the same as an implant and a crown. The actual decision to do one over the other rests with you and your dentist. One technique is not inherently better than the other and each depends upon how you present and your dentist’s skills.

How much dental implant cost?

There are no established fees, of course, dental implant procedures can start even from $800 (dental tourism countries) to $4,000 (at top end dentists US), but it can go beyond.

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Add Humor to Your Speech Without Telling Jokes

How often have you heard someone start a speech with a joke? Too often probably. Speakers with limited experience tend to tell jokes just to get a laugh in the hope the audience will warm up to them. The jokes are often irrelevant to the topic of their speech.

Experienced speakers know there are better ways to add humor to a speech or presentation, including:.

Using funny stories and anecdotes–not jokes–in your speech

Everyone has had bad experiences that become funny with the passage of time. They make great stories Remember that today’s tragedy is tomorrow’s funny anecdote.

If you don’t feel comfortable talking about yourself, borrow stories from other people. It’s acceptable to as long as you credit the source.

Collecting Stories from your audience

“Jollytologist” Allen Klein tells how he’d often ask his audiences “How do you spell relief?” “L-A-U-G-H” was his answer. Then during one of his presentations, an audience member cried out, “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” It was hysterical. Klein now relates the story as part of many of his presentations.

Creating a fun atmosphere in the room before you speak

Since I’m a former news anchor and sportscaster, I sometimes arranged for the person introducing me to show some of my worst on-air bloopers in video clips (there was plenty of material to draw from). The bloopers always got people laughing, and also let them know I wasn’t afraid to laugh at myself a little–a great way to connect with them right from the start.

Self-denigrating humor

In the 70’s, President Gerald Ford was skewered regularly on Saturday Night Live about his lack of grace. Ford struck back by making fun of himself better than the SNL writers ever could.

He told his audiences about the night he met his wife Betty, and how he wanted to dance with her “in the worst way.” Then he’d say, “And Betty later told me I did just that–dance in the worst way.”

Ford also said he had to become the center on his college football team because center was the only position where he didn’t have to move my feet.

If someone as important as a former president can poke fun at himself, the rest of us can too. Self-denigrating humor is a powerful tool.

Using interesting props in your speech

I’d sometimes bring along “IFB” to use as a as a prop. An IFB (which stands for “interruptible feedback) is an ear piece TV reporters use when they’re doing live reports from the scene of a news story. The IFB allows them to hear what the people back in the studio are saying to them as they’re being introduced, and also allows them to hear questions the anchors might ask.

I would sometimes show a blooper clip of what can happen when something goes wrong with an IFB. The clip showed a female reporter stuttering and stammering during a live report. She sounded absolutely smashed. She wasn’t.

It turns out someone had unintentionally pressed the wrong button back in the control room, and the reporter was hearing her own words in her IFB about half a second after she spoke, which, take my word for it, is extremely distracting. For about 15 seconds, she battled and tried to be as professional as she could, but the harder she tried, the funnier she sounded. She finally ripped the IFB from her ear and continued her report.

The clip always got the audience howling.

Borrowing humor

The Internet is a great place to find one liners and funny quotes. Personally, I borrowed often from Yogi Berra (“When you come to a fork in the road, take it…”), Will Rogers (“when Democrats want to form a firing squad, they get into a circle…”) and many others.

Buying humor from people who sell it

There are professionals who will write funny stuff for you, and they’re generally not expensive. You can also check your local comedy club and hire someone who’s probably pretty good at writing one liners. Or do a search for “humor writers” or “humorists” on the Internet.

Steve Allen once said, “People would rather be entertained than educated.” But if you can entertain and educate at the same time, you have the makings of a great speech–without ever telling a single joke.

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Cleanse Your Sinuses With These Herbs

These deep cleansing sinusitis herbs may be just what you need to get rid all that air pollustion that has accumulated in your sinuses.

Sounds a little disgusting doesn’t it, but most likely true. With that in mind you can understand how important a deep cleansing sinusitis herbs program can be.

Herbalists recommend this combination of herbs for cleansing the respiratory tract:

Marshmallow Root

Mullein Leaves

Slippery Elm Bark

Lobelia Herb

Chickweed Herb

Let’s take a look at each of these herbs individually.

To identify marshmallow in the wild look for a tall stem of flowers that resemble blackberry flowers, but are larger than blackberry flowers. And yes it was the inspiration for the candy known as marshmallow because a confection was made from it. In fact one of its common names is Sweetweed.

Few people eat it these days. Some folks in France enjoy eating the freshly picked green tops in the spring because they act as a tonic. Middle Easterners fry the root with onions after its boiled.

But alas, the marshmallow candy contains no marshmallow plant which might give the candy some redeeming qualities. For the herb contains mucilage which helps loosen and remove mucous from the sinuses as well as sooth irritation. Some of its nourishing components include high levels of vitamin A and zinc. These two nutrients help mucous membranes heal and normalize.

Mullein grows as a weed in our area. You may have seen it in yours but not recognized its herbal benefits for sinuses and the respiratory tract in general. It has those big pale green velvety leaves with a spire of yellow flowers reaching up to the sky.

In the lineup of sinusitis herbs it ranks high. Drinking mullein tea aids sinusitis. Mullein calms down those nerves irritated by drainage down the back of the throat. Like marshmallow, it loosens and moves phlegm out of the body. Your sinuses and other respiratory organs will be fed and strengthened by the high levels of iron, magnesium, sulphur and potassium found in mullein.

Chickweed grows abundantly in the temperate regions of North American as a sprawling, thin vined plant with oval leaves and small white flowers. Some love it as an abundant source of greens for salads. Some hate it as an invading weed.

Herbalists say chickweed helps move toxins out of the body and soothes inflammation. Its nourishing qualities include rich levels of iron, copper, vitamin C, calcium, and B-complex vitamin.

Lobelia, a lovely small garden flower with small purple blossoms, graces my garden. According to herbalists this herb rates high in helping the respiratory organs. A lobelia tincture can calm a cough with its powerful relaxing effect on tissues. Full of healthy minerals, Lobelia moves mucous out of swollen tissues.

Slippery Elm Bark comes from a large Elm tree actually called Slippery Elm because boiling the bark produces mucilage. So add this herb to your sinusitis herbs to help soothe irritation and inflammation in the mucous membranes of your sinuses. Actually herbalists say that it removes mucous more powerfully than any of the other herbs and draws out the toxins to get rid of them.

To keep from releasing toxins from your sinuses too fast, start with small amounts of these herbs and increase them a little at a time. If tissues can’t get rid of the mobilized toxins rapidly enough folks may feel worse before they feel better. Drinking plenty of water and keeping the bowels moving flushes out the toxins too.

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What Is CuponK and How Do You Play It?

So… I’m sure you’re wondering at this point what exactly is this thing called Cuponk? Well, it’s simple really. Cuponk is a brand new game by Hasboro that has just EXPLODED in popularity since it came out. The game is fun and accessible to anyone who wants to play it, as it doesn’t require anything too special. While there are plenty of awesome and elaborate sets and challenges you can purchase to make your Cuponk game more exciting, at the end of the day all you need is a simple set and at least one friend to play with!

The game itself is really simple. It involves a special ball and a special cup, both specifically designed for the game. The objective of the game is to get your ball into the cup, which lights up the cup and plays some amazingly awesome sounds. But of course, if you miss than your friends and adversaries will have the chance to show you up!

One of the best and most fun parts of Cuponk is the fact that your whole house is fair game when it comes to finding a place to play the game. The cup can go literally ANYWHERE, which means that you can play the game any single place that you can think up- only your imagination is going to limit you when you play this game. You can play on walls, you can play on chairs, you can play on the floor or on tables, you can play wherever you want, creating whatever challenge you want. It’s all the more enjoyable and rewarding when you finally sink that shot that you’ve been trying over and over again and the awesome wrestling sounds and lights shoot out of your Cuponk cup, signaling victory.

Of course, it would be really simple if all you had to do was sink any kind of shot that you wanted, no matter where you put the cup. What makes this game much harder and more exciting is the fact that your set comes with a bunch of trick cards, explaining the trick shots that you need to make your points with. It’s one thing to be able to get the ball in the cup when it’s on a table near you and you’re just tossing it in there- it’s a whole other thing when you have to master shots like the Stool Sample and the Runny Nose, all the while attempting to outscore your opponents.

If you’re looking for an awesome game that anyone can enjoy, something fun that still has a little bit of an edge to it, then Cuponk is the game you’ve been looking for. If you’re tired of playing “Taboo” and “Pictionary” and want something a little more extreme, than you don’t need to look any further. If you are tired of getting beat by your friends, or tired of them laughing at you when you say you want to have a game night, than enjoy the looks on their faces when you break THIS game out!

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You’ve Got Two Days to Get Rid of that Pimple – Can Cortisone Injections Give You Instant Relief?

I have always been camera-shy, which went hand-in-hand with my biggest fear that I would wake up on the morning of a big event with a huge zit dominating my face. No one wants their acne immortalized in photos! I made it through my graduation photos okay, and I had clear enough skin for the big grad party, but there have been several occasions since then when I was not so lucky. There are many different types of acne, and while none of them are particularly pleasant, some can actually be quite easy to cover with makeup. Whiteheads and blackheads are two types of non-inflammatory acne that generally aren’t noticeable from a few feet away. Even pustules, which are larger and more inflamed, can be hidden with skillful makeup application. But what if the inflammation goes deeper? Is there anything that can be done for papules or cysts to make them less noticeable?

Cortisone is a steroid hormone that, along with adrenaline, is released from the adrenal glands when the body experiences stress. Cortisone has many functions, including maintaining steady blood pressure, but one of the most important roles of cortisone is its ability to decrease inflammation through suppression of the immune system. For this reason, cortisone is used in the treatment of shoulder bursitis, arthritis, lupus, severe asthma, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and several sports injuries involving ligaments and tendons. When used as a medication for the human body, synthetic cortisone can come in a few different mediums, but the primary form is as an injection, either locally or systemically. It is as a dilute intralesional injection that cortisone is used in acne medication.

Acne becomes red and irritated when bacteria within a clogged pore begin to reproduce. This irritates the cells around the pore, and triggers an immune reaction. Cortisone can help an acne lesion by stifling this immune reaction. Once injected into a papule or cyst, there is an immediate reduction in redness and inflammation. As the inflammation decreases, the pain disappears, and the pimple itself flattens out so that it is more easily camouflaged by makeup. All this generally happens within 24 hours of the injection. As a further bonus, cortisone is thought to help pimples heal more quickly by preventing the buildup of scar tissue underneath the blemish.

So long as cortisone is injected in a very dilute form, there are minimal side-effects. One of the more serious consequences of injecting too much cortisone into the lesion is skin atrophy. This is where the skin actually shrinks, leaving a superficial indentation where the blemish had been. It often heals itself, but if the atrophy seems permanent, there are procedures that can be done to elevate the atrophied area so that it is even with the surrounding skin. Another side-effect is a lightening of skin color at the site of the injection. There are limited suggestions for how to counter this particular side-effect, but a dermatologist would be able to give you more information.

If faced with a growing acne lesion a few days before an important event, it sounds like a cortisone injection could be an ideal way to minimize the pimple quickly and effectively. Another plus is that the procedure is reportedly fairly quick, and can sometimes even be performed last-minute, without a pre-booked appointment. If you think this might be a route you’ll consider in the future, it might be worth talking to your dermatologist now, before you’re in a rush and stressed about acne ruining your big day. In the meantime, keep that skin care regimen going, and maybe cortisone won’t even be necessary!

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Vitamins for Smokers

Numerous studies and surveys have consistently shown that a majority of adults frequently eat foods that contain too little vitamin B-6 and vitamin E. We consume far too many calories, and too much total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Women frequently eat too little folic acid, iron, calcium, and zinc. This is why it is so important to take a multi-vitamin daily.

The basic nutritional needs of men and women who smoke are similar to those who don’t use tobacco. However, conclusive evidence exists that smokers need much more antioxidant nutrients than non-smokers.

Essentially, smokers need antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), and vitamin E. It was once believed that beta-carotene was an attribute for non-smokers, but recent clinical studies have found that beta-carotene can actually be harmful to smokers’ health. Beta-carotene can be found in most multi-vitamins and an excess of beta-carotene is risky for good nutritional health. If you are a smoker and going to take a multi-vitamin, be sure it doesn’t list beta-carotene as one of the ingredients.

Too many smokers have inadequate intakes of antioxidants. Smokers are reported to consume lower quantities of antioxidant nutrients than nonsmokers. Antioxidant nutrients have protective roles with regard to cancer, heart disease, cataract formation, cognitive (mind) dysfunction, and other diseases. Researches believe there is a balance between antioxidant protectors and components that promote oxidation in the body. This balance seems to be related to health or disease. Some components of cigarette smoke promote oxidation that provides high levels of oxidant stress. Free radicals, which also promote oxidation, are derived from tobacco. Cigarette smoke has been estimated to contain 1,000,000,000,000,000 free radicals per inhalation. These free radicals can oxidize the fat components of the body and this is quite harmful.

For instance, cigarette smokers have lower vitamin C (natural antioxidant) intakes and plasma vitamin C levels than nonsmokers. The incidence of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts is lower in populations that have high intakes of fruits or leafy green vegetables, all replete with vitamin C. Smokers who ate foods containing more than 200 mg vitamin C daily had serum vitamin C levels equivalent to those of nonsmokers who consumed 60 mg or more of the vitamin, according to a recent national survey. The most recent edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances recommends that regular cigarette smokers take in at least 100 mg of vitamin C daily. Smokers have been found to have higher levels of vitamin C in the lung tissues than nonsmokers. This clearly reflects a positive defense mechanism against the free radical species from cigarette smoke.

Studies have found that smokers have a 30 percent lower vitamin C level than nonsmokers. Researchers believe that nicotine may interfere with vitamin C absorption. Nicotine boosts metabolic rate, therefore increasing the rate that vitamin C is metabolized. Individuals who smoke need 100 milligrams of vitamin C (versus 60 milligrams for nonsmokers) every day.

The body’s most effective antioxidant is vitamin E. Smokers have been found to have lower levels of plasma vitamin E than nonsmokers.

Smokers seeking nutritional supplementation should look for a multi-vitamin that contains at least all of the following: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Niacin, Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Zinc Picolinate, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), and the antioxidant Co-Q10. Some supplements add Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder, Inositol, Rutin, Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex, Choline Bitartrate and PABA.

If you smoke, or live with someone who smokes, it is important that you make the right choices to safeguard you health against the risks associated with smoking. One of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the right multi-vitamin. It’s a fact that smoking depletes the body of important nutrients. It’s also a fact that one nutrient, beta-carotene, has been found in clinical studies to adversely effect smokers’ health. Beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, can be found in most multi-vitamins.

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Heterochromia Causes

Here in this article you are going to learn what causes heterochromia. As you may have already know heterochromia iridum is an eye condition which results in a difference in eye coloration. This is generally due to a lack of melanine pigment or an excess of it. Melanine pigment is what gives skin, hair and eyes their colour in humans and other animals. There are two kinds of heterochromia complete and partial or otherwise known as sectoral.

Complete heterochromia is very rare in humans and it results in having two completely different coloured eyes for example one blue eye and one brown eye. Complete is more common in animals like dogs and cats and nearly always results in them having one blue eye. Partial or sectoral results in having part of an eye a different colour than the rest. In Partial the outside of the iris is the true colour of the iris. A form of partial or sectoral is central heterochromia where the center ring of the iris is a different colour than the mid peripheral of the iris. Central is more common than complete in humans. Below are some causes off having different coloured eyes..

Congenital heterochromia causes

This is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. An autosomal dominant trait is a gene on one of the non sex chromosones that is always expressed even if there is only one copy of it present. A single copy of the mutation is enough to cause a difference in eye colouration. This is in contrast to a recessive disorder where two copies of the mutation are needed to cause a disease or condition. Other causes of a difference in eye colouration include injury, inflammation, eye drops or tumours. These types of causes are called acquired heterochromia.

Aquired heterochromia causes

Aquired heterochromia means acquiring heterochromia rather than inheriting it. This can be done through injury, inflammation, eye drops or tumours. David bowie appears to have heterochromia however his eye was damaged in a fight and remains dilated which gives the appearance of him having different coloured eyes. Eye drops that have been used by glaucoma patients often leads to them becoming heterochromic. Heterochromia can also be acquired through tumours and a variety of different diseases.

If you are interested in this eye condition and would like to learn more about it please feel free to visit my website link found below.

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Natural Remedies For Male Impotence – Increase Penile Blood Flow and Cure ED

There are 2 main reasons why thousands of men are trying natural remedies for male impotence.

1. Many men know that ED medications can cause series side effects including permanent blindness and deafness.

2. It is proven that men who cure ED naturally are healthy and more confident because of the whole-body approach to increase penile blood flow.

In this article, you will learn some tips to increase penile blood flow and cure ED in a matter of days. Let’s get started!

Increasing Penile Blood Flow is Easy

Most ED medications work by relaxing the arteries around the penile region to increase the blood circulation downstairs. In other words, if you increase the blood circulation to your genital region, you will feel like a 20 year old again and be able to have an erection in literally seconds.

Unfortunately, many of our 21st century lifestyles are finally catching up with us. Living a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle can slowly but surely cripple your manhood if you are not careful. Eating foods with lots of fat, cholesterol and even carbohydrates can also clog your arteries leaving your manhood unresponsive.

This can be physically, mentally, emotionally and even socially frustrating. Most men see a doctor about this and get ED medications to increase the blood circulation downstairs. But it is proven that you can cure ED naturally and be healthier if you conquer this with some simple natural remedies for male impotence.

Natural Remedies for Male Impotence

1. Your diet is important for flushing your arteries and your body of the toxins, cholesterol and plaque which may be built up from years of neglect. You should immediately begin to eat vegetables and fruit regularly. Eat more vegetables (4-5 servings daily) for the fiber effect which will flush your body. Fruit can have lots of sugar and can make you feel lethargic so only eat 2-3 servings daily.

Eat lean meats and switch to fat free dairy. Keep your meals simple and fresh. Obviously, avoiding high fat and high cholesterol foods is important. Lastly, you should try to become a grazer when you eat which means you should eat 5-6 small meals daily and not 3 big meals.

2. Exercise is important! You should get at least 45 – 60 minutes of exercise daily. Start slow and begin to push yourself. Exercise can increase blood circulation levels by 15% and you will immediately notice a change. If you do work behind a desk, try to be active by taking the stairs and taking multiple water breaks to get up and walk! Drink 100 ounces of water daily too!

3. Moderate your caffeine can make you feel sluggish at the end of day. Try to wean yourself off of caffeine.

4. Sleep at least 8 hours a day for optimal health.

5. Vitamins are important. You should be taking a multi-vitamin in capsule form. You should also be supplementing vitamin A daily because research shows that being deficient in vitamin A can lead to impotence.

6. Lose weight and quit smoking! This is the perfect time to change your life and add years to it. Losing 10 pounds literally can make you feel 10 years younger. Smoking hardens arteries and builds plaque which can be deadly and very bad for your ED problem.

7. Herbal remedies are also popular because many herbs have been shown to relax the arteries much like ED medication. Try the herb horny goat weed which has been extremely popular.

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Exercise For Eyes – Tips On How To Use Glasses With A Vision Improvement Program

As a consumer you want to have the assurance that solutions to your problems are simple,convenient and hassle free. After all, why pursue a solution that makes your life more complicated than it has to be? This applies to your eye health as well. This issue should be examined from both sides. Because sometimes there are allowances that need to be made. These are a positive means to an end when it comes to weaning yourself off of glasses.

This is an important aspect of an eye exercise program that is frequently overlooked. Paying attention to the correct protocol in terms of knowing how to wean yourself off of glasses, can significantly speed up the progress of your vision improvement program.

For example, in cases where you have a strong prescription, it is not recommended that you discontinue your glasses immediately. Doing this puts the eyes under stress and tension. This is caused by straining to see while you are waiting for your vision to improve. Get a weaker prescription that gives you 20/40 visual acuity that will still allow you to see clearly enough to drive.

Straining to see without glasses can actually slow down your progress. Here are some tips on how to use your glasses in conjunction with your eye exercise program. The key is to use your glasses as little as possible. Use them only when it is absolutely necessary to perform important tasks. By all means apply common sense.

For instance, if you need them for driving,use them for driving only. However, if you can perform a task without them don’t use them. For example,if your phone rings take them off. If you are going on a trip and you are not the driver at the wheel take them off. If you are watching t.v sit a little closer to the t.v set. Choose the closer seat at the movie theater if you are nearsighted. If on the other hand, you are farsighted make sure that your reading room has proper lighting.

This is because prolonged frequent and unnecessary use of glasses can weaken your eyesight. These tips may seem like a hassle but which would you prefer? Straining to see without glasses which slows down your vision improvement or making a relatively simple adjustment to wearing a weaker prescription that speeds up your vision improvement significantly?

Weaker prescriptions are necessary as they help you to wean yourself off of your glasses gradually until they are no longer needed. Why is this important? It’s important for 3 reasons: It makes it easier to perform all your daily activities hassle free.2A weaker prescription will significantly reduce the stress and tension in your eyes that is caused by straining to see.3 It will give your eyes just enough room to improve naturally on their own thereby speeding up your progress.

Taking these necessary steps will speed up the rate of your vision improvement progress. You will also significantly reduce the period of time it takes to see complete improvement and These are outcomes that are all favorable to your vision.

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Ciba Vision, Acuvue and Bausch & Lomb Contact Lenses – A Three Way Battle For the Future

Bausch & Lomb Contact lenses have long been one of the most recognised names in optical care. However, the market is becoming more difficult all the time. Countless firms now have entered the market. They offer all sorts of different products, but the main battle remains between the company’s long term rivals Acuvue and Ciba vision. As they struggle for control of innovative new technologies, which of these three giants is best placed to succeed?

Unlike most contact lens manufacturers it is only part of the larger brand. For the manufacturer Ciba Vision, for example, they are part of a larger pharmaceutical company, Novartis, but the brand Ciba Vision only refers to contact lens manufacturing and solutions.

Let’s look at the larger company first. It divides its business into five core areas, two of which are contact lenses and solutions. The other areas are pharmaceuticals for eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, cataract and vitreoretinal surgey instruments and refractive laser surgery tools.

The pharmaceutical division of the company manufactures a number of eye drop treatments such Besivance an anti bacterial used to treat conjunctivitis. The smallest part of the company, it’s refractive surgery division, manufactures equipment for corrective eye surgery such as the often advertised LASIK surgery. This surgery reshapes a person’s cornea to adjust for myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism. The last division of the company is its cataract and vitreoretinal surgery division. This part of the company manufactures tools for use in surgery for various eye related conditions.

Lens care is more developed than most contact lens manufacturers lens care divisions, Acuvue for example doesn’t manufacture contact lens solutions at all. The company however manufacture ReNu solutions which are popular multipurpose solutions that are currently trying to recover from a product recall in 2006. They also manufacture lens care for rigid lenses under the brand name Boston which puts Bausch & Lomb lenses against smaller manufacturers such as Lucid, as the soft lens manufacturers tend not to make rigid lenses.

Recently Bausch & Lomb contact lenses have been in competition both in the market and in the court room over the development of silicon hydrogel contact lenses branded by Bausch and Lomb as Purevision. Ciba Vision’s patent rights in the USA for a time prohibited Purevision contacts being sold there until agreement was reached. Acuvue’s Oasys and Cooper Vision’s Biofinity are in similar situations.

The company is now no longer a public company listed on the NYSE. It was taken over by the private equity firm Warburg Pincus. However core to success of Bausch & Lomb Contact lenses will be the question of whether its products can stand up to the competition.

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Dried Fruit – Smart Snack Or Health Hazard?

In speaking to countless patients over the years, it is apparent that people generally want to eat a healthy diet. In most cases, however, this is easier said than done. It takes a lot of planning to eat right each day, and many people feel overwhelmed by the high volume of information about nutrition coming from magazines, newspapers, television and medical professionals. One of the most common concerns I hear from patients is the difficulty of getting enough servings of fresh produce. To make it easier, people often turn to dried fruit out of convenience. My wife often buys these types of snacks every time we are in the airport. I would like to explore these kinds of choices and let you know whether or not it is a truly healthy option.

The Importance of Fruit

Everyone needs fruit and vegetables to stay healthy. These natural wonders are chock full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the substances that protect our cells from free radical damage. Many fruits commonly sold both fresh and dried, such as blueberries, cherries, cranberries and figs, are particularly rich in nutrients that protect our health.

Depending on age, weight and activity level, most adults must consume 5 to 9 fruit and vegetable servings each day. The problem is that choosing fresh produce isn’t always easy. You may not have access to a refrigerator at work all day, and delicate fruits like pears and raspberries don’t travel very well. Furthermore, purchasing fresh fruit at fast food restaurants, delis, or convenience shops is either impossible or expensive, and the selection is very limited. Despite these challenges, eating your daily produce servings is a natural, highly effective way to keep your body at its best.

Dried Fruit Pros and Cons

For many people, dried fruit has become the go-to solution to the produce dilemma. The question, however, remains: Is dried fruit truly healthy? The answer is not as clear as you might think. To make dried fruit, manufacturers remove the water. It is the water in fresh fruit that contributes to spoilage and bacteria growth, so dehydrating the fruit makes it shelf stable for six months to a year. If dried fruit is simply fresh fruit with the water extracted, how could it be bad for you?

In order to dehydrate fruit like plums, apricots, figs, grapes and all the rest, the fruit must be exposed to dry heat from either the sun or commercial grade ovens. This heat has a negative effect on fruit’s nutrient content. In particular, vitamin C, potassium and calcium are three important substances that drastically deteriorate during the drying process.

For example, a dried apricot loses over half of its potassium content, and fruits high in vitamin C lose nearly all nutritional value due to drying. On the upside, however, dried fruit does not lose its fiber and iron content.

Another issue to consider with dried fruit is chemical content. For certain fruits, such as, golden raisins and apricots, sulphur dioxide is used to fix the color during the drying process. This chemical may aggravate or provoke asthma attacks in some individuals. To avoid unwanted additives, you can purchase natural and organic dried fruit at health food stores.

When you eat dried fruit, you must also take calories into account. Remember, the water has been removed, considerably reducing the volume of the fruit. Therefore, you will need to eat a smaller portion of dried fruit compared with fresh fruit in order to consume the same amount of calories.

For example, one cup of fresh grapes has about 60 calories, while one cup of raisins has 495 calories-quite a difference!

In addition, dried fruit tends to be much sweeter due to concentrated flavor, so it’s easy to eat a lot without thinking about it. To keep calories in check, divide fresh fruit into individual portions and put them in zip top bags. Keep single servings in your car, purse or desk drawer for snacking.

Despite some stumbling blocks, the National Cancer Institute says that a quarter cup of dried fruit counts as a serving of produce. I recommend that my patients who enjoy dried fruit eat it as just one of their daily produce servings, and that they carefully monitor portion size. With healthy eating, variety is the key. If you purchase natural, chemical-free dried fruit and eat it along with a wide array of fruits and vegetables, it can be a convenient solution to your eat-right goals.

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Educational Trends – Heavily Negative, Sprinkled Positive

The past two decades have brought many changes to the world of education, some of it positive, much of it negative. Regarding the latter, perhaps the most telling is that the United States continues to fall behind other countries in science, reading, and math. There are many factors that are contributing to this downfall. For example, there continues to be a wide socioeconomic gap with an increasing number of students in poverty. Impoverished students cannot be expected to learn if their basic needs are not met. Just as a gap in socioeconomic status is widening, so is the achievement gap. Minority students tend to lag behind their peers in academics.

Politicians have not made the U.S. education system any better. For example, politicians and supporters of the No Child Left Behind Act heavily promote standardized tests. Standardized tests perpetuate grouping, such that lower socioeconomic students are tracked in lower-achieving clusters. Standardized tests encourage rote learning rather than deeply learning concepts.

Many politicians are insistent upon taking away teachers’ rights. For example, many politicians want merit pay for teachers. Merit pay does not take into consideration the natural composition of classes. In other words, some classes inherently have lower achieving students. Therefore, test scores would be lower and hence lower pay. A further example of being against teacher rights is what happened recently in Wisconsin. Its governor struck down collective bargaining, effectively eliminating better working conditions and tenure. If the U.S. follows in this trend, the U.S. cannot be expected to retain and hire phenomenal teachers.

The weakening economy has been detrimental to education. Many programs have been cut or reduced, such as foreign languages. Cutting foreign language education is foolish as languages help us compete in a global marketplace. Other countries mandate that students learn a second language from the youngest of ages, the U.S. lags behind. Furthermore, class size has increased. Student to teacher ratio has gotten worse, creating havoc for teachers and less personal time with students.

Another factor greatly affecting education is that of technology. Technology has been both a blessing and a curse. Regarding the curse, technology may play a role in widening the achievement gap. Those who are lower socioeconomically have less access to the technology. Technology is an enormous expense for districts. Thanks to technology such as cameras on phones and texting, student cheating has become more sophisticated and harder to catch.

Regarding the benefits of technology, students can research topics at the push of a button. Never before has learning about any topic been as readily accessible. Computer programs help students learn new skills. Computer programs for teachers allow educators diverse lesson plans and help to accurately keep grades.

A beneficial educational movement, character education, is in response to a negative trend, societal incivility. Character education is school-wide efforts to teach students about being part of a community by encouraging positive character traits, e.g. honesty, trustworthiness, perseverance, hard work, etc.

Education will never be short of trends. Education is a reflection of society and vice versa. As mentioned above, incivility created character education. Technology creates diverse learning experiences. The positives are mixed with the negatives. It may seem that the negatives vastly outnumber the positives. This may be the case, but over time trends can change. Let’s hope trends will once again favor the U.S. so we can once again be the leader in education.

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Pros And Cons Of Oxygen Therapy

The use of oxygen therapy continues to be a topic of debate among the medical community. Some people believe it is a very effective way to help someone feel better. Others believe there is too much of a risk of using it because there are unknown effects from it. There are also individuals that contend that there isn’t any real benefit from it and they are just scamming people for their money.

Society seems to really take on new forms of therapy though. They are always willing to try the next best thing that is offered. Oxygen therapy is the process of filling the lungs up with more oxygen than the person is normally taking in. This allows the tissues in the body to have more air and for the blood to circulate to the extremities if that has been a problem.

Those medical professionals that due believe in oxygen therapy are trying to get it in use for those that suffer from too much carbon dioxide in their body This is often the result of lung problems. Individuals with emphysema, respiratory problems, and heart disease often need more oxygen than they are getting.

Yet there are so many different factors that affect a person with such ailments that it is hard to determine the overall benefits of oxygen therapy for them. It is impossible to control the many variables. It is believed that the use of oxygen therapy though early on will be a way to give such individuals a better quality of life. Many of them suffer for years and then die slowly due to heart problems, circulation problems, and the toxins that stay in their body due to the carbon dioxide not being removed with the intake of sufficient amounts of oxygen.

There are a couple of different ways in which oxygen therapy can be given to patients. Liquid oxygen injected on a regular basis can be a fast and effective way to give them the oxygen as therapy. There are some kits that allow the patient to administer the oxygen therapy on their own. Yet due to the risks of using liquid oxygen this isn’t left in the hands of anyone but medical professionals.

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Preventive Dentistry: Practices for Oral Hygiene

Who doesn’t like to have a great, bright smile? Well, everyone does which is why good oral hygiene is important! Oral hygiene is not only important for kids but also for adults. Kids are taught to take care of their teeth at an early age just to make sure it becomes their habit. Whenever we talk about oral health regimen, Preventive dentistry is never a thing to forget. It is all about brushing daily and dental cleanings in every six months.

Basically, it is a practice to keep your teeth as well as gums healthy and clean to give a nice, beautiful smile. Another motive is to keep cavities, enamel wear and gum disease at bay. Here are some of the preventive dentistry practices for a good oral health:

  • Flossing: Where Brush Can’t Reach
    We all know what is flossing and what are the benefits of it but do we floss daily? Well, No! Whether due to the time constraint or laziness, we often miss flossing due to which various dental problems take place. We should floss at least once a day to remove food substances and other detrimental particles that brushing cannot do. It helps to completely clean tight gaps where brush bristles are not able to reach. It is highly effective practice to keep your teeth healthy.

  • Brushing Daily
    Without any doubt, brushing your teeth is one the most important preventive dentistry practices to maintain your oral health. The American Dental Association or ADA recommends brushing your teeth twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride. This is because fluoride toothpaste can eliminate plaque from your teeth which causes tooth decay and gum diseases. The right way to brush your teeth is to set the bristles of brush at an angle of 45 degrees near the gum line to effectively clean your teeth.

  • Eating a Balanced Diet
    A healthy body is depended on a healthy diet and with that, you get healthy teeth! A balanced healthy diet is important to provide all the nutrients that your teeth need. Poor diet can be harmful your teeth and gums. Excessive intake of foods rich in carbohydrates, sugar and starches can lead to accumulation of plaque, thus resulting in damaging tooth enamel. Dentists strongly recommend not to consume sugary foods for healthy teeth.

  • Visiting Your Dentist
    If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, visiting your dentist is advisory. Sometimes with the naked eye, you are not able to figure out whether you are suffering from any gum and teeth diseases or not. In that case, you should visit your dentist at least twice a year to maintain your oral health. With the help of examinations and tests through x-rays, dentists are able to identify and prevent future dental problems right away.

So, these are the practices that preventive dentistry does to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Following preventive dentistry can also provide you with periodontal treatments. Regular visits at Flushing Dentist can be the reason for optimal oral hygiene.

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Laryngeal Cancer The Smoker's Curse

Laryngeal Cancer

Laryngeal cancer is cancer of the larynx, a tube in the front of the neck between the esophagus and  the trachea (the voice box). The larynx assists in breathing, speaking, and even swallowing. The most common form of Laryngeal cancer is squamous cell cancer, rare form which comprise 5%  include; adenocarcinoma and sarcoma.

Laryngeal cancer most commonly starts in the vocal cords, it is most common in males with a ratio of 10:1 over females, African Americans and people over 65.

Risk factors for Laryngeal Cancer:

The development of laryngeal cancer is strongly linked to smoking and heavy use of alcohol.  The more a person smokes, the greater the risk of developing laryngeal cancer. It is unusual for  someone who does not smoke or drink to develop cancer of the larynx. Occasionally, however people  who inhale such things as asbestos particles, wood dust, paint or industrial chemical fumes over a  long period of time develop the disease.

Other risk factors for laryngeal cancer include certain viruses, such as the human papilloma virus (HPV), and possibly, acid reflux.

Symptoms of Throat Cancer:

Symptoms of laryngeal cancer include abnormal breathing sounds, a persistent cough, difficulty  swallowing, swelling or lumps in the neck, coughing up blood, a persistent sore throat, and hoarseness of voice that does not subside in one to two weeks. Unexpected weight loss or a prolonged earache  may also be signs of the disease.   

Diagnosis:

An individual who is exhibiting these symptoms will most likely be advised to undergo an laryngoscopy, which is a procedure in which a throat doctor, or laryngologist, will view the inside of the throat with a  special piece of equipment called an endoscope.

In some cases, the laryngologist may also cut out a small piece of tissue during the laryngoscopy to  later be tested in a lab. This is called a biopsy.If laryngeal cancer is suspected, the throat with be  examined with a small long-handled mirror or a fibre-optic light called a laryngoscope. If abnormal  areas are seen, a biopsy will be taken under local or general anaesthetic. This is the only way of  accurately diagnosing laryngeal cancer.

Once laryngeal cancer is found, staging tests are performed to find out if the cancer has spread and,  if so, to what extent.

Laryngeal cancer staging is defined not by primary tumor size but by extent of laryngeal involvement. Each of the three divisions of the larynx, the supraglottis, the glottis, and the subglottis, define advanced lesions as those that compromise vocal cord motion.This functional deficit often implies deep muscular involvement and portends eventual tumor spread outside the confines of the larynx. 

Squamous cell carcinoma tends to metastasize by lymphatic spread in a relatively predictable pattern  within the cervical lymph node chains.

While early lesions show a 10-30% rate of metastasis at diagnosis, advanced lesion show rates  greater than 50%. Of those with metastatic lymph node involvement, 40% will show no clinical  evidence of lymphadenopathy.

Development:

When the cells that make up the tissue of the larynx begin to multiply and divide at an unusual rate it is called laryngeal cancer. The cells also grow abnormally large, usually forming a mass called a tumor. The tumor can displace and interfere with other organs surrounding the larynx and spread to other parts of the body. Laryngeal cancer may spread, either by direct extension to adjacent structures, by   metastasis to regional cervical lymph nodes or more distantly, through the blood stream.  Distant metastates to the lung are most common.

Treatment for Laryngeal Cancer:

Treating laryngeal cancer may involve multiple medical experts including otlaryngologists , surgeons,  oncologists, and radiation oncologists.The exact method of treatment will depend on your particular  situation but often will involve surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible.

Local radiation of  the cancer cells may be performed before surgery in an effort to reduce the size of the tumor or after surgery to eradicate as many cancer cells as possible.Chemotherapy is used in some cases of  laryngeal cancer

Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer.

The exact method of treatment will depend on your particular situation but often will involve surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Local radiation of the cancer cells may be performed before surgery in an effort to reduce the size of the tumor or after surgery to eradicate as many cancer cells as possible.

Chemotherapy is used in some cases of laryngeal cancer.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene may play a protective role.

For early stage laryngeal cancer, either surgery or radiation alone is the most common and appropriate therapies offered. For more advanced disease, either radiation (with chemotherapy) or surgery followed by radiation is  the most common treatment given.

In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the lining of the larynx. These abnormal cells may become  cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue.

Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.

In stage I, cancer has formed.

Stage II laryngeal cancer depends on where cancer is found in the larynx:

Supraglottis: Cancer is in one area of the supraglottis only and the vocal cords can move normally.

Glottis: Cancer is in one or both vocal cords and the vocal cords can move normally.

Subglottis: Cancer is in the subglottis only.

Stage III and stage IV cancers are usually treated with total laryngectomy . This is an operation to  remove the entire larynx. Sometimes other tissues around the larynx are also removed.

In stage IVA: cancer has spread through the thyroidcartilage and/or has spread to tissues beyond the larynx such as the neck, trachea, thyroid, or esophagus, and may have spread to one lymph node  on the same side of the neck as the original tumor; the lymph node is smaller than 3 centimeters; or cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes anywhere in the neck and the lymph nodes are  smaller than 6 centimeters; cancer may have spread to tissues beyond the larynx, such as the neck, trachea, thyroid, or esophagus.

Vocal cords may not move normally.

Surgeries for laryngeal cancer include:

Total laryngectomy which involves the removal of the larynx,including the vocal cords.   Partial laryngectomy where the surgeon removes the cancerous tissue while leaving as much of the  vocal cords as possible.  

Tracheotomy where to help with breathing, a hole is made in the neck below the larynx.  This may be temporarily necessary after surgery, or permanently placed in the case of laryngeal tumors that are too large to be removed.  

Neck dissection which involves the removal of the lymph nodes and part of the neck muscles to  determine the spread of cancer.

Prognosis:

A diagnosis of laryngeal cancer does not always mean surgical removal of the entire larynx . Depending on the size, location, and time of cancer detection, one or more of the following approaches may be used: radiation therapy , chemotherapy , partial laryngectomy.

In these cases, voice may  be preserved although its quality may not be normal.

If speech preservation is impossible, speech rehabilitation may include esophageal speech or  prosthetic devices; surgical techniques to construct a new voice box are still experimental.

Cancers found in stage 0 and stage 1 have a 75% to 95% cure rate depending on the site.

Late stage cancers that have metastasized have a very poor survival rate, with intermediate stages  falling somewhere in between. People who have had laryngeal cancer are at greatest risk for recurrence, especially in the head and neck, during the first two to three years after treatment. 

Check-ups during the first year are needed every other month, and four times a year during the second year.  It is rare for laryngeal cancer to recur after five years of being cancer-free.