But the truth is, you don’t need me to tell you that soda isn’t healthy. We all know that America’s drink of choice contributes to our country’s ever-expanding obesity problem. But, as Rodale.com writer Leah Zerbe discovered, love handles are just the beginning. Read on for her report on three shocking soda facts that will have you saying “Just water, please” from now on.

Shocking Soda Fact #1: Soda fattens up your organs

A recent Danish study revealed that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in dangerous hard-to-detect fats. Researchers asked participants to drink either regular soda, milk containing the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet cola, or water every day for six months. The results? Total fat mass remained the same across all beverage-consuming groups, but regular-soda drinkers experienced dramatic increases in harmful hidden fats, including liver fat and skeletal fat. The regular-soda group also experienced an 11 percent increase in cholesterol compared to the other groups! And don’t think switching to diet varieties will save you from harm: Artificial sweeteners and food dyes have been linked to brain cell damage and hyperactivity, and research has shown that people who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Shocking Soda Fact #2: Soda contains flame retardants

Some popular soda brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil—a toxic flame retardant—to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient—sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks—can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is.

Shocking Soda Fact #3: Drinking soda makes you a lab rat

Many American soda brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming man-made compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don’t know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!

Jan 24, 2012

By Gary Stoller, USA TODAY
http://m.usatoday.com/article/travel/51124844

Updated: 11/09/2011 11:52am

Frequent business traveler Joyce Gioia forgot more than $20,000 worth of jewelry in her hotel room in Italy last year.

Luckily for Gioia, the jewelry was in a room safe, and staff at the Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora shipped the items to her home in Austin.

“I had done such a dumb thing, and I was very happy to get the jewelry back,” says Gioia, a management consultant.

Travelers annually leave millions of personally important items such as wallets, keys, cellphones and eyeglasses behind in hotels, airports, airplanes and rental cars. Fortunately for the forgetful, many belongings — including very valuable and unusual ones such as Gioia’s jewelry — are returned.

Many, however, aren’t, and they are given away or sold if their owners don’t retrieve them or their owners cannot be found.

Gioia and other travelers scold themselves for their forgetfulness, but psychologists say it’s commonplace even among the most veteran of travelers.

“When traveling, people tend to have lots on their minds, and there are often many unexpected distractions,” says David Meyer, a University of Michigan psychology professor. “The combination of too much to keep track of, limited attention for doing so and being in relatively unusual circumstances outside familiar work and home locations promote forgetting about the small stuff being carried along the way.”

USA TODAY contacted several airlines, airports, hotels and car-rental companies and, among other things, asked how many items are left behind by their customers yearly.

Southwest Airlines, which carried 88 million passengers last year, reported the largest number. The airline takes possession of up to 10,000 items a month that are left behind at airports and in planes, says spokeswoman Katie McDonald.

Books, cellphones, clothing and reading glasses are the most common items left behind, she says.

The most valuable items? A $10,000 diamond engagement ring, an NFL Super Bowl ring and professional video equipment — which all were returned to their owners.

Southwest stores items in a 4,000-square-foot area within a Dallas warehouse. Unclaimed items stay there 30 to 90 days, and the majority is then donated to the Salvation Army, McDonald says.

Most items left behind don’t contain an owner’s contact information and aren’t reported lost, she says. Also, many electronic devices are locked, making it difficult to determine who owns them.

American Airlines tries to reunite items with their owners “for several weeks,” says airline spokesman Tim Smith. And, if that cannot be done, he says, items are sold to a salvage company.

The cost of returning items to owners is “significant,” he says, much more than the income received from the salvage company. “Lost and found is a customer service — not a money maker,” Smith says.

McCarran airport in Las Vegas says about 30,000 items — an average of 82 a day — are left behind each year.

Most are left at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints and turned over to the airport, says McCarran spokeswoman Candice Seeley.

The most common forgotten items: cellphones, eyeglasses, belts, watches, wallets and other belongings that “travelers shed in preparation for screening,” Seeley says.

Most of the 15,936 items logged into the lost-and-found office at Oregon’s Portland International Airport last year also were left at TSA checkpoints, says airport spokesman Steve Johnson.

After 30 days, many unclaimed items are donated to charity, he says. Items valued at more than $100 are kept for 90 days, then auctioned at a state surplus website.

The airport employs a full-time worker to handle lost items and incurs mailing costs of $10,000 to $20,000 yearly to return items, Johnson says.

Many hotels told USA TODAY that at least one item a day is left behind by guests.

Many see more. The Hyatt Regency in Chicago reports about 7,300 items a year, or about 20 a day, are left, according to Shaheryar Adil, a manager at the hotel.

At Hyatt hotels generally, passports, credit cards, state ID cards, computers, wedding rings and other jewelry, MP3 players and cash are most often left behind, says Hyatt spokeswoman Lori Alexander.

Other hotels see other trends. Novotel last year surveyed its 31 hotels in Britain and found that more mobile phone chargers were left behind by guests than any other item.

Phone chargers apparently are easily forgotten. Matthew Humphreys, an assistant manager at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, says he’s worked at nine Hyatt hotels and the housekeeping staff in each had a large box of chargers.

“If you are traveling and find yourself in need of a phone charger, definitely call down and ask housekeeping,” Humphreys says.

Next to chargers, Novotel found underwear was most forgotten, followed by false teeth and hearing aids, shoes and clothing, keys, toiletries, adult toys, electric toothbrushes, laptops and jewelry.

“We continue to be mystified by the random collection of items left in our rooms by guests,” says Melissa Micallef, Novotel’s marketing manager. “Our lost property departments really are treasure troves.”

Many hotels say they respect guests’ privacy and won’t return an item unless the owner asks for it. That prevents them from getting caught in such sticky situations as a spouse learning that a mate may have spent the night with someone else.

Considering that “intimate apparel” and “adult toys,” according to Adil, are some of the most unusual items left behind at the Chicago Hyatt Regency, the policy may make sense.

The Surrey hotel in New York reaches out to people who leave valuables behind, says Shan Kanagasingham, general manager of the hotel.

About 30% of the roughly 500 items left at the luxury hotel each year are returned, she says. Items are kept for three months. If they can’t be returned, they’re given to the people who found them.

The Ritz-Carlton, which only returns items requested by guests, keeps items up to 120 days, depending on value, and gives unclaimed items to the employees who found them, says Sandra Estornell, the chain’s corporate director of rooms’ development.

Many hotels charge guests for returning items because the costs of returning them can run high.

It’s easy to understand why belongings are left.

Claire Heymann, owner of the small luxury Hotel St. Germain in Dallas, says some rooms are in “such disarray” that guests don’t see an item before leaving and some items are hidden for “safekeeping” and then forgotten.

A guest once lost a $1 million earring in the courtyard during an evening cocktail reception, but it was found, Heymann says.

Among items left at her hotel: sleep masks, keys for handcuffs, boxes of live sleeping butterflies, a mannequin head, a toupee and a five-year sobriety coin from Alcoholics Anonymous left next to an empty bottle of champagne.

Hertz spokeswoman Paula Rivera says “thousands” of items are left behind in Hertz cars annually, particularly mobile phones, laptops and cameras.

Every Hertz location has a person responsible for lost items, and about 75% are returned to their owners, she says. Unclaimed items are donated to charity.

Travel disrupts a person’s habits at home or work, where a coat, keys and briefcase may regularly be placed in a particular place, says Robert Bjork, a UCLA psychology professor.

“We do things in a certain order as we depart from home or work,” Bjork says. “Those habits protect us from forgetting things, and they are disrupted by travel.”

Frequent business traveler Lori DeFurio of Jordan, N.Y., calls herself “the queen of leaving stuff behind.”

In December, she left a new winter coat and leather gloves in the overhead bin on a Southwest jet.

“I remembered five minutes after I left the airport,” says DeFurio, who works in the computer software industry. “I called the airline from the taxi and had the concierge at the hotel keep trying, but I never got it back.”

Some frequent business travelers have formulated strategies, or routines, to prevent leaving things behind.

Flight attendant Jennifer Welch of Hillsborough, Calif., says her last actions before checking out are shutting off her computer and then conducting “a sweep” of the room.

“I’ve noticed that on the occasions when I forgot items, it happened when I was tired and did things in a different order than I normally would,” she says.

November 05, 2011|By the CNN Wire Staff

The winning bid for John Lennon’s tooth came in at $31,200, according to auction results posted online.The tooth fairy’s trash became another man’s treasure Saturday when a discolored molar that once belonged to John Lennon was put up for auction.

Michael Zuk, a Canadian dentist, is claiming responsibility for the winning bid. Omega Auction House, which sold the tooth, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Lennon gave the tooth to Dorothy “Dot” Jarlett when she worked as his housekeeper at his Kenwood home in Weybridge, Surrey, according to her son, Barry. Jarlett, who was employed between 1964 and 1968, developed a warm relationship with Lennon, her son said.

Could your child's baby teeth be a life saver?

The down economy’s done little to darken the tooth-bleaching market. Americans spend $1.4 billion a year on at-home kits to brighten stained and yellowed chompers and request whitening more than any other procedure in the dentist’s office. (Then again, who’s begging for a root canal?) But, like anything that combines the potential of looking better (a twinkly white smile) with possible risks (sticking chemicals in your mouth), this one has attracted its share of controversy.

Before you run out for a lunchtime tooth-lightening session or apply your umpteenth — or your first — set of whitening strips to your bicuspids at home, here are four things you should know about chemical spiff-ups for your smile:

1. Give it a rest. There’s a reason some products should be used only four times a year: worries about overuse. If lightening becomes as regular as a monthly haircut in your grooming routine, you may damage tooth enamel and take your teeth to the point of ghostly translucence. That’s not pretty.

2. It’s not always ouchless. The most common side effects of tooth-whitening, whether it’s DIY in your bathroom or a professional job, are sensitive teeth and irritated gums. From 10% to 65% of people who give tooth bleaching a try have some pain, experts say. Usually, it’s short lived, but to avoid it in the first place, try using a toothpaste that reduces sensitivity for several days before your procedure (and for a few days or weeks afterward). Taking an ordinary painkiller (like ibuprofen) before a bleaching session helps, too.

3. Think twice about bleaching at the mall. One recent CBS-TV investigation of “whiten while you shop” kiosks and storefronts in malls found that while employees may wear lab coats, they usually aren’t dental-care professionals. And they aren’t equipped to evaluate dental problems — so underlying dental issues, like cavities, could be made worse by bleaching. One place used bleaching agents that were dentist-office strength, which can be two to three times stronger than the carbamide peroxide gel found in some home whitening kits approved by the American Dental Association.

4. Ask your dentist what’s possible. Bleaching can make your pearly whites several shades whiter — especially if coffee, tea, tobacco, or plain old aging are to blame for that gray-yellow grin. But the results are less reliable if your teeth were stained by the use of the antibiotic tetracycline or by too much fluoride in childhood. Also, if you have tooth-colored fillings or crowns, bleaching can cause a color mismatch. Talk to your dentist about whether a possible variation in “whites” in your mouth will be noticeable.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/about-to-whiten-your-teeth-read-this-first-2470763/

But even if you brush, use white strips, and visit your dentist twice a year, it may not be enough.

Here are some factors that can wreak havoc on your teeth and gums, and put a serious damper on your smile.

1. Sports drinks

In the last decade, sports beverages have become increasingly popular, but they aren’t great for your teeth.

“Scientific research has found that the pH levels in many sports drinks could lead to tooth erosion due to their high concentration of acidic components, which could wear away at the tooth’s enamel,” says David F. Halpern, DMD, FAGD, president of the Academy of General Dentistry.

Additionally, these drinks are often high in sugars that act as “food” for acid-producing bacteria, which then sneak into the cracks and crevices in your teeth, causing cavities and tooth decay

2. Bottled water

Tap water often contains fluoride—about 60% of people in the U.S. have fluoride in their water supply.

However, most bottled waters contain less fluoride than recommended for good oral health (it will be listed as an ingredient on the label if it is an additive).

“Fluoride makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which aids in repairing early decay before damage is even visible,” explains Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson, Charles H. Perle, DMD, FAGD. “Studies have confirmed [that] the most effective source of fluoride is water fluoridation.”

3. Diabetes

Diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection, so you’re at a risk for gum disease. Brushing, flossing, and monitoring your blood sugar can help.

“Diabetes is directly related to periodontal disease, so seeing the dentist and having your triglycerides and cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis is also crucial,” stresses Perle.

Perle also points out that research has shown that diabetics can reduce the amount of insulin they need to take by maintaining good gum health

4. Tobacco

Smoking turns your teeth yellow, but it can be much more damaging than that.

“Using any form of tobacco can harm your teeth and gums in a number of ways,” says Halpern.

“It can cause throat, lung, and mouth cancer, and even death. Additionally, the tar from tobacco forms a sticky film on teeth, which harbors bacteria that promote acid production and create irritating toxins, both of which cause gum inflammation, tooth decay, and loss.”

Wine drinkers beware: Regular wine consumption can harm tooth enamel.

According to Halpern, wine’s acidity can dissolve the tooth structure, and both red and white wine can increase dental staining. Still, you don’t have to give up your regular glass of vino to save your smile.

5. Wine

“Enamel erosion develops when wine drinkers swish the wine, keeping it in constant contact with the enamel, so instead, take small sips and rinse with water when you’re done drinking,” advises Perle.

It’s especially important to take care of your teeth and gums when you’re expecting, since studies show a link between untreated gum disease and pre-term and low-birth-weight babies.

6. Pregnancy

“Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, particularly surges in estrogen and progesterone, can cause inflammation of the gums, which can lead to gingivitis (red, swollen, tender gums that are more likely to bleed) and put you at risk for infection,” says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson, Gigi Meinecke, DDS, FAGD.

If you have morning sickness, rinse your mouth with water or rub your teeth with a paste of baking soda and water to neutralize the acid caused by vomiting, since it can lead to tooth decay.

7. Diet pills

Even though they may seem like a quick way to trim your waist, diet pills can also be a fast track to gum disease and tooth decay.

“Like many over-the-counter and prescription medications, diet pills decrease salivary flow, which causes dry mouth and puts you at risk for gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, and discomfort,” says Halpern.

Bottom line: A balanced diet and exercise are the safest way to lose weight and protect your smile.

8. Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can affect your jaw, cause pain, and even change the appearance of your face.

“People who have otherwise healthy teeth and gums can clench so often and so hard that over time, they wear away their tooth’s enamel, causing chipping and sensitivity,” says Halpern.

Stress and anger can increase nighttime teeth grinding. “Finding ways to alleviate these feelings can help, but it’s also important to see your dentist, who can recommend solutions like a custom night guard,” advises Perle.

9. Candy

Contrary to what mom said, sugar won’t directly rot your teeth—but the acid produced when you eat sugar and carbohydrates can.

“Naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth devour sugar, creating acids that attack tooth enamel, which can lead to decay and a host of other problems, including gingivitis and cavities,” says Halpern.

The worst thing you can do is leave sugar lingering on your teeth and gums. Eating any amount of candy and brushing and flossing immediately is actually less damaging than not brushing after eating one piece before bedtime, says Halpern.

If you can’t brush after a snack attack, eat cheese or yogurt, or chew sugarless gum to boost saliva flow and neutralize acids.

10. Puberty

The hormonal surge that occurs during puberty can cause more than acne—it can also result in swollen gums that are more sensitive to plaque. This can lead to gum infections, gingivitis, and mouth sores, say Halpern.

“But typically the gums only respond in such a manner if hygiene care is poor,” he adds. Make sure your teen brushes and flosses daily, and sees a dentist regularly.

11. Dry mouth

A dry mouth isn’t just unpleasant, it’s bad for your teeth. Saliva washes away cavity-causing bacteria and neutralizes harmful acids.

“Without saliva, you would lose your teeth much faster—it helps prevent tooth decay and other oral health problems,” says Meinecke.

Drink lots of water, chew sugarless gum, use a fluoride toothpaste or rinse, and consider over-the-counter artificial saliva substitutes. See your doctor if it’s a frequent problem.

12. Dieting
Restrictive diets and poor eating habits can deprive you of the vitamins and nutrients necessary for a beautiful smile.

It’s especially important to get enough folate, B vitamins, protein, calcium, and vitamin C—all of which are considered essential for healthy teeth and gums.

“Poor nutrition can affect your entire immune system, increasing your susceptibility to many disorders and infections, including periodontal disease,” says Halpern.

13. Hot drinks

Your hot-drink habit may be one reason your teeth look a little dingy.

“Black tea and coffee contain stain-promoting tannins that lodge into the pits and grooves of the tooth enamel, producing a rough, stained surface, which is sticky and can retain decay-producing bacteria,” says Halpern.

Consume such beverages in moderation, drink more water every day, and add milk to your coffee or tea to help neutralize the acids, says Perle.

14. Aging

As you age, you’re more susceptible to decay near old fillings or root surfaces unprotected by receding gums. But there’s no reason you can’t keep your teeth. Oral disease—not aging per se—is the danger.

Bumping up your fluoride protection is key. And if you have arthritis, there are dental products that can make brushing and flossing less painful.

“Seniors who brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste or use fluoride rinses or gels regularly have fewer cavities,” adds Meinecke.

15. Birth control pills

Because oral contraceptives mimic pregnancy, they can also lead to gum inflammation and infections, including gingivitis.

Additionally, some studies have shown that women who use birth control pills may have more trouble healing after tooth extractions and are twice as likely to develop painful dry sockets where the tooth used to be.

If you use birth control pills, it’s not a bad idea to discuss their effect with your dentist before major procedures.

16. Not Flossing

Although many of us are much more diligent about brushing than flossing, they are equally important.

“Flossing every day is one of the best things you can do to take care of your teeth. It’s the single most important factor in preventing periodontal disease, which affects more than 50% of adults,” says Meinecke.

Flossing helps remove plaque and debris that sticks to teeth and gums, and gives you a brighter smile by polishing the tooth’s surface; it even helps control bad breath.

17. Brushing at the Wrong Time

Although we’ve been taught to brush after every meal, depending on what you eat or drink, that’s not always the best advice.

“After consuming high-acid food or drinks, like wine, coffee, citrus fruits, and soft drinks, rinse with water to neutralize the acids, but wait an hour before reaching for the toothpaste,” says Meinecke.

“Brushing teeth immediately after drinking carbonated drinks and acidic foods can cause erosion.”

18. Overzealous Whitening

It is not clear whether bleaching erodes tooth enamel, but it can increase sensitivity, especially when done too often.

Even at-home whitening treatments should be used with moderation, as some whitening toothpastes and gels contain abrasive ingredients that can increase tooth sensitivity, which can be painful.

Plus, as you get older, whitening products can only do so much, so after a certain point, using more won’t necessarily do anything for your smile.

19. Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are chock-full of sugar, which puts you at a risk for cavities, tooth decay, and gum infections, and dark colas can also stain your teeth, leaving you with a lackluster smile.

Meinecke recommends drinking soda through a straw and rinsing with water or chewing sugar-free gum after consumption to neutralize the acids.

She also recommends waiting at least an hour before brushing.

20. Citrus & Acidic Foods

“Although lemons, grapefruits, and citrus juices don’t directly cause cavities, like soft drinks, they contain acids, which cause erosion of the tooth enamel, weakening the tooth and making it prone to decay,” says Meinecke.

Waiting to brush, rinsing your mouth with water, or chewing sugar-free gum can help. In particular, consider xylitol, a natural sweetener found in plants and fruits that was FDA approved as a food additive in 1986.

Found in sugar-free gum, mints, and toothpastes, xylitol can inhibit the cavity-causing oral bacteria. “Dentists will often recommend patients chew at least two pieces per day if they are at high risk for developing cavities,” explains Meinecke.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/oral-care/photos/20-things-that-can-ruin-your-smile#20

The Baby Basics of Brushing:

1. Clean baby teeth twice daily with a soft washcloth or gauze pad as soon as teeth erupt. Baby tooth enamel is much thinner than adult enamel, and consistent cleaning will prevent cavities. Use water (up to age 2) or a small, pea-size drop of fluoride toothpaste. This will not only clean the teeth but provide a soothing sensation to gums that are inflamed during the teething process.

2. Floss teeth as soon as two teeth are touching each other. This will prevent bacteria from becoming trapped between teeth.

3. The American Dental Association recommends that children have their first dental appointment around their first birthday. This allows the dentist to check for problems and evaluate the hygiene regimen early on.

The Basics of Brushing for Ages 3-7:

1. Children over 3 years old should begin brushing their teeth themselves, using a soft child’s toothbrush. Instruct them to brush in a gentle circular motion, rinse thoroughly with water, and spit. They should be supervised by their parents until they are 6 or 7 years old. Children love to imitate adults, so brushing at this age could be a family activity, with parents demonstrating proper teeth-cleaning techniques.

2. Children should also begin flossing by themselves at age 3.

3. Replace toothbrushes every 6-12 months, with the toothbrush increasing in size according to the child’s age. Choose brushes with a small head and medium bristles.

Do a Plaque Attack

1. Occasionally check the effectiveness of your child’s hygiene routine with a “plaque attack.” Plaque is a white substance that develops when food mixed with bacteria and saliva clings to teeth and forms cavities. To see how much plaque remains on the teeth after brushing, mix in a paper cup three to four drops of red food coloring into 2 tablespoons of water . Swish around in the mouth for 10 seconds. Spit it into the sink, but do not rinse. Use a magnifying or regular mirror to find the red spots of plaque. Brush these away, and note the areas where the initial brushing failed to remove the plaque.

2. After age 7, direct supervision is not as necessary, but parents should periodically watch their children brushing to be sure bad habits haven’t begun.

3. Dental appointments every 6 months should be a family priority to ensure healthy teeth and gums.

Read more: How to Teach Young Children to Practice Good Oral Hygiene | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5619605_teach-practice-good-oral-hygiene.html#ixzz1QdFuF21I