16 hours ago
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As a dental hygienist, I am asked quite often about whitening. And that is totally understandable - who doesn't want whiter teeth? There are a lot of professional-grade treatments that are available, but the truth is, there is no such thing as a one-time whitening treatment. Most likely you are going to have to repeat any whitening treatment within 6-12 months, and treatments have the potential to be quite expensive.
I think a lot of times my patients are wondering if there are any easier things they can do to keep their teeth looking whiter. And I have good news - there are a few daily habits you can create to maintain whiter teeth and a more beautiful smile! Here are my tips.
1. Brush and floss. And I'm not just mentioning this because I am a hygienist and it is hard for me to talk about anything dental-related without recommending more brushing and flossing! Cleaning your teeth properly helps prevent staining. If you want a more beautiful smile, brushing and flossing daily is the foundation. Even super-white teeth aren't pretty if they are surrounded by puffy, red, bleeding gums. And whitening won't do you much good if periodontal disease (inflammation of the tissues surrounding your teeth) puts you at a higher risk for losing your teeth. It's important to keep your teeth's foundation healthy first, and that means regular and proper brushing and flossing.
2. Avoid staining foods and drinks. Some foods are going to cause staining and yellowing of your teeth more than others. A few of the big ones are coffee, tea, red wine, and blueberries. If you want to keep your teeth whiter, you might limit how much of these staining foods and drinks you take in.
3. Rinse after staining foods and drinks. Even though avoiding foods and drinks that stain your teeth is your best bet, let's be realistic here - you can't avoid these foods completely. As a young mom, I know that personally I can't live without my coffee! So what do you do if you do consume something that might stain your teeth? If it's a drink, see if you can use a straw to avoid contact with your front teeth - then after eating or drinking a staining food, rinse your mouth out with water or a fluoride rinse.
4. Use an electric toothbrush. As a personal observation, I notice my teeth look whiter when I am using my electric toothbrush (as opposed to when I am just using a manual toothbrush). Not only that, but electric toothbrushes are also great for your gum tissue, so it is definitely something to check out.
5. Use Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste. This toothpaste has twice the amount of whitening ingredient (vs. Optic White Sparkling Min toothpaste), and can even give you results in three days*! Just with brushing. That sounded like a winner to me!
I went on a hunt at Walmart for the toothpaste, and the box looks really similar to the seven day version - so make sure it says "Express White", and "Results in three days*".
I'm excited to keep using Colgate® Optic White® Express White to see what kind of difference it makes in the whiteness of my teeth! Derek recently stole it from me to give it a try too. It's nice because I haven't had the extra cash or time to use any sort of professional whitening treatment in a while, and this is a great option for maintaining and hopefully improving the color of my teeth.
If you are interested, I know that there is going to be a store demo in Walmarts, and representatives will be handing out coupons, so that might be something to check out! You can see this store list to see if there is going to be a demo near you.
What do you guys think? Have you ever whitened your teeth? What do you do on a day-to-day basis to keep your teeth whiter?
*For best results, use as directed for 4 weeks.
As a dental hygienist, I am asked quite often about whitening. And that is totally understandable - who doesn't want whiter teeth? There are a lot of professional-grade treatments that are available, but the truth is, there is no such thing as a one-time whitening treatment. Most likely you are going to have to repeat any whitening treatment within 6-12 months, and treatments have the potential to be quite expensive.
I think a lot of times my patients are wondering if there are any easier things they can do to keep their teeth looking whiter. And I have good news - there are a few daily habits you can create to maintain whiter teeth and a more beautiful smile! Here are my tips.
1. Brush and floss. And I'm not just mentioning this because I am a hygienist and it is hard for me to talk about anything dental-related without recommending more brushing and flossing! Cleaning your teeth properly helps prevent staining. If you want a more beautiful smile, brushing and flossing daily is the foundation. Even super-white teeth aren't pretty if they are surrounded by puffy, red, bleeding gums. And whitening won't do you much good if periodontal disease (inflammation of the tissues surrounding your teeth) puts you at a higher risk for losing your teeth. It's important to keep your teeth's foundation healthy first, and that means regular and proper brushing and flossing.
2. Avoid staining foods and drinks. Some foods are going to cause staining and yellowing of your teeth more than others. A few of the big ones are coffee, tea, red wine, and blueberries. If you want to keep your teeth whiter, you might limit how much of these staining foods and drinks you take in.
3. Rinse after staining foods and drinks. Even though avoiding foods and drinks that stain your teeth is your best bet, let's be realistic here - you can't avoid these foods completely. As a young mom, I know that personally I can't live without my coffee! So what do you do if you do consume something that might stain your teeth? If it's a drink, see if you can use a straw to avoid contact with your front teeth - then after eating or drinking a staining food, rinse your mouth out with water or a fluoride rinse.
4. Use an electric toothbrush. As a personal observation, I notice my teeth look whiter when I am using my electric toothbrush (as opposed to when I am just using a manual toothbrush). Not only that, but electric toothbrushes are also great for your gum tissue, so it is definitely something to check out.
5. Use Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste. This toothpaste has twice the amount of whitening ingredient (vs. Optic White Sparkling Min toothpaste), and can even give you results in three days*! Just with brushing. That sounded like a winner to me!
I went on a hunt at Walmart for the toothpaste, and the box looks really similar to the seven day version - so make sure it says "Express White", and "Results in three days*".
I'm excited to keep using Colgate® Optic White® Express White to see what kind of difference it makes in the whiteness of my teeth! Derek recently stole it from me to give it a try too. It's nice because I haven't had the extra cash or time to use any sort of professional whitening treatment in a while, and this is a great option for maintaining and hopefully improving the color of my teeth.
If you are interested, I know that there is going to be a store demo in Walmarts, and representatives will be handing out coupons, so that might be something to check out! You can see this store list to see if there is going to be a demo near you.
What do you guys think? Have you ever whitened your teeth? What do you do on a day-to-day basis to keep your teeth whiter?
*For best results, use as directed for 4 weeks.
"How To Catch A Prince" by Rachel Hauck introduces us to Corina Del Rey, struggling to come out of mourning over her brother who died five years ago in war, and the subsequent dissolution of her marriage to Brighton's Prince Stephen. But when Stephen finds out their marriage was never properly annulled, he shows up in Corina's life again and awakens old feelings. Stephen never wanted to leave Corina, but felt he had no other choice because of the secret of how her brother died. But then Corina travels back to Cathedral City, and they must face their past as their secrets come to light.
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand, how can I not appreciate a good princess story? The story was interesting, and progressed nicely through the book. I thought the character growth was good, and the author has a way of transporting you into the places she describes. The scenery in this book was beautiful, the gowns were gorgeously described, and there were many romantic moments. The girl in me enjoyed it.
On the other hand, there were several things about the book that I didn't like.
When in Cathedral City, Corina ends up staying at "The Manor", an old inn that no one else seems to be able to see. The proprietors know things about her that they couldn't possibly know, and Corina just chalks it all up to God guiding her. If I were her, I would have been more suspicious.
The proprietor of the inn (who I am assuming is supposed to be some sort of angel?), makes a comment about how Jesus prays for Corina. That just doesn't make sense, biblically. Jesus did pray in John 17 for all future believers while he was here on earth, and He intercedes for us in Heaven now (Hebrews 7:25), but Jesus "praying" for us now? To whom would He be praying? Jesus is God, and the author even says that in the book, so I just didn't get that. Maybe she interprets "interceding" as "praying", but it's not the same thing. I didn't like the choice of words.
There was a reference to God interacting with Corina by "brushing her skin" or "tapping" her forehead, and I found that all very odd.
There were references to "auras", and I thought the characters' "encounters" with God were too mystical. In one scene God's presence is described as a "heavy, oily presence". I didn't like that. All of this adds up to a New-Age-y, mystical version of Christianity that I don't agree with.
In the discussion questions, the author says that to her, the proprietors of the inn symbolize God's interaction in our lives. I don't think that is sound. While there are some situations where I do believe God sends His angels to earth (there is that verse about entertaining angels in Hebrews 13:2), I don't think semi-creepy people who know way too much about our personal lives, who live in houses that no one can see and that suddenly disappear, are the way God interacts in our lives. Nor do I believe that we should be looking for God to guide us through brushes or taps that we feel on our skin. And though sometimes we might hear His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), the primary way He interacts with us now is much more simple, and perhaps less "romantic". He interacts with us through His written Word. He has told us everything we need to know to follow Him through the Bible, and that was one thing (that is generally rather important to Christians) that was never mentioned in this book.
And on a more frivolous note, I also thought Stephen's reasons for wanting to call the marriage off were selfish. He didn't want to be around Corina because she brought back painful memories, and while I can feel bad for the character's pain, that is not a good enough reason to break up a marriage. I don't feel like he really thought about Corina's feelings much throughout the book, except to assume she would feel the same way as he did if she knew the truth. He never even acknowledges the pain he put her through. He only really thought about his own pain. I don't think that is very princely.
Overall, even though the author might have been just trying to make the story a little more "magical", and even though I thought the plot by itself was interesting, I couldn't get past all the mystical nonsense. I don't really recommend this book.
Note: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I don't know about you, but it is easy for me to fall into a prayer rut - where I find myself using the same 'ole words, to pray the same 'ole things, from day to day. I do this when I am praying by myself, but also when I am praying for my kids at night.
I don't like getting into my prayer ruts when I pray with the kids at night, because I don't want them to get bored hearing me pray in the same way every night - and I don't like it when my own prayers start to feel stale, because then it is so much easier for my mind to wander.
I think the reason I do that is because there are a few core things that I want to pray for each night when we say our bedtime prayers, and it's hard to think of new ways to say it! To me, it's a constant battle to keep my personal prayer time, and prayers with the kids, interesting and fresh (I hope I'm not the only one who has trouble with this).
I think this is something that is worth paying attention to, because being able to come near to God in prayer is a huge privilege - and we can come boldly because of what Christ did for us on the cross! Something like that should never become boring, and it's something I want to work on.
I listened to a Focus On The Family broadcast the other day, and the speaker recommended trying to put theology into our daily, habitual prayers. I try to do that when I pray with the kids, but I realized that I could do a better job of it. I have been challenged lately to try to re-word things, and sneak more theology into my prayers with the kids.
So instead of "Please protect us while we sleep", it could be "Thank you, Lord, that you are so powerful, and in control of everything, and that You are always with us - thank you that you are able to protect us while we sleep, and we pray that You would." Or instead of "Bless this food to our bodies", it could be "God, we know that you have made everything, including out food, and we thank you that you have provided this meal for us. Thank you for the way you have wonderfully made our bodies to use this food for energy, and please protect us from any germs we might not know about."
Something like that. Those are kind of long examples, but you get the idea.
Another fun resource for ideas on changing up day-today prayers is Max Lucado's "Treasury of Bedtime Prayers". Don't let the title fool you, because there are prayers for every time of day in this book! As I was reading through it I was gathering ideas for changing up some of my wording when I pray with the kids.
The kids have also really enjoyed sitting and listening to the poems, Bible verses, and prayers in this book. Gwen has especially liked it - this book is just her speed, I think. I think she likes the rhythm of some of the poems, and the pictures are adorable - lots of cute woodland creatures and outdoor scenes. I think the illustrations are what make this book special to me - these are the kind of pictures I loved to look at in books when I was a girl!
We haven't read through all the prayers yet, because this book has a lot of them, but I have loved every one I have read so far! I think it is a great tool to focus the kids (and myself) on God's goodness right before bed.
I love the idea of focusing on theology and who God is during prayer, for a couple reasons - first it's a good way to sneak biblical truths into the kids brains without lecturing. And second, when you remember how great is the God to whom we pray, it is hard to stay bored! It is amazing that such an incredible God takes the time to listen to us. It reminds me of Psalms 144:3 - what are we that God pays attention to us? Prayer is something special, and I don't want to forget that.
Am I the only one who gets stuck in "prayer ruts"? What do you do to keep your prayer time fresh?
---
Note: I received a copy of :Treasury Of Bedtime Prayers" for free from Tommy Nelson in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
"Betting On Hope" by Debra Clopton is a novel about Maggie Hope, and advice columnist who finds herself roped into interviewing a famous cowboy, Tru Manahan. After an accidental bet is made on whether Tru can teach Maggie to ride a horse, the two find themselves thrown together as Maggie moves to Wishing Springs to write about her journey to learning to ride.
This book was a cute romance novel. The characters had some obstacles to finding true love, but nothing too deep or dark. I find it frustrating when characters let their secrets keep them apart in some Christian romance novels, because it often seems like the difficulties are ridiculously exaggerated. I am happy to report that this was not the case with "Betting On Hope". The characters themselves didn't overreact to the drama of it all, and their internal struggles seemed appropriately proportionate to the obstacles they faced, which I appreciated.
I loved the secondary characters in this book. All the typical small-town nosiness was present in the story, and I loved it. It made the story more fun and charming. I actually wish the author had intertwined some of the secondary characters who were a part of the town into more of the book, but I liked the side-plot with Jenna, a pregnant teenager who finds herself at a home for teen mothers in Wishing Springs.
While I appreciated that the drama in this book wasn't over-played, I did feel like too much of the book was focused on the two main characters internal reactions and feelings - I would have liked more light-hearted banter, or town events, or something to break up all the self-reflections.
The main characters were likable though, and I thought the ending was fun. If you want a light Christian romance read, this was an enjoyable one.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire to celebrate the book's release by clicking here!
This book was a cute romance novel. The characters had some obstacles to finding true love, but nothing too deep or dark. I find it frustrating when characters let their secrets keep them apart in some Christian romance novels, because it often seems like the difficulties are ridiculously exaggerated. I am happy to report that this was not the case with "Betting On Hope". The characters themselves didn't overreact to the drama of it all, and their internal struggles seemed appropriately proportionate to the obstacles they faced, which I appreciated.
I loved the secondary characters in this book. All the typical small-town nosiness was present in the story, and I loved it. It made the story more fun and charming. I actually wish the author had intertwined some of the secondary characters who were a part of the town into more of the book, but I liked the side-plot with Jenna, a pregnant teenager who finds herself at a home for teen mothers in Wishing Springs.
While I appreciated that the drama in this book wasn't over-played, I did feel like too much of the book was focused on the two main characters internal reactions and feelings - I would have liked more light-hearted banter, or town events, or something to break up all the self-reflections.
The main characters were likable though, and I thought the ending was fun. If you want a light Christian romance read, this was an enjoyable one.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire to celebrate the book's release by clicking here!
I have a book for you to read.
I recently finished reading "Killing Christians" by Tom Doyle, and I have to tell you guys, this book might make my top ten list for the year. It's still early, but this book was so good.
I picked up this book thinking it would be like a different book I read a couple years ago that gave a lot of stats and facts about persecution of Christians around the world, and it was totally different than what I was expecting, in a good way! This book has eight main chapters, and each chapter reads like a chapter of a fiction book - except the stories that are told are not fiction, they are real. These stories are specifically focused on Christians in the middle east, so it is especially applicable to what is happening today.
I'm not going to sugar-coat it - these stories are brutal. The types of suffering that are described in these pages are horrific, and in a lot of ways it was difficult for me to read. I can't imagine going through what Christians in the middle east (especially converts from Islam) endure, and the way they endure it with such courage and faith is inspiring.
It may not be easy to read, but it is so important to be aware of what our brothers and sisters are suffering so we can pray for them! I especially loved one line at the end of the book.
"Even though personal hostility, danger, and martyrdom may not be present in your life, there is something else you are experiencing: you are suffering. Did you know that? . . . Your connection to those living in persecution is stronger than you may think - if one suffers, we all suffer. That is why you recently may have felt unsettled, angry, or disoriented by the pervasive evil in the world and overwhelmed at the bombardment of Christians globally as you view it on television or read about it online or in print media. You should feel this way. After all, it is an attack on your family."
That so perfectly describes how I have been feeling lately every time I hear about Christian kidnappings or executions in the news - it is almost a physical pain, and it finally makes sense to me why it makes me feel that way. We are the body of Christ. We are more connected than we realize.
I think it is so important as Christians to not forget those of our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted and killed. It is tempting to turn off the news, close the windows on our computer and not think about it, but we can't do that. Our family needs us. They need our prayers, every single day. We should be petitioning our Heavenly Father on their behalf. We shouldn't let them suffer and die with no notice.
I just wanted to close this post with a resource that was shared at the end of this book, called 8thirty8. This is a challenge to set your phone for 8:38 PM each day, and when the alarm goes off, take a minute to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted. There is also an 8thirty8 Facebook page that will give you specific updates and situations to pray for.
It hurts to feel so helpless, but there is always something we can do - we can pray. And "Killing Christians" and 8thirty8 are great inspiration for doing just that.
Note: I received a digital copy of this book for free in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
We are adding one more little arrow to our quiver! Baby #4 coming September 2015!
Check back soon for more details!
Hey guys! Well, the last couple weeks have been weird to say the least. Just lots of unexpected things that are totally throwing my blogging schedule. Normally I would have some nice accompanying post, but today I have nothing, so I'm just going to point you over to my post on Tommy Nelson today!
I wrote about separation anxiety, which I feel is ironic, because I would not consider myself an expert at handling it - however, we have found ways to cope. And when I say we, I am not just talking about the kids, I am including myself! I hope I am not the only mom who gets anxious for her kids sometimes.
A verse that my mom taught us in childhood reminds me that I need to point my kids to the One who will always be with them if they put their trust in Him. And sometimes I need that reminder too!
To read all about my separation anxiety story and verse, head on over to Tommy Nelson's blog!
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