Sugar

We all know that sugar can harm our teeth and increase our risk of developing diabetes. Surprisingly, it can also harm the elastin and collagen in our skin. According to experts, we can slow the aging process by replacing sugary foods with ones that have lower glycemic indexes.

Straws and Water Bottles

It may sound bizarre, but drinking through straws and bottles can actually cause us to develop premature signs of aging. The constant puckering promotes the development of wrinkles and fine lines around the lips.

Being a Woman

Unfortunately for members of the fairer sex, women tend to get more wrinkles around their mouths. According to the Mayo Clinic, it's unclear why this is; however, experts suspect it may have something to do with the fact that women tend to have fewer sebaceous glands, which are responsible for producing natural lubricating oils.

Dentures

Because they tend to fit relatively poorly, traditional dentures can cause our chins to appear too close to our noses. Usually, this creates a sunk-in appearance, marked by jowls, lips lines and chin wrinkles.

Fortunately, if dentures are causing you to look older, you can turn back the clock by replacing them with facelift dentures. Custom-made to fit well, facelift dentures provide much more support to facial tissues, creating a fuller, more attractive appearance, akin to the one you flaunted in your youth.

To learn more about this simple effective solution for premature aging, contact Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland today.

Anti-Aging Food

Research out of France's national department of health (INSERM) suggests that western diets make people age quicker and less gracefully when compared to a specific diet, which also appears to promote better health. The study, which appeared in The American Journal of Medicine examined over 24 years of data related to 4350 men and women. Ultimately, the researchers found that subjects who ate according to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) enjoyed longer, healthier lives, when compared to subjects who ate western diets, consisting of large amounts of sugar, fried foods, red meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products.

The AHEI Diet

According to the researchers who conducted this study, an AHEI diet consists mainly of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. By eating these types of foods on a consistent basis, they say people can slow the aging process and prevent numerous deadly medical conditions.

When the Damage Is Already Done

If we could relive our lives, most of us would make all sorts of different decisions that might make us look younger today. Unfortunately, few of us ate perfectly in our youth. By committing to better eating habits, you may be able to slow the aging process; however, if you're already frustrated with existing premature signs of aging, a new diet isn't likely to help.

Practical Ways to Look Younger

Age-related facial flaws can occur for a number of reasons, including sun exposure, genetic characteristics and poor diets. That said, many times, unattractive age-related flaws are rooted in our mouths. As we age, our teeth wear, causing our faces to take on a sunk-in appearance in which our noses and chins appear to be closer together. Not only does this make us look unhappy and less approachable; it can promote the development of jowls, chin wrinkles, lip compression and more.

Fortunately, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland can dramatically reduce these flaws by providing non-surgical facelifts, which restore teeth to help support facial tissue. Patients enjoy fuller, younger-looking faces that make them feel more confident and outgoing. To learn more, contact their office today.

A Veritable Fountain of Youth?

Scientists out of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York recently made a huge discovery when they located the exact part of the brain which appears to control aging. What's more, they were able to drastically slow the aging process by manipulating a specific protein complex that influences this brain region.

The Hypothalamus

Responsible for all sorts of important bodily functions, the hypothalamus is an almond-sized structure, which controls reproduction, growth, metabolism, development and aging. To see if they could manipulate the aging process in mice, researchers targeted special nudlear protein complex which influences B cells (NF-B) to help promote and prevent inflammation. By artificially activating the NF-B pathway in the hypothalamus, the researchers were able to speed aging in mice, causing a reduction in learning ability, skin thickness, size and strength. Likewise, they were able to drastically slow the aging process by blocking the NF-B pathway; in fact, they were so successful, the mice lived 20 percent longer, while also enjoying more robust health, energy and other physical traits associated with youth.

A Promising Future

This recent study has caused a big stir in the scientific community, with numerous aging experts calling it brilliant and groundbreaking. As scientists gain a better understanding of how we age, they appear to be closer to potential remedies which may help people look younger and live longer. Unfortunately, most of us aren't likely to benefit from these anti-aging treatments, which will probably take decades to develop.

A Modern-day Anti-aging Treatment

Sadly, aging involves more than common aches and pains. For many of us, it also involves age-related facial flaws that negatively impact the way others perceive us. While age-related flaws can occur for numerous reasons; many times, they're the product of traditional dentures which offer poor support to facial tissues. Fortunately, Dr. Strickland and Dr. Durham offer their patients facelift dentures, which have the power to eliminate that unattractive "sunk-in" look, along with jowls, lip lines, chin wrinkles and other facial flaws. To learn more about this simple, modern way to look younger and more vibrant, contact their office today.

Quick Change

A recent video clip had celebrity gossip magazines and websites buzzing, thanks to some footage of Jewel sporting a straight smile. Just 14 days prior, the songstress was spotted with her trademark misaligned teeth, causing people to wonder how she got straight teeth in such a short amount of time. In actuality, according to the famous singer, she owed her new smile to temporary, removable dentures, which she wore to make her look more like June Carter Cash for the Lifetime Original Movie, Ring Of Fire.

Lot of Attention

Although she may have valued the attention paid to her upcoming movie, Jewel didn't seem too excited about the publicity surrounding her teeth. In a recent sit-down with Health magazine, she paid tribute to her infamous smile, saying it has benefited her by making her stand out from other singers. Unfortunately, this typically isn't the case for people who live in the real world.

Accepting Reality

While Jewel may be able to get away with having an imperfect smile; the average person is forced to accept some blunt realities. Research has demonstrated that crooked teeth have a serious impact on how other people perceive individuals, not to mention oral health. In fact, studies have shown that people who have misaligned smiles tend to be perceived as being less intelligent and less likely to succeed. While cruel and unfair, this reality can have a big effect on lives, causing people to suffer both socially and professionally.

If you don't like being judged unfairly based on your crooked teeth, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland can help by providing porcelain veneers in a smile makeover or full mouth rejuvenation, which corrects flawed smiles in a powerful, yet natural way. To learn more, contact our office today.

Recently, a team of researchers tested reflexology to see if it might hold painkilling powers. While their study did yield promising results; it's not likely to offer much benefit to people who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (also called TMD).

A Complimentary Treatment

Researchers out of the University of Portsmouth recently tested reflexology to see if it might prove beneficial to people who suffer from unrelenting pain. Appearing in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, the study included several participants who suffered from a variety of different types of chronic pain.

After using reflexology techniques on these subjects, the researchers noted that each one reported about 40 percent less pain. According to one of the lead researchers, these findings suggest that reflexology may serve as a useful complement to pain medications for patients who suffer from pain associated with backaches, osteoarthritis, cancer and more.

What if You Have TMJ Disorder?

Temporomandibular joint disorder can cause all sorts of difficult symptoms, such as jaw clicking, chewing problems, headaches, tinnitus and, of course, chronic pain. Unfortunately, because they don't address the root cause of the problem, alternative therapies typically offer little - if any - relief. In the end, while things such as acupuncture, massage, acupressure and reflexology might offer a temporary distraction from TMJ-related pain; they won't provide any sort of lasting help.

What Works?

Dr. Durham and Sr. Strickland offer their patients lasting relief from TMJ disorder by providing a treatment strategy that focuses on the root cause of the disorder: a bad or misaligned bite. Treatment plans will vary from patient, but could includ Full Mouth Reconstruction. If you suffer from TMJ disorder, forget remedies that only address the symptoms of a greater problem. Instead, contact Beyond Exceptional Dentistry to learn about a smarter treatment plan that provides permanent TMJ pain relief.

The Ideal Age

When Allure asked respondents what age they would most like to be, an overwhelming majority said 31. This coincided with attitudes surrounding attractiveness, with men believing that a woman's beauty tends to peak at 29, and women believing they are most attractive at 31. Likewise, when asked what age a woman is likely to reach her peak of seductiveness, both male and female respondents answered 30.

Going Under the Knife

When it comes to choosing surgery to reduce the appearance of age-related facial flaws, men and women have vastly different feelings. In fact, an astounding 42 percent of women said they would definitely consider plastic surgery or injections to look younger; while only 18 percent of men felt the same.

Women Have it Worse

Unfortunately for members of the fairer sex, age doesn't appear to have as significant an impact on men. When asked what words they were most likely to associate with a woman who had gray hair, respondents chose "old." On the other hand, when asked what words they were most likely to associate with a man who had gray hair, respondents chose "distinguished."

Additionally, when asked who was under the most pressure to look young, 91 percent of women and 84 percent of men said females. Likewise, while only 36 percent of men said they were worried about physical signs of aging, 56 percent of women voiced concern.

Simple Solutions

While we can't turn back the clock; we can take some simple steps to regain a more youthful look. Over time, our teeth change in ways that make us look older. As we lose our natural bites, our lips thin, creases and jowls begin to appear around our mouths, and our chins may appear to move closer to our noses. This sunk-in look can have a drastic impact on our physical appearance. Fortunately, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland provide nonsurgical facelifts which promote a more youthful appearance by correcting this problem. To learn more, contact our office today.

Melatonin

To minimize migraine occurrence, many people take an antidepressant called amitriptyline. Unfortunately, this drug comes with some unpleasant side-effects, such as weight gain and daytime sleepiness. To test melatonin as a potential alternative to amitriptyline, a group of researchers recruited 178 migraine sufferers and split them into three groups.

The first group took melatonin over an 8-week period; while the second group took amitriptyline and the third, a placebo. Ultimately, melatonin didn't just outperform placebos as a migraine preventative; it outperformed amitriptyline as well. Melatonin was also far better tolerated by subjects, who experienced fewer side-effects when compared to participants who took amitriptyline over the 8-week period.

What it Means to TMD Sufferers

A debilitating condition that causes a variety of confusing symptoms, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) often leaves sufferers with extremely painful headaches. Many times, people believe they're suffering from migraines, when they are actually enduring a common symptom of TMD. If your chronic headaches are caused by TMD, melatonin isn't likely to have much of an effect, since it won't impact the root cause of the problem: your misaligned bite.

How Do You Know?

Most migraine sufferers experience visual disturbances at the onset of a headache. If you don't notice bright lights, blurriness or any sort of aura; you may not be experiencing a traditional migraine headache. Additionally, if your headaches are accompanied by jaw popping, jaw pain, facial tenderness and chewing difficulties; you may have temporomandibular joint disorder.

By evaluating your symptoms, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland can help determine whether your headaches are migraines or a symptom of TMD. If you are suffering from TMD, our TMJ dentists can provide an effective treatment plan that will permanently eliminate your chronic headaches. To learn more, contact our office today.

Missing teeth can result in a diminished quality of life for several reasons. Not only does a lack of teeth prevent us from enjoying the foods we once loved; it makes us self-conscious about our physical appearance. Studies have also linked missing teeth to specific health problems that could prove deadly. Recently, a group of scientists tested a futuristic potential remedy for this common problem by conducting an experiment that yielded some fascinating results.

Growing New Teeth

Unlike some animals, humans are only capable of growing two sets of teeth; however, a group of researchers out of King's College in London are out to change this. Using stems cells, the research team successfully grew human/mouse hybrid teeth within the mouths of mice. While it may sound like some sort of horrifying science-fiction experiment gone wrong, scientists consider this successful study to be a major breakthrough that might one day result in dentists implanting new artificially-grown teeth inside the mouths of their patients.

A Modern-day Solution

Someday, science may allow us to have virtually any body part restored. Unfortunately, that's just not possible in today's world. With that being said, if you are missing teeth, you don't have to simply throw up your hands and accept your dilemma. Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland provide their patients with permanent dental implants that work just as well as natural teeth.

Taking Back Your Life

Aren't you tired of living without the delicious foods you once enjoyed? Why muddle through a life without teeth, when you can regain the freedom to smile and chew as you once did? Contact Beyond Exceptional Dentistry today to learn how dental implants can drastically improve the quality of your life. You don't have to wait around for science to provide a remedy for missing teeth, because it already has.

It only takes a simple phone call to get on the path toward a better, more enjoyable life. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.

Wine Creates Stir

For years, researchers have suspected that wine may have the ability to slow the aging process, thanks to resveratrol compounds found in grapes. Now, a study out of Harvard Medical School appears to confirm this. According to researchers, they have definitively demonstrated that resveratrol stunts that natural aging process in humans by stimulating our cells' ability to create SIRT1. This natural serum enhances a cell's mitochondria, which is responsible for generating energy. By enhancing production of SIRT1, resveratrol appears to indirectly ward off numerous diseases.

Opening the Door to Longer Lives

According to researchers, this study is especially important, because it's the first to clearly show how resveratrol works to slow the aging process. Scientists believe they will be able to use this knowledge to create medications that work even better than resveratrol at ramping up the body's natural production of SIRT1. In fact, one of the study's researchers suggested that within a few years, scientists may be able to create drugs that will allow people to live for 150 years or more.

Everyone wants to live a long life; however, with aging comes some unpleasant side-effects. As we age, our bodies change in ways we don't enjoy. Most all of us develop age-related facial flaws; while many of us require the use of dentures due to tooth loss. Additionally, many times, these two problems can sometimes combine to make us look even older than we really are.

Aging Gracefully

Most people consider increasing life expectancies to be a good thing; however, the truth is there are some aspects of getting older that can be very unpleasant. If you've lost teeth, you may have noticed that your face looks older, due to your dentures. Because they fit relatively poorly, traditional dentures create a "sunk-in" look that makes the nose and chin look too close together. They also promote jowls and chin wrinkles.

Fortunately, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland offer our patients neuromuscular facelift dentures which promote a younger appearance by providing much more support to facial tissues. To learn more about this simple way to look younger and more vibrant, contact our office today.

Interfering with Brain Function

For decades, health professionals have associated memory problems with chronic pain. Now, a new study out of Portugal appears to have shown the reason why. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the research showed that chronic pain has the power to inhibit normal cognitive function by disrupting the manner in which our brain regions cooperate to store short-term memories.

To reach their findings, the researchers utilized rats to show that unrelenting pain has the ability to "overwhelm" important brain regions which work to create memories. In the end, this pain caused the rats to under-perform in mazes that demanded memory recall.

How it Applies to TMD

TMJ disorder causes all sorts of chronic symptoms, such as facial tenderness, chewing difficulties, jaw clicking and tinnitus. That said, this frustrating condition also causes chronic jaw pain and headaches that can significantly reduce the quality of a person's life. This new research indicates that TMD-related pain may have the ability to cause memory issues which could cause big problems. After all, forgetting where you put the television remote is one thing; forgetting critical details at work, on the other hand, could lead to unemployment.

Reaching Out

If TMJ disorder is having a negative impact on your life, now is the ideal time to throw off your proverbial shackles and reach out for help. Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland offer lasting relief from TMJ disorder by providing a treatment plan which addresses the source cause of the disorder: a bad bite. To learn more, contact our office today.

Studies Highlight Risk

For years, researchers have uncovered evidence that missing teeth are somehow associated with deadly health issues. Over a decade ago, a Finnish study drew a strong correlation between missing teeth and ischaemic heart disease in men aged 45-64 years. Other studies have yielded similar results, which have piqued the interest of modern researchers.

In 2010, a Swedish research team wrapped up a 12-year study which looked at over 7,500 subjects. After pouring over a decade's worth of data, the researchers found a strong correlation between the number of teeth each participant had and his or her risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. In fact, they determined that subjects with fewer than 10 teeth were at a seven times higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease when compared to people of the same sex and age with more than 25 teeth.

What's the Reason?

No one is exactly sure why missing teeth might be associated with medical problems; however, past studies have shown that missing teeth can lead to nutritional deficiencies that could promote health issues. This makes sense when you consider that we need an adequate number of healthy teeth to chew rough fibrous vegetables, nuts and lean meats.

Improving Your Quality of Life

Because they make chewing difficult to impossible, missing teeth can significantly detract from a person's quality of life. A growing body of research suggests that missing teeth may also indirectly promote medical problems by depriving us of healthy fiber and nutrients.

If you're tired of having to do without the healthy, delicious foods you once enjoyed, now is the time to make a change. Modern dental innovations now allow you to regain the freedom to eat like you used to, thanks to dental implants.

Don't continue to live without teeth, when you could easily improve the quality of your life through dental implants, especially when you add in the availability of sedation dentistry to eliminate any anxiety. To learn more, contact Beyond Exceptional Dentistry today.

Seymour's Answer

(Photo credit: Ilya Haykinson, Wikipedia)

Originally born in 1951 as Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg, Seymour changed her name and began acting at the age of 18. She quickly found success in the film industry, thanks to her obvious talent and beauty. In fact, her appearance was so breath-taking; she nabbed a role as one of the bond girls in the film Live and Let Die.

Nowadays, Seymour continues to act, starring mostly in supporting movie and TV. roles. Because she still looks youthful and energetic, the Hollywood actress is able to play much younger characters. Just three years away from becoming a senior citizen, Seymour credits her youthful look to an innate "inner calm" which she says gives her a confidence that keeps her attractive.

The Realities of Aging

While Jane Seymour may be able to credit some of her good looks to a healthy mental outlook; more often, people age well because they have great genetic characteristics that promote slower aging. Unfortunately, we don't all have this blessing.

Although age-related flaws occur for several reasons, such as sun exposure and genetic traits; many times, people actually owe their problems to their dentures. Unfortunately, traditional dentures often create an unattractive appearance by causing a "sunk-in" look in which the nose and chin appear to be too close together.

Fortunately, Dr. Durham and Dr. Strickland offer a solution for this frustrating problem. Because they fit better, Facelift Dentures provide complete facial support that promotes a more youthful, attractive appearance. Don't endure that sunk-in look associated with ordinary, traditional dentures; contact our office to learn more about modern, Facelift Dentures.

Research Established Connection

New research out of Brazil has shown a strong association between depression, anxiety and tinnitus. In conducting their study, researchers looked at 68 tinnitus sufferers along with 46 subjects who enjoyed clear, healthy hearing. After subjecting each participant to psychological and hearing tests, the researchers concluded that tinnitus sufferers were much more likely to experience depression and anxiety when compared to people who experience normal hearing.

Is it TMD?

Because it causes distracting noises that interfere with daily routines and sleep, tinnitus can drive people to the brink of sanity. Additionally, since it can originate from so many different sources, the condition can be difficult to treat.

Tinnitus can result from various causes, including, head trauma, ear wax buildup, exposure to very loud noises, reactions to medications, tumors, blood vessel disorders, Meniere's disease and more. That said, in some instances, tinnitus can be caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

TMD is a maddening condition that causes a host of sometimes-vague symptoms, including headaches, jaw popping and clicking, jaw pain and more. If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms in addition to tinnitus, you could have TMD.

Help for TMD

Although TMD symptoms can leave people feeling frustrated and confused, TMD treatment options are relatively simple and straightforward. Most often, this problem originates due to a misaligned bite. By correcting this problem, our TMJ dentists are able to relieve most or all symptoms related to TMD; so patients can live happy, normal lives. To learn more, contact our office today.

The primary structural component of human skin, collagen plays a key part in the development of age-related flaws. Genetic traits and UV-exposure each contribute to a sustained loss of collagen, which ultimately leads to wrinkles and fine lines. New research indicates that aloe vera supplements may have the power to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by boosting natural collagen productive; however, these results may not be enough for people who look older because of changes within their mouths.

Anti-aging Traits

For years, people have used aloe vera as a topical skin ointment; however, until now, no one knew if it offered any sort of benefit when consumed. To see if aloe supplements could help aging skin, Korean researchers tested it on 30 women past the age of 45. Each subject consumed aloe supplements, while researchers measured their facial elasticity over a three-month period. Ultimately, all participants showed at least minor improvement, with each demonstrating increased collagen production and better skin elasticity.

A Proven Anti-Aging Strategy

Unfortunately, more tests are needed before researchers can be sure aloe vera supplementation is a safe way to reduce the natural signs of aging. Additionally, even if it actually does offer some benefits, aloe won't be enough to reduce common signs of aging owed to dental issues.

Over time, as our teeth wear, our faces begin to look sunken in and our chins move closer to our noses. This can have a negative impact on our physical appearances, creating chin wrinkles, jowls, lip compression and more. Soon, we look older than we really are, and people begin to treat us differently.

Fortunately, modern cosmetic dental procedures allow us to regain that youthful look we used to enjoy. If you're tired of looking in the mirror and seeing someone you do not recognize, contact our office to learn how non-surgical facelifts can help.

The Power of a Smile

Research out of the University of Kansas seems to suggest that the simple act of smiling may have the ability to help us cope with stress. Published in the journal Psychological Science, the study looked at over 160 subjects who participated in exercises that incorporated the same muscles we use to smile. At the same time, the subjects were asked to perform stressful exercises that naturally increase heart rates. In the end, the participants demonstrated slower heart rates than did subjects who performed the stressful exercises without "smiling." According to the researchers, this seems to indicate that we may be able to reduce stress by learning to force a smile.

Living Without Smiling

Unfortunately, numerous people hide or restrain smiles, because they hate the appearance of their teeth. When people rarely smile, they tend to give the impression that they are unfriendly, depressed or negative people. This can make it hard for them to establish social relationships. It can also make them feel less confident and more introverted. Ultimately, they go through life missing out on important opportunities; and all because their teeth leave them feeling self-conscious and ashamed.

An Easy Fix

Fortunately, modern cosmetic dentistry now provides a simple way for people to get the smiles they've been dreaming of. Porcelain dental veneers can be used to create a flawless smile that can take the place of gapped, misaligned and discolored teeth.

Don't let unattractive teeth hold you back; contact our Savannah office to learn how dental veneers can give you the confidence and self-esteem that will make you want to smile.