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Who doesn’t love the smell and the freshness of a mouth wash splashing across their oral cavities?
Many agree that the first thing that comes to their mind when they want to eliminate bad breath is to use a good mouth wash. Moreover, mouth wash has moved over to other realms and is now actively fighting gum and tooth problems along with its elder cousin, toothpaste. However, there exists some scepticism that prolonged usage of mouth wash may not be good for your health. Let us have a look at some definitions in detail.
Can mouth wash reduce bad breath?
Yes, a mouth wash can temporarily restrict bad breath, but it is never a permanent solution. A good oral hygiene comes from regular brushing and flossing practice and these are still the best ways to curb bad breath from its root. Mouth rinses are used for a variety of reasons, to freshen up breath, to help prevent or control tooth decay, and to reduce plaque.
Is it necessary to use mouth wash?
A mouth wash is not mandatory to give a good oral health. An effective routine of brushing and flossing your teeth is enough to take care of good oral hygiene. Mouth wash is like an add-on to your oral care regime and is definitely not an alternative for brushing and flossing.
Advantages of using a mouth wash -
A mouth wash can easily go into places between your teeth and gums and can help remove food particles that might have got missed when you brushed. It can be used to kill bad odour of your mouth temporarily and can freshen up your breath. In some cases, a mouth wash may be recommended to treat infection, reduce inflammation and relieve pain
Disadvantages of using a mouth wash -
Most of the mouth wash contains a high amount of alcohol content in them and their prolonged use is not safe for your mouth. In some cases, alcohol causes sensitivity to the root surface of your teeth and this may lead to an adverse effect on the senses of your teeth. Mouth wash is strictly meant for spitting and accidental consumption may not be good for your health.
They actually contain products that can be very harmful if taken in large amounts. It is generally not advised for children and even adults can limit their usage to twice a day. Always check with your dentist before you take up and use a mouth wash. It is also best if you can opt for a homemade mouth wash that has natural ingredients in them for taking care of your bad breath.
Cranberries are the most useful fruits for you, if you suffer from repeated UTIs, stomach ulcers and GI distress, have a problem with your heart or liver, have been diagnosed with cancer, have gum disease or bad skin. The list can go on and on to prove cranberries are indeed nature’s wonder fruits.
A cup of cranberries contains the following:
- Calories - 46
- Manganese - 18 %
- Vitamin C - 18 %
- Vitamin E
- Fibre
- Copper
- Vitamin K
- Glycemic index – Low
Cranberries have thousands of benefits for our health.
What makes cranberries so awesome?
- Fight UTI: Cranberries are strongly acidic and they contain a chemical compound that gives them their bacteria fighting punch. This compound is called proanthocyanidins (PACs). It helps prevent UTIs as the special structure of PACs acts as a barrier to bacteria, which latch on the walls of your urinary bladder, causing UTIs.
- Prevent stomach cancer: The PAC prevents bacteria, which cause stomach cancer called Helicobacter pylori to latch on to the walls of your stomach and large intestine.
- Protect your heart: Cranberries contain Anthocyanin. This phytonutrient gives cranberries their amazing red colour and is linked to their unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which protect your cardiovascular system and liver. To reap the complete benefits of all five cranberry phytonutrients, it’s best to consume the whole berry rather than have it in the form of an extract or juice.
- Contain anti-cancer properties: Cranberries possess solid cancer-preventive benefits. They can prevent cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate. None of the cancer-related benefits of cranberries should be surprising, since cranberry is loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients like anthocyanins which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Antioxidants are essential for improving health by helping combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA, thereby preventing cancers.
- Oral health: Apart from boosting immunity, making our skin lush and youthful, cranberries can also prevent periodontal disease.
- Good for diabetic patients: Since, cranberries are a low GI fruit, diabetics can have them too and benefit from their health benefits.
- Good for your heart: The fruit has also been proven to lower LDL and raise HDL or good cholesterol, as well as help in recovery from stroke.
- Promote weight loss: The fruit is loaded with fibre, which keeps you full for a longer time and aids in weight loss. Because of high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory content, cranberries help improve memory.
This food is no less than a superfood, sent straight from heaven for our well-being.
Cancer today is not as rare as it once was. Today, cancer affects the young and old alike. One of the reasons for this is the pollution in particular air and water pollution that we are exposed to on daily basis.
The air we breathe in today is a mixture of smoke, particulate matter and noxious gases that causes great harm to our bodies. Amongst these, particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 millionths of a metre is the worst.
These particle matters are emitted into the air from car exhausts, industrial exhausts, coal fires, wood stoves etc. While the body’s natural defences help keep larger particle matter out of the system by sneezing or coughing it out, smaller particle matter enters the body easily. These then get trapped in the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Particle matter has in particular been linked to increasing number of lung cancer cases. Apart from lung cancer, coal tar particle matter has been linked to bladder cancer, soot to oesophageal cancer and benzene and other pesticides to leukaemia.
Radon is another source of air pollution that is emitted from the ground. In some cases, radon can also be emitted through the water. As this gas decays, it releases tiny particles that when inhaled bombard the lung cells with radiation that can cause radiation. Smoking can worsen this effect and increase a person’s risk of suffering from lung cancer. Both first-hand and second-hand smoking has also been linked to breast cancer. Apart from trying to reduce emissions to lower air pollution, it is also important to clean filets of air conditions, etc. regularly to lower indoor air pollution. Preventing the smoking of tobacco in public spaces can also help improve air quality.
All pollutants emitted by us eventually find their way into the water we drink. Even if you are not drinking contaminated water, merely, showering or swimming in contaminated water can make your body more vulnerable to the carcinogens in it. Common water pollutants include arsenic, hazardous waste, animal waste, radon, chemicals and asbestos. Drinking water with concentrated amounts of arsenic has been linked to cancer of the lungs, liver, kidney and bladder while the chlorine used to treat drinking water increases the risk of bladder and rectal cancer.
To reduce the risks of cancer caused by polluted water, it is essential to reduce disinfectant by products by keeping water treatment facilities updated and promote green chemistry and alternative assessments to reduce pollution as a whole.
Doing yoga and meditation for relieving stress will be very effective as stress triggers hair fall and hair damage.
Drinking fenugreek or methi water on empty stomach every morning is an effective way to lose weight and burn belly fat naturally. It is said that drinking warm water mixed with fenugreek seeds or powder can reduce weight quickly.