According to statistics from the American Association of Orthodontists, 4.5 million people are wearing braces or other dental devices meant to help straighten their teeth in the United States. Yet many patients can’t afford or are impatient with the timeframe that goes into traditional orthodontic treatments. The Canadian Dental Agency claims that a crowded, broken, and crooked smile affects more than just aesthetics, it can greatly impair eating, speaking, and jaw and overall mouth comfort. Crooked teeth may also be tougher to brush and floss, therefore contributing to tooth and jaw damage, pain, and decay. If you’re not happy with your smile, there are several products that can help: 1. Smile Direct Club Smile Direct Club is a teledentistry company that produces 3D printed clear aligners to allegedly straighten smiles. Consumers are sent a mold kit to make a unique 3-D mold of their teeth at home. They then ship it back where a dental professional creates their retainer plan and puts the customer in touch with an orthodontist who will oversee them during the treatment process. The customer will get back a customer aligner plus a preview image of their future smile. The consumer still has to consult with their dentist to get a checkup first, but if they’re approved a set of aligners will arrive shortly in the mail.

Cold sores, or fever blisters, always crop up at the worst of times. These blisters filled with fluid typically appear near or on the lips when the immune system is low, or due to stress, lack of sleep, hormonal fluctuations, or a crack or lip abrasion. Cold sores are the result of a type of infection triggered by the type 1 herpes simplex virus. While, in most cases, cold sores will heal naturally within a few weeks time, they can be an embarrassing deterrent to social events. Many patients try to either prevent the onset of a cold sore or quicken the healing process by using the following methods: 1. Antiviral creams Antiviral creams and ointments applied directly to the affected area may be used to treat an existing cold sore. However, these topical treatments are most effective when applied at the initial signs of a cold sore, and before the blister forms. These are marketed over the counter under brand names like Acyclovir (better known as over the counter Blistex or Abreva). Upon application, the lip may sting or tingle at the affected site.   2. Prescription medications Oral prescription treatments are also available upon doctor’s prescription. These are marketed under names such as Valtrex and Famvir, and meant to be taken one time, orally at the first sign of a cold sore.

If you suffer from low back pain, or neck or shoulder pain you’re likely not sleeping very soundly. In fact, when you consider that you spend roughly one third of your day slumbering, if you’re in pain or tossing and turning most of the time, that time is not being spent optimally. Consider your mattress. Despite your physical issues, research shows that a quality mattress will significantly improve your quality of sleep by increasing blood flow and reducing any stress on painful pressure points along your body and spine.  Here are a few mattress buying tips to improve your overall comfort and quality of sleep: 1. Is your mattress old? Chances are if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep because of springs or shrunken areas on your mattress, you need a new one. According to a study out of Oklahoma State University, generally buying a new mattress will do the trick. The sleep study monitored a group of 62 participants while they slumbered, and found that when a new mattress was used to replace an old one, regardless of type or firmness, all participants slept better. Sleep professionals recommend replacing a mattress ever 9 to 10-years.  2. What position do you sleep in?

One common thing all women can look forward to when the season changes is wearing a different kind of shoes. Boots are trendy in the winter and fall when the weather is much cooler and then strappy sandals start to surface in the spring as women show off their light colors and cute dresses. The summer time is geared towards the hotter weather shoes like flip flops and slides. Let’s take a closer look at these hotter weather shoe types and see what makes them so stylish during the summer season: Flip flops These cute shoes are simple and fast to stick your feet into and the available colors make it possible for you to match with any swimsuit or outfit in your closet. Studies show that at least 31% of women feel that they must have these shows during the summer. Even with the minor concern of danger to your ankles, knees, and feet, you can’t deny the actually benefits of wearing these types of shoes. Some of the benefits of wearing these shoes include: Good for arthritis Easy to put on Keep your feet aired out Inexpensive to purchase Relaxing feel to psyche and feet Easy to find for purchase Various designs, types, and colors are available Mules This classic trendy shoe is perfect for the ladies that are not fully ready to show off their feet.

In today’s cell phone market, which can set apart one smartphone from another is the newest features a phone offers and the advancements each brand makes. The cell phone market is extremely competitive with the normal lifespan of a cell phone being around 2 years before many customers tend to upgrade to a newer model phone. This may start to change somewhat with the cost of cell phones rising and the new trend of cell phones being leased are indicative of raising prices. The two most popular brands that are constantly competing for the title of the best cell phone are the Samsung Galaxy and the Apple iPhone. Each brand strives to come up with the latest in cutting edge technology that makes their latest phone stand apart from the rest. Let’s look at some of the best features for the newest phones on the market: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus 6.4” Quad HD Infinity display, the largest yet. Charge your earbuds wirelessly on the back of the device Dual 12 MP and 16MP rear-facing camera The dual lens selfie camera Night mode for improved images taken at night 39 hours of talk time AKG speakers 128GB, 512GB and 1TB 19 hours talk time iPhone XS Max 6.5” Retina HD Display 7.7mm thick 12MP Dual wide angle and telephoto cameras Water resistant up to 2 meters for 30 seconds Charges wirelessly 64GB, 256GB or 512GB Record video in4K 25 hours of talk time iPhone XR 6.1” display Liquid retina and most advanced LCD in the market The screen stretches to every corner completely A12 Bionic chip The camera has smart HDR with faster sensors, depth control, and advanced algorithms bring highlights and shadows to your pictures 1.8 wide angle lens 22 hours of talk time 64GB, 128GB or 256GB iOS 12—the most advanced mobile operating system in the world All three of these phones are at the cutting edge of the market in terms of advancements in technology and improved performance.