Are Women More Prone to Getting Cavities than Men?

Although I don't have any cavities yet, I found it strange to learn that my gender is more likely to get cavities than males according to an article I read: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27200689/. Unfortunately, although keeping up with proper dental care helps, women's hormones play a pretty large and unavoidable role in the condition of our teeth.

For the most part, anthropology research shows that when societies changed from hunter gathering to agriculture it caused a negative spin on nutrition and health, including dental health. This was supposedly because people stopped obtaining an array of essential dietary nutrients, and became dependant on fewer crops. Anthropologists researched that women's poor dental health also had to do with culture aspects and "women's roles" such as cooking, that usually comes along with the occasional bite here and there.

Although these views made sense and aren't wrong, there's more to it. John Lukacs, an anthropologist at the University of Oregon decided to take a bigger look and did a lot of researching on why there was such a dramatic increase in cavities as societies became agricultural. He presented clinical evidence of how the biological factors of higher pregnancy rates in agricultural societies affects dental health.

The evidence concluded that the high estrogen levels in pregnant women have negative side effects on the condition of our teeth. For example, when a women is pregnant they generate less saliva than usual, and the little saliva that is produced can't fight to its potential against acidic bacteria that cause our teeth to deteriorate. Eating more often and bigger amounts when a women is pregnant also causes more of an "acid challenge for teeth" since more food and bacteria is being put in their mouth. Also due to hormonal changes in a pregnancy, women have cravings for more high energy, high sugar foods which we all know are more likely to cause cavities.

Although this is unfortunate news, considering the hormone factor of women is inevitable and isn't going to change, all we can do is be sure to always maintain proper dental hygiene. This way we can prevent all problems with our teeth or we'll at least have fewer problems than if we failed to sustain essential dental upkeep. To find out exactly how to take appropriate care of your teeth go to: http://www.yourdentistryguide.com/hygiene/.

Music we Love and it's Health Benefits

For me, good music has always had the ability to put me in a good mood, but it put me in an even better mood to learn that listening to music I love has huge health benefits. In an article I read, an experiment was performed and proved that listening to enjoyable music helps our heart. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27666479/

This study was performed by Dr. Michael Miller the director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. In the experiment, Miller performed ultrasound tests which showed blood vessel function on ten men and women for an hour while they listened to music. In the first half hour each person individually listened to their favorite music, and in the other half hour they listened to music that they didn't find enjoyable and made them anxious.

The results showed on average that while everyone was listening to their favorite music, their blood vessel diameter increased 26 percent. However, while listening to the music they didn't like, their blood vessels constricted or got smaller by about 6 percent. Although the choice of music for most of the people who participated in this experiment, was country, Miller explained the style doesn't matter, its just what satisfies each person individually.

What this all means is that when blood vessels expand, blood can flow more freely and smoothly which prevents blood clots that cause huge problems such as strokes and heart attacks. Although medications have this same effect, other activities do as well; mostly exercise.

Miller said, "We are not saying to stop your statin or not to exercise but to add this to an overall program of heart health."He discovered the whole idea after finding out that laughter does the same thing. So basically, do what you makes you happy and laugh a lot. :)