Sam Smith's album, In the Lonely Hour, will be released in the US in a few days. However, you can listen to it on NPR First Listen RIGHT NOW. With that being said, I have been hooked onto this album for a week now. Beginning with his hit single, Money on My Mind, Smith uses his strong, soulful vocals to declare that he "[does] it for the love" above everything else. This message is similar to Price Tag's, the hit single from fellow Brit Jessie J. Building off the money<love message, in Leave Your Lover, he croons that he doesn't "[he] doesn't care for gold, what use is money when you need someone to hold?"

The theme of this album focuses on the unrequited nature of love, from not being able to obtain it because the person you're in love with is unavailable to the inability to find love yourself. I was not surprised by the theme because of Smith's comment stating that this album revolved around his personal struggle of falling in love with a dude who didn't love him back, but I was pleasantly surprised by the overall tone of this album. From his features in Disclosure's Latch to La La La, I was expecting it to be more upbeat and heavy with vocal tweaking.

Some of the lyrics get a bit lazy throughout the album, but the choruses are generally nice and put together. There weren't many vocal embellishments that triggered any grievances besides the siren wailings in the first track.

Money on My Mind is my least favorite track on the album; it's heavy on voice alteration that doesn't suit Smith's natural voice - by that, why does his voice sound like a siren? The other songs are A+ beautiful, ending with Lay Me Down, my favorite track from his EP. I would say this version of the song is a pretty balanced mix between the origin and the acoustic versions found on his EP. Also, my favorite track from this album is Not in That Way.


WILL LOVE BE MUTUAL FOR SMITH? Maybe in his next album. On a more personal note, I feel like a broken person when I listen to this album, being fully able to grasp his lyrics and the milieu set off by his voice. I'm very excited to hear what his future albums will sound like, though I am very please with his debut.

I've mentioned previously the connection between oral health and overall health - your nutrition is extremely importantly for the maintenance of both. It's easy to eat whatever you want, especially if you live in a dorm and the cafeteria is your oyster. If you're the type of person who exercises in order to cancel out the amount of calories you ate, then you probably justify eating whatever you want in order to feel great and look great. I was in that same boat until I decided that being healthy means exercise, nutrition, and productivity; don't let exercise replace nutrition! I swear eating healthy and exercising makes you feel great/look great as well!

Here are some food options to keep in mind when you're deciding what to snack on/eat for meal. Do this for your health, and do it for your teeth!

The best food choices for your mouth include: cheese, chicken (meat), nuts, and milk. These are thought to protect the enamel of your tooth by providing CALCIUM and PHOSPHOROUS needed to remineralize the teeth. As a vegetarian, the meat option is out, and I'm not much of a milk drinker, but I'm trying to change... for my teeth. I've always been a huge carbohydrate/starch person, but I'm trying to cut down on the amount of pasta and potatoes I eat...for my teeth.

Other food choices: firm/crunchy fruit (apples/pears/etc) and vegetables. These foods are high in water content, which dilutes the effects of the sugar that they contain + they stimulate the flow of saliva! Citric fruits (tomatoes/lemons) are to be eaten in moderation with other foods to minimize the acid from them that wear away the enamel.

Avoid: candy, cookies, cakes, pies, breads ( :( ) , muffins, potato chips, pretzels, french fries, bananas, raisin, and other dried fruits. These foods have a large content of sugar, catalyzing ample residences for bacteria which lead to cavities.

DRINKS: h2o, milk, and unsweetened tea. Be sure to minimize the amount of sugar you add into your tea/coffee your teeth or go black! Try it first and then gradually build up from there. I've been drinking black coffee/unsweetened tea my entire life, and maybe it's just my preference because I don't like sweet drinks, but it gets the job done. I drink coffee purely for the caffeine, though tea is more of an enjoyable experience for me.

ALSO, remember continuous drinking/eating is worse than one-time drinking/eating when it comes to sugar-y foods, because you're prolonging the time that your teeth are exposed to bacteria. So, if you're going to eat sugar-y things, binge binge binge once, wait thirty minutes, and then brush your teeth! Okay, so that's probably not the best advice, but if you're going to do it.. might as well do it right? Am I right?

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Here's more taken from Delta Dental! 

The “good guys” in fighting tooth decay

• Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables: Foods with fiber stimulate saliva flow, which is a natural defense against cavities. Not only does saliva wash away food particles and clean your mouth, about 20 minutes after you eat something, saliva begins to neutralize the acids attacking your teeth. Crisp fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots and celery not only help stimulate saliva flow, but also help clean plaque from teeth and freshen breath.
• Cheese, milk, plain yogurt and other dairy products: The calcium, phosphates and vitamin D in cheese, milk and other dairy products are important minerals for the health of your teeth. Your teeth are made mostly of calcium, and without enough in your diet, you risk developing tooth decay and other problems. An added benefit is that the calcium in these foods mixes with plaque and sticks to teeth, protecting them from acids that cause decay and helping to rebuild tooth enamel on the spot. Worried you won’t get enough calcium because you are allergic to milk or just don’t like the taste? There are many calcium-fortified juices, soy milks and other foods available that can supply as much calcium to your diet as milk does.
• Sugarless chewing gum: Chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can help rinse harmful acid off your teeth to help you preserve tooth enamel. But be sure it’s sugarless! Chewing gum containing sugar may actually increase your chances of developing a cavity. Sugarless gum containing xylitol, which has been shown to have decay-preventive qualities, may even have an added benefit. Research indicates that xylitol most likely inhibits the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the oral bacteria that cause cavities.
• Green and black teas: Tea contains compounds that interact with plaque and either kill or suppress bacteria, preventing them from growing or producing tooth-attacking acid. This not only helps to prevent cavities, but also reduces inflammation and the chances of gum disease. Depending on the type of water you use to brew your tea, a cup of tea can also be a source of fluoride. Just remember: don’t add sugar to your tea.
• Water with fluoride: Fluoridated drinking water, or any product you make with fluoridated water, helps your teeth. This includes powdered juices (as long as they don’t contain a lot of sugar) and dehydrated soups. Bottled drinking water may not contain as much fluoride as water from the tap, so if this is your main source of water, be sure that you use fluoridated toothpaste and ask your dentist about fluoride supplementation.

The “bad guys” in fighting tooth decay

• Sugary candies and sweets that stay in your mouth: If you eat sweets, go for those that clear out of your mouth quickly. Those that stick around — lollipops, caramels, jelly beans and hard candies — make it difficult for saliva to wash the sugar away. Snacks like cookies, cakes or other desserts contain a high amount of sugar, which can cause tooth decay. If you eat foods like these, it's best to eat them as dessert after a main meal instead of several times a day between meals. Whenever you eat sweets — in any meal or snack — brush your teeth well with fluoride toothpaste afterward.
• Starchy, refined carbohydrates: Foods such as chips, bread, pasta or crackers can be as harmful to the teeth as candy. Starches made from white flour are simple carbohydrates and can linger in your mouth and then break down into simple sugars. Bacteria feed on these sugars and produce acid, which causes tooth decay.
• Carbonated soft drinks: Not only does regular soda contain a high amount of sugar, both regular and diet sodas also contain phosphorous and carbonation, which wear away the enamel on your teeth (causing them to become stained and brown). Many energy drinks and bottled iced teas and lemonades also contain high amounts of sugar and may contain acids that wear away tooth enamel. If you regularly consume soda, you should use a straw to keep it from having too much contact with your teeth.
• Fruit juice: Although fruit is an important part of a healthy diet, fruit juice can cause problems for your teeth. Whole fruits have fiber and are a less concentrated source of sugar (and sometimes acids). In addition, juices sometimes have sugar added to them, which can be even more damaging to your teeth. If you regularly drink fruit juices, you should use a straw to keep them from having too much contact with your teeth.
• Lemons, citrus fruits and other acidic foods: It’s OK to eat these kinds of foods, but don’t suck on them or keep them in your mouth for a long period of time. The acidic juice in these foods can erode the enamel of your teeth. Citrus fruits and foods with tomatoes (including pizza, soup and pasta sauce), pickles, honey and wine can all be damaging to your teeth if they are consumed too often or held in the mouth for too long.

1. Staedtler 10-pack Triplus Fineliners 
I am one of those people who strongly advocate for a good quality pen. Pens are so disposable nowadays and can be bought at different prices, but I have always enjoyed spending a bit more on a good set of pens that last me throughout the year. I always purchase a full set of Pilot G2 pens before the school year, because my primary method of studying is study guide making.

 I have this really odd, borderline (not borderline- downright embarrassing) level of narcissism when it comes to my study guides, even though they are often viewed as cluttered and disorganized by my friends. Anyways, that's just how I function and I enjoy a bit of chaos and disorganization sometimes? I'm not sure, but I am a huge advocate of these pens. I've tried a lot of different brands and types, ranking Zebra and Sharpie on my top list. Unlike Pilot G2s, they do not smear or bleed through paper. I've been using them regularly for around a week now, and I'm so obsessed to the point where I look forward to my daily treks to the library in order to study.. At $10, I think it's a fair price to pay for such quality and precision.

2. Takeya Ice Green Glass Water Bottle
I have a really unhealthy obsession with glass water bottles. I really enjoy the sleek, modern design of many of them, and I've tried around 3 now (other 2 were gifted - I swear my problem isn't that severe). I've been using this Takeya bottle for ONE YEAR, and it's still my favorite. I could list you out the reasons why you should switch to use a reusable water bottle instead of relying on plastic water bottles, but I'll save the lecture for next time and advise you to consider switching over for your health (BPA exposure!), finances (cheaper to use bottle than continuously buy plastic!), and for the environment.

There are so many options available nowadays at many different prices (this one is pricey for "just a water bottle" at $18 + shipping), but I do strongly recommend this bottle if you're into the design of things. Many people have asked me, "why would you use glass? don't they break easily?" I haven't had this problem at all, so I don't think this is really a con, but there are other BPA free plastic options, so start exploring!

 P.S. it's sort of large and heavier than most conventional water bottles, but.. come on, check out that celadon green.

OTHER GLASS OPTIONS: More options

3. Bodum Assam Tea Press

Reads (Around the Web):

I've noticed how heavier people are often associated with laziness, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise, often by medical professionals themselves. Then I think about the personal trainers I know who are a bit "heavier" than the otherwise legion of extremely thin and toned. Do you have to be under a certain weight in order to eat well, exercise regularly, or really, be HEALTHY? What is this obsession with correlating weight and nutrition?

Let's start off with a spectrum of people ranging from size small to size large; with the effects of genetics, environmental factors, exercise habits, and daily nutrition, every individual will weigh differently even if you hold almost every factor constant.

I think the problem is how we treat these individuals and negatively enforce the perception of "skinnier" as healthier as the ultimate preference. Blaming a person and then shaming him/her as fat is counterproductive as this study demonstrates.

On a professional level, you can't deny proper treatment of a patient due to his/her weight and then neglect to address other aspects of care by dismissing the problem as a weight problem. In dentistry, I'm sure many dentists get frustrated by people with poor oral hygiene, but that doesn't mean you can stop at "do you regularly floss/brush?" You have to tell your patients what they should be doing, but DO NOT chastise them. You are not his/her parent, but a provider with that person's best interest at heart, so yes, tell the person to do these things but don't scold them for not doing them, be attentive, and treat them like you would treat every other patient. If your patient decides to avoid going to the doctor period because of your treatment, then what is really being done about the problem?

This is not to say that it's not important for people to change their lifestyles, as obesity and other associated diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are on the rise. But tell them what they can do or what changes they should be making, step-by-step, instead of saying that they are this, this, and this.

Negatively informing this notion on another person is damaging. On a personal level, I felt overwhelming pressure from my family to lose around 8 pounds during my freshman year of college. What followed was an awful period of stress exercising and calorie counting, resulting in me resenting every part of my body that seemed to have grown with fat. I am not the type of person to feel insecure, which is not to say I'm arrogant or cocky about my appearances or demeanor, but I don't hate myself. I accept myself for who I am and how I look - trust me, growing up in a family that encouraged me to get plastic surgery since I was around eight, this a pretty grand feat to me. I grew up with negative reinforcement, and it was extremely toxic for me, catalyzing a lot of self esteem issues and identity qualms. Now that I can differentiate between my family's misappropriation of love and growing comfortable under my own skin, I can gladly say that I enjoy being healthy rather than skinny. I still run everyday, eat balanced meals, rise at 5:30 am, and sleep (kind of) and am healthier, even if I'm not ideal size 00000 that I was growing up. What matters is not my weight in number but my overall health and happiness.


"In our rush to cure the obesity epidemic, we are not only ignoring but may be worsening anti-fat prejudice and size profiling. If medical professionals want to improve public health, they might start by renewing their pledge to “first, do no harm” by treating patients of all sizes with dignity and respect."
* Though this seems contradictory to my "So, why should I floss?" post, I never shame people who don't floss. I simply tell them this is what they should be doing in order to have good oral health!

50% of Americans floss on the daily. 50%!!! Flossing is JUST AS IMPORTANT AS brushing your teeth - if you leave the spaces in between your teeth full of plaque and bacteria, you're leaving your gums susceptible to inflammation and infection, which leads to gingivitis and then periodontitis. I know I joke around with my friends, stating that if you don't floss, you will get gum disease and die, but gum disease is a prevalent problem among Americans, particularly older Americans who have left their POOR GUMS OUT TO DIE.. ALSO, did you know that gum disease is linked to other health problems like diabetes, heart diseases, and respiratory illnesses? You're also losing bone when you leave your gums unattended for, which will exponentially increase your dental bills in the future.

Oh, and because of your genetics, you may be more inclined (or less inclined) to acquire periodontitis . (a dentist I know has periodontitis)



I know that spiel was largely negative reinforced, but your oral health promotes overall health. You have these teeth for the rest of your life, so if you want to keep them, take care of them. If you're taking the proactive steps to eat nutritiously, regularly exercise, then you should be keeping your oral health in check as well by brushing at least 2x per day and flossing 1x per day. I'm not so sure how I feel about mouthwash, because though it's very effective at removing plaque and keeping your breath fresh, it also wears away your enamel.

Flossing takes ~1-2 minutes per day, and brushing takes a total of 4 (2x for 2 mins) minutes. Taking around 5 minutes everyday to promote your overall health sounds like a pretty proactive step to me!

Seriously, start flossing. It may be a bit tedious in the beginning, but I promise after a few days of flossing, it will feel rewarding. I'll be posting an in depth post about oral hygiene and ways in which to maintain your oral health soon.

TILL NEXT TIME,
A Pre-Dent with a cause