After a stressful day working in the office at last I’ll be having my first vacation this week. I was so excited and very happy because for the first time this week I’ll be having my break and I will spend it with my family and my nephew.

When I was on my way back home, I saw a store selling different candies, sweets, cookies and chocolate. All of the kids like are there. And it comes to my mind that those are the favorite food of my beloved nephew. Then I went inside and bought some.

Every time I went home, I always bring my nephew candies and chocolate because they really loved it. And they asked it too. Candies and chocolate is really one of the best foods to experience since they are kids. And even me, I also love to eat this sweet and colorful candy. They were very happy when I gave my presence to them. Until they got toothache because of the candies that I brought, so I decided to go to my friend who’s a dentist in Costa Mesa.

He advised not to eat too much of those foods, since it is sweet, it contain sugar that can easily make your tooth damage. He also added that “brushing every time you eat is the best thing to do to prevent toothache”. He was right, but then kids will always be kids. And Candies and chocolate will always be part of their life as a kid.

What goes inside your mouth goes to your body and stays in it— even if you don’t gulp it down. Because our gums and mouth takes in any kind of element, it becomes an expressway of bacteria to every system in our body. Obviously, the chemicals in the toothpaste and teeth whitening products you use can be absorbed in your gums. If this toothpaste contains harmful chemicals, shouldn’t you be concern of its effect not only to your oral health but overall health as well?

If this is your concern, maybe it’s time for you to check the label of the toothpaste that you’re using or maybe, try natural dental products like Aloe Vera, Peppermint Oil, Baking Soda and Lemon Extracts.

Not all natural toothpastes and teeth whitening products though are 100 percent natural like they claim. As such, it is important that you read the labels before putting the toothpaste in your mouth. Here are the ingredients to watch out for:

1. Dental detergent – Isn’t detergents what they use to make soaps? Now, you wouldn’t want to clean your teeth with soap right? But according to a study, sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a detergent, is an active ingredient of toothpastes. This is what makes toothpastes foamy. This element can irritate the gums and mouth, especially if you suffer from cancer sores.

2. Additives and preservatives – If you don’t eat food with artificial ingredients do the same with your toothpaste. There are tooth products that contain artificial additives, which can be harmful to your teeth. To prevent premature tooth decay, stay away from products with preservatives and additives.

Because your smile tells a lot about your personality, a good and bright smile is important. And the best way to achieve this is to use safe and effective teeth whitening products or a smile makeover. So, invest in these products and enjoy a healthy oral health for a lifetime.

"Are you married?" my dentist in Costa Mesa, a sweet lady, asked.

"No, I’m not," I replied.

"How come? You’re young, beautiful, and a ‘sight to behold’ as what my son would normally say," she said.

I simply smiled and let the question hang in the air. Yes, I’m young, if you could call a 30ish woman still young. At that time, I just had one thought, why hurry to get married? Of course, I would like to meet that special guy who would mean the world to me. But, I don’t want to be in a hurry. I’m feeling the pressure right now, but it doesn’t mean I will jump into the married and committed bandwagon easily.

When I went to our high school reunion two months ago, I found out that most of my classmates were already moms. Single moms, married moms, harried moms, pretty moms—most with mouths to feed since they were 18. It’s making me wonder if they are happy with their lives now or feeling remorse for the future they threw away.

So, don’t be surprised if I am already 30ish and still uncommitted. I’m not competing with my cousins on the suitors they’ve collected. It’s not the number of suitors I have that will determine my success in the real world. I’m happy with what I have now. I’m not rushing or anything. I’m a firm believer in patience. After all, patience makes the surprises more surprising.

As I was winding up the implant crown procedure in my last patient this afternoon, my dental assistant and I can’t help but discuss on the loads of homework our kids bring home every day. My teenage daughter was complaining the other day of too much homework. She thinks that her childhood is stolen because she has to spend a lot of time every day just to finish her homework. Her afterschool life is robbed and she can’t even spend a day away from her books. If she wants to stay ahead in school, she needs to stay at home even on weekends to work on her school works.

I don’t want to get too freaked out, but I do think school work seems excessive these days. Kids need extracurricular activities and free time. They have lives outside of school. They can’t keep living in a world where everything has to be pushed to the max. This will only result in burn out and eventually lack of interest to learning.

I just hope future generations don’t suffer the same problems we have today—or get much worse homework than what kids are having these days. Is your child having the same problem as my daughter? I’d love to know.