Quotes

"Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself." - Richard Bach

Quotes

What others think of us would be of little moment did it not, when known, so deeply tinge what we think of ourselves.
- Paul Valery

I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.
  - Emo Phillips

What a Difference 100 Years Make

The year is 1909 – one hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes! Here are some statistics for the Year 1909:

• The average life expectancy was 47 years.
• Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub and only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
• There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads and the maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
• The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
• The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour. The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year
• A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year; a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
• More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
• Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION. Instead, they attended so-called 'medical schools', many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'
• Sugar cost four cents a pound, eggs were fourteen cents a dozen, and coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
• Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
• Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
• The five leading causes of death were: pneumonia / influenza; tuberculosis; diarrhea; heart disease; and stroke
• The American flag had 45 stars.
• The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30
• Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
• There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
• Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
• Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. (Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health"
• Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
• There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. mainly because there was a firearm of some sort in almost every home – an armed society is a POLITE society.

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

Gum Chewing can be very good for your teeth

Gum Chewing: Helpful or harmful?

When it comes to chewing gum, it's the type of gum you chew that makes a difference in whether it's helpful or harmful to your teeth. While chewing gum containing sugar may actually increase your chances of developing a cavity, there is clinical evidence that demonstrates just the opposite for sugar-free gum. And there's even better news when it comes to chewing sugar-free gum that is sweetened with xylitol.

Sugar-free gum helps to clean teeth

Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can help rinse off and neutralize the acids released by the bacteria in plaque, which are harmful to tooth enamel. Both the act of chewing and the flavor of the artificial sweeteners in the gum stimulate ten times the normal rate of saliva flow. Not only does the increased saliva flow neutralize the acids in your mouth, it also washes away food particles, helping to keep your teeth clean.

Xylitol reduces decay-causing bacteria

Sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol has the added benefit of inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans, one of the oral bacteria that cause cavities. In the presence of xylitol, the bacteria lose the ability to adhere to the tooth, stunting the cavity-causing process. With xylitol use over a period of time, the types of bacteria in the mouth change and fewer decay-causing bacteria survive on tooth surfaces.

To chew or not to chew

Although chewing sugar-free gum can be beneficial in most instances, there are some cases in which chewing gum is not recommended. For example, if you are experiencing any type of jaw pain or temporomandibular disorder symptoms (TMD/TMJ), you should refrain from chewing gum and talk to your dentist about what options are available to you.

For most people, chewing sugar-free gum (especially gum sweetened with xylitol) can be a good preventive measure in situations when toothbrushing and flossing aren't practical, but sugar-free or not, chewing gum should never replace good dental hygiene practices.

Information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry.

What's your risk for cavities? Take our new quiz to find out.

How to make a decision

Decision making doesn't have to difficult or traumatic. Just think of it as a process, not a finality. You will not always make decisions that are "optimal," but you move through them, learn (gain knowledge for your next decision process), and move on. Here are some steps to help guide you through the process.

1. Frame & Organize

2. Gather information & develop alternatives

3. Create opinion & conclude

4. Deploy

5. Learn