Sunday, October 30, 2005
Toothbrush Abrasion
I see many patients that have "toothbrush abrasion". This is what it looks like:
You'll notice that the outer part of tooth is the "enamel". The enamel is hard and white, and it covers the dentin. Dentin, unlike enamel is soft and yellow. Enamel varies in thickness and gets thinner closer to the gums.
When people brush their teeth with a lot of pressure, or with a hard toothbrush, they start to irritate their gums. This causes the gums to pull away from the tooth and expose roots. Roots are not covered with enamel. The individual will become more sensitive to hot and cold, and roots are more vulnerable to cavities.
Over time, aggressively brushing your teeth can wear away the enamel on the tooth. Since the enamel layer is thinner closer to the gums that's the first part to go. If this happens notches will be made through the dentin. Again, this increases sensitivity and makes the tooth weaker.
Many Punjabis have been led to believe that brushing with a lot of pressure will get their teeth "cleaner". This isn't true. Also, many will only use a brush with hard bristles because they don't think a soft one will get their teeth clean. Again... not true.
You can compare brushing your teeth to washing your car. You'd want to use something soft and you wouldn't want to scrub really hard. Most people don't want to scratch the paint on their car. So why do that to your teeth?
When brushing your teeth, don't apply pressure towards your gums, use circular motions (not back and forth), and use a soft brush.
:)
Let's look at the anatomy of a tooth!
You'll notice that the outer part of tooth is the "enamel". The enamel is hard and white, and it covers the dentin. Dentin, unlike enamel is soft and yellow. Enamel varies in thickness and gets thinner closer to the gums.
When people brush their teeth with a lot of pressure, or with a hard toothbrush, they start to irritate their gums. This causes the gums to pull away from the tooth and expose roots. Roots are not covered with enamel. The individual will become more sensitive to hot and cold, and roots are more vulnerable to cavities.
Over time, aggressively brushing your teeth can wear away the enamel on the tooth. Since the enamel layer is thinner closer to the gums that's the first part to go. If this happens notches will be made through the dentin. Again, this increases sensitivity and makes the tooth weaker.
Many Punjabis have been led to believe that brushing with a lot of pressure will get their teeth "cleaner". This isn't true. Also, many will only use a brush with hard bristles because they don't think a soft one will get their teeth clean. Again... not true.
You can compare brushing your teeth to washing your car. You'd want to use something soft and you wouldn't want to scrub really hard. Most people don't want to scratch the paint on their car. So why do that to your teeth?
When brushing your teeth, don't apply pressure towards your gums, use circular motions (not back and forth), and use a soft brush.
:)
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Be a safe rider on elevators, escalators, and moving walks
When I was four years old I overheard my aunt telling my mom about a lady who died when her hair got caught in an escalator. She died. Ever since then I have been extremely cautious around escalators. Some people, do not exercise caution around escalators. Here, my cousin Amritvir, is going "down" on an "up" escalator:
Link
(very bad)
Proof that escalators are dangerous:
# A37 year old male died from asphyxiation when his clothing became entrapped in the downward moving steps and stationary bottom comb plate of an escalator at a subway station. He was found, on his back, with the coat wrapped tightly around his chest, because part of the coat was dragged into the comb plate. There were no witnesses as to how the coat became entangled. ( 3/11/97 , Washington , DC )
# A female, age 85, lost her balance and fell onto the escalator at a store. Cause of death blunt impact to head, trunk and extremities sustained in the fall. ( 9/11/00 , Richmond Heights , OH )
# A Twelve-year old male was riding an escalator down (egress) from a baseball game when his right shoe got stuck between the stationary left side of the escalator. The victim sustained injury to his right big toe. The extent of the injury was not determined. ( 7/6/02 , Anaheim , CA )
# A5-year-old female was on the bottom step of a down escalator when her shoe got caught in the comb plate. She reached down to get her shoe when her hand also got caught in the comb plate. Her three middle fingers and part of her hand were amputated. ( 2/19/03 , St. Petersburg , FL )
# About 60 people were injured when the escalator they were riding down suddenly accelerated and they fell or were thrown at the bottom of the escalator. ( 7/2/03 , Denver , CO )
Link
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
These are two completely different jackets.
A comment-leaver inquired about Sonia's jacket in the picture from yesterday's post. The jacket on the left is not the same as the jacket on the right.
There are several differences. The jacket on the left is a corduroy blazer. The one on the right is a full length wool coat. Also, you'll notice that the collars are very different. In addition, the blazer has puffed sleeves, whereas the coat does not. I've highlighted the differences below:
Even if it was the same jacket... so what? Wearing the same jacket twice in the span of seven months isn't really a fashion blunder, is it? Most people buy jackets expecting to wear them more than once... actually a number of times. Think about all the people who don't even have one jacket!
There are several differences. The jacket on the left is a corduroy blazer. The one on the right is a full length wool coat. Also, you'll notice that the collars are very different. In addition, the blazer has puffed sleeves, whereas the coat does not. I've highlighted the differences below:
Even if it was the same jacket... so what? Wearing the same jacket twice in the span of seven months isn't really a fashion blunder, is it? Most people buy jackets expecting to wear them more than once... actually a number of times. Think about all the people who don't even have one jacket!Monday, October 17, 2005
Some Pictures
I just uploaded the following pictures.
The beginnings of my Bonsai Tree:
My friend Amandeep's stubbed toe:
Ralphie in his "skinny" sweater:
Ralphie waiting for my mom:
Kamaljit and Sonia after Mamma Mia a couple of weeks ago:
Ralphie in a jacket that my mom made for him:
Someone who doesn't want to be photographed and Amandeep:
A science experiment?
The beginnings of my Bonsai Tree:
My friend Amandeep's stubbed toe:
Ralphie in his "skinny" sweater:
Ralphie waiting for my mom:
Kamaljit and Sonia after Mamma Mia a couple of weeks ago:
Ralphie in a jacket that my mom made for him:
Someone who doesn't want to be photographed and Amandeep:
A science experiment?
Monday, October 10, 2005
Chanpreet update
Here is an updated picture of Chanpreet. His joora isn't big enough for a putka yet, so he wears a hat. 
Friday, October 07, 2005
Having a bad day?
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people
around the world.
If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over
your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare,
especially in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.
You are so blessed in ways you may never even know.
-Anonymous
Sunday, October 02, 2005
funny...
Remind you of anyone?Saturday, October 01, 2005
Harsh Bazithee
My sister's Religious Studies teacher at Trinity Western University asked her a couple of years ago if she could arrange for one of his classes to visit a local Gurdwara. Since then, once a semester, the instructor has been bringing his religious studies class to Dashmesh Darbar for a discussion and a tour.
The first time the group visited Dasmesh Darbar, the discussion and tour were done by someone from Khalsa School (I'm not sure who it was). The instructor was very impressed, saying that the tour was much better than the one given by the Surrey Gurdwara.
Today, the instructor once again brought his religious studies class to Dashmesh Darbar. Everything went well, with Gianni Swarn Singh leading the discussion. When it was time for the class to leave, guess what? One of the students' shoes had been stolen. Wow, that's so embarrassing.
Imagine going to a place of worship, and having someone tell you how great the religion is, how followers of the religion believe in doing service, helping fellow humans, earning an honest living, remembering God in everything you do, etc... Then you get up to leave and see that your $80 pair of shoes aren't where you put them... aren't anywhere to be seen. So what would you remember about visiting the Gurdwara, and about Sikhs in general?
I've had three pairs of shoes stolen from the Gurdwara. Not all of them were even expensive. One pair was only $16. It's different for me because I know that the thievery isn't a reflection of Sikhi, but I wonder what those students are going to tell people about Sikhs.
The first time the group visited Dasmesh Darbar, the discussion and tour were done by someone from Khalsa School (I'm not sure who it was). The instructor was very impressed, saying that the tour was much better than the one given by the Surrey Gurdwara.
Today, the instructor once again brought his religious studies class to Dashmesh Darbar. Everything went well, with Gianni Swarn Singh leading the discussion. When it was time for the class to leave, guess what? One of the students' shoes had been stolen. Wow, that's so embarrassing.
Imagine going to a place of worship, and having someone tell you how great the religion is, how followers of the religion believe in doing service, helping fellow humans, earning an honest living, remembering God in everything you do, etc... Then you get up to leave and see that your $80 pair of shoes aren't where you put them... aren't anywhere to be seen. So what would you remember about visiting the Gurdwara, and about Sikhs in general?
I've had three pairs of shoes stolen from the Gurdwara. Not all of them were even expensive. One pair was only $16. It's different for me because I know that the thievery isn't a reflection of Sikhi, but I wonder what those students are going to tell people about Sikhs.
